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Ryan Tannehill, Kevin Byard and Co. have their sights set on the top spot in the AFC with their visit to Heinz Field.

David Boclair

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA Today Network
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The Tennessee Titans have a chance to claim the top spot in the AFC standings Sunday with the victory at Pittsburgh.

With a win, Mike Vrabel’s team would improve to 10-4, tied with Kansas City for the best record in the conference. Tennessee, however, has the tiebreaker based on its 27-3 victory over the Chiefs in Week 7.

At 6-6-1 with one win (and one tie) in its last five, Pittsburgh looks to remain in the thick of the chase for a wild car spot with a victory.

“It is our weekly approach to try and figure out how we prepare to win and ultimately win on Sunday,” Vrabel said. “Then we will move on to the next one and if things happen that is great.”

On to kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER

Former Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree called the coin toss for the Titans correctly. Tennessee defers its option until the second half and will kick off to start.

(13:33) Ben Roethlisberger completed a pass for 16 yards on the first snap, but the Steelers gained just two yards on the next three plays. Cornerback Greg Mabin broke up a third-down pass intended for Chase Claypool, and Pittsburgh has to punt.

Three of the Titans’ four losses this season have been in games when they allowed the opponent to score on the first possession.

(13:23) Not a good start for the Titans. Ryan Tannehill is sacked for a loss of eight yards on the opening snap. 

(11:29) A Dontrell Hilliard run (three yards) and a screen to Jeremy McNichols (seven yards) are not enough to overcome the sack, and Tennessee has to punt.

(10:29) The Steelers go three-and-out and punt. Chester Rogers returns the punt 55 yards, and the Titans get an extra 10 courtesy of a Pittsburgh penalty. It’s first down at the Steelers’ 25.

Rogers’ punt return is the Titans’ longest since Darius Reynaud took one 81 yards for a touchdown against Jacksonville in the final game of 2013. 

(8:10) Jeremy McNichols converts a third-and-8 with an 11-yard reception that featured a nifty run after the catch. Bad news: McNichols was hurt on the play. Good news: The Titans have it first-and-goal at the 1.

(7:44) The Titans keep it simple. Tannehill sneaks it in on first down for the touchdown. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 2:29. TENNESSEE 7, PITTSBURGH 0

That is Tannehill’s seventh rushing touchdown of the season, which ties the career-high he set last season.

(6:14) The Steelers go three-and-out again. Rookies Elijah Molden and Naquan Jones combined for a sack on second down to make it third-and-14. Ben Roethlisberger threw incomplete on third down and Pittsburgh punts once again. 

The Titans report that McNichols has a shoulder injury. His return is probable.

(1:16) A good drive stalls at the Pittsburgh 8 when Dontrell Hilliard’s 4-yard reception on third down is four yards shy of a first down. Randy Bullock’s 26-yard field goal is good. Scoring drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 4:54. TENNESSEE 10, PITTSBURGH 0

This is the first time since Oct. 24 against Kansas City the Titans have scored 10 or more in the first quarter (they have put up a ton of points in the second since then). In fact, they had 10 first-quarter points total in the previous six contests.

(0:00) End of the first quarter. Tennessee has outgained Pittsburgh 67-31 and has a 6-2 edge in first downs. Tannehill is 6-9 but for just 40 yards, and four of his completions have been to running backs. Rashaan Evans already has three tackles. 

SECOND QUARTER

(14:25) Pittsburgh punts again. Its first four drives have lasted – in order – four, three, three and four plays. The longest covered 18 yards.

(12:54) Tannehill stands in against a heavy rush and delivers a third-down strike to Anthony Firkser for 9 yards and a first down, but Firkser fumbles and Pittsburgh recovers.

(10:37) Pittsburgh takes advantage of the turnover and puts points on the board with Chris Boswell’s 36-yard field goal. Chase Claypool’s 12-yard gain after a lateral on the first play following the takeaway was the big gain. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 18 yards, 2:11. TENNESSEE 10, PITTSBURGH 3

(0:21) The Titans exhaust nearly all the remaining time in the quarter but have to settle for a field goal after Tannehill is sacked for a loss of 10 on third-and-goal from the 4, after which Pittsburgh calls timeout. Randy Bullock’s 36-yard field goal is good. Scoring drive: 19 plays, 64 yards, 10:17. TENNESSEE 13, PITTSBURGH 3

In terms of time off the clock and number of plays, that was Tennessee’s longest drive of the season (source: TruMedia).

(0:00) End of the half. Pittsburgh’s offense got to the Tennessee 38 and set up Chris Boswell’s 56-yard field goal attempt. The kick was short.

Tennessee has run 40 plays for 159 yards. Pittsburgh has run 21 plays for 103 yards. D’Onta Foreman leads the offense with 29 rushing yards on nine carries and 27 receiving yards on two catches. Another running back, Jeremy McNichols, has a team-best three receptions (25 yards). A third, Dontrell Hilliard, had five carries for 17 yards and two receptions for nine yards.

