The Tennessee Titans are the most local National Football League around Knoxville, Tennessee. The Titans are a mere two and a half hours away from Knoxville, Tennessee and many Volunteers also side with the Titans. The 2018 NFL Preseason was certainly not kind to the Titans, after going a horrendous 0-4. With the preseason behind them, the Tennessee Titans moved all of their focus to Week 1’s game against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were the first to score in the first quarter, making a three-point field goal.
As the game went on the Titans were plagued by injuries. Franchise Quarterback Marcus Mariota went down with a pinched nerve in his elbow, which he still has little to no feeling in his fingers still coming into Week 2, and fellow Pro-Bowl selection Tight End Delanie Walker who suffered a broken ankle and is out for the season.
However, following these injuries the Titans were able to make it back into the game. The Titans ended up with 20 points and a chance to recover an onside kick to try to catch the Dolphins tally of 27 points but did not recover. Therefore, The Tennessee Titans started off 0-1. The Tennessee Titans Week 2 opponent is the Houston Texans, who also find themselves at 0-1. The Texans came off a loss at the hands of the legendary New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. This was also Texan’s quarterback Deshaun Watson’s first game back since tearing his ACL in the previous season. Even with Watson, the Texans could not top the Patriots.
After the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans, both started the season with a zero in the winning column. Now moving on to this Week 2 one of these teams will finally get their first win of the season.
The Titans and the Texans are both in the NFL’s AFC South; which only gives added meaning to their game. It is very hard to see the Titans winning this game after the injuries to two of their brightest stars in Marcus Mariota and Delanie Walker. If they are going to have a chance the Titan’s defense will have to play the best football they have got in them.
Now looking at the Texans, they had tough loss Week 1 to the Patriots, but it was a good first test for the young Texan’s quarterback Deshaun Watson who is coming off of a season-ending ACL tear. Defenses will be the deciding forces in this game. If you go back to the defensive ratings from 2017 the Tennessee Titans ranked 13th, while the Houston Texans were a bit lower ranking 20th.
Even with the Titans missing Mariota and Walker I believe they are going to pull out the victory. The Titans are going to pull out this win with their slightly better defense; but, make no mistakes this will be a close, low-scoring game.
StevieTurski 