5 things you need to know about the Titans' Week 3 clash with the Packers

The Tennessee Titans are one of nine 0-2 teams in the league, and are coming off another frustrating 24-17 setback to a team in which they owned a halftime lead over. The Green Bay Packers are in town and face a second straight AFC South foe. Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur was Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2018.  But he’s not the only face familiar returning to Nashville for this interconference affair.

All-Time Series Record

For a spell, teams played teams from the other conference only once every four years. That’s changed a bit with the new format and the 17-game schedule. Hence, this will be the third meeting in five seasons between the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans, but the first contest in Nashville since 2016.

The Titans own a two-game edge (8-6) in the lifetime standings in a setting that dates back to 1972 and the franchise’s days as the Houston Oilers. The clubs last met on a Thursday night at Lambeau Field in 2022, and Tennessee came up with a surprising 27-17 victory in Week 11. For what it’s worth, the team hasn’t been the same since. The Titans left that game with a 7-3 record, and own a 6-20 mark ever since.

Quarterbacks: Tale of the Tape

There have been some rumblings that Jordan Love could actually be ready for this game. He sat out last week’s contest vs. the Colts, but appears to be recovering from that sprained MCL faster than expected. In any case, former Titans’ quarterback Malik Willis is the expected starter. In last Sunday’s victory over the Colts, he hit on 12-of-14 throws for 122 yards and a touchdown, and ran six times for 41 yards.

Will Levis has drawn the ire of head coach Brian Callahan on more than one occasion this season, and understandably so. The strong-armed pro has committed all five of the Titans’ turnovers this year, and they have come in bunches. In the Week 1 loss at Chicago, he gave up the ball three times in the fourth quarter—including a pick-six. In last Sunday’s loss to the Jets, both miscues came in the second quarter.

Defensive Analysis

Jeff Hafley’s unit has been severely tested the first two weeks, and what’s evident to date is that the Packers had no answers for the ground games of both the Eagles and Colts, respectively. In Brazil, Saquon Barkley ran for 109 (2 TDs) of his team’s 144 yards on the ground. Last week, Jonathan Taylor rushed for 103 of his club’s 140 yards. However, Green Bay has forced six turnovers in two contests (5 interceptions).

The Titans’ defense has played respectable football the first two weeks of the season. They have allowed only 413 total combined yards, and Dennard Wilson’s unit has given up just three offensive touchdowns, albeit all of those in last week’s loss to the Jets. However, what has been severely lacking is the big play from a group that has not forced a turnover—the lone takeaway a fumble recovery on special teams.

Keys to the Game

Packers: LaFleur has always had a steady ground game since being hired by Green Bay in 2019. For most of that span, it was Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. The latter is out for the year. Jones was released this offseason, and signed with the Vikings. Then again, Josh Jacobs has gotten off to a Pro Bowl-type start in Green Bay via 50 touches for 255 yards from scrimmage. The Packers must continue to ride this horse.

Titans: It would be too easy just to say that Callahan’s club needs to play a complete game, but that’s been one of the biggest issues to date. The Titans have dropped both of their games by identical 24-17 scores. They have outscored the opposition a combined 27-10 in the first 30 minutes of play. However, be it turnovers, special teams’ gaffs or poor execution, the team has been outscored 38-7 in the second half.

Titans Player to Watch

He’s been an emerging performer who bounced back impressively after missing the entire 2022 with a torn ACL. Linebacker Harold Landry has easily been the Titans’ best pass-rushers in the early stages of this season. That’s a good and a bad thing. The six-season pro has three of Tennessee’s four sacks in 2024. In two outings, he’s totaled nine tackles, a total of four quarterback hits, and knocked down two passes.

In his last 37 contests, including the team’s playoff loss to the Bengals in 2021, Landry has a combined 37.0 quarterback traps. Be it former teammate Willis or Love, he could be quite busy trying to keep these signal-callers from escaping the pocket. If there’s room for criticism for a performer that earned Pro Bowl honors in 2021, Landry has managed only one forced fumble in the aforementioned last 37 games.