The Chargers will travel to face the Titans on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 10:00 a.m. PT.
To get you prepped for the Week 2 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.
Buy Chargers TicketsLast time out
The Chargers and Titans met last season, which resulted in a 17-14 victory in favor of Los Angeles. In that game, Justin Herbert went 28-of-42 passing for 313 yards and two interceptions. While he didn’t throw a single touchdown, Herbert came in clutch when it mattered the most and drove the offense down the field to set up Cameron Dicker’s 43-yard game-winning field goal. Derrick Henry had 21 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, but L.A. did a nice job of making sure he didn’t bust loose for any explosive carries, with his longest being 13 yards.
Speaking of the King
Even though he has a lot of tread on the tires, Henry is still one of the league’s most physically imposing running backs in the league with his rare combination of speed and strength. In the season opener against the Saints, he led Tennessee’s backfield in touches (17), finishing with 119 yards from scrimmage. But Henry still logged four fewer snaps than rookie RB Tyjae Spears, who carried the ball three times for 27 yards and added one reception on four targets for a yard this past Sunday. Mike Vrabel noted that Henry will remain a “huge part” of the Titans’ offense moving forward, which could present some problems for a Chargers defense that has yet to be tested on the ground.
How they opened up the season
The Titans struggled to get on the scoreboard as they only finished with 14 points in their loss to the Saints. New Orleans’ defense was stiff, intercepting Ryan Tannehill three times, sacking him three times, and holding Tennessee to just two third-down conversions on 12 attempts.
Fearsome front
The Chargers did a great job keeping Herbert upright in their loss to the Dolphins, except for the final drive. But they will surely have their work cut out for them, facing a Titans defensive line, highlighted by Arden Key and Denico Autry, who finished with eight and seven pressures, respectively in Week 1. They both had 1.5 sacks. Jeffrey Simmons is also to be accounted for. Simmons had four pressures and a sack.
Look out for…
Deandre Hopkins, who signed with the Titans back in July after nine appearances with the Cardinals in 2022, where he totaled 64 receptions (on 96 targets) for 717 yards and three touchdowns. In his team debut, Hopkins recorded seven receptions on 13 targets for 65 yards. He was Tannehill’s go-to, as he was targeted on 38.2% pass attempts. The veteran wideout is currently dealing with an ankle injury, which is worth monitoring. But if he is good to go, Hopkins will provide a challenge for J.C. Jackson, who is looking to bounce back after an uneven performance against the Dolphins.
