After recording a narrow home win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7, the Tennessee Titans (3-4) will aim to even out their record as they take on the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4) in Nissan Stadium.
But in order to do that, they’ll need to keep the Bucs offense from making plays, and maintain rhythm on their own offense.
Here are three keys for the Titans to come out with the victory on Sunday.
1. Consistency at quarterback.
Ryan Tannehill looked good in his first start for the team, completing 23-of-29 passes for 312 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He looked accurate and decisive — and the same can’t be said about Marcus Mariota this season. But Tannehill is going to need to stay just as steady as he was in the 23-20 victory for the remainder of the year to prove himself in Tennessee.
2. Keep Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at bay.
This pair of receivers may be the most accomplished duo in the league right now. Both of them will make plays, which is inevitable, but the Titans need to avoid letting them get big breaks. Dean Pees preached about the importance of not allowing “one big play a game” earlier in the year. If that critical play is going to come from anyone, it’s likely to be Evans or Godwin.
3. Get started early.
The Titans are a team that historically does not play the best from behind. Striking early and putting points on the board will give them instant momentum. Running back Derrick Henry is likely to be a big factor, and could get the Titans in the end zone quickly if they feed him the ball.
