NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans (1-2) conclude their preseason schedule this week, as they travel to face the Minnesota Vikings (0-3). Kickoff at Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (capacity 63,731) is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, Aug. 29.
THE BROADCAST
The game will be televised regionally on the Titans Preseason TV Network, including flagship WKRN-Channel 2 in Nashville. Cory Curtis will handle play-by-play duties, while former Titans quarterback Kerry Collins will provide analysis. Audra Martin will report from the sidelines. A full listing of preseason affiliates is available on page 2 of this release.
The Titans Radio Network, including Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone, will broadcast the game across the Mid-South with the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith, color commentator Frank Wycheck and sideline reporter Cody Allison.
LAST WEEK AGAINST ATLANTA
The Titans hosted the Atlanta Falcons last week and earned their first victory of the preseason, overcoming an early deficit to win by a final score of 27-16. Quarterbacks Jake Locker and Ryan Fitzpatrick combined for three touchdown passes, and Chris Johnson accounted for 65 of the team's 171 rushing yards.
Locker, along with the starting units on both sides of the ball, played a series into the third quarter as part of the dress rehearsal for the regular-season opener at Pittsburgh on Sept. 8. The third-year signal caller was efficient, completing 11 of 13 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Locker's seven-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington put the Titans ahead 7-6 in the second quarter, and the Titans would never relinquish their lead.
Fitzpatrick played most of the second half, completing six of nine passes for 76 yards, one interception and touchdown passes to Michael Preston and rookie Justin Hunter.
The Titans totaled six sacks against the Falcons, led by defensive tackle Jurrell Casey's 1.5 sacks. The defense limited the Falcons to 33 percent on third down (four of 12), and they did not allow a touchdown in three trips to the red zone by Atlanta.
THE VIKINGS
The Vikings traveled to San Francisco last week and suffered a 34-14 defeat at the hands of the 49ers. In the loss, Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder completed 17 of 23 passes for 116 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Leslie Frazier is entering his third full season as head coach in Minnesota after initially taking over as interim head coach during the 2010 campaign. In 2012, he led the Vikings to a 10-6 record and an NFC Wild Card Playoff berth.
Minnesota's offense features the reigning Associated Press Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year, running back Adrian Peterson. In 2012, Peterson became the seventh player in NFL history to reach the 2,000-yard rushing mark and the first since Tennessee's Chris Johnson accomplished the feat in 2009. Peterson's total of 2,097 yards ranked second all-time and came within eight yards of Eric Dickerson's single-season record (2,105). Since he entered the NFL in 2007, no NFL running back has more rushing yards than Peterson.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings are led by four-time All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen, who recorded 22 sacks in 2011 and 12 in 2012; six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kevin Williams; and Pro Bowl linebacker Chad Greenway, who led the team with 191 tackles in 2012.
ROSTER PARED TO 53 PLAYERS BY WEEK'S END
The Titans will be permitted to carry 75 players into this week's game following the first roster cutdown from 90 players on Aug. 27. On Aug. 31, two days after the Titans play at Minnesota, they must reach their regular-season limit of 53 players.
Players placed on reserve lists such as Injured Reserve, Physically Unable to Perform and Reserve/Suspended do not count towards the 53-man active roster limit.
After the final cutdown, an eight-player practice squad may be established as early as Sept. 1.
