Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons denied inadvertently providing the opposition with inside information about the team's quarterback situation ahead of Sunday's 20-17 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Simmons called out Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and said he "never once mentioned anything about our QB situation":

https://twitter.com/GrindSimmons94/status/1589660073642819584

Jones told reporters after the game the Chiefs expected Malik Willis to start for Tennessee, in part because he "talked to Jeff Simmons earlier during the week and we knew."

Ryan Tannehill missed a Week 8 victory over the Houston Texans because of an illness and an ankle sprain, and his availability for Sunday remained in question leading up to the contest.

The team listed Tannehill as questionable, and head coach Mike Vrabel said he'd likely wait until the last minute before making a decision about his starting quarterback.

Nobody was taken aback to see Willis leading the offense for the second straight week.

The Chiefs would've had a clear advantage if they knew well in advance to plan for Willis rather than Tannehill, though.

The coaching staff clearly doesn't trust the 2022 third-round pick to shoulder a heavy load yet, making the offense more predictable.

Willis threw 10 passes against the Texans, and only one of those came in the second half. Houston got a steady dose of Derrick Henry instead, with Henry carrying the ball 32 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

The Titans tried to strike more of a balance against Kansas City—Henry had 17 carries—but still couldn't pose much of a threat through the air. Willis finished 5-of-16 for 80 yards and was sacked three times for a loss of 23 yards. Two of those sacks came in overtime, with Tennessee trying to at least tie the score.

Even if Simmons had let it slip that the Titans were expecting Willis to start, it probably wouldn't have mattered much. They couldn't keep it a secret forever, and it doesn't take much preparation to adjust for what are the rookie's glaring flaws right now.

The Tennessee Titans were missing their starting quarterback, on the road in front of a raucous crowd and facing Patrick Mahomes, which was a recipe for a blowout.

Instead, they almost used quite the formula to stun the Kansas City Chiefs until Mahomes did his best Superman impression to lead the AFC West leaders to a 20-17 victory Sunday. Tennessee put up a valiant effort but saw its five-game winning streak end as it fell to 5-3 on the season.

The driving force of that valiant effort was running back Derrick Henry, who finished with 115 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. It was much-needed, considering Ryan Tannehill was sidelined with an ankle injury for the second game in a row, and rookie replacement Malik Willis completed five passes overall, with zero going to wide receivers.

Henry's 219-yard and two-touchdown showing was enough in the last game against the Houston Texans when Willis threw for just 55 yards, but Mahomes was on the other side in this one and ran for a late touchdown and two-pointer to tie it before directing a field-goal drive in overtime.

Still, Twitter gave Henry his flowers for an incredible game, even if some were wondering why he didn't have more chances:

Derrick Henry walks right in for his second TD 😤

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/NQlhkSPmNF

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 7, 2022

Derrick Henry gets the TD from the wildcat 🔥

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/xbLHO0CrKO

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 7, 2022

Derrick freakin' Henry 👑

📺: #TENvsKC on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/ExOeMHivBX pic.twitter.com/kOAFlRfpUd

— NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2022

POV: Derrick Henry just happened pic.twitter.com/zuHmolHaBE

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 7, 2022

the chiefs have like 9 guys in the box and derrick henry does not care

— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) November 7, 2022

Derrick Henry rn pic.twitter.com/HVLkQE2ZVW

— Pickswise (@Pickswise) November 7, 2022

Derrick Henry broke Earl Campbell's Oilers/Titans franchise record with the 74th rushing touchdown of his career.

Campbell played 91 games with the Oilers. Henry broke his record in 94 games with the Titans.

It's Henry's 20th career game with multiple rushing touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/vqjFtZr7Yk

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 7, 2022

Derrick Henry is just a monster. An absolute monster.

— Mike Herndon (@MikeHerndonSk1) November 7, 2022

https://twitter.com/IanKenyonNFL/status/1589443574789439489

Derrick Henry has passed Barkley and Chubb (bye weeks) to take over the @NFL rushing lead tonight.

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 7, 2022

Derrick Henry is now the 5th RB since 1950 to have 17 or more games with 100+ rush yards and 2+ rush TD in their first 7 seasons.

Henry joins HOF LaDainian Tomlinson, HOF Jim Brown, HOF Emmitt Smith and 2005 MVP Shaun Alexander.@Titans @ProFootballHOF

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) November 7, 2022

Not sure how you take the ball out of Derrick Henry’s hands on that drive if you’re Tennessee.

— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) November 7, 2022

Offensive plays in regulation: Chiefs 79, Titans 44. That partly explains just 16 carries for Derrick Henry (though he should still be in the 20s by now).

— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) November 7, 2022

Do not take Derrick Henry off the field. He’s the only player the Titans have and they have to respect him when he’s on it even if he isn’t getting the ball.

— Jared Stillman (@JaredStillman) November 7, 2022

I've got a wild idea for the Titans in overtime: Try some handoffs to Derrick Henry.

— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) November 7, 2022

It seemed like Kansas City was going to cruise to the straightforward win when it jumped ahead 9-0 with a Mecole Hardman touchdown in the second quarter. That's when the Henry show started with two touchdown runs and a 56-yarder in the second quarter as he showed off his speed, ability to run out of the wildcat and bruising physicality by the goal line.

Willis also used his legs multiple times as the Titans controlled the clock, kept Mahomes on the sidelines and put the four-time Pro Bowler under constant pressure.

It was the perfect gameplan to win on the road with an injured quarterback against a powerhouse like Kansas City, but Mahomes went full magician during a 93-yard drive with a long scramble to convert 3rd-and-17 before he used his legs for the touchdown and the two-point conversion to force overtime.

Fortunately for Henry and the Titans, they won't have to worry about Mahomes in the next game against the Denver Broncos.

It's the Philadelphia Eagles' world, and the rest of the NFL is living in it.

Philadelphia is nearly halfway to the first 17-0 regular season in league history after Thursday's 29-17 victory over the Houston Texans. It's a full two games clear of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East at 8-0 and looks like the team to beat in the race for the Lombardi Trophy.

Things are going much differently for the Houston Texans, who fell to 1-6-1 with their latest loss.

Here is a look at the updated standings and current tiebreaker scenarios following Thursday's results:

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AFC

1. Buffalo Bills, 6-1

2. Tennessee Titans, 5-2 (tiebreaker over KC because of winning percentage against AFC)

3. Kansas City Chiefs, 5-2

4. Baltimore Ravens, 5-3

5. New York Jets, 5-3 (tiebreaker over MIA because of head-to-head)

6. Miami Dolphins, 5-3

7. Los Angeles Chargers, 4-3

8. New England Patriots, 4-4 (tiebreaker over CIN because of winning percentage against AFC)

9. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-4

10. Indianapolis Colts, 3-4-1

11. Cleveland Browns, 3-5 (tiebreaker over DEN because of strength of victory)

12. Denver Broncos, 3-5

13. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-5

14. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-6 (tiebreaker over PIT because of winning percentage against AFC)

15. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6

16. Houston Texans, 1-6-1

---

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-0

2. Minnesota Vikings, 6-1

3. Seattle Seahawks, 5-3

4. Atlanta Falcons, 4-4

5. Dallas Cowboys, 6-2 (tiebreaker over NYG because of head-to-head)

6. New York Giants, 6-2

7. San Francisco 49ers, 4-4 (tiebreaker over WAS because of winning percentage against NFC)

8. Washington Commanders, 4-4

9. Los Angeles Rams, 3-4

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3-5 (tiebreaker over GB and AZ because of winning percentage against NFC)

11. Green Bay Packers, 3-5 (tiebreaker over NO and AZ because of winning percentage against NFC; tiebreaker over CHI because of head-to-head)

12. Arizona Cardinals, 3-5 (tiebreaker over NO because of head-to-head; tiebreaker over CHI because of winning percentage against NFC)

13. New Orleans Saints, 3-5 (tiebreaker over CHI because of winning percentage against NFC)

14. Chicago Bears, 3-5

15. Carolina Panthers, 2-6

16. Detroit Lions, 1-6

---

From a playoff positioning battle, no game stands out more in Week 9 than the one between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans.

While many fans may assume the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are on an inevitable collision course for the AFC Championship Game with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen under center, the Titans have an opportunity to secure an early inside track for the No. 2 seed and the home-field advantage for multiple rounds that would come with a win.

Kansas City appears to have some advantages beyond the fact the game is at home, though, considering it lost a 24-20 nailbiter to the Bills. Comparatively, the Titans were blown out 41-7 in Buffalo in Week 2 and looked a step behind the other top contenders.

Yet Tennessee has won five straight games since that loss and appears to be one of the most daunting threats for a Mahomes-Allen rematch in the AFC title game.

It also flummoxed Mahomes last season on the way to a commanding 27-3 victory over the Chiefs. The Titans forced two turnovers from the four-time Pro Bowler and sacked him four times.

