Titans look like the AFC rival’s off victories over the Bills, Chiefs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Titans win quite well, three straight and five of their last …

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee Titans win quite well, three straight and five of their last six. Beating Buffalo and beating the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City can be a big ego boost.

Fortunately, the Titans have a very humble and recent reminder to stay focused on the next opponent, and not what they hope will happen in February.

Keep in mind that if the Titans did not stumble in New Jersey, the New York Jets would be one of the NFL’s remaining winless teams.

“You’re sleeping on someone in this league, it’s coming back and it’s going to haunt you,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said.

How much that loss haunts Tennessee remains to be seen. Currently, the defending AFC Southmasters look like candidates tied on top of the AFC with Cincinnati, Baltimore and Las Vegas.

Tennessee also has the NFL’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry, an offense averaging 32.6 points over the last three games and a defense that became the mother of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in a 27-3 run. Even the kicking miseries that have plagued this team the last three seasons seem to be under control.

The Titans’ biggest problem for years has been their ability to play up – and down – to the level of their competition.

Whether Tennessee ends up fighting for one of the AFC’s best seeds this season will be tested starting Sunday with a visit to AFC South rival Indianapolis (3-4). It is the first of seven teams currently losing records on the Tennessee schedule.

Titans will prove how good they really are if they can stay focused on each week.

WHAT WORKS

Defense. The Titans ranked among the NFL’s worst in several defensive categories last season, including 30th in sacks. They fired Mahomes four times and are now in 10th place with 17 sacks. They also forced three turnovers and kept the Chiefs without a touchdown for the first time with Mahomes at quarterback.

The Titans delivered the defensive performance with a renewed secondary. Injuries put equal starting safety Amani Hooker, and cornerback Chris Jackson was scratched, with Kristian Fulton and Caleb Farley on injured reserve.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The beginner class. Farley as the best draft pick is out of season with a torn ACL as one of three drafts that have been on injured reserve. Second-round pick Dillon Radunz had 22 snaps against Kansas City for his most work this season. He filled in on both the right and left guard posts due to injuries.

Cornerback Elijah Molden, selected in the third round, has started matches in a row due to injuries in the secondary. Safety Brady Breeze finally made his NFL debut against the Chiefs and contributed with special teams.

COLLECT STORES

Harold Landry. The outside linebacker is number two in the NFL with 7 1/2 sacks and had one of the Titans’ four sacks Mahomes for his fourth straight game with at least one sack. He now has 1 1/2 sacks from his career best of nine sacks set in 2019.

STOCK DOWN

Radunz. The Titans had to play Bobby Hart, joining Buffalo’s training team last week, by left tackle in 42 snaps due to injury. Radunz was the 53rd overall pick out of North Dakota State, and the Titans chose him to help fill their spot by the right tackle. David Quessenberry won the job outside the camp and only injuries have got Radunz on the pitch in attack.

HURT

The Titans take a step forward, then it’s back, they go with injuries. Left guard Rodger Saffold returned after injuring his thigh. Left tackle Kendall Lamm, who started with Taylor Lewan out due to a concussion, injured his ankle and did not return. Right guard Nate Davis also left the game.

KEY NUMBER

869 – yards on the ground for Henry. He got a five-game streak of 100-yard rushing performances against Kansas City, yet he still leads the NFL and is 131 yards from 1,000 through seven games. He leads the next closest run back, Jonathan Taylor of the Colts, with 290 yards.

NEXT STEP

Start a two-game roadtrip Sunday in Indianapolis with the chance to take a big step toward repeating themselves as division champions. Then the Titans visit Los Angeles for a prime-time game, and the Rams (6-1) are currently the team with the best record left on the Tennessee schedule.

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at http://www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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