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Titans at Vikings: Live Updates and Analysis

Tennessee hopes its first visit to U.S. Bank Stadium changes its fortunes when playing in the Twin Cities.

David Boclair

Titans at Vikings: Live Updates and Analysis
Titans at Vikings: Live Updates and Analysis /

The Tennessee Titans make their first appearance at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday when they face the Minnesota Vikings.

The venue opened in 2016 and the Vikings have won 23 of 33 regular-season games (70 percent) they have played there but dropped their 2020 home-opener to Green Bay in Week 1.

The Titans can only hope it is a better place for them than Minnesota’s previous home, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Tennessee was 1-6 in that building with its lone victory back in 1992, when the franchise was still the Houston Oilers.

Series History

The teams have met 13 times and Minnesota leads the series 9-4. The Vikings have won five of six since the Titans have been in Tennessee and four of those five wins were by 10 points or more. The Titans did win 30-17 in 2008, which was the last time they started 2-0. That meeting took place almost 12 years to the day (Sept. 28, 2008).

Inactives

Tennessee: WR A.J. Brown, CB Chris Jackson, OLB Derick Roberson, OL Aaron Brewer, TE Geoff Swaim and DE Matt Dickerson.

Minnesota: WR Tajaé Sharpe, WR K.J. Osborn, CB Mike Hughes, CB Cameron Dantzler, DE Eddie Yarbrough, T Olisaemeka Udoh and DT James Lynch.

Words of Wisdom

“We’re 2-0 and you would think, in this locker room, that we’re 0-2 the way we’re focused, which I think is different than I’ve seen it in past years. There’s been a certain level of like, ‘Hey, we did it,’ feeling throughout the locker room, and I think guys are definitely like, ‘We know how much better we can be.’” – Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan.

FIRST QUARTER

Titans get the ball to start. The opening kickoff is a touchback. Titans’ ball at the 25.

(14:25) The second snap is play-action (shocking!) and Ryan Tannehill hits Kalif Raymond with a deep ball for 44 yards. Raymond has 10 receptions for an average of 21.4 yards as a member of the Titans.

(12:26) The drive stalls when Tannehill completes a pass to himself (the ball was batted at the line of scrimmage) for no gain on third-and-5 from the Vikings’ 21. Stephen Gostkowski makes a 39-yard field goal to give the Titans the lead. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 54 yards, 3:16. TENNESSEE 3, MINNESOTA 0

Tennessee has scored on its opening drive for the second consecutive week. It did so just three times in all of 2019.

(11:09) Jeffery Simmons’ first sack of the season ends Minnesota’s opening possession after three plays. Vic Beasley (remember him?) was in on the play and provided some pressure as well.

(8:23) Tannehill not looking as the shotgun snap sails past him. The Titans lose 19 yards on third-and-10 and are forced to punt. ... Tannehill missed an open Jonnu Smith on the previous play. Tough sequence.

(7:37) Rashaan Evans recovers a fumble caused when running back Dalvin Cook lands on one of his teammates on his way to the ground. Evans returns it 25 yards to the Minnesota 20. Second career fumble recovery for Evans. He returned the first 53 yards for a TD last year against Kansas City.

That is Tennessee’s fourth takeaway of the season. The first two led to touchdowns (one each against Denver and Jacksonville). The other ended the game against the Jaguars.

(6:01) This time the offense settles for a field goal. A 7-yard run by Derrick Henry and two incomplete passes leads to Gostkowski’s 31-yard kick. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:52. TENNESSEE 6, MINNESOTA 3

Gostkowski now has made five field goals (on eight attempts) this season. That is more than any Tennessee kicker made in 2019.

(2:43) The Vikings gash Tennessee’s defense for a 39-yard touchdown run by Dalvin Cook. That is two weeks in a row the Titans have allowed a 39-yard run. Jacksonville’s James Robinson did it last Sunday. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 3:18. MINNESOTA 7, TENNESSEE 6

Darrynton Evans, who missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, gets his first taste of NFL action with a couple of first-down carries. The first gains two yards. The second gains four.

(1:02) Taylor Lewan is hurt and spending a lot of time on the field as trainers tend to him. Ty Sambrailo replaces him at left tackle.

End of the first quarter: Titans trail after 15 minutes for the first time this season. Ryan Tannehill is 7-10 for 91 yards. Derrick Henry has five carries for 19 yards.

SECOND QUARTER

(15:00) Ryan Tannehill’s streak of 152 passes without an interception when he is picked off trying to hit rookie Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the end zone. Minnesota Harrison Smith makes the play.

(8:56) The Vikings convert the turnover into points. Adam Thielen’s 16-yard touchdown catch caps the march. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 88 yards, 5:52. MINNESOTA 14, TENNESSEE 6

(3:18) Gostkowski adds three more points, this one with a 30-yard field goal. … The Titans are forced to go for it on fourth-and-1 at their own 44 after a successful Vikings challenge negates what looked like a first down catch by Adam Humphries. They barely made it but only got as far as the Minnesota 12. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:38. MINNESOTA 14, TENNESSEE 9

(1:41): The Vikings respond with a field goal of their own, 41 yards by Dan Bailey. Mike Vrabel used a timeout with 1:50 to play in order to preserve some clock. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 1:37. MINNESOTA 17, TENNESSEE 9

(0:38) Titans can’t squeeze anything more out of the half. Brett Kern punts – and it’s a touchback, his first of the season.

