The Tennessee Titans invested a lot in Calvin Ridley this offseason and it looks like that decision is already paying dividends. On Sunday, he was a fingertip away from adding a 62-yard touchdown to his already big performance.
Even without that monster catch, Ridley posted a game-high 77 receiving yards and a touchdown. He also added a 10-yard rushing score via a creative end around call in the red zone.
That's an outstanding day, but when you look beyond the box score, you find out how great Ridley's performance actually was.
John Glennon posted these advanced stats on Wednesday:
Some impressive numbers for #Titans' Ridley, who posted weekend's top WR speed -- during first TD run of his career:@NextGenStats @ZebraTechnology pic.twitter.com/dh0vY48iAa
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 18, 2024
It is great to see that Ridley is one of the fastest receivers in the NFL, but the most important note is the final few lines. "Ridley caught 3 passes for 71 yards and a TD when matched up with Sauce Gardner. Gardner allowed 97 yards and a TD when targeted, the most yards he has allowed as the nearest defender in a game in his career."
Oddly enough, the Titans didn't seem to be afraid of Gardner, and they were the first team to target him without being punished for it. Gardner is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and Tennessee's willingness to attack a premier defender with success is exciting to see.
Like everything about the Titans' 0-2 start this season, one mistake completely erased what could have been a positive victory.
The Jets were leading 14-10 when Ridley dropped a 60-yard-plus potential touchdown. The next play was the blocked punt by the Jets that led them to another field goal.
That was a 10-point swing and the Titans could have won the game had Ridley completed that catch. Then we are looking at a 1-1 Titans team that faces backup quarterbacks for the next two weeks and a limping Indianapolis Colts team after that. What a projection in a different universe.
Beyond that, the narrative around Will Levis and Ridley would be different too. Ridley is 27th in receiving yards, but that catch would have vaulted him up to 6th. Similarly, Levis would have more passing yards than Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, and Justin Herbert, and more passing touchdowns than Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson.
The Titans have the players to be a successful team in 2024, but they've made too many stupid mistakes, resulting in them losing two games they should've won. They have to put that in the past and focus on the next game while doing their best to eliminate the self-inflicted errors.
If they can do that, public perception (and the team's record) will turn quickly, and Titans fans can actually enjoy football games again.