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Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos Preview
Time: 9:10 P.M., ESPN
Location: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO.
Line: TEN -3.0
Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans will roll into the Mile High City and take on the Denver Broncos in the second game of the Monday night slate. Henry and the Titans are coming off a 9-7 season with a trip to the AFC Championship, where they fell short to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Denver Broncos are coming in off a 7-9 record in the 2019 campaign.
Titans Keys to Victory:
Pass Rush: The Titans pass rush can be one of the best in the entire NFL with Jadeveon Clowney, Jeffery Simmons, and the rest of the Titans' vicious Front 7. Look for this Titans defensive front to put an unlimited amount of pressure on Broncos QB Drew Lock.
Containing Denver’s Weapons: The Broncos have quite a bit of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsey, Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant are the players that the Titans are going to have to contain if they want to get a road win in altitude.
Is Tannehill the Real Deal? QB Ryan Tannehill signed a four-year, $118 million contract extension during the offseason. Tannehill showed when he took over for the Titans that he deserved that type of money. If he can continue to manage games and stay at a high completion percentage, the Titans should beat the Broncos and have a good season.
Broncos Keys to Victory:
QB Play: Lock, a second-year QB, is officially the face of the franchise for the Denver Broncos. The Denver coaching staff and team has constant praise for the sophomore signal caller. Lock will have plenty of new weapons to work with - additions of Gordon and Jeudy should help Lock make some big plays.
Protection: Denver gave up the 10th-most sacks in 2019. With the Titans front 7 being so well equipped to get to Lock, it is important for the Broncos to protect and give him a shot to get the ball to his playmakers.
Turnover Margin: As said often in football, “whoever wins the turnover margin will win the game.” The Broncos have to be sure to not give up the ball, especially against this ground-and-pound Titans offense. If Lock and company allow Henry and Tannehill to burn clock it would not bode well for them.
Prediction: With Henry and the ground game going up against a depleted Broncos Front 7, it seems that Denver could have a hard time containing the King. Without their star player Von Miller (out for the season after suffering an injury on the last practice of training camp), it could be a long night for Broncos on that side of the ball. I believe that the Titans defense will do a good job getting after Lock and will cause him to turn the ball over.
Titans 24 Broncos 17