Titans vs. Browns: Full Tennessee Game Preview
Revenge is the common theme for this Week 2 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. A classic trap game awaits the Tennessee Titans, as they look to avenge their epic collapse to the Browns just one season ago.
The Titans watched in shock as their 25-point lead quickly evaporated last season and the Browns went on to win the game. It was basically the beginning of a monumental collapse for the rest of the Titans' 2014 season.
That Titans team is nothing like the team that will trot out in Week 2 of 2015. There are many different players at key positions.
However, this game could easily ruin the buzz that the Titans are feeling by routing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-14 in Week 1 to open up 2015. They can't enter this game thinking they're in for an easy ride just because the Browns are perceived as being one of worst teams in the AFC.
These two teams are drastically different from last season, and both will roll with different starting quarterbacks than they did in last year's meeting. There is also the Terrance West factor: He'll most certainly be looking for his own form of revenge after being traded by the Browns less than two weeks ago.
Last week had plenty of storylines, and this one has plenty of its own.
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
Time: 12:00 PM CT
TV: CBS WTVF (Local)
Week 1 Results and Recap
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It was as close to a perfect performance as you could expect from the Titans in their rout of the Buccaneers.
In fact, Marcus Mariota did achieve perfection by recording a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He finished with four touchdown passes in just three quarters of action to start his NFL career.
Can Mariota follow up that epic performance with another one? It's fair to say that he won't be nearly that perfect, but avoiding big mistakes will once again be key. He's still human, and he's still a rookie.
Mariota needs to have another performance full of sharp decision-making. The numbers don't have to be as jaw dropping as they were in Week 1.
As impressive as the offense looked, the defense put together their own impressive performance. It never let Jameis Winston get comfortable in the pocket, and the defense played with an edge unseen last season. Derrick Morgan stood out as the big performer with two sacks.
Sloppy tackling was something that needs to be addressed in preparation for the Browns.
With the win over the Buccaneers, the Titans ended up being the only winners from the AFC South in Week 1. It may be early, but they currently have sole possession of first place in the division:
We can expect the rest of the AFC South to bounce back in Week 2, so the Titans really need to take care of business against the Browns to protect their slim division lead. If they take care of business here, it will mark their first time being 2-0 since 2008. That was also their last playoff appearance.
News and Notes
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Marcus Mariota Focused on Next Week
There's not much you can worry about if you're a Titans fan at the moment. One minor concern is how Mariota will handle his early success and whether he can put it behind him quickly.
He seems to be doing that, according to wide receiver Harry Douglas, via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com:
"“Marcus isn’t about to take it easy.” @Titans rookie QB is now looking forward to Week 2: http://t.co/zjolcbdT7zpic.twitter.com/2xXlvx9qis
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 15, 2015"
The Browns will pose a different kind of challenge to Mariota than the Buccaneers did. The secondary is much better, with Joe Haden leading the way. However, it looked average against Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets.
It's fair to say that the Browns will bring a much stiffer challenge for Mariota. He has to stay grounded and follow up with another performance in which he avoids a disastrous turnover.
Justin Hunter Found Not Guilty
Big off-field news came for Justin Hunter, as he was found not guilty of assault, according to the Associated Press (h/t Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com).
This is pretty significant, considering the Titans only have four wide receivers on the current roster and are really counting on Hunter to take a big step forward this season. It was a dark cloud hanging over the organization's head, so it's nice to see this put to rest.
Hunter was kept quiet on the field against the Buccaneers, with just one catch for 11 yards. He will get his chances eventually, but he has to remove the "soft" label he's earned over his first two NFL seasons.
Is Terrance West Ready to Become the No. 1 Running Back?
With the absence of Antonio Andrews last week, the door is wide-open for Terrance West to make an immediate impact. He did have a fumble but still ran the ball hard to put up 41 rushing yards in his Titans debut.
Now he gets to face the team that cut ties with him less than two weeks ago. That's a quick turnaround. Usually players have to wait much longer to face their former teams.
Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need, and West seems to be ready to turn over a new leaf in a Titans uniform.