THIRD QUARTER

Titans get the ball and will start at their own 25 after a touchback.

(11:36) The first three plays of the possession were handoffs to Foreman for 22 yards. The drive stops short of midfield, though, and Tennessee punts from its own 49. 

(11:26) Pittsburgh’s first play of the half is a sack by former Steeler Bud Dupree. It’s a loss of nine yards.

Looks as if Dupree’s recent stint on injured reserve, which ended Saturday, was time well spent.

(10:21) The Steelers can’t overcome the sack. They settle for a 5-yard Najee Harris reception on third-and-19 and punt it away.

The Titans get a break as Chester Rogers is hit just as the punt arrives, which forces a fumble. Rogers jumps on it, though, and Tennessee has the ball at its own 20.

(8:01) Tannehill is sacked for the third time, this one by NFL sacks leader T.J. Watt for a loss of 10 yards on third-and-13. The Titans will have to punt.

The Titans announce that Julio Jones is out for the remainder of the game due to a recurrence of the hamstring injury that has been a problem all season. 

(3:11) Pittsburgh finally has a touchdown as Ben Roethlisberger scores with a sneak on third-and-goal from the 1. A pass interference penalty in the end zone by Kristian Fulton set up the score. Scoring drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 3:59. TENNESSEE 13, PITTSBURGH 10

(1:49) The Titans convert a third-and-1 with a 4-yard run by Foreman. Officials talk and rule that he fumbled, and that Pittsburgh recovered. Video review shows otherwise. It is first-and-10 at the Tennessee 38. 

(0:57) Racey McMath catches a short pass on third down, gets upended but doesn’t go down and fumbles as he attempts to get going again. This time it’s Pittsburgh’s ball – at the Tennessee 45.

(0:00) End of the quarter and Pittsburgh is threatening. After a 12-yard completion, it will be first-and-10 at the Titans’ 27 to start the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

(14:57) An apparent takeaway by Tennessee’s defense – a fumble forced by Amani Hooker and recovered by Zach Cunningham – is negated by a roughing-the-passer call against Jeffery Simmons.

(13:27) Pittsburgh gets to the 10-yard line but has to settle for a field goal attempt. Chris Boswell’s 28-yard kick is good, and it is a tie game. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 31 yards, 2:26. TENNESSEE 13, PITTSBURGH 13

(9:24) On third-and-3 from the Pittsburgh 42, Tannehill’s pass is tipped and intercepted. Joe Schobert returns it 24 yards to the Titans’ 31.

That is three turnovers for Tennessee’s offense.

(8:10) Tennessee’s defense holds its ground capped by a Denico Autry sack and forces 46-yard field goal attempt. Boswell’s kick is good, and the Titans are behind for the first time. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:56. PITTSBURGH 16, TENNESSEE 13

(6:41) Tannehill mishandles the snap from center, and T.J. Watt jumps on the loose ball for Pittsburgh. The Steelers have it at the Tennessee 35 with a chance to add to their lead. 

(4:29) The defense does its job again and forces a field goal attempt after three plays and five yards allowed. This one is from 48 yards, and it is good. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 2:07. PITTSBURGH 19, TENNESSEE 13

(4:29) Foreman starts Tennessee’s next drive with a 20-yard run. He is closing in on 100 yards for the day. He has 91 yards on 18 carries.

(3:42) Two more Foreman carries, and he gets to 100 yards. He also gets injured. He has 104 yards on 20 carries but is down on the field and being tended to by trainers.

(2:12) Foreman is back in the game for a fourth-and-1 from the Pittsburgh 33. He gets the ball and fights for the line to gain. It’s a 1-yard gain and a first down – by half the length of the ball.

(2:00) Two-minute warning. It will be first-and-10 at the 32 when play resumes. 

(0:59) The Titans avoid disaster when Tannehill is stripped before he can throw. Aaron Brewer falls on it, and it will be third-and-14 from the Pittsburgh 24.

(0:46) On fourth-and-6 from the 16, Tannehill connects with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine but cornerback Joe Haden stops the receiver short of the marker.

(0:00) Game over. Tennessee loses for the third time in four games and misses its opportunity to move into the top spot in the conference. At 9-5, the lead over Indianapolis (8-6) is now one game. The Titans, of course, own the tiebreaker with the Colts.

Westbrook-Ikhine finishes with a team-high 31 receiving yards. He needed one more. He, Chester Rogers and Dontrell Hilliard all had four receptions as Ryan Tannehill completed 23 of 32 for just 152 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

Newcomer Zach Cunningham led the defense with six tackles. Rashaan Evans was next with five. 

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David Boclair
DAVID BOCLAIR

David Boclair has covered the Tennessee Titans for multiple news outlets since 1998. He is award-winning journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in Middle Tennessee as well as Dallas-Fort Worth, where he worked for three different newspapers from 1987-96. As a student journalist at Southern Methodist University he covered the NCAA's decision to impose the so-called death penalty on the school's football program.

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