This is a big ’ un in the AFC
With stout 5- 0 records, high- powered Steelers, Titans ready to rumble
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Titans have been through a lot in dealing with the NFL’s first COVID- 19 outbreak during the season.
It resulted in one game being postponed and rescheduled as well as a second game being pushed to a rare Tuesday night kickoff. But they’ve come through undefeated. Now they host one of the NFL’s two other remaining undefeated teams, with the Steelers ( 5- 0) finally coming to town Sunday to play that first game postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Titans ( 5- 0) also have heard the talk that they should be punished, even Steelers tight end Eric Ebron’s call to make them forfeit.
“This is something that you look forward to, regardless of all the stuff that’s going on with the pandemic and being worried about forfeiting a game, man,” Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans said. “And these are the type of games you look forward to.”
The delay simply made this game bigger. This is only the fifth time in NFL history that two undefeated teams have played in Week 7 or later, not counting strike seasons. The winners of the first four all made the Super Bowl that season, with Titans coach Mike Vrabel playing and winning two such games with the Patriots.
The Titans went 16 days between games, routed the Bills and then needed overtime to beat the Texans 42- 36 last weekend for two wins in six days. The Steelers thumped the Browns 38- 7.
Coach Mike Tomlin said his Steelers have talked about dealing with the uncertainty since training camp. The Steelers were forced to take their bye Oct. 4, erasing their scheduled bye with three straight road games starting with a showdown for the top of the AFC.
“As competitors, you have to appreciate and respect those opportunities, and we do,” Tomlin said.
On offense, these teams get everyone involved.
Five players have led each team in receiving yards this season.
Pittsburgh is fourth in the NFL in scoring with Ben Roethlisberger leading a balanced attack, and he says they haven’t had to put up gaudy passing numbers like in 2018, when he was the league’s passing leader.
“I’d like to think if needed to, we could do that because we have some amazing pass catchers that can do great things with the ball in their hands, but what we have been able to do right now is win football games,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s what is most important.”
The Titans have been very balanced, too, and they have put up some eye- popping numbers.
They’re second in the NFL in scoring ( 32.8 points per game) and total yards ( 422.0).
“I don’t think we put near our best football together for four quarters on a Sunday, or Tuesday, whatever,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said.
Both teams are having to replace very big pieces because of injuries.
Pittsburgh lost inside linebacker Devin Bush for the year after he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament last week against Cleveland. Taylor Lewan, the Titans’ threetime Pro Bowl left tackle, tore his right ACL against Houston.