Titans Fall To Giants 21-20 After Leading By 13 At Halftime

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Ryan Tannehill vs. the New York Giants on Sept. 11. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

The Titans started off the 2022-23 season with a loss after falling to the New York Giants 21-20 on Sunday (Sept. 11) despite having a 13-0 lead at halftime.

Kicker Randy Bullock, who hit two field goals in the first half, went wide left on what would’ve been a 47 yard, game-winning kick in the final seconds.

“Any time you lose, it’s a gut punch. We put a lot into it and started off how we wanted to,” said head coach Mike Vrabel in a postgame press conference. “We have to give [the Giants] a lot of credit. We went flat and then we weren’t able to get anything going in the second half.”

Tennessee was only able to score once in the second half to retake the lead at 20-13 but failed to capitalize on any defensive success, which included an Amari Hooker interception with 8:50 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Their offense failed to capitalize on the return of a healthy Derrick Henry and had many disappointing drives after scoring a touchdown on their opening drive. Henry had 21 carries but only rushed for 82 yards. The team’s offensive linemen woes were on full display on Sunday with a handful of holding calls that called back a few first down opportunities for Henry.

The Titans defense was able to suffocate Giants quarterback Daniel Jones throughout the game, but wasn’t able to stop Saquon Barkley who had 18 carries for 164 yards, a touchdown and averaged 9.1 yards per carry. The Giants took the lead after scoring a touchdown and converting a two-point conversion with just over a minute left.

“They hit some big plays,” Vrabel continued. “We weren’t able to convert in the red zone and defensively we couldn’t stop the run, which was the number one key to the game. That’s why you lose, not because you miss a field goal at the end of the game. It’s a lot of things up to that.”

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill had a solid performance, throwing two touchdown passes for 266 yards and averaging 8.1 yards per pass. However, many of their drives were riddled with dropped and overthrown passes which could’ve led to more first downs.

Rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks had three catches for 55 yards, and fellow first year Kyle Philips had six catches fro 66 yards, showing he could be an offensive leader this season.

“We left some opportunities out there, and we didn’t make some plays that were there. You have to play a full game,” Tannehill noted postgame. “We didn’t finish the way we wanted to. We didn’t move the ball effectively enough throughout the game.”

Overall, the Titans offense just fell flat outside of two drives. They only converted three times on third down and only picked up two rushing first downs. Tennessee also picked up four first down penalties which stifled any momentum they had.

The Titans schedule doesn’t get any easier from here as they will head to Buffalo on Sept. 19 to play the Bills before welcoming the Las Vegas Raiders to Nissan Stadium on Sept. 25. They start October in Indianapolis to face division rival the Colts.

Column: Final Thoughts Ahead Of The Titans 2022-23 Season

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Ryan Tannehill. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Week 1 of the NFL season is finally here and the Titans have a tough schedule ahead of them as they look to take the AFC South for a second straight season.

The Indianapolis Colts have been picked as the favorites to win the division by many sports pundits and websites as they’ve added former MVP Matt Ryan as their starting quarterback. But the Titans still have most of their team from last season intact, which should help them push for another division championship and playoff run.

There are a few holes in this year’s team which could lead to major concerns but, with Derrick Henry at full strength after suffering an injury last season, it should put them in the best spot to be a top AFC contender.

Derrick Henry. Photo: Donald Page/Tennessee Titans

With all of these factors, here are some final thoughts of the Tennessee Titans ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Is Ryan Tannehill their best option to win?

Since Ryan Tannehill‘s abysmal performance in the AFC Divisional game last season against the Cincinnati Bengals, there have been a lot of concerns and questions as to whether or not he’s the right guy for the job moving forward.

During training camp this summer, there was talk that rookie Malik Willis could possibly take his spot, but Tannehill shut all that down with a great camp showing he is the starting QB both on the field and off the field as a real leader of the team. Tannehill finished the regular season very strong, being named AFC Player of the Week and helping secure the Titans No. 1.

Yes, he struggled, but without the offense relying on Henry, Tannehill had to step up and he did.

I believe, pending any type of injury, Tannehill will play the entire season as the Titans starting quarterback and won’t show any regression. He knows the stakes and that his career may be on the line, and he showed that he is one of the team’s most important leaders in training camp.

