In what has become all-too-common for the Tennessee Titans this season, they looked like world-beaters on offense in the first half of the Week 4 victory over the Indianapolis Colts before looking like a JV team in the second.
Thankfully, the Titans’ defense came to the rescue once again and made the 24-10 halftime lead stand up, with Tennessee ultimately winning, 24-17.
Tennessee has now been outscored 64-7 in the second half of games this season and has not scored a single second-half point in three games.
If not for the defense, this team could very well be 0-4.
While nobody no player or unit got the “loser” label from this game, there were two units who got the “in between” treatment. And, of course, there were players and units who emerged as winners.
Let’s see who falls where following the Titans’ huge Week 4 win over the Colts that puts them in a tie for first place with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Winner: Derrick Henry
Despite going up against the No. 3 run defense in the NFL, Henry had his best game of the 2022 campaign, finishing with 114 yards — his first 100-yard game of the season — on the ground and one score, while also adding three catches for 33 yards, the second-most receiving yards on the team.
Henry actually would’ve had another touchdown run but it was called back because of a holding call.
Henry did have some drops in the passing game, but he continues to be involved there and is making an impact in the process. Perhaps most importantly, Henry looked the best he has physically all year long.
Making Henry’s performance even sweeter was the fact that he vastly outperformed Jonathan Taylor, who many consider the best back in the league.
In between: Titans' offense
Winner: Titans’ first-half offense
Loser: Titans’ second-half offense
It was once again a tale of two halves for the Titans’ offense, which looked unstoppable in the first half before bottoming out in the second.
Tennessee went touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown on their first four drives, and likely would have had more points right before the half if they didn’t botch the final drive.
Tannehill was slinging it all over with success and Henry had plenty of room to run. However, the second half was an utter disaster and it looked like Tennessee forgot how to play offense.
The Titans looked disjointed and couldn’t get anything going, both on the ground and through the air. Ryan Tannehill got worse, the offensive line wasn’t as good, and Todd Downing couldn’t figure out how to get things going again.
Tennessee has failed to score a single second-half point in the last three games and has been outscored 64-7 overall.
If not for the defense, the Titans might be 0-4 right now. This team can’t hope to compete the rest of the way if it keeps putting up duds in the second half, or in either half, for that matter.
Maybe the Titans should just stay on the field for the entire halftime break because whatever they’re doing back there in the locker room now simply isn’t working.
You could certainly call this unit a loser after another awful performance in the second half, but the great showing we saw in the first keeps it in between.
Winner: Titans' defense
For the second straight week, Tennessee’s defense was able to bail out the offense after it didn’t show up in the second half.
Granted, coverage wasn’t great and the secondary’s tackling was even worse, but the Titans were able to force three turnovers, including a massive fumble recovery midway through the fourth quarter that thwarted a Colts drive that was in Titans territory and could’ve tied the game.
Denico Autry led the pass-rush with two sacks, while Rashad Weaver added another. One of Autry’s sacks led to a fumble and points for Tennessee, and Teair Tart’s incredible interception led to more points.
Adding to all that, the defensive front held the so-called best running back in the NFL to just 42 yards and 2.1 yards per carry.
We’ll have to keep an eye on Bud Dupree’s status going into Week 5, as the veteran left the game early with a hip injury and did not return.
In between: Titans' secondary
As we already mentioned, the Titans’ secondary let up way too many big plays and had a horrible day tackling. Caleb Farley and Terrance Mitchell split snaps, but neither was effective on Sunday.
Roger McCreary showed some warts in coverage and, along with Farley and Fulton, had issues tackling.
The Colts came into this game averaging 227.0 passing yards per game but finished with 356 in Week 4. The only saving grace for this unit was that while it bent, it didn’t really break, which was enough on Sunday.
Winner: DL Teair Tart
Tart made arguably the most impressive play of the afternoon after he batted up a pass and had the wherewithal to track the ball down and come up with an interception.
The pick came in Colts territory and the Titans would score five plays later. In all, Tart had three tackles, two passes defensed, and the interception in what was one of his better games as a pro.
Winner: DL Denico Autry
With Bud Dupree exiting early, the Titans needed someone to step up in the pass-rush big time, and Autry was able to deliver.
The veteran had a team-high two sacks and three QB hits to go along with three tackles (one for loss). Autry forced a fumble on one of his sacks and Tennessee would turn that into points just five plays later.
Autry continues to show he’s one of the best free-agent acquisitions of the Jon Robinson era.
Winner: TE Chigoziem Okonkwo
The rookie nabbed his first career touchdown reception on Sunday and finished tops among all pass-catchers in receiving yards with 38. Okonkwo only had three catches, but each of them were huge.
His first catch was a 23-yarder that came in the first quarter and helped setup the Titans’ second touchdown of the game. Then, his final catch of the game came on the final offensive drive and helped move the chains to seal the win.
We’ve been saying for awhile that Okonkwo should be more involved in this offense, and he made the most of his opportunity once he got the chance.
Winner: WR Robert Woods
Woods only had 30 yards on four catches, but one of them went for six. It was yet another sign that his chemistry with Tannehill is growing stronger, which is huge for this offense.
