For the first time all season, for the first time since Week 16 of 2019, the Tennessee Titans will be looking to bounce back from a loss after falling just short against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The good news is clear, the Titans will get that chance to bounce back against one of the NFL’s worst-performing teams, the 1-5-1 Cincinnati Bengals. If the Titans really are the Super Bowl contender they’ve made the case to be through the first seven weeks of the season, this is the kind of game they should win– and win big.
And looking at the matchup, there are a few reasons to think that they can run away with this game. Some of Tennessee’s greatest strengths stack up well against the Bengals’ most glaring weaknesses. Some of the Titans’ biggest problems are also issues for Cincinnati as well.
But if the Tennessee Titans have proved two things over and over again through 2020, it’s this. They’re a winning football team and a wholly imperfect one as well. Even if this game does look favorable on paper, there are reasons for concern against the one-win Bengals as well.
Whether the Titans regain their momentum or drop their second in a row, here are some of the most likely factors that could decide the final outcome.