Can the defense be as effective as last year?

The Titans had one of the best defenses last season with Harold Landry, Jeffery Simmons and Kevin Byard leading the way.

Despite their playoff loss, the defense was fantastic, sacking Joe Burrow nine times and holding the Bengals to just 19 points. Sadly, Landry suffered a new injury after training camp which has put questions around how effective the Titans pass rush can be.

Jeffery Simmons. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Obviously with Landry sidelined for what might be a good portion of the season, the defense is no longer as strong as it was, but this is an opportunity for Simmons to shine as one of the league’s best defensive linemen.

In 2021-22, he had 54 tackles, 42 of which were solo tackles, and finished the season with 8.5 sacks. As his contract is on the line, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he has his best year yet.

Along with Simmons, Byard and newly singed safety Amani Hooker have proved to be deadly in the defensive backfield and will be major factors for the team’s success. Fears shouldn’t be too high with so many players still healthy on the defense but, until they take the field, we cannot be certain what Landry’s absence will mean.

Will the Titans O-Line woes comeback to hurt them?

One of the main storylines during this summer’s Titans training camp was whether or not the team will find fits at right tackle and left guard. They do have Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones on the line to be the anchors, but those questions have yet to be answered.

Offensive lineman Taylor Lewan and head coach Mike Vrabel. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

They cut left guard Roger Saffold last March as his age and multiple injuries throughout the season were major concerns, but there hasn’t been a clear replacement.

Aaron Brewer seems to be the fit at right tackle for now as the undrafted free agent has been signed with the Titans since 2020. He started in five games last season, three of which were at right guard.

The Titans may look to rookie and third-round pick Nicholas Petit-Frere at right tackle, but a lot of improvement needs to be shown first and there may be some growing pains early on in the season.

The offensive line questions marks are probably the biggest concerns for the Titans this season as they rely on their run game so much. A struggling offensive line will trickle down to almost every aspect of their offense.

Game By Game Predictions:

Final record: 11-6; win the AFC South by one game.

Sept. 11 – vs. New York Giants: Titans win 34-14

Sept. 19 – vs. Buffalo Bills: Titans lose 28-17

Sept. 25 – vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Titans win 24-21

Oct. 2 – vs. Indianapolis Colts: Titans lose 28-14

Oct. 9 – vs. Washington Commanders: Titans win 30-10 

Oct. 23 – vs. Indianapolis Colts: Titans win 17-10

Oct. 30 – vs. Houston Texans: Titans win 38-13

Nov. 6 – vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Titans win 31-27

Nov. 13 – vs. Denver Broncos: Titans win 27- 17

Nov. 17 – vs. Green Bay Packers: Titans lose 34-21

Nov. 27 – vs. Cincinatti Bengals: Titans lose 21-16

Dec. 4 – vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Titans win 24- 17

Dec. 11 – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Titans win 41-10

Dec. 18 – vs. Los Angeles Chargers: Titans lose 30-24

Dec. 24 – vs. Houston Texans: Titans win 28-14

Dec. 29 – vs. Dallas Cowboys: Titans lose 34-31

TBA – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Titans win 31-17

TransPerfect Music City Bowl Opens Auditions For National Anthem, ‘God Bless America’ Performers

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Chapel Hart singing the National Anthem at the 2020 Music City Bowl. Photo: Courtesy of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl

The TransPerfect Music City Bowl is accepting video auditions from singers who are interested in performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” during the 25th edition of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Dec. 31, 2022 at Nissan Stadium.

In a new partnership with Amazon, the bowl has launched the Amazon Voice of the Bowl for the third edition of the contest. The most recent Amazon Voice of the Bowl were 2020 national anthem winners Chapel Hart who recently earned the “Golden Buzzer” on America’s Got Talent. The trio have taken the country music scene by storm, collaborating with artists such as Darius Rucker and earning praise from country legends like Dolly Parton on social media.

“The Amazon Voice of the Bowl has been become an integral part of our bowl game,” says Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. “By showcasing the talent the Music City has to offer, we are able to highlight what makes this city unique while simultaneously honoring our nation at our game. We want to thank Amazon for their support of our local music industry and look forward to the hundreds of submissions over the next few weeks and finale at Ole Red on Broadway.”

