Titan shake ugly loss with rout of Bengals
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans now know what they’re capable of when they’re not making mistakes.
Ryan Tannehill threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, and the Titans rebounded from the franchise’s worst offensive performance in 49 years by routing the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 on Sunday.
The Titans (2-2) managed only 94 yards during a 27-3 road loss to the Cleveland Browns a week earlier, but they bounced back strongly at Nissan Stadium. The hosts scored 27 unanswered points and led 24-3 at halftime, giving coach Mike Vrabel his first win in four tries against Cincinnati.
“No doubt we’re growing,” Tannehill said. “I’m proud of our guys, the way we responded … Fought through the noise and were able to come out, play well up front. Our guys up front did a good job in the run game and in the pass game, creating some space for the running backs and then giving me some time.”
Derrick Henry ran 29 yards for a touchdown, and the veteran running back also found rookie tight end Josh Whyle for a 2-yard touchdown on a jump pass from the wildcat formation just before halftime.
“Peyton Manning had to show up again,” Henry said to laughter. “Well, I was just thankful that it worked, and it’s kind of cool to be able to throw Josh his first NFL touchdown.”
Henry, the two-time NFL rushing champion held to just 20 yards on the ground in the loss at Cleveland, finished with 122 yards on 22 carries against the Bengals. The Titans outgained Cincinnati 400-211 in total yards, with 173 coming on the ground.
“They did a great job,” Vrabel said of his players.
Tennessee played without a pair of offensive starters, with left guard Peter Skoronski missing his third game while recovering from an appendectomy and wide receiver Treylon Burks out with an injured left knee. It didn’t matter as Tennessee got the job done on offense and defense, with the Titans sacking Joe Burrow three times and stripping him of the ball once.
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said nothing was good enough as the Bengals dropped to 1-3. Taylor also dodged a question
“No doubt we’re growing. I’m proud of our guys, the way we responded … Fought through the noise and were able to come out, play well up front. ”
— TITANS QUARTERBACK RYAN TANNEHILL
on how Burrow is playing after throwing for 165 yards.
“We’ve just got to be better,” Taylor said. “Play calls have got to be better. We’ve got to put ourselves in better positions, that starts with me. And you know, when a number’s called, guys have got to step up and make some plays.”
The Bengals had won seven of the past nine between these old AFC Central Division rivals. Realignment two decades ago moved Cincinnati to the North and the Titans to the South.
“Those guys had our numbers the past few years, so good to get on the right side of that,” Tannehill said.
Cincinnati won the pregame coin toss and took the ball, and Burrow worked mostly out of the shotgun while throwing lots of quick, short passes after practicing fully all week with his sore calf. The Bengals settled for a 21-yard field goal by Evan McPherson after having first-and-goal at the Tennessee 10.
A sequence in the third quarter summed up Cincinnati’s offensive struggles. Titans linebacker Trevis Gipson stripped Burrow of the ball, and safety Kevin Byard recovered. The defense went to the end zone and celebrated while officials switched and announced Tennessee recovered the ball and not the Bengals.
The Bengals remain one of two NFL teams not to score a first-half touchdown this season. The New York Giants have a chance to end their membership in that club Monday night, when they host the Seattle Seahawks.
“We weren’t able to find it, weren’t able to complete balls down the field, weren’t able to really do anything,” Burrow said. “So we’ve got a lot to get fixed.”
Nick Folk capped Tennessee’s opening drive with a 53-yard field goal. The Titans scored 21 points to take control in the second quarter.
Tannehill connected with DeAndre Hopkins on their longest pass since the five-time Pro Bowl receiver signed with the Titans shortly before the preseason, a 38-yard gain on third-and-7. Tannehill also completed his next two passes, the second a 13-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 10-3 lead to cap a 78-yard drive.
Henry ran for 5 yards on the second play of the third quarter, giving him 77 yards in the game and passing Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and 1979 NFL MVP Earl Campbell for second on the franchise career rushing list. Henry now trails only Eddie George.
“To be mentioned with a name that I heard so often over the years, it’s just a surreal moment for me,” Henry said of passing Campbell. “I’m thankful. God is good.”
The touchdown pass was the fourth of Henry’s career. He also became the sixth player in NFL history with at least 8,000 rushing yards and 80 touchdown runs in his first eight seasons.
The Titans opened the third quarter with a 15-play drive that ended in Folk’s second field goal. But they held the ball for 10 minutes, 22 seconds for the franchise’s longest scoring drive since Oct. 26, 2003, against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“It wasn’t the prettiest 10-minute drive,” Vrabel said, “but it certainly was very effective.”
The Titans will play their AFC South opener next Sunday,when they visit the rival Indianapolis Colts.