While he exited that game with injury concerns, the outcome was already well in hand by that point.

Repeating a showing like that will be no easy task in Kansas City, but the Titans will surely look to control the clock with Derrick Henry and keep Mahomes on the sidelines with extended drives.

That will especially be the case if quarterback Ryan Tannehill misses a second consecutive game with an ankle injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he was limited in Wednesday's practice and sat out Thursday, so his status is very much up in the air.

It could ultimately decide the most important AFC game of the week.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry rushed for 200 or more yards for a sixth time in Sunday's 17-10 win over the Houston Texans, matching an NFL record set by Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson.

Henry finished with 219 yards and two touchdowns as the Titans employed a ball-control strategy in rookie quarterback Malik Willis' first NFL start. Tennessee ran the ball 45 times against only 10 passes, with Henry toting the rock a season-high 32 times.

The performance also marked Henry's fourth straight 200-yard game against the Texans, an NFL record for the most such performances against one opponent.

Most games in NFL history with 200 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns:

6 -- Derrick Henry
4 -- Derrick Henry only against the Texans
3 -- Jim Brown
3 -- Barry Sanders
3 -- LaDainian Tomlinson pic.twitter.com/9caJpdxkTZ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 30, 2022

Coming off a foot injury that cost him the final nine games of the 2021 regular season and made him look like a shell of himself in the playoffs, Henry has re-emerged as one of the NFL's most dominant runners. He'll likely leave Week 8 third in rushing behind Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb (he's 15 yards ahead of Chubb heading into Cleveland's Monday night game against Cincinnati), helping lead the Titans to a 5-2 record.

Tennessee, picked by many to regress this season, now looks like a mortal lock for its third straight AFC South title. No other team in the division is better than .500, and the rest of the division combined has six wins to the Titans' five.

A lot of the thanks for that can be attributed to Henry's brilliance.

The Malik Willis era didn't get off to a rousing start. Luckily for the Tennessee Titans, they still have Derrick Henry.

Many expected Willis to be a long-term project at quarterback, and those concerns were borne out Sunday in a 17-10 win over the Houston Texans. Starting in place of an injured Ryan Tannehill, he went 6-of-10 for 55 yards and one interception.

QBs I’d play over Malik Willis in fantasy this week:

Literally anybody else please for the love of god anyone else this is an infinite amount of pain that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy when will it end? Please help me Malik PLEASE do something positive, PLEASE

— Luke Sawhook 🪚🪝 (@lukesawhook) October 30, 2022

Davis Mills is playing like a rookie third-round pick making his first start. He's 5 of 11 for 17 yards and a 14.6 rating. Malik Willis is 43.5. @gallerysports

— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) October 30, 2022

Willis attempted just one pass in the second half, which summed up both his struggles and how much Henry dominated the proceedings. The two-time Pro Bowler was a one-man offense, going for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries.

Handing the ball off to Derrick Henry on 2nd and long pic.twitter.com/m9NERUvHcs

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 30, 2022

Derrick Henry is the 🐐 of the titans franchise.

— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) October 30, 2022

Derrick Henry is the best running back in the game and it’s not even close. The Titans have no O-Line, no WR’s and no QB today and he’s got over 100 yards well before halftime. It’s not like the Texans didn’t spend all week talking about not letting that happen.

— Jared Stillman (@JaredStillman) October 30, 2022

The Texans would probably prefer if Henry played in an entirely different division because he has carved Houston's defense open over the last few years.

Derrick Henry's last 4 games vs Texans

219 Rush Yards, 2 TD
250 Rush Yards, 2 TD
212 Rush Yards, 2 TD
211 Rush Yards, 3 TD

hold on... WHAT?!??!?!?!?!?!?! pic.twitter.com/yzy18sZraX

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 30, 2022

Most games in NFL history with 200 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns:

6 -- Derrick Henry
4 -- Derrick Henry only against the Texans
3 -- Jim Brown
3 -- Barry Sanders
3 -- LaDainian Tomlinson pic.twitter.com/9caJpdxkTZ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 30, 2022

Derrick Henry against the Texans defense: pic.twitter.com/km5OSoyUlw

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 30, 2022

This is Derrick Henry's fourth consecutive game against the Texans with at least 35 PPR fantasy points.

— Tristan H. Cockcroft (@SultanofStat) October 30, 2022

The Texans when they think about Derrick Henry: pic.twitter.com/PkIXspJGWA

— Fantasy Focus Live (@fantasyfocus) October 30, 2022

The bad news for the Texans is they still have to play the Titans again in Week 16. But at least they've successfully managed expectations to the point where allowing only 150 yards to Henry would be qualified as a success.

