Titans 27 Bengals 3
After marching to the Titans 10-yard line for 1st and goal on the opening drive Sunday, it felt like the start of a big day for the Bengals. It turned out to be anything but. Joe Burrow got battered and the Bengals got bullied, beaten and then embarrassed.
It was probably worse than even these words will lead you to believe. I don’t even recognize this team. The Titans trailed 3-0 before going on a 27-0 run.
A 3-3 game after the 1st quarter, quickly slipped away in a Titans 2nd quarter show of force (21-0). The Titans went from beating up the Bengals to toying with them on a Derrick Henry TD pass to former Bearcats TE Josh Wylie to close the half with a 24-3 lead.
The Bengals drop to 1-3 on the season. Burrow was seen flexing his arm/elbow on the sidelines. Tee Higgins has a cracked rib (NFL Network) and Cam Taylor Britt was being looked at for a concussion.
Offense:
Burrow got blasted early and often and it never let up....3 sacks and 9 hits. 20 of 30-165. Strip/sack and fumble in 3rd to seal any visions of a comeback.
This is a QB being payed a quarter of a billion dollars. I have no idea why Zac or anyone else thought it was a good idea to have him in for the 4th quarter....
There needs to be an intervention: He’s gone from hobbling this season ….to flexing his arm on the sideline …..to throwing 30 times and playing in the 4th QT of a 27-3 game…..With 6-minutes left he was sacked and then took another shot when he attempted to extend the play on 4th & 13. What the hell?
9 drives: 51 plays, 211 yards. Longest play: 17 yard pass to Chase (7 for 63 on 9 targets) ......17 yards to Irwin.
Following opening drive: Drive/yards gained next 7 drives......Punt(9)-Punt(19)-Punt(-1)-Punt(22)-End of Half(-1)-Fumble(30)-Punt (6)
Nice run/pass mix 1st drive…11 plays, 72 yards. But 1st & goal became 21-yd FG.
Mixon 1st QT: 5-33 (6.6) …total 14-67 (4.8). Season carries by game: 13-13-19-14.....for average of 4.2 yards.
3rd D: 2 of 9 ….picked up their first in the 4th QT.
They have scored three points in game, twice in four games. They have three points in the 1st QT of four games.
Their 49 points are the fewest scored of any teams that have played four games.
Per Jay Morrison: They are the first team since 2019 Jets to not score a 1st H offensive TD in their first 4 games of a season.
Chase 7 for 63 on 9 targets....Boyd 4-26, Tee 2-19.
I like Tanner Hudson....2 for 18 on 2 targets.
Defense:
9 drives: 62 plays, 400 yards (6.5 per)....34:55. The Titans entered 30th on 3rd down: 8 of 13
6 plays of 22+ yards/all in the 2nd QT: Runs 22, 29. Pass 44, 38, 24, 22. They looked lost and confused at times...missed tackles other times.
Derrick Henry: 22-122 (5.5)....Tannehill 18-25-240, 1/1
Titans 15 plays on their first drive of game/FG (7:48)...15 plays on their first drive of 2nd half/FG (10:22)
Avalanche on back to back 2nd QT TD drives…w/ 5 plays of 22+ yards….17-3.
3rd D tag team sack BJ Hill/Trey Hendrickson forced 15 play/1st drive 53-yard FG.
Myles Murphy picked up his 1st NFL sack. Sam Hubbard sack.
Dax 2nd INT of season, 8 tackles, big penalty
Special Teams:
Evan McPherson 21 yarder,
Trenton Irwin on PR w/ Charlie Jones out. He fumbled one, but Bengals recovered.
Tycen Anderson had a special teams penalty 2nd week in a row
Brad Robbins 62 yarder
Miscellaneous:
Penalties were killers, again. 3 led to Tennessee 1st downs.
Pratt penalty wiped out 3rd D Reader sack at Bengals 14. Led to TD 24-3 end half.
Personal foul Dax Hill on 3rd and 16 (unnecessary roughness). His penalty came on the 6th play of the opening drive of the 3rd quarter. It led to 9 more plays and 6:19 of possession for the Titans and ended in a FG.
Injuries
CTB exited w/ a shoulder. Returned. Then left w/ concussion like symptoms.
Tee Higgins didn’t play in the 2nd half after a rib injury. What a mess his season has become. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says Higgins suffered a rib fracture. "Could keep him off the field for a bit."