The Tennessee Titans pulled off what is arguably the biggest upset of the entire 2023 campaign when they topped the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, 28-27.
Against all odds, the Titans’ defense didn’t allow a single touchdown to the Dolphins’ offense over the first three quarters, marking the first time a Miami opponent had accomplished that feat this season.
However, Tennessee’s special teams reared its ugly head once again in the fourth quarter after punt returner Eric Garror muffed a punt on what was a boneheaded decision, which set the Dolphins’ offense up for its first score and a 20-13 lead late in the fourth quarter.
Then, on the next series, a bad toss from Will Levis to Derrick Henry led to another turnover, which the Dolphins once again turned into a touchdown to take a two-score lead with a little over five minutes remaining.
The Titans looked dead in the water at that point, but rookie quarterback Will Levis simply wouldn’t quit and orchestrated two scoring drives in the final four-plus minutes to give the Titans the victory in a game that could be a defining moment for the rookie signal-caller.
Now, a deeper dive into the Titans’ shocking Week 14 win over the Dolphins.
Final score: Titans 28, Dolphins 27
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| TEN | 0 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 28 |
| MIA | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 27 |
Titans' top performers
WR DeAndre Hopkins: 7 REC, 124 YDS, TD
RB Tyjae Spears: 7 CAR, 29 YDS; 6 REC, 89 YDS
QB Will Levis: 23-38, 327 yards, TD, INT
DL Denico Autry: 2 tackles, 1 blocked FG
Instant analysis: Offense
-Levis made some bad decisions in this one, with his pick-six in the first quarter being the lowlight. However, the rookie had ice in his veins late and made several great throws to lead the Titans down the field for a pair of late scoring drives to cap off an incredible comeback win. His toughness was on full display, also, as he put himself in harm’s way on multiple occasions to try and make a play. The Kentucky product was sensational on Monday night and this is the kind of win that will cement him as “the guy” in Tennessee.
-Levis was only sacked once but nearly took multiple more. That said, the offensive line’s pass protection was sufficient, especially late in the game. That said, the run-blocking was lacking and Jaelyn Duncan and Dillon Radunz were guilty of false starts (Radunz had multiple), an all-too-common occurrence. In what was an interesting turn of events, the Titans pulled Daniel Brunskill for Calvin Throckmorton early on. No injury was announced for Brunskill, which means he was benched. That’s surprising because Brunskill has been the team’s most consistent offensive lineman this season.
-The Titans couldn’t get anything going on the ground, with Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears combining for just 83 yards on 29 carries (2.9 yards per carry).
-Despite the run-game struggles, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly was hellbent on continuing to unsuccessfully run the ball on first downs. Thankfully, he made up for it with some great play calls on the two late scoring drives that gave the Titans the win.
-DeAndre Hopkins and Tyjae Spears made the biggest impact in the passing game, with both coming up big all night long. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine nearly had a touchdown catch but couldn’t reel it in in the end zone, forcing Tennessee to settle for a field goal. NWI made up for it with a big 23-yard catch to help the first touchdown drive of the fourth quarter. Chig Okonkwo also contributed a big 16-yard reception on the game-winning drive.
Instant analysis: Defense
-The defense was bend but don’t break all night long and made a stop on each of the first three Dolphins’ red-zone trips. The two touchdowns the defense let up came off turnovers that set Miami up with great field position.
-Coverage was surprisingly good, especially considering the matchup and the fact that Tennessee was shorthanded in the secondary. The Dolphins couldn’t get much going down the field throughout the game. Tre Avery filled in for Kristian Fulton, leaving Roger McCreary in the slot. Sean Murphy-Bunting had a bad DPI but made up for it with a few nice plays in the red zone to hold the Dolphins to a field goal. Miami finished with just 240 yards through the air.
-The pass-rush having a good night certainly helped out the secondary, but it wasn’t the only reason the back-end played well. Tennessee got good pressure and tallied five sacks, something that was particularly surprising with Jeffery Simmons not playing. Harold Landry was the star of the pass-rush, with three sacks and five QB hits. Arden Key and Jaleel Johnson added one apiece.
-The run defense was the biggest issue, with Tennessee giving up 158 yards on 31 carries (5.1 yards per carry).
Instant analysis: Special teams
-In the first game without former special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, the Titans actually blocked a field goal. Denico Autry got his hand on it in what proved to be a crucial play in a game the Titans won by one point.
-New punter Ty Zentner was excellent in his Titans debut. He averaged 48.8 yards per punt and had a long of 53.
-Eric Garror’s attempt to return a punt in the fourth quarter that led to a turnover was completely inexcusable. Lucky for him, the Titans pulled off an incredible comeback to erase it and bail the rookie out. Somehow, the Titans let him field another punt that he bobbled before ultimately returning it. I think Tennessee will be looking for a new returner.
Injuries
DL Kyle Peko (calf): The injury occurred in the third quarter. Peko was carted to the locker room and did not return.
Highlights
LOOSE BALL, WE GOT IT! @leellxvii knocks it loose and TK McLendon recovers!
📺: Watch #TENvsMIA on @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/sRZOsQ7fOp
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 12, 2023
TUFF 😤 @KyleBrandt#ProBowlVote + @will_levis
📺: Watch #TENvsMIA on @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/BzvcjdrTPH— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 12, 2023
King Henry! 👑
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/2lzZl3Ck8P
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 12, 2023
DENIED BY DENICO ❌#ProBowlVote + Denico Autry
📺: Watch #TENvsMIA on @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/kPLQIP9PBY— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 12, 2023
What DIME while getting hit pic.twitter.com/mnc1Q8UOfg
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) December 12, 2023
DEANDRE HOPKINS.
📺: #TENvsMIA on ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/0LeBKvPPxF pic.twitter.com/tnDFwD9xZg— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
Staying alive! #ProBowlVote + @DeAndreHopkins#ProBowlVote + @will_levis
📺: Watch #TENvsMIA on @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/IPzrIckpWC
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 12, 2023
The Touchdown King For The Lead 👑 @KingHenry_2 with his 3rd straight two touchdown game! #TENvsMIA pic.twitter.com/KdRLjQ8hEj
— Titans Radio (@TitansRadio) December 12, 2023
What's next?
The Titans move to 5-8 on the season and gain a game on every team in the division, with the Jags, Texans and Colts all losing. However, the Titans will now move down in the 2024 NFL draft order.
Up next for Tennessee is a divisional matchup against a banged-up Texans squad that is coming off an ugly loss to the Jets.