The Titans will have to establish a power running game against a much better secondary. West will definitely be playing with an extra fire in his belly, and the Titans need to try to feature him early and often. He's their best option at the position, even though Bishop Sankey did look much better that he did last season.
West is insisting that he is treating this game like all of the others, via Wyatt. Be that as it may, look for West to get the most carries against the Browns, with Sankey chipping with around 10 carries.
Latest Injury News
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The Titans got out of Tampa Bay relatively unscathed, but the loss of Delanie Walker definitely stings. He's one of their top targets, and it came at a time in the game when he really wasn't needed. The game was under control when he suffered an injury to his hand.
There's still a possibility that Walker could suit up and play against the Browns, according to Jimmy Morris of Music City Miracles. He says his injury is improving, as reported in the Tennessean:
"#Titans' @delaniewalker82 says injury improving: http://t.co/gyrR7uawAc pic.twitter.com/i7AzY4StBk
— The Tennessean (@Tennessean) September 17, 2015"
It's not a pressing issue, considering the Titans did take five tight ends to the regular season, which was somewhat surprising. The more conservative move may be to sit Walker and rely on Anthony Fasano and Craig Stevens in Week 2. There's no reason to make the injury worse early in the regular season when you have two tight ends who are fully capable of filling in.
Here is a full injury update for the Browns game, with none of these players practicing on Wednesday:
| Player | Position | Injury |
| Delanie Walker | TE | Hand |
| Jason McCourty | CB | Groin |
| Sammie Hill | NT | Knee |
| Antonio Andrews | RB | Hamstring |
| Cody Riggs | CB | Knee |
It was admittedly surprising how well the Titans secondary played without Jason McCourty leading the charge. It was a strong showing from Coty Sensabaugh, who typically plays in nickel formations.
With that being said, the Titans need McCourty back before the Colts matchup in Week 3. They may be able to survive a pedestrian Browns passing attack in Week 2 and give McCourty more rest.
The Titans also get their bye week in Week 4, which is extremely early and not ideal. There's a possibility that we won't see McCourty back until after the bye week. They will definitely need his veteran presence for the long haul.
It will be difficult for Antonio Andrews to see many carries, even if he does return this week.
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Key Matchups
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These two teams are drastically different from their previous meeting last October, especially at key position like quarterback.
Here are some key matchups to watch.
Titans Defensive Line vs. Browns Rushing Attack
It's looking more and more likely that the Titans will see Johnny Manziel at quarterback, and not Josh McCown, according to Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot:
"#Browns Pettine said he has to plan as though Johnny Manziel will be the starter vs. Titans.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 14, 2015"
It's difficult to see McCown coming back just one week after suffering a concussion. This means the Titans defensive front will have to be disciplined in keeping Manziel contained. Like him or not, Manziel is fully capable of stretching a play out for positive yardage.
However, the Titans pass rush will get another opportunity to throw confusing blitzes at an inexperienced NFL quarterback and force him into mistakes. They were very successful at this against Jameis Winston.
The Browns also have Isaiah Crowell, who is arguably the best offensive weapon the Browns have. Containing him will force Manziel into throwing a lot of passes, which bodes well for the Titans defense. Manziel will make his mistakes if it forces this game into a throwing contest.
Marcus Mariota vs. Browns Secondary
This matchup will be a stiffer challenge for Mariota than the one he faced against the Buccaneers. The Browns have much better defensive backs, led by Joe Haden.
Mariota needs to once again show off his sharp decision-making skills. Taking what the defense gives him will be key. This game shouldn't be a high-scoring affair, so the Titans will need to take calculated risks rather than get baited into a shootout, as in last season.
Believe it or not, head coach Ken Whisenhunt still sees room for improvement for Mariota, according to John Glennon of the Tennessean.
What stood out in Whisenhunt's assessment of Mariota's Week 1 performance was the latter's adjustment to NFL speed. The Browns are going to study the tape and bring a good defensive game plan against Mariota. Making smart decisions and avoiding catastrophic mistakes like the one near the end zone against the Buccaneers will be crucial.
Mariota is a week smarter, but there's NFL tape on him for defenses to study now, too.
