TENNESSEE TITANS
2022 Record - 7-10
Head Coach - Mike Vrabel
Offensive Rank - 30th (297 YPG); Scoring - 28th (17.5 PPG)
Defensive Rank - 23rd (352 YPG); Scoring - 13th (21.1 PPG)
Ryan Tannehill is back for another season at quarterback and in 2022 he missed five games with ankle injuries, but still passed for 2,536 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Malik Willis and rookie Will Levis (Kentucky) will be the backups. The running game is handled by Derrick Henry, who ran for 1,538 yards (4.4 YPC) and scored 13 touchdowns. Newcomer DeAndre Hopkins comes over from Arizona after a season where he had 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns. He joins with Treylon Burks (33 receptions, 444 yards, one TD), Chris Moore (48, 548, two TD with Houston) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo (32, 450, three TD), who are the primary receivers.
The defense will have outside linebacker Harold Landry III back this season after he missed all of the 2022 season with a knee injury. Defensive end Denico Autry led the Titans with eight sacks last season and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons had 7 1/2 sacks. Safety Kevin Byard led the secondary with four interceptions and is teamed with Amani Hooker and corners Roger McCreary and Kristian Fulton.
OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Titans fell apart down the stretch last season, losing their final seven games and Jacksonville breezed past them to the AFC South title. To avoid that again in 2023, they will need to have Tannehill healthy (he missed the final three games last season) and play better defense. The Titans lost four of the final seven games by one score and that was the difference between them and the Jacksonville Jaguars for the division title.
Head Coach Mike Vrabel has seen a lot since taking over in 2018 and likes a team that runs the football and plays solid defense. The running game should be solid again as long as Henry is on the field and the O-line opens the holes and protects Tannehill in the pocket. The defense was hit and miss a year ago. They were the best in the NFL against the run (77 YPG allowed) but the absolute worst in pro football defending the pass, giving up 275 yards per game while accumulating 39 sacks and intercepting 14 passes.
Tennessee has shown they can hang with pretty much any team they face and this season the target is the Jaguars, which swept them last year. The AFC is stacked and if the Titans want to get back to the playoffs, it could come down to the final game of the season. Simply put, they have to score more points and they must handle Jacksonville and win their division or else face a non playoff end of the season again.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - at New Orleans
Week Two - vs. L.A. Chargers
Week Three - at Cleveland
Week Four - vs. Cincinnati
Week Five - at Indianapolis
Week Six - vs. Baltimore (London, England)
Week Seven - BYE
Week Eight - vs. Atlanta
Week Nine - at Pittsburgh
Week Ten - at Tampa Bay
Week Eleven - at Jacksonville
Week Twelve - vs. Carolina
Week Thirteen - vs. Indianapolis
Week Fourteen - at Miami
Week Fifteen - vs. Houston
Week Sixteen - vs. Seattle
Week Seventeen - at Houston
Week Eighteen - vs. Jacksonville
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