The AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans face the winless New York Jets on Sunday, although solidifying their advantage atop the division does not figure to be as simple as it looks on first glance.
After winning their second consecutive game Sunday, 25-16 over the Indianapolis Colts, the Titans (2-1) could be without their top two wideouts in Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. Neither practiced on Wednesday because of hamstring injuries, with reports that Brown could be absent after leaving last Sunday's game early.
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill still figures to have plenty of pass-catching options against the Jets, even if his two best targets are not available. Tannehill threw three TD passes Sunday and had completions to nine different players, with 11 targeted. But he threw two interceptions as Tennessee overcame three total turnovers.
Four Jets players to watch when the Green & White play their second home game of the season, against the Titans on Sunday:
WR Corey Davis — Davis did a fine enough job in 4 seasons with the Titans to be coveted and signed by the Jets. He is their No. 1 wideout now and although he says the next opponent means nothing, he wouldn't be human if he didn't want to show Tennessee what it lost in free agency. Yet even if the Titans succeed in limiting his opportunities the way the Patriots and Broncos did, he can open it up for the other wideouts — maybe Jamison Crowder, back from his groin injury, maybe Denzel Mims, maybe not the injured Elijah Moore or Jeff Smith, most definitely the versatile Braxton Berrios — to catch some Zach Wilson explosion balls and keep the Jets offense on the MetLife pitch and the Titans offense off it.
RB Ty Johnson — The Jets have started 3 different RBs — Tevin Coleman, Johnson and Michael Carter — in the first 3 games of a season for the first time since 1991, when the starters were Blair Thomas, Brad Baxter and Freeman McNeil with a side of Johnny Hector thrown in. It could be any of the 3 vs. the Titans but we'll say Johnson, who Jets fans may recall had his career high of 104 rush yards on 22 carries and his lone career TD at home vs. the Raiders last year. Whoever takes the lead at RB on Sunday, he'll need to help keep the Jets offense on the field so as to minimize any damage that can be done by the Titans, whose 33:27 average possession time is fourth-best in the NFL.
LB C.J. Mosley — Davis' scouting report on Derrick Henry, not only Tennessee's but the NFL's leading RB going into his third year, says it all: "It doesn't make sense for him to be that big and run like he does." Henry is the only back with 300-plus rush yards through three weeks, on 80 carries at 4.4 yards a pop. He's the reason the Titans have been able to control the clock in their wins over Seattle and Indianapolis. Mosley, with 10 tackles in each of the past two games, is active and finally on pace for his first 100-plus-tackles season as a Jet and the fifth of his career. He, Folorunso Fatukasi, Quincy Williams and the crew will need to flow to the ball and show who the better third-down team is in this one.
DL Quinnen Williams — "Q" got uncurled from his quiet start due to his long, slow foot rehab as he took down Teddy Bridgewater and posted his first 1.5 sacks of the season. A lot is on Williams and his fellow D-linemen this week because not only do they need to team with Mosley to slow down Henry, but if they can do that, then they have to get to Ryan Tannehill. It's certainly possible. Tannehill in 10 starts with the Dolphins vs. the Jets was 5-5 with 12 TD passes, 9 INTs and 22 sacks. With the Titans this year he's thrown 4 TDs to 3 INTs (plus 3 strip-sack lost fumbles) and has been sacked 10 times. Just don't let him scramble — he's averaging 9.1 yards/carry, best among all QBs with at least 10 carries.
After winning their second consecutive game Sunday, 25-16 over the Indianapolis Colts, the Titans (2-1) could be without their top two wideouts in Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. Neither practiced on Wednesday because of hamstring injuries, with reports that Brown could be absent after leaving last Sunday's game early.
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill still figures to have plenty of pass-catching options against the Jets, even if his two best targets are not available. Tannehill threw three TD passes Sunday and had completions to nine different players, with 11 targeted. But he threw two interceptions as Tennessee overcame three total turnovers.
Four Jets players to watch when the Green & White play their second home game of the season, against the Titans on Sunday:
WR Corey Davis — Davis did a fine enough job in 4 seasons with the Titans to be coveted and signed by the Jets. He is their No. 1 wideout now and although he says the next opponent means nothing, he wouldn't be human if he didn't want to show Tennessee what it lost in free agency. Yet even if the Titans succeed in limiting his opportunities the way the Patriots and Broncos did, he can open it up for the other wideouts — maybe Jamison Crowder, back from his groin injury, maybe Denzel Mims, maybe not the injured Elijah Moore or Jeff Smith, most definitely the versatile Braxton Berrios — to catch some Zach Wilson explosion balls and keep the Jets offense on the MetLife pitch and the Titans offense off it.
RB Ty Johnson — The Jets have started 3 different RBs — Tevin Coleman, Johnson and Michael Carter — in the first 3 games of a season for the first time since 1991, when the starters were Blair Thomas, Brad Baxter and Freeman McNeil with a side of Johnny Hector thrown in. It could be any of the 3 vs. the Titans but we'll say Johnson, who Jets fans may recall had his career high of 104 rush yards on 22 carries and his lone career TD at home vs. the Raiders last year. Whoever takes the lead at RB on Sunday, he'll need to help keep the Jets offense on the field so as to minimize any damage that can be done by the Titans, whose 33:27 average possession time is fourth-best in the NFL.
LB C.J. Mosley — Davis' scouting report on Derrick Henry, not only Tennessee's but the NFL's leading RB going into his third year, says it all: "It doesn't make sense for him to be that big and run like he does." Henry is the only back with 300-plus rush yards through three weeks, on 80 carries at 4.4 yards a pop. He's the reason the Titans have been able to control the clock in their wins over Seattle and Indianapolis. Mosley, with 10 tackles in each of the past two games, is active and finally on pace for his first 100-plus-tackles season as a Jet and the fifth of his career. He, Folorunso Fatukasi, Quincy Williams and the crew will need to flow to the ball and show who the better third-down team is in this one.
DL Quinnen Williams — "Q" got uncurled from his quiet start due to his long, slow foot rehab as he took down Teddy Bridgewater and posted his first 1.5 sacks of the season. A lot is on Williams and his fellow D-linemen this week because not only do they need to team with Mosley to slow down Henry, but if they can do that, then they have to get to Ryan Tannehill. It's certainly possible. Tannehill in 10 starts with the Dolphins vs. the Jets was 5-5 with 12 TD passes, 9 INTs and 22 sacks. With the Titans this year he's thrown 4 TDs to 3 INTs (plus 3 strip-sack lost fumbles) and has been sacked 10 times. Just don't let him scramble — he's averaging 9.1 yards/carry, best among all QBs with at least 10 carries.
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