The Tennessee Titans (1-1) return home this week to face the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts (0-2). Kickoff at Nissan Stadium (capacity 69,143) is scheduled for noon CDT on Sunday, Sept. 26.
PHILLIPS TO BE ADDED TO RING OF HONOR
At Sunday's game, Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk will lead the franchise in posthumously adding former Oilers head coach O.A. "Bum" Phillips to the Ring of Honor at Nissan Stadium. The team will celebrate its Oilers heritage throughout the week and pay tribute to Oilers greats during the game, culminating in the halftime ceremony honoring Phillips.
Phillips was the personification of the "Luv Ya Blue Era" as the head coach of the Oilers for six seasons (1975-80). He owns the best winning percentage (.608) by a Titans/Oilers head coach who has coached at least two full seasons, totaling a 59-38 mark. He took over a team that hadn't experienced a winning season in eight campaigns and built it into a contender for the duration of his tenure, going 10-4 in his first season and reaching the AFC Championship game in 1978 and 1979. He originally joined the Oilers as the team's defensive coordinator in 1974 and was elevated to head coach a year later.
Former Oilers expected to attend the game are Dan Pastorini, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Robert Brazile, Elvin Bethea, Curley Culp, Warren Moon, Kenny Houston and Tony Banfield.
THE BROADCAST
Sunday's contest will be regionally televised on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5. The broadcast team includes play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon, analyst James Lofton and reporter Michael Grady.
Fans in the Nashville television market can livestream the broadcast on their mobile devices from the Titans Mobile App (iOS and Android), as well as on desktop computers and mobile web at TennesseeTitans.com. Restrictions apply. For more information on streaming options visit TennesseeTitans.com or NFL.com/ways-to-watch.
The Titans Radio Network and Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone will carry the game across the Mid-South with the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith, analyst Dave McGinnis, sideline reporter Amie Wells and gameday host Rhett Bryan.
Additionally, Sports USA will broadcast the game to a national radio audience. Play-by-play announcer John Ahlers and analyst Doug Plank will have the call.
TITANS LOOK TO BUILD ON OVERTIME WIN AT SEATTLE
Last week at Seattle, the Titans scored the final 17 points of the game to stun the Seahawks 33-30 in overtime. They faced a 15-point deficit at halftime and trailed by 14 points in the fourth quarter before rallying to tie the score at 30-30 with less than a minute remaining in regulation.
In overtime, Randy Bullock's 36-yard field goal—his fourth field goal of the game in his first appearance in a Titans uniform—gave Tennessee its sixth consecutive overtime victory and its fourth (4-0) under head coach Mike Vrabel.
Titans running back Derrick Henry rushed for 182 yards and scored three second-half touchdowns, including a 60-yarder and lastly a one-yard plunge with 29 seconds on the clock in the fourth quarter. His 237 scrimmage yards (55 receiving) amounted to the 10th-best total in franchise history and the fourth-highest output of his career.
Meanwhile, quarterback Ryan Tannehill registered 347 yards on 27-of-40 passing. He was credited with his 10th game-winning drive since arriving in Tennessee in 2019, the most of any quarterback since that point.
Tannehill delivered six passes to wide receiver Julio Jones, who totaled 128 yards in his second game with the organization. Jones notched his 59th 100-yard career game in the regular season and is now tied with Marvin Harrison for third place in NFL history in 100-yard receiving games behind only Jerry Rice (76) and Randy Moss (64).
With the heroics from Henry, Tannehill and Jones, the trio gave the franchise its 10th all-time game with a 100-yard rusher, 300-yard passer and 100-yard receiver.
The offense totaled 33 first downs at Seattle, tied for the second-highest amount in franchise history and the most since Nov. 10, 1991. The 532 total yards by the Titans (212 rushing, 320 passing) were their most since a franchise-record 607 total yards in an overtime win against Houston on Oct. 18, 2020. By possessing the ball for 42 minutes and 33 seconds, the Titans had their best time of possession since Oct. 1, 2000 against the New York Giants (42:46).
THE COLTS
After dropping their first game of 2021 to the Seahawks, the Colts hosted the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2. They battled from being down 11 points in the second half to tie the score at 24-24 in the fourth quarter. But Matt Gay's 38-yard field goal with 2:23 remaining gave the Rams a 27-24 win.
The Colts are in their fourth season under head coach Frank Reich. He spearheaded two playoff berths in his first three campaigns, including a wild card appearance after an 11-5 finish in 2020.
During the offseason, the Colts acquired veteran quarterback Carson Wentz in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former second-overall NFL draft pick (2016) produced four 3,000-yard passing seasons with the Eagles, including a career-high 4,039 yards in 2019. In his first two games with the Colts, he totaled 498 passing yards with three touchdowns and one interception. However, he exited last week's game against the Rams with an ankle injury, and backup Jacob Eason finished the contest at quarterback.
SECOND HARVEST FOOD DRIVE
Prior to the game, fans are encouraged to participate in the team's annual food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee by dropping off non-perishable food items at one of several collection sites near the Nissan Stadium entrances. Volunteers will collect donated items before the game and until 15 minutes after kickoff. Most needed items include peanut butter, canned chicken and tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, beans, soups and stews, pasta, and rice.
