If you’re looking for positives from the Tennessee Titans’ 41-7 Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, you’re going to need a microscope to see them.
The Titans were completely outclassed by the Bills, who squashed them in every phase of the game. Tennessee could not get out of its own way on offense, defense, and special teams, which is a recipe for disaster when facing the best team in the NFL.
“It’s not going to be about one person, but we got our asses kicked, plain and simple,” Vrabel said, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “They outcoached us, they outplayed us and that’s the definition of it. So, we’re going to get back to work and we’re going to figure out how to win a football game.”
As you’d imagine, there were several losers on both sides of the ball in Week 2, but none bigger than all of us who had to watch that hot garbage.
Let’s get on with it.
Winner: WR Treylon Burks
Burks looked very good early on in this game and flashed his yards-after-catch ability. It also appears he and Ryan Tannehill have a good connection together, which is encouraging, both for this offense and the rookie.
He disappeared in the second half, which comes as no surprise because Todd Downing doesn’t like to do anything that works.
Burks’ production doesn’t exactly jump off the page (4-47), but his targets, receptions and yards were all career-highs, and he passed the eye test. He should be heavily involved moving forward.
Loser: Offensive line
Tennessee’s offense stood no chance with the way the offensive line blocked upfront. In fact, it’s shocking the Bills only had two sacks in this game, as pass protection was not good all night long.
Making matters worse, the Titans’ bread and butter, the run game, couldn’t get going because Derrick Henry was getting hit in the backfield on almost every handoff.
In addition to the offensive line, Tennessee’s best blocking tight end (per Mike Vrabel), Geoff Swaim, continues to look awful in what is supposed to be his strong suit. He needs to be on the field less.
Taylor Lewan’s injury that knocked him out of the game is a major concern, as this already struggling unit cannot afford to lose its left tackle for an extended period of time.
Winner: WR Robert Woods
Woods saw more action in Week 2, finishing with four catches for 39 yards, the second-most on the team. Woods would’ve had another catch for 17 yards but it was called back because of a penalty.
He was also the only Titans player to return a punt on Monday night who didn’t screw up. Woods’ production isn’t eye-opening by any means, but it’s a good sign that things are moving in the right direction for a player the Titans desperately need to step up in 2022.
Loser: Titans' defense
The only positive from the defense on Monday night was the fact that it played the run better before the starters were pulled, but there were too many negatives to care about that.
The Titans were unable to get any pressure on Josh Allen, which led to him picking apart a secondary that didn’t stand a chance. Also, Caleb Farley, Tre Avery and Roger McCreary were all bad.
Adding insult to injury, Bud Dupree got hurt and didn’t return to the game, so the Titans are staring down the barrel of not having their two starting outside linebackers moving forward after Harold Landry tore his ACL.
What was once thought to be a strong point for Tennessee now has almost as many question marks as the offense. It’s hard to get too crazy about the defense, though, as it has had zero support from the offense.
Winner: DL Denico Autry
After a quiet Week 1, Autry showed more life in Week 2.
The veteran notched Tennessee’s lone sack, had two QB hits, and he batted down a pass. Again, it wasn’t much, but it also didn’t take much to come out of this game a winner on Tennessee’s side.
Loser: Caleb Farley
Farley was burnt by Jake Kumerow and was in no man’s land on one of Josh Allen’s touchdown passes. The 2021 first-round pick desperately needed a good game in his start on Monday night but was bad overall.
After the game, he looked and sounded like someone who is defeated.
#Titans CB @IamCalebFarley in locker room after Monday night’s loss. pic.twitter.com/RUvP2Hdsly
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 20, 2022
Loser: Kyle Philips
Philips should officially be out at punt returner after he muffed his second one in as many games. Last week he was bailed out by an Amani Hooker interception, and this week the Titans were able to hold Buffalo to a field goal.
Philips was also non-existent in the passing attack with one catch on one target for five yards, but so was just about everyone else.
In between: QB Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill was actually playing well when he had time to throw, but as we already mentioned, the offensive line let him down over and over again. Having to play behind this group simply isn’t fair.
He threw a pair of picks, and while the first one wasn’t on him, the second one absolutely was on what was a terrible decision on his part. The game was already over at that point, though.
Loser: OC Todd Downing
Downing actually made logical play-calls on a few third-and-short situations, but that hardly deserves a pat on the back.
On the flip side, his personnel decisions (why is Cody Hollister ever on the field?) and predictable play-calling are still an issue, and for some reason he loves to run toss plays to Henry despite the fact that they never work.
I’m not sure anyone could do much with the way this offensive line played on Monday night, but Downing is no doubt making a terrible situation even worse.
