The Tennessee Titans hit the road this week, where they’ll take on the struggling Minnesota Vikings and attempt to start the season 3-0.
We’re getting a matchup between two teams that possess the same mindset on offense, but are finding different levels of success through the first two games of the year. However, one thing that can attributed to both teams coming in is their lack of impact from their defenses.
We could be looking at a high scoring game, so you might want to hold on to your hats.
Let’s jump into it.
Major Storylines Heading Into The Game
The Vikings Can’t Stop Anyone On Defense
It’s kind of hard to believe how bad this Vikings defense has looked through the first two games of the year. We’re all used to Mike Zimmer managing a feared, dominant, and physical defense that strikes fear into opposing offenses across the league. But we’re obviously not getting that same play this season, which is pretty sad considering the amount of talent that defense possesses.
The Vikings are now one of just five teams since the merger to ever run fewer than 50 offensive plays in each of the opening two weeks of an NFL season. First since 2005.
— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) September 21, 2020
The secondary can’t cover anyone, opposing offensive lines are dominating the battle in the trenches, there’s just no group on this defense that’s played particularly well so far. That’s concerning if you’re Mike Zimmer, which is something you don’t say much when you’re only in week 3 of a young season.
But it’s legitimate worry, especially since injuries have completely changed the look of this defense.
That’s another problem that’s plagued the Vikings, injuries. Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, and Mike Hughes are just a few names that have been hit with the injury bug so far, leaving this defense scrambling to find answers.
Barr was just placed on season ending IR during the week due to a torn pectoral muscle, and Hunter isn’t eligible to come off IR until week 4 at the earliest. Hughes is a starter in this secondary, and even though the overall play from the secondary hasn’t been great, watching your corner depth fall apart is simply unpleasant.
Injuries are one thing, but if you can’t get it together when healthy, then you have an even bigger problem on your hands. I don’t like this defense’s chances to rebound this week against a Titans offense that’s humming on all cylinders so far.
Speaking of offense….
Kirk Cousins Has Played Some Really Bad Football
It’s no secret that Kirk Cousins has looked….bad this year. To put it simply, Cousins has been a liability instead of the gamechanger Minnesota thinks he can be.
Not only has he thrown more interceptions than touchdowns(2 TDs, 4 INTs), his completion percentage(58.%) and QB rating(61.9%) are both teetering dangerously close to career lows.
Yes, I know it’s only been 2 games, but this sort of play was already a concern after the departure of Stefon Diggs. Diggs and Thielen made up one of the best WR tandems in all of football, with Dalvin Cook providing some electrifying play out of the backfield when the trio was still an actual thing.
But with Diggs now gone, defenses can focus on shutting down Thielen and Cook, while forcing the other supporting members to step up and make plays.
That includes forcing Cousins to win games with his arm when Cook can’t get it going, which has obviously not worked out too well so far.
The Titans have had some trouble stopping anyone so far this year, so Cook and Cousins might find a way to get back on track this week.
Ryan Tannehill Has Looked Fantastic So Far
Regression who?
That’s the word in Nashville regarding Ryan Tannehill, who has played some really good football through the first two games of the year. Tannehill has thrown for 488 yards, 6 touchdowns, and ZERO interceptions this year, eliminating any early talk surrounding potential regression on the stat sheet.
We are approaching a full season’s worth of starts for Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, including the three playoff games last year. The numbers:
271 of 397 (68.3%)
3,455 yards (8.7 YPA)
33 TDs
6 INTs
5 rushing TDs11-4 record
— Mike Herndon (@MikeMiracles) September 21, 2020
He’s done all of that even without the oh so dominant ground game for the most part, and without a truly healthy AJ Brown. It’s still insanely early, but I’m sure Arthur Smith is encouraged by the play he’s gotten out of his quarterback.
With the Vikings trotting out a rather suspect secondary, Tannehill has a great shot at continuing his hot start.
The Titans Are Struggling On Defense
Ryan Tannehill’s success has been a big topic of discussion, but the larger consensus discussion is swirling around the Titans’ defense.
Injuries and frustrating mistakes have caused this defense to start out slow this year, but their lackluster play hasn’t bit the team in the butt just yet.
Simple gap assignments and missed tackles have made this Titans run defense look more pedestrian than it really is, which could spell trouble since they’ll be tasked with keeping Dalvin Cook in check. The passing defense hasn’t been all that great either, and there’s simply no easygoing solution that’ll solve the problems there.
I think the Titans just have to be patient with Adoree Jackson’s recovery and the rest of the defense as well, then we’ll able to see if their struggles are legitimate concerns, or just your casual run of the mill early season takes that’ll look stupid when they’re looked back on at the end of the year.
I went into detail as to why it’s a good idea to hold off on panicking about this Titans defense here, which will echo my current thoughts.
Matchups to Watch
Titans WRs vs. Vikings Secondary
We discussed the ongoing struggles within this Vikings secondary, and how those same struggles are a big reason why the defense as a whole looks pale in comparison to previous years.
They won’t get a break this Sunday when they’ll be tasked with limiting the damage the Titans can and will inflict in the passing game. Corey Davis leads the team in receiving yards, and should have a favorable matchup against a banged up Vikings corner group.
Adam Humphries should find his opportunities as well.
Kirk Cousins vs. Titans Pass Defense
Cousins has had a terrible season so far, but this Titans secondary will probably be the best overall matchup he’s gotten so far. Malcolm Butler and Johnathan Joseph have been dinged up a bit, Kristian Fulton looked much better last week against Jacksonville — but he still has some room to improve.
Chris Jackson won’t be available for tomorrow’s game due to a hamstring injury, so the Titans will be forced to dive deep in their corner depth.
Either way, Cousins has a shot to get on track this week.
X-Factors
Minnesota: Yannick Ngakoue
With Danielle Hunter still on IR, attention is now focused on Ngakoue to provide some much needed pressure from the edge. With the secondary being the eyesore that it is, I’m sure Mike Zimmer would much rather depend on his pass rush to save his secondary from being burned.
Ngakoue will find some success if he lines up against Dennis Kelly, who tends to struggle with speed rushers from time to time.
Tennessee: Rashaan Evans/Jayon Brown
Dalvin Cook hasn’t gotten his engine going yet, but with the way this Titans’ run defense has looked, he might have a shot at getting his game going this weekend.
Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown both will be given the job of stuffing those gaps in the run game, but if they can’t, Cook might get loose a few times in tomorrow’s game.
Prediction
I tend to think this game might be a little high scoring, but I’m also a believer of what Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry can do against the Vikings’ defense.
I’ll take the Titans.
Titans: 30
Vikings: 21
