The Tennessee Titans won their sixth game of the 2022 campaign in Week 10 after a 17-10 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Like always, the Titans won an ugly game, mostly on the strength of their defense, which was still sensational despite missing more than half of its starters.
But unlike other wins, it was the passing attack that made the plays the team needed in order to make the defense’s outstanding effort hold up. And, believe it or not, a Titans wide receiver was one of the heroes of the game.
On defense, the short-handed Titans saw several players step up, especially in the front-seven where the team showed no signs of slowing down even though its best pass-rushers were out.
As we do each and every week, let’s see which Titans players qualified as winners, losers, and somewhere in between from the win over Denver.
Winner: QB Ryan Tannehill
On a day when the Titans couldn’t get anything going through the air, Tannehill, who was clearly playing hurt, was able to make the plays necessary to put his team over the top.
Tannehill orchestrated a two-minute scoring drive to finish off the first half that was his finest drive of the game. The veteran signal-caller even pulled off an impressive scramble to help extend it despite his bum ankle.
In the third quarter, he threw a dime to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on a flea-flicker for a rare long touchdown play.
In all, Tannehill finished 19-of-36 for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a pair of runs for 12 yards. He was just about everything the Titans could’ve hoped for upon his return.
Loser: Titans' run-blocking
There was just no room to run for Derrick Henry in this game, which was surprising considering the Broncos came into this one with the No. 21 run defense in the NFL.
Henry carried the ball 19 times for 53 yards and averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. This was the first time Henry failed to reach the century mark in a game since Week 3.
Winner: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
NWI drew attention to himself this past week when he said he wasn’t aware of any criticisms of Titans receivers prior to their historically bad Week 9 performance against the Kansas City Chiefs.
But he comes out with the last laugh, as Westbrook-Ikhine posted a career-best performance in Week 10 with five catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
NWI’s first score came on the aforementioned two-minute drive before halftime where he made a great grab near the sideline. Then, NWI was sprung free for a 63-yard touchdown grab via a flea-flicker.
Tennessee desperately needed a receiver to step up this week, and while we thought it might be Treylon Burks, it was Westbrook-Ikhine instead.
Loser: OC Todd Downing
Downing gets props for the two-minute drive at the end of the second quarter and the flea-flicker, but he once again overshadowed the good with the bad and his decisions were yet another thing the team had to overcome to win.
The Titans went pass-heavy, especially early on. Granted, the Titans weren’t able to get anything going on the ground in this one, but taking such an approach before that was established wasn’t exactly an ideal game plan against an elite pass defense, and with Tennessee’s struggling air attack.
Then, with the Titans clinging to a 14-10 lead and just outside field goal range, Downing put a cold Malik Willis into the game, and the rookie promptly fumbled the ball, giving Denver life.
Thankfully, the defense made a stop to negate the blunder.
Earlier in the game with the Titans facing a third-and-3, Downing called a run play, which was a bad call in and of itself, but he didn’t even go to Derrick Henry, instead opting for Dontrell Hilliard, who didn’t convert.
I’m trying so hard to find positives in what Downing is doing, but the more we watch the more it looks like any success he has is out of sheer luck (like the flea-flicker) and not actual play-calling skill.
The two touchdown drives were simply the lipstick on the pig that was the entire Tennessee offense on Sunday afternoon.
Winner: DL Mario Edwards
Edwards has been outstanding since coming to Tennessee. He notched one sack, four QB hits and two tackles for loss. The veteran has now recorded one sack in each of his last two games, along with six QB hits.
Tennessee needed someone to step up with Jeffery Simmons and Bud Dupree out, and Edwards was one of many who answered the bell.
In between: CB Terrance Mitchell
One of the down parts of Tennessee’s showing on defense in Week 10 was the 66-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Virgil. I’m not entirely sure if where Virgil caught the ball was Mitchell’s responsibility, but it should’ve been.
