Tennessee Titans Toughest Matchups Against Minnesota Vikings in Joint Practices

The Tennessee Titans take on the Minnesota Vikings this week in joint practices and a preseason game. The Vikings have a few matchups that could present a tremendous challenge for the Titans and those areas deserve our attention.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans travel north for the second week of the 2023 preseason. They will meet with the Minnesota Vikings for a week of competition that includes two joint practice sessions and then a preseason game to cap things off on Saturday.

During their time with the Vikings, there are certain areas where the Titans will be tested more than others based on the talent on Minnesota's roster and the strengths of their coaching staff. Here are some matchups to watch for.

Justin Jefferson & the Pass Catchers

Justin Jefferson led the NFL in yards and catches last season. He is considered a top three receiver in the league by most everyone and there is an argument that he is the best in the league as well. Jefferson's talent presents an interesting challenge.

Cornerback Kristian Fulton has been a star at Titans' training camp. Rave reviews about his conditioning and strength have become constant. He has been squaring off with DeAndre Hopkins in practice everyday, which is a challenge of its own.

With all due respect to Hopkins though, he isn't Jefferson. Not only Fulton, but the Titans' other top corners like Sean Murphy-Bunting and Roger McCreary will get good work as well when they go against Jefferson.

Jefferson isn't alone though, the Vikings' other pass catchers include K.J. Osborn, rookie Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson at tight end. All of them will give Fulton and the rest of the secondary a good test throughout the week.

Brian Flores' Pass Rush

The Vikings got a new defensive coordinator this year and it is former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. Flores was known for his defensive acumen and that knowledge led to him getting a head coaching gig in the first place.

Flores has great talent to work with as well. Edge rushers like Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport to go with Dean Lowry and Harrison Phillips on the interior

It is no surprise that Flores has the Vikings' defense playing aggressively early on in the preseason. The Vikings' defense has been bringing the heat on the offense in practice also, routinely blitzing and getting pressure while crowding the line of scrimmage, according to camp reports.

The Titans have an inexperienced offensive line that has had limited time to build chemistry together. They have been seeing an excellent defensive front in practice everyday, but the Vikings present a unique defense to their own that can create similar issues.

Even if the Titans' offensive line doesn't handle the pressure well, it will be a great opportunity to learn how to handle these types of looks, as the Titans will surely see them again in the regular season.

This isn't just about the offensive line either, the Titans' young quarterbacks are inexperienced as well. Especially, with some of the exotic looks Flores is bound to show. Getting a taste of these now for Malik Willis and Will Levis will be important if they are forced into action this season.

Titans IOL v Vikings Linebackers

Whether it be the starters or the backups, some of the best performances in Saturday's game against the Chicago Bears came on the offensive line. That sounds crazy to say because the Titans allowed 8 sacks, but a lot of those were either pressures allowed by the tackles, or the quarterbacks making a mistake.

Regardless, we need to focus on the run game anyways. The Titans ran two types of runs plays against the Bears, philosophically speaking. They ran zone runs, which they have been running with Derrick Henry since 2018 and gap runs, which often include a playing or two pulling from one side to the other.

It doesn't matter which you run, there will be major responsibilities on your interior players. In zone, the center and the guards have to consistently work double teams on defensive linemen in perfect timing to allow one of the players involved to climb to the linebacker afterwards. 

In gap, the guards must pull to the opposite side of the formation or to the perimeter and have to win in space. A tough ask no matter the path. Which means the better the linebackers, the tougher it is to complete these tasks.

The Vikings have a solid linebacker group with veterans and young players alike that includes Jordan Hicks, Ivan Pace, Troy Reeder and Troy Dye. Brian Asamoah is banged up, but could add to the talent.

Peter Skoronski, Daniel Brunskill, Aaron Brewer, Corey Levin and Justin Murray all had good games in the Windy City, will that go with them as they travel further north? We should be watching for it in Minnesota.

Titans v Bears Stories

• Malik Willis Film Room: Tennessee Titans second-year quarterback Malik Willis made his preseason debut on Saturday against the Chicago Bears and there was a lot of good and bad on tape. CLICK HERE
• QBs Battle in Loss: Young Tennessee Titans quarterbacks Malik Willis and Will Levis played well in their preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, but a pair of last-minute drives fell short in a 23-17 loss to the Bears. CLICK HERE
• Tyjae Spears Impresses: The Titans lost their first preseason game, but rookie running back Tyjae Spears was a bright spot on the day. CLICK HERE