Applications for the national anthem must not exceed one minute and 30 seconds, while “God Bless America” auditions can be no more than a minute long. Performers are asked to provide their name, age, email address and contact phone number with their entry. Over the next month, interested applicants can submit a file or link of their acapella performance to anthem@nashvillesports.com.

Five finalists will be announced the week of Sept. 26 and will perform live at the Amazon Voice of the Bowl finale on Oct. 8 at Nashville’s Ole Red.

Vanderbilt Wide Receiver Jayden McGowan Named SEC Freshman Of The Week

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Jayden McGowan scoring a 75 yard TD vs. Elon. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Following his first 100-yard performance as a collegiate receiver, Vanderbilt’s Jayden McGowan has been named SEC Freshman of the Week.

The Laurens, South Carolina native becomes the fifth Commodore to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors since the award was instituted in 2005 and the first since CJ Bolar in November 2018.

McGowan made four catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in Vandy’s 42-31 victory over Elon on Saturday (Sept. 3). The rookie scored his touchdown against the Phoenix on a 75-yard bomb from Mike Wright. It marked the longest pass play for the Commodores since Sept. 7, 2019 (Riley Neal to Chris Pierce).

By eclipsing the 100-yard mark, McGowan became the third Vanderbilt freshman since 2005 to record a 100-yard receiving game. Earl Bennett accomplished the feat three times in 2005, while CJ Duncan reached the mark once in 2014.

McGowan and the Commodores will put their 2-0 record on the line this Saturday (Sept. 10) against No. 23 Wake Forest. Kickoff at Vandy’s FirstBank Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CT and tickets are on sale now.

94.9 FM The Fan To Serve As TSU Football Flagship Radio Station

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Tennessee State University Athletics and Cromwell Media announced that, beginning Sept. 3, TSU Tigers football games will be heard on its flagship station 94.9 The Fan.

In addition to a live broadcast of the games, a new weekly show hosted by Head Coach Eddie George and Outkick 360’s Jonathan Hutton will air Mondays throughout the season at 6 p.m. on 102.5/106.3 The Game. The weekly shows will kick off on Sept. 5, broadcasting live from Sixth & Peabody.

Coach George will also make a weekly appearance with former Tennessee Titans teammate, Derrick Mason, on Chase, Willy & D-Mase every Friday at 1 p.m. on 102.5/106.3 The Game.

“I’m thrilled to be back on the Nashville airwaves with a weekly show that talks up Tennessee State football while growing our fan base across the city,” says George.

Veteran announcer Greg Pogue begins his 11th season as the Voice of the Tigers and will be joined in the booth by a pair of former Tennessee Titans teammates of George–Chris Sanders and Brad Hopkins.

The Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Pregame show will begin 30 minutes before kickoff as Pogue sits down with George to discuss the upcoming game.

“We are excited about our increased partnership with Cromwell Media as the home for Tennessee State football,” notes Dr. Mikki Allen, TSU Director of Athletics. “This partnership will be a win for all parties involved as it will serve our Big Blue fans locally and listeners across the nation. This will create more value for TSU Athletics and corporate partners who utilize our radio assets to support their brands and drive revenues.”

“The addition of TSU to our already strong lineup was a natural fit,” adds Chase McCabe, Cromwell’s Sports Program Director. “The tradition of TSU combined with Eddie George’s football knowledge further solidifies our position as Nashville’s Best Sports Talk. I look forward to having Eddie as a prominent member of our team while helping grow the TSU brand.”

TSU football games on 94.9 FM can be heard outside of Nashville in Rutherford county on 95.1 FM.

TSU football games will also air nationally on Sirius XM, the TSU Tigers app, the TuneIn app, Alexa smart speakers, and the iGoRadio app.

Report: Titans Rework Derrick Henry’s Contract, Pay $2 Million For 2022 Season

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Derrick Henry. Photo: Donald Page/Tennessee Titans

The Titans have reworked Derrick Henry‘s contract for the 2022 season, resulting in the Pro Bowl running back making an extra $2 million this season, according to a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Henry was already set to make $12 million this year, but the $2 million bump to $14 million ($9 million signing bonus) makes him the highest-paid running back this season in terms of 2022 cash, passing the Cowboy’s Ezekiel Elliott, who is due $12.4 million.