On the play, Mitchell was in no man’s land over the middle of the field, giving Virgil a mile of space to make the catch. Making matters worse, Mitchell slipped on the play or else he likely would’ve caught Virgil.
Adding to that, Mitchell dropped a would-be interception on a different play.
However, the embattled cornerback redeemed himself with a solid game overall. His eight tackles were tied for the team-high, and he picked off Russell Wilson to seal the win on a pass that was tipped by Josh Kalu.
Mitchell has struggled mightily this season, but he has now been apart of two big turnovers this season, with the other coming in Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts when he forced a fumble to secure the victory.
Winner: DL DeMarcus Walker
Walker was once again called into significant action this week with the team dealing with several injuries upfront, and once again he didn’t disappoint.
Against his former team, Walker tallied 1.5 sacks, three QB hits and one tackle for loss. He actually should’ve had another sack, but it was negated because of a penalty.
After seeing his playing time dwindle from Week 4 through Week 7, Walker has now notched at least one sack in each of his last three games. He’s been one heck of a find for the Titans.
Loser: DL Sam Okuayinonu
Sunday was just a rough day for Okuayinonu, who notched three penalties in the first half, including a (questionable) roughing the passer penalty that paved the way for a Broncos field goal.
Later, the rookie failed to recover a fumble that he initially fell down right on top of.
That said, it’s hard to get on the rookie too much. He’s being forced into much more action than he otherwise would be if not for the injuries.
Winner: OLB Rashad Weaver
Weaver was yet another member of the defensive front to step up on Sunday, as his 1.5 sacks and four QB hits were tied for the team lead. He also forced a fumble, but the Titans were unable to recover.
Winner: TE Chigoziem Okonkwo
The rookie saw just two targets on Sunday, but one of them went for 41 yards on a play that saw him explode over the middle of the field and run through a would-be tackler to put the Titans in field goal range.
All Chig does lately is make plays, yet the Titans continue to criminally underuse him. That is simply inexcusable for an offense that struggles to make plays on a weekly basis, and it’s one of many blemishes on Todd Downing’s record.
Winner: TE Austin Hooper
Hooper has come on strong of late, with his three best performances of the season coming in the last four games.
Not only has Hooper posted numbers that would make any Titans receiver blush, he’s also come through with some clutch catches in the process.
Hooper finished Week 10 with five catches for 41 yards, and two of those catches came on scoring drives, including one that moved the chains on a third-and-5.
With how Hooper and Chig have been playing of late, and with how Geoff Swaim has blocked this year, we shouldn’t be seeing as much of him as we do. Swaim dropped his lone target of the game on a third-down pass.
In between: Titans' WRs
NWI’s massive performance salvaged what was otherwise another bad game for the Titans’ receiving corps, which outside of him had just five catches for 34 yards. Chig had more yards by himself on one catch.
Even Westbrook-Ikhine wasn’t immune to drops, of which there were multiple. Robert Woods and Treylon Burks were also guilty.
Separation was a bit better overall, but it still wasn’t good enough, and the receivers are being outplayed in every facet by a pair of tight ends on a weekly basis.
The Titans were still able to win, and did so on the strength of their passing attack, but this group continues to underperform overall.
Winner: WR/PR C.J. Board
Board handled punt return duties in his Titans debut and had a few nice returns. He also downed a Ryan Stonehouse punt at the five-yard line.
Currently on the practice squad, Board earned more looks on special teams moving forward, and knowing Mike Vrabel, he’ll probably see 50 snaps on offense and be featured next week as a reward.
Winner: P Ryan Stonehouse
With the Titans embroiled in a field position battle all game — and especially early on — Stonehouse’s massive leg, which booted a total of eight punts in Week 10, came up huge for Tennessee.
Stonehouse averaged 54 yards per punt and dropped a total of three inside the 20, including one that landed at the five and another that landed at the four. His longest attempt of the day was a whopping 74 yards.
And, after Randy Bullock tweaked something in pre-game warm-ups, the rookie was given kickoff duties, which he handled successfully.
