The Tennessee Titans are looking to get back to .500 after an awful Week 3 loss when they meet the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium in Week 4.
The Bengals have been the bane of the Titans’ existence in recent years, with Cincinnati having won each of the last three meetings between these two teams, which includes Tennessee’s heartbreaking 2021 playoff loss.
Buy Titans TicketsAs much as the Titans have struggled, the Bengals have been in a similar boat, with their offense being uncharacteristically bad over the first three weeks. As a result, the Bengals are also below .500 going into this game.
However, Tennessee faced a struggling quarterback in Deshaun Watson last week and he went on to have his best game as a Cleveland Brown, so if anything the Titans offer a get-right game for Cincinnati.
Here’s a look at the Titans’ biggest reasons for optimism and concern going into a Week 4 battle against the Bengals on Sunday afternoon.
Optimism: Joe Burrow's calf (maybe)
It was quite clear that Burrow wasn’t himself in Week 3 after re-aggravating his calf injury in Week 2. If it’s still bothering him in Week 4, that will limit what an already struggling Bengals offense can do.
Burrow’s calf has at least played a part in Cincinnati’s offensive struggles to start the season. The Bengals rank 28th in scoring, 26th in passing and 29th in rushing.
However, Burrow has logged a pair of full practices to start the week after not getting in any last week, which would suggest he’s feeling better and quite possibly 100 percent.
If he’s not all the way there yet, the Bengals will draw up a similar game plan to last week that saw Burrow getting rid of the ball quickly. That approach will help neutralize Tennessee’s pass-rush, putting more on the secondary.
Concern: Andre Dillard and the offensive line
Tennessee’s offensive line as a whole has not been good to start the season, as both pass-blocking and run-blocking have been bad. And, to nobody’s surprise, that has resulted in poor offensive play overall.
The biggest culprit in the former area is left tackle Andre Dillard, who leads the league in sacks allowed with six. Now, Dillard has to deal with Trey Hendrickson, one of the better pass-rushers in the NFL.
The Titans better help Dillard out early and often if they want any hope of not allowing Hendrickson to wreck this game like Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett did in Week 3.
Adding to that, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has to get more creative to try and help cover the struggles of his offensive line, both on the ground and through the air.
We were hopeful the Titans would get left guard Peter Skoronski back to provide a boost on the left side. Unfortunately, he’s sat out the first two practices of the week and looks primed to not play in Week 4.
Optimism: Bengals' run defense
After facing an elite run defense in Week 3, the Titans’ struggling run game is in a good bounce-back spot in Week 4, as the Bengals sport the No. 29 run defense in the NFL.
While that’s all well and good, the Bengals have been particularly effective limiting Derrick Henry in recent years, with the star back averaging 4.39 yards per carry and 67.9 yards per game in three contests.
Tennessee has to get Henry going in this game, as not only will that set the offense up with more manageable second- and third-down situations, it’ll open up the play-action for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Concern: Bengals' WR trio
As if things couldn’t get any worse for the Titans’ suspect secondary, it now has to contend with the best wide receiver trio in the NFL in the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
Chase is obviously the best of the three, and drawing that assignment will be a struggling Kristian Fulton, who was torched by Browns wideout Amari Cooper in Week 3.
We know Tennessee’s secondary won’t completely shut these guys out, so it’s important the unit keeps everything in front of it while hoping the pass-rush can lend a helping hand. If not, it’s going to be a long day.
Optimism and concern: Tennessee's pass-rush
With the secondary not being up to snuff, the Titans’ pass-rush must make an impact in this game. Unfortunately, it has been trending in the wrong direction the last few weeks.
The Week 3 performance was particularly frustrating. Tennessee’s front had three sacks but could’ve had many more if not for a handful of whiffs.
The Titans cannot afford a similar situation this week. Tennessee’s pass-rush must be relentless every single series and finish or else the secondary will get exposed even worse than it has so far this season.
While the Titans have enough talent in their front to get that done, there are two concerns: the Bengals may look to get the ball out of Burrow’s hands quickly because of his calf, and Cincinnati’s offensive line has only surrendered five sacks through three games.
Tennessee needs more from Arden Key and Harold Landry. Key has been silent since a monster Week 1 and Landry doesn’t appear to be himself yet, something that was to be expected in his first year back from a torn ACL.
Perhaps the Titans will dust off Trevis Gipson and give him a look this week after leaving him inactive the last two games.
