Tennessee Titans vs Atlanta Falcons: 3 Intriguing subplots to watch

The hour approaches, and once it arrives, the Tennessee Titans will finally answer quite a few of the questions that we’ve been asking about them all season. There won’t be a ton of tape gathered on the starters during the first preseason game. Many of them won’t play, and the ones that will play won’t be in the game for long.

Who cares though right? The Tennessee Titans are playing in a football game! Let’s talk about a few specifics.

Here are three subplots to watch during the Tennessee Titans’ first preseason game.

The beauty of football is it’s truly a team game. 22 men are on the field at once, and so many minor details can, not only affect the outcome of a play but the outcome of a game as well.

1. Can the defense force any turnovers or notch any sacks?

Part of the Tennessee Titans’ defensive Achilles heel revolved around the fact that they couldn’t get to the opposing team’s quarterback or shift the momentum by forcing any turnovers. Every move they made during the offseason was done with one thought in mind, get to the signal-caller, and snag a few interceptions.

If they see some success in either category, everyone will feel very encouraged this weekend. If they force turnovers and rack up some sacks, this team’s buzz will increase. If they win the turnover battle, it may send everyone into a frenzy.

2. Who’s the better backup quarterback?

Replacing DeShone Kizer with Matt Barkley was an interesting move, but let’s be frank. It didn’t improve this team’s quarterback situation. You won’t see much of Ryan Tannehill in game one, so that raises an interesting question. Who has the leg up in the race to win the backup quarterback job? Is it Barkley or Logan Woodside?

3. How do the Titans’ reserves match up with those of the Falcons?

The kicking battle will be interesting to watch. No one wants to see the Tennessee Titans lose games because of bad special teams play, but no one wants to see their depth players get abused either.

Role-players will have a huge say in how the Titans’ season goes in 2021. The first demonstration of how they are coming along will unfold in Week 1 of the preseason. Can the backup left tackle hold his ground versus the backup EDGE rusher? Can the backup slot wide receiver beat the backup slot cornerback? It won’t be long before there’s a better understanding of what the answers to those questions are.