NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans (1-3) play their third consecutive home game this week as they host the Miami Dolphins (1-3). Kickoff at Nissan Stadium (capacity 69,143) is scheduled for noon CDT on Sunday, Oct. 18.
THE BROADCAST
This week's game will be televised regionally on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5. Andrew Catalonwill handle play-by-play duties alongside analysts Steve TaskerandSteve Beuerlein.
The Titans Radio Network, including Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone, will carry the game across the Mid-South with the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith, analyst Frank Wycheck, gameday host Rhett Bryan and sideline reporter Jonathan Hutton.
TITANS LOOK TO GET BACK IN WIN COLUMN
The Titans returned from their bye to host the Buffalo Bills last week. Although they won the statistical battle in several areas, including time of possession (35:31 to 24:29) and total yards (276 to 209), they lost a 10-0 lead in the second half and ultimately fell by a final score of 14-13.
The Titans defense did not allow a first down until midway through the second quarter, and the Bills did not make their way into Titans territory until less than three minutes remained in the third quarter. But Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor led a pair of scoring drives to lead his team back, one ending with his 22-yard touchdown run and the other culminating with a two-yard touchdown pass.
Despite the club's third consecutive loss following a Week 1 win at Tampa Bay, the Titans defense has emerged as one of the NFL's top-ranked units in the first quarter of the season. The defense is third overall, allowing an average of 283.5 yards per game, and the Titans lead the NFL in pass defense, with opponents averaging 166.5 yards per contest through the air.
Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota was 21-of-32 passing for 187 yards with an interception against the Bills. He also rushed for a season-high