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Steelers Enemy Intel: Tennessee Titans

Marcus Mariota has Titans fans thinking of the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Photo via titansonline.com

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans will square off on Thursday Night in a battle of AFC Division leaders. The Steelers and Titans are both riding four game winning streaks and are vying for playoff seeding and home field advantage in a potential playoff preview. This will be a battle of one perennial contender trying to maintain their status as an AFC heavyweight, while the other is an upstart trying to grab a huge road win for a franchise that has not been in the postseason since 2008.

Titans Offense

The Titans offensive identity is the two headed monster of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry at running back supplemented by the duel threat abilities of Marcus Mariota. Both Murray and Henry has amassed over 400 rushing yards while averaging over four yards per carry.

The Titans game plan is to run the football against the at times shaky run defense of the Steelers. The Titans will try to use fun pass options for Mariota, a Heisman Trophy winner out of Oregon, who has recovered from a hamstring injury and has averaged 5.7 yards a carry with three rushing touchdowns on the season. He will try look for veteran tight end Delanie Walker in the middle of the field and Rishard Matthews who is averaging 14.3 yards per reception and has 7 catches for 20 plus yards.

Keep an eye on: WR Corey Davis

Davis had his best game as a pro Sunday against the Bengals with four catches for 48 yards on ten targets. Although he did fumble at the goal line, Davis seems to be integrating into the Titans offense quite well and with Joe Haden out for the Steelers, look for Davis to have his share of opportunities when he is lined up against Cody Sensabaugh.

Titans Defense

The Steelers will face a familiar defense Thursday night when former Steeler defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will come back to town to face his former team. The Titans only have 14 sacks on the season, which is the third fewest in the NFL. However, that does not mean that the Titans pass rush is ineffective. Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan, Jurrell Casey and company have generated pressure on opposing quarterbacks with 123 pressures on dropbacks.

The Titans game plan is to get pressure on Ben Roethlisberger and try to switch up coverages to keep Antonio Brown from roaming to open spots in zone coverages. Look for Logan Ryan and rookie Adoree Jackson to alternate in man coverage on Brown. Another chess match will be Le’Veon Bell versus veteran Wesley Woodyard in the running game with one of the most patient runners in the league versus one of the most disciplined linebackers in the NFL.

Keep an eye on: S Kevin Byard

The second year pro out of Middle Tennessee State has five interceptions and 12 pass breakups in the past three games and has stabilized a perceived weak spot on the Titans defense.

Special Teams Notes

Brad Kern leads the NFL with 52.2 yards per punt and has 16 punts inside the 20.

Ryan Succop is 22 for 25 on field goals and previously made and NFL record 56 consecutive field goals inside 50 yards before last week’s game when he missed a 48 yard field goal against the Bengals.

Prediction

The Steelers will have a late scoring drive to find a way to hold off the Titans in a low scoring, hard hitting game reminiscent of the old AFC Central. Steelers over the Titans, 19-16.

About Brandon Walker (19 Articles)
<p>Brandon is a Steelers and Pitt Panthers contributor to the Point of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at @bwalkerdadon on Twitter.</p>

4 Comments on Steelers Enemy Intel: Tennessee Titans

  1. Kelechi Anozie // November 16, 2017 at 11:13 AM // Reply

    Kevin Byard is going to be a big-time star in this league. I have no idea how they found him but of all the Titans players, he’s the one that worries me the most; his ball skills and instincts are off the charts. The receiver are gonna have to be sharp on their routes, and Ben needs to be as accurate as possible when throwing the ball in his area.

  2. mark delsignore // November 16, 2017 at 1:49 PM // Reply

    Lets hope we dont see that Steeler team that sleepwalks for the first two quarters. Please. Not at home.

    It is about time that this offense starts to hit on all cylinders — especially at home and especially trying to get better for the Showdown at O.K. Corral. I am getting ahead of myself.

    Run the ball and stop the run and dont let Marriota get too confident on the road. Steelers, on paper, should put this one away.

    Here We Go!

  3. I look for both teams to try and establish the run, and both having some success at it. I think Conner gets more touches this week than in any other appearance to date due to the short week and not wanting to see any injuries to Bell from the short turn around time. Whichever team runs the ball best will win this game. I don’t think it will be as low scoring as you suggest Kelchi. I look for a Steelers 27-21 victory.

    • Kelechi Anozie // November 16, 2017 at 3:28 PM // Reply

      I don’t remember suggesting that it would be a low scoring game, but the one thing the Steelers have which most teams do not, are high-level receivers; they have yet to exploit this. If they can attack that secondary, they’ll win this game quickly, meaning a balanced attack as they showed the last 2 minutes against the Colts.

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