Tennessee Titans fans who were begging for Malik Willis to replace Ryan Tannehill at quarterback will get their wish Sunday.

Tannehill has been officially ruled out because of an illness and sprained ankle.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted Willis took all of the starter's reps at quarterback in practice this week.

Fantasy managers intrigued by the possibility of Willis may not get a better matchup than the Texans. Houston's defense ranks 31st in total yards allowed (411.8 per game) and, perhaps more relevant to Willis, last in rushing yards allowed (164.7).

Prior to the NFL draft, most scouting reports for Willis emphasized the scheme he played in at Liberty was rudimentary and included basic concepts and run-pass options.

Writing for B/R, Nate Tice called Willis' process in the passing game "inconsistent" and said the QB will be "all-in on a singular route on a play" rather than going through progressions. The 23-year-old does have a strong arm, but the Titans don't have speed options to take full advantage of it.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is the only Tennessee wideout with at least five catches who's averaging at least 13 yards per reception.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has limited Willis to 20 snaps in two games, with 17 of them coming in a 41-7 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. He only went 1-of-4 passing at a time when the Bills were likely playing soft coverage just to run out the clock.

Willis did impress at times in the preseason. He went 28-of-51 for 318 yards and two touchdowns through the air, with 159 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries as a runner.

MALIK WILLIS HAS ARRIVED.

📱: Stream #TENvsBAL on NFL+ https://t.co/AXsI2aWMg0 pic.twitter.com/Namb3PRZIv

— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2022

MALIK WILLIS HAS ARRIVED.

📱: Stream #TENvsBAL on NFL+ https://t.co/AXsI2aWMg0 pic.twitter.com/Namb3PRZIv

— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2022

The Titans have been a run-heavy offense with Tannehill under center. Vrabel and offensive coordinator Todd Downing will almost certainly double down on that approach with Willis starting.

This will be good news for fantasy managers with Derrick Henry. The two-time Pro Bowler isn't as explosive as he once was, but he remains remarkably consistent. He has run for at least 80 yards in five of six games he's played, including three straight games with at least 100 yards.

Henry's usage has increased in every game since Week 3, going from 20 carries to 22 to 28 to 30 in last week's win over the Indianapolis Colts. He's averaged 23.3 fantasy points per game in PPR scoring leagues in his past four games, per FantasyPros.

Tannehill ranks second on the Titans with 19 rushing attempts. Willis should have at least five to seven designed runs in this game, plus several more on scrambles when he feels any pressure coming or his first and second read are covered.

There's certainly a high risk of Willis committing multiple turnovers, especially if he gets put in obvious passing situations, but his upside as a runner gives the rookie intriguing fantasy potential this week.

If your regular quarterback is on a bye and you are searching for a late streamer, Willis could be worth adding because of a favorable matchup.

Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Malik Willis is reportedly set to make his first career start Sunday against the Houston Texans.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Willis took all the starter reps in practice this week as Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been dealing with an illness as well as an ankle sprain.

The illness caused him to miss the team's walkthrough Saturday, solidifying Willis as this week's starter. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport added that Tannehill has been downgraded to out and will not travel with the team to Houston.

Willis appeared in two games this season, with 17 of his 20 snaps coming late in a 41-7 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills after Tannehill was benched. The 23-year-old completed one of his four passes for six yards, and he ran the ball four times for 16 yards but lost a fumble.

A third-round pick out of Liberty, Willis was originally projected to be one of the first quarterback prospects to be selected in this year's draft. But when he inexplicably tumbled down the draft board, Tennessee decided to secure its quarterback of the future.

The Titans intended to bring Willis along slowly as he developed behind Tannehill. Now that he's thrust into the starting role, Tennessee would be wise to cater to his strengths. Willis is at his best when he utilizes his dual-threat ability to challenge defenses with his powerful arm as well as his speed.

The Week 2 game against Buffalo was the last time the Titans lost. Tennessee has won four straight and has done so in gritty fashion, with each victory coming by fewer than 10 points. The team ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing defense at 96.8 yards allowed per game.

As long as Willis can limit his mistakes, the Titans will have a good chance at earning their fifth straight win Sunday against the 1-4-1 Texans.

The first look at the Tennessee Titans' $2.2 billion stadium proposal is here.

The Titans released several renderings of their recently approved domed stadium Tuesday, including a hype video posted on social media.