The 28-year-old signed a four-year, $50 million contract in 2020. There hasn’t been much discussion on re-signing Henry after the 2023 season yet, but the Titans will most likely offer a large deal for the MVP-caliber running back.

Henry is coming off an injury-ridden season where he missed nine games due to a foot-fracture. He was able to come back for the Titans opening playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but wasn’t effective enough to push Tennessee to a win.

Following back-to-back rushing titles in 2019 and 2020, Henry was on his way to another 300-plus-carry campaign before going down with his injury.

In eight games, he generated 937 yards and 10 touchdowns on 219 carries. Despite missing those nine games, Henry still finished in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing yards, carries and rushing TDs. Henry led the NFL with 117.1 rushing yards per game in 2021.

The Titans play their first game of the 2022 season at Nissan Stadium against the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 11.

TransPerfect Music City Bowl Unveils 25th Anniversary Logo To Kick Off College Football Season

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The TransPerfect Music City Bowl has unveiled its commemorative 25th anniversary logo ahead of the first official college football weekend.

The logo unveiling kicks off the start of the college football season leading up to the Music City Bowl game day on New Year’s Eve at 11 a.m. CT on ABC.

“Since 1998, the TransPerfect Music City Bowl has been honored to help transform one of Nashville’s slowest weeks to now one of its busiest,” says Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. “This college football season, we look forward to celebrating our 25th anniversary not only with this commemorative logo, but by also highlighting some of the top moments, players and coaches and most importantly fans who have helped transform our bowl game to what it has become today.”

Throughout the college football season, the Bowl will allow fans to vote on the 25th anniversary team, highlight the top 25 moments in Bowl history and more through its social media channels.

The 2021 TransPerfect Music City Bowl between Tennessee and Purdue was the most watched (5.6 million viewers on ESPN) and most attended (69,489 fans) in the Bowl game’s history.

This year’s game will televised nationally on ABC.

Titans Part Ways With Longtime Punter Brett Kern

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Brett Kern. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans have decided to move on from veteran punter Brett Kern as the team looks for Ryan Stonehouse to fill the position.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Kern has been one of the team’s most celebrated players since joining the organization in 2009, where he began adding his name to the top the franchise’s leaderboards at his position.

Kern also served as a captain in each of the past two seasons.

“Brett embodies everything we look for in players for the Tennessee Titans,” Titans GM Jon Robinson says in a statement. “He has been at the top of his game for a long time in this league, has been an outstanding leader for us, and has been an excellent representation of the Titans in our community. I’m blessed to have worked with him, and on behalf of the entire organization, we wish him all the best moving forward.”

Kern is the organization’s all-time leading punter with 923 career punts. He’s also the team’s all-time career leader in gross punting average (45.9 yards), net punting average (40.8) and punts placed inside the 20 (373). Kern owns the top nine net punting seasons in franchise history and six of the team’s top eight gross punting seasons.

Kern took to social media to thank the Titans and fans for his 12 years with the organization.

With 197 career games with the Titans, Kern ranks fourth in franchise history behind Bruce Matthews (296), Elvin Bethea (210) and Brad Hopkins (194). Kern’s total is the most for any player during the franchise’s “Titans era” since 1999.

With 13 seasons played in a Titans uniform, Kern tied Hopkins for the third-most in team history, trailing only Matthews (19) and Bethea (16). Kern is one of two players, along with Derrick Morgan, who has played for every head coach the Titans have had since their move to Tennessee.

Prior to Kern’s arrival, no punter for the organization had averaged 40.0 net punting yards in a season. Kern produced seven such seasons with the Titans.

Since he entered the NFL with the Broncos in 2008, Kern’s career statistics include 996 punts, a 45.9-yard average, a 40.5 net average and 395 punts placed inside the 20. Only Andy Lee (1,010) and Sam Koch (1,004) have recorded more punts than Kern during that span.

Tennessee’s new punter, Stonehouse, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State, averaged 50.2 yards, with a 41.3-yard net, on his 13 punts during the preseason while placing six of them inside the 20.

The Titans must be down to 53 players by today, Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 2 p.m. CT.