The 2-0 Tennessee Titans head to Minnesota for a battle with the 0-2 Minnesota Vikings at high noon on Sunday. The line is currently at around -2.5 in favor of the Titans, with an over/under set at 49.5.
On offense, the Titans are averaging 24.5 points per game to the Vikings’ 22.5. On defense, the Titans are allowing 22 points per game to the Vikings’ WHOPPING 35.5. That’s not good. It bodes well for Ryan Tannehill and company, so I expect them to score some points (it’s just a matter of whether or not all of the points come in the first half or not – regardless, it’s a good match-up there). This Titans defense is capable of bowing up. They have the talent to do so. It just hasn’t really happened consistently yet. So, while I like the Titans at -2.5, I think the UNDER is the easy play here. I could easily see this being a 24-14 type of game, with the Titans getting up 14-0 early, and the defense ironing things out in the second half.
Still, there are two sides to this 2-0 coin – you can say that the Titans are a good team that are finding ways to win despite struggling mightily in certain facets of the game (like me). Or, you can say that this is a team that is flirting with disaster, just itching to lose a game like this one (also me…just…that little voice in the back of my head that has conditioned me to expect a letdown from the Titans in situations like this one). Given how the Titans have played in 2020, and how desperate the Vikings will be to avoid 0-3, this is a dangerous one.
Titans Keys to Victory: @ Vikings
Get up early
Through two games, the Vikings have shown that they aren’t quite built to come from behind and hang with good offenses. It might not show up in the season stats just yet because of that rough Broncos game, but the Titans do have a good offense. If they can get up 10-0 against this Vikings team, they could very well have them dead to rights.
Kirk Cousins is coming off of one of the worst games of his entire career, and seems to be having an issue with forcing the ball to Adam Thielen. That’s something the Titans defense can capitalize on if they’re playing with a lead (assuming Cousins doesn’t work that shit out). Not to mention, forcing the Vikings to play one dimensional catch-up football means that arguably their greatest potential weapon in this match-up, Dalvin Cook, would be all but abandoned in the game plan. To me, ending the first half with a comfortable lead is THE key to winning this game.
Get Derrick Henry going
This week is the week for Derrick Henry to bounce one of those big runs to the house. Linval Joseph isn’t holding that defensive line down anymore, and the Vikings appear susceptible to a big rushing day. Not to mention, if they can pound Henry early, control the time of possession, and punch it in for a score or two, that could be pivotal in Key #1, jumping up early and preventing this Vikings team from finding its rhythm on offense. Despite the 0-2 start, this is still a dangerous Vikings squad – I don’t know that I’d still call them ‘good,’ but at this point, with all of that talent, they’re still definitely ‘capable.’
Get right on defense
You’re playing an offense that is struggling so far in the young season. You’ve struggled on defense, particularly against an offense that the Miami Dolphins made look completely pedestrian on Thursday night. The Titans absolutely have to utilize this opportunity to get things right on defense. This is a chance to figure things out – they have to work out some of the kinks. Get off the field on third down, key up the pass rush, step up in the secondary and find ways to prevent Thielen and company from getting into rhythm.
If the Titans can get through the first half in a ‘comfortable’ position, and can play improved defense throughout the game, they should win this one.
On the latest episode of The Unofficial Titans Podcast, I caught up with Sam Hicks of Titans Brawl to talk about the 2-0 start for the Titans and get his thoughts on Sunday’s game. Then, we go behind enemy lines to chat with Dustin Baker of The Viking Age, Fansided, and the Bleav in Vikings podcast to take a deep dive on the 0-2 start for the Vikings. LISTEN HERE:
Listen to “Ep. 39: Previewing Titans at Vikings” on Spreaker.Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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