Titans vs. Chiefs: Scouting report, prediction for Week 7
The Tennessee Titans (4-2) will look for their third straight win Sunday when they host the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) at Nissan Stadium (noon CT, CBS).
Tennessean sports writer Ben Arthur breaks down the game and offers his score prediction:
Titans’ offense vs. Chiefs’ defense
Who has the edge? Titans
Kansas City may have one of the most dynamic offenses in football, but it also has one of the worst defenses.
The Chiefs rank at or near the bottom of the league in yards allowed (28th), run defense (27th), pass defense (T-25th), sacks (32nd), first downs allowed (27th), third-down efficiency (29th), red-zone efficiency (29th) and points allowed (28th).
Titans star running back Derrick Henry, the NFL’S leading rusher by a wide margin, is primed to have another big performance against the Chiefs — and it’s not just because Kansas City’s run defense is bad.
Henry has thrived on short weeks in his career, with a league-leading 107.9 rushing yards per game in contests on five or fewer days of rest. He’s one of three players in the last 50 years with at least two 200-yard rushing games in games under such circumstances.
Titans’ defense vs. Chiefs’ offense
Who has the edge? Chiefs
Slowing down Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his receiving weapons on the outside is a tough enough challenge, but add the Titans’ depth concerns at cornerback and the task becomes significantly tougher. .
Starting cornerback Kristian Fulton and rookie first-round pick Caleb Farley landed on injured reserve Monday. Reserve Chris Jackson was on this week’s injury report after suffering an ankle injury against the Bills. The Titans on Wednesday signed to their active roster Greg Mabin, who was in training camp with the team and spent time on their practice squad last year, for depth. The other healthy players at the position are starter Jackrabbit Jenkins, Breon Borders and Elijah Molden, a thirdround rookie.
The Titans’ defensive front has made strides in generating pressure, and its goal-to-go defense has been one of the best in the NFL (6th). But a secondary that already has a track record of giving up the occasional back-breaking play is banged up against a prolific Chiefs passing attack. Kansas City’s offense ranks first in first downs and third-down efficiency, second in passing yards and fifth in points per game.
The Chiefs have been turnover prone, leading the NFL with 14 giveaways. Mahomes has eight interceptions. But will the Titans be able to exploit that? Tennessee is tied for 27th in the league in takeaways, with just five through six games.
Prediction
Chiefs 28, Titans 24: The Titans’ victory over the Bills showed that they’re capable of beating anyone in the NFL, but a hurting Tennessee secondary against one of the league’s most potent passing attacks may be too much to overcome.
Ben Arthur covers the Tennessee Titans for The USA TODAY Network. Contact him at barthur@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @benyarthur.