Halftime: Total yards – Minnesota 225, Tennessee 205; First downs – Minnesota 11; Tennessee 10; Turnovers – Minnesota 1, Tennessee 1; Time of possession – Minnesota 13:21, Tennessee – 16:39.

Derrick Henry with 45 yards on 11 carries. Adam Humphries with a team-high 3 receptions. Kalif Raymond with a team-high 57 receiving yards. Tannehill is 13-20 for 147 yards with one INT (66.0 passer rating).

The Titans are 4-13 under Mike Vrabel, including 1-6 last year, when trailing at the half. This is the first time this year they have been behind after two quarters.

THIRD QUARTER

(15:00) Johnathan Joseph notches his first interception for the Titans and returns it 31 yards for a touchdown. The return is nullified by an illegal blindside block by Jadeveon Clowney. Titans ball at the Vikings’ 41.

(14:09) This time the Titans can’t turn a takeaway into points. In fact, they go backward when Tannehill is stripped while in the pocket on third-and-10. Ty Sambrailo recovered for an eight-yard loss.

(11:42) Dalvin Cook with another 39-yard run, this one after he beats Harold Landry one-on-one near the line of scrimmage. He has 132 yards on 13 carries. Vikings have the ball at the Tennessee 28.

(10:24) Josh Kalu blocks a field goal attempt but is offside. Vikings try again from five yards closer – but Dan Bailey’s 49-yard kick misses to the right. It’s still a one-score game.

(10:15) Minnesota loses a timeout after an unsuccessful video challenge. Jonnu Smith’s 21-yard reception to open the drive stands. First down Titans at their own 39. 

(9:07) Tannehill’s pass to Derrick Henry on third-and-3 is incomplete. The Titans are now 1-9 on third down … but they are 4-4 on field goals as Stephen Gostkowski is good from 51 yards. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 28 yards, 1:18. MINNESOTA 17, TENNESSEE 12

Gostkowski has made field goals of 50-plus yards in consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 1 and 8, 2013.

(8:04) Rookie Justin Jefferson burns the Titans for a 71-yard touchdown reception. Got behind Johnathan Joseph and then beat Kenny Vaccaro in the open field. Scoring drive: 2 plays, 73 yards, 0:53. MINNESOTA 24, TENNESSEE 12

Jefferson has 175 yards on seven receptions.

The last time the Titans gave up a completion of 70 yards or more was Oct. 21, 2018 against the Chargers in London. Tyrell Williams had a 75-yard touchdown reception on his team’s first play of the game.

(3:53) Derrick Henry scores the Titans’ first rushing touchdown of the season when he takes it in on third-and-goal from the 1. Corey Davis’ 38-yard catch-and-run led to the score. Scoring drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:11. MINNESOTA 24, TENNESSEE 19

That’s Henry’s 39th career rushing touchdown, his 16th on a one-yard run.

(1:22) Kalif Raymond gets open deep again. This time it’s a 61-yard catch that leads to another Derrick Henry 1-yard touchdown run two plays later. Titans go for two but Tannehill’s pass to Jonnu Smith is broken up. Scoring drive: 3 plays, 65 yards, 1:17. TENNESSEE 25, MINNESOTA 24

Make it 40 career touchdown runs, 17 of one yard for Henry.

End of the third quarter. Looks like another one is going to go down to the wire.

FOURTH QUARTER

(11:07) Tight end Kyle Rudolph gets behind Will Compton and makes a 3-yard touchdown reception along the back of the end zone. Minnesota’s offense faced only one third down on that drive. … Now the Vikings go for two – and Kirk Cousins’ pass to Adam Thielen is incomplete. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 6:05. MINNESOTA 30, TENNESSEE 25

(9:28) Derrick Henry with a 12-yard run that gives him 104 yards (on 23 carries) for the day.

(6:36) Gostkowski ties his career-high with his fifth field goal of the day. This one is good from 54 yards, and the Titans are within two. Gostkowski’s kicks, in order: 39, 31, 30, 51 and 54 yards. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 39 yards, 3:46. MINNESOTA 30, TENNESSEE 28

(3:42) Kristian Fulton’s first career sack, which followed a Minnesota penalty, made it second-and-27. Tennessee’s defense forced a punt two plays later, and Ryan Tannehill will try to lead a game-winning, fourth-quarter drive for the third consecutive week. Titans have the ball at their own 18.

Titans have all of their timeouts.

(1:48) A blitz forces Tannehill to throw incomplete on third-and-9 from the Minnesota 37. That means a 55-yard attempt by Stephen Gostkowski – and it is good. That is a career-high six in a game for Gostkowski. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 1:58. TENNESSEE 31, MINNESOTA 30

Vikings have no timeouts.

(0:58) Amani Hooker intercepts a deflected pass on Minnesota’s fourth-and-27 desperation heave. This one is over.

Titans improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2008. Their combined margin of victory in those three games – six points.

Published
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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