Hardly anyone saw the Tennessee Titans defeating the Cleveland Browns by 30 points in Week 1.
But that’s exactly what the team did in FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday, recording a 43-13 road victory to kick off the 2019 season.
Several Titans stood out on the win on both sides of the ball. Here’s a look at some of those who made the largest impact.
1. WR A.J. Brown
We didn’t see a lot of Brown ahead of the season, but he’s going to be a household name in the homes of Titans fans by the end of the year. On his NFL regular season debut, the rookie helped move the chains on offense, reeling in three receptions for 100 yards.
He finished the day with more receiving yards than any other Titan.
2. QB Marcus Mariota.
A lot of doubt has surrounded Mariota as he looks to prove himself on the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, but he looked solid in the opener.
Mariota was 14-of-24 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. He took care of the football, not committing a single turnover.
The Browns’ Baker Mayfield couldn’t say the same, as he threw three interceptions into the lap of the Titans defense before the game was over.
3. RB Derrick Henry.
Henry looked like the same powerful runner we remember from the tail-end of last season.
He finished the game with 19 carries for 84 yards and one touchdown — the team’s leading rusher by a large measure.
4. TE Delanie Walker.
It seems almost comical looking back at 2019 NFL Draft projections from earlier in the year when several analysts were pinning a tight end to the Titans in the first round because of concerns over Walker’s age and his ability to return from injury at full capacity.
Walker silenced his doubters Sunday, recording five receptions for 55 yards and two touchdowns.
He also tied Frank Wycheck’s franchise record for most touchdowns.
5. CB Logan Ryan.
Ryan led the Titans on defense Sunday, also recording his first interception as a Titan.
He ended the day with seven tackles, one assist, 1.5 sacks and an an interception.
6. CB Malcolm Butler.
Butler continued to show improvement after turning his season around last year.
The cornerback had two tackles and an interception for a touchdown to put the last score of the day on the board for the Titans.
