Key Titans defensive contributor ruled week-to-week with injury

Tennessee Titans rookie defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat stepped up to the plate in Monday's primetime 31-12 Week 4 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Dennard Wilson's defense was already without the services of superstar defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who was ruled out with an elbow injury. Then midway through the game, key interior defensive lineman Keondre Coburn exited with an injury of his own.

It's since been revealed that Simmons is dealing with a Tommy John-like ligament injury in his elbow. With the Titans entering a Week 5 bye, the expectation is that Simmons will return in Week 6 versus the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee's first AFC South divisional game of the season. Speaking with the media earlier this week, head coach Brian Callahan revealed that Coburn could be sidelined for multiple weeks with a knee injury.

Coburn was expected to see an increased workload in Simmons' absence versus the Miami Dolphins. The former Texas Longhorn was unfortunately injured on just his second snap of the evening. In the Week 3 defeat to the Green Bay Packers, Coburn had played a season-high 15 snaps, and could have surpassed 20 plays against the Dolphins had he stayed healthy.

Coburn's injury meant a bigger workload for other Titans defenders, and it could mean the same versus the Colts in Week 6. Sebastian Joseph-Day played a season-high 49 snaps, and Sweat was involved in a personal-best 47 plays, too. Abdullah Anderson was called up from the practice squad as a standard game-day elevation before playing 24 snaps, 40% of Tennessee's available defensive plays. Fellow defensive end James Lynch participated in a season-high 22 plays.

Despite missing Coburn and Simmons, the Titans managed to hold the Dolphins to 184 total yards of offense. Wilson's defense enters the bye week as the No. 1 ranked unit in the league.

Coburn has been credited with making two tackles in four appearances this season. Pro Football Focus has credited him with one quarterback pressure and one hurry. That pressure occurred on this eventual sack of Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, as it was Coburn who got initial penetration.

Pro Football Focus has assigned Coburn a run-stopping grade of 39.8, a pass-rushing grade of 54.9, and an overall defensive score of 39.6. It feels harshly low, based on the impact Coburn has made on All-22 film.

If Coburn is scheduled to miss several weeks, the Titans will probably consider promoting Anderson to the active roster.