“We envision a potential new stadium that makes our community proud and enhances the reputation of our great city and state.” pic.twitter.com/cCPuPYTy4o

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) October 25, 2022

#Titans release renderings of new stadium. pic.twitter.com/NXg8I8DFPQ

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) October 25, 2022

Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the Titans reached a formal agreement on a new stadium last week. The team will use $800 million of its own money to finance the $2.2 billion project, with the remainder of the funds coming from a combination of state bonds and tax increases.

Formal approval is still needed from Nashville's Metro Council to move forward with construction plans.

The Titans still have 17 years remaining on their current lease at Nissan Stadium, which opened in 1999. Despite the building not being particularly old—even under current stadium standards—Nissan Stadium is considered one of the NFL's worst facilities. The Titans have said it would take $1.8 billion in renovations to get it in line with other NFL stadiums.

Still, it's possible the current proposal does not get an automatic green light from the Metro Council. Nate Rau of Axios reported the council has been hesitant to spend additional money on tourism, and it's possible that alterations are made to the agreement for it to move forward.

Given how these things typically go, the Titans will almost certainly get the stadium of their desires sooner or later—even if they wind up having to foot a little more of the bill when all things are said and done.

The Titans are set to become the 11th NFL team with a retractable or fixed dome roof. No team has built an open-air stadium since the San Francisco 49ers opened Levi's Stadium in 2014.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was seen in a walking boot for his right ankle after Sunday's 19-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Tannehill, wearing a walking boot on the right ankle, says he will do all he can this week to be ready for Houston.

— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) October 23, 2022

Tannehill had struggled at times to establish himself as a high-end franchise quarterback since the Miami Dolphins selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. His 91.7 career passer rating ranks 15th among active QBs, per Pro Football Reference.

He's made some significant strides since taking over as the Titans' starter midway through the 2019 season, however, tallying 76 touchdown passes across 45 appearances over the previous three years. He added six touchdowns and three interceptions in the first five games so far in 2022.

The 34-year-old Texas A&M product made it through his first four professional seasons without missing any games because of injury. After sitting out three contests in 2016, he didn't play at all in 2017 because of a torn ACL suffered during training camp.

A lingering shoulder injury forced him to the sideline in 2018, but he's remained healthy over the past three years.

Rookie Malik Willis will likely receive the first opportunity to fill the void for the Titans. Logan Woodside is in line to take over the backup role with promotion from the practice squad.

Tannehill's stock had fallen dramatically during his time in Miami, but he's gone a long way to reestablish his value in Tennessee. The team's offensive efficiency would likely drop considerably if he's sidelined for an extended period of time.

The Tennessee Titans and Nashville Mayor John Cooper reached an agreement on funding for a new domed stadium that could cost up to $2.2 billion.

Nate Rau of Axios reported a formal announcement could come as soon as Monday. The Titans will finance about $800 million for the stadium, with the remaining funds being made up of $500 million in state bonds, a 1 percent tax on hotel rentals in Davidson County and additional sales taxes at the stadium and its surrounding businesses.

Nissan Stadium, the Titans' current stadium, was built in 1999 and is considered one of the NFL's worst. The team said Nissan Stadium would need $1.8 billion in renovations to bring it up to modern standards by the end of the current lease in 2039.

The Titans CEO says years of neglect at Nissan Stadium has put it in serious disrepair. He says it's now known as one of the worst stadiums in the NFL. Titans estimate it would cost $1.8 billion to bring the stadium up to standard with the city's lease thru 2039. @FOXNashville pic.twitter.com/lsB9oNXvmi

— Jackie DelPilar (@jsdelpilar) May 19, 2022

Despite the agreement between the team and mayor, it's not a 100 percent lock that the new stadium will begin construction anytime soon. The Titans and Cooper will need approval from Nashville's Metro Council to move forward with the project, and Rau reported the Council has been "leery of more big spending for tourism."

With a whopping 17 years remaining on the Nissan Stadium lease, it's possible the Metro Council drags its feet on approval in hopes of lowering the cost for the state and taxpayers. The Titans do not have much recourse to pressure Nashville into approving the new stadium on their desired timeline.

If approved, the Titans' modernized stadium would continue the recent trend of domed stadiums across the NFL. Levi's Stadium, which opened in 2014, was the last new NFL stadium to not at least have a retractable roof. Ten NFL teams have a retractable roof or fixed-dome stadium, with nine of those opening within the last two decades.

As NFL teams and their cities look to use stadiums during the offseason for concerts and other events, it's looking increasingly like open-air stadiums are on their way out.