Titans Special Teams vs. Browns Special Teams
The Titans are in for a much more highly contested game than the one they saw in Week 1. The Browns may be considered weaklings in the AFC, but they still play a blue-collar style of football that will keep this game close.
Special teams will be a big factor in a game like this. The Titans didn't have to rely on field goals in Week 1, which is a good thing. However, expect points to be at more of a premium against the Browns. Converting on field goals from Ryan Succop will be important.
Don't forget about the extended extra points for this season. We all know that it's only a matter of time before someone misses one of these and plays a big factor in a loss.
Field position is always important in low-scoring games like we can expect this one to be, and the Titans have a superb punter in Brett Kern. The Titans need to win the field-position battle and set up Mariota with favorable starting points.
The special teams unit for the Titans has gradually improved in recent memory, and this area of the field will be a difference-maker for the Titans.
Matchup X-Factors
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Titans X-Factor of the Week: Terrance West
A running game needs to be established, as it should be a lot more difficult for Mariota to pass the ball. The Browns will defend the pass well enough to force this game to the ground.
In comes Terrance West, who should have no shortage of emotions entering this game. His numbers against the Buccaneers weren't all that impressive, but he ran with a fire in his belly that will be amplified against his former team.
West needs the ball fed to him 15-20 times to allow the Titans to win the battle in the trenches. They can easily win this part of the field over the Browns and open things up on play action for Mariota.
This doesn't mean there's no room Bishop Sankey. He should still get his touches in certain situations, but West is the better back. Sankey will still see his fair amount of touches, and the Titans will obviously need to stick with him if he gets the hot hand.
The Titans will win this game if they control the ground game, and West gives them the best opportunity to make that happen.
Titans Underrated X-Factor: Brian Orakpo
The Titans finally have a respected two-headed monster at outside linebacker after signing Orakpo in the offseason. Orakpo was relatively quiet in his Titans debut but did make an impact by taking attention away from Derrick Morgan on the other side. Morgan tallied up two sacks.
The Titans linebackers will be tested often against the Browns with Manziel's ability to break containment, and Crowell is a serviceable running back who's capable of having a big game. It will be interesting to see if Orakpo can make some noise in the backfield and force Manziel into bad decisions.
If Orakpo can have one of those games that's earned him the name recognition that he's gotten in his NFL career, then this will be a long day for the Browns offense.
Prediction: Titans 17, Browns 10
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This should have been considered a win for the Titans even before their surprising blowout of the Buccaneers in Week 1. The Titans will win this game, but the victory will come in much different fashion.
The Titans will have to grind this one out, and the points will not come nearly as easy.
What puts the Titans ahead of the Browns is simply the quarterback situation for both teams, which is a testament to Mariota as a rookie with just one game under his belt. He gives the Titans much more stability at the position than what the Browns have with Manziel or McCown.
For the record, it's very likely that Manziel will start for the Browns, as McCown will not be fully recovered from a concussion suffered in Week 1. Manziel is preparing all week as the starter, according to Titans beat writer Jason Wolf of the Tennessean:
"Manziel on prepping to be #Browns starter: "That's the way I'm treating it right now, is that I'm going to be the guy on Sunday." #Titans
— Jason Wolf (@JasonWolf) September 16, 2015"
Even though the Titans are the better team at quarterback, they can't simply throw their way to a win. The Browns are too talented in the secondary to let the Titans throw all over them. The game will have to be won on the ground initially with Terrance West and Bishop Sankey.
Don't expect Mariota's numbers to be nearly as eye-opening. He'll come back down to earth and maybe even show that he's human with a turnover of his own. Even with the turnover, he'll play well enough to put the Titans in a good spot to win, which is always what you want most from your starting quarterback. He'll finish with somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple of touchdowns and 150-200 passing yards.
The Browns will also need to lean heavily on their running game, and the strategy will keep the score close throughout. It's worth mentioning that Isaiah Crowell is no scrub in their running game.
However, expect the Titans to force a few key turnovers in Browns territory to tilt the scales in their favor. The Titans will be 2-0 for the first time since 2008 thanks to a sloppy win over the Browns.
Final Prediction: Titans 17, Browns 10
All injury information courtesy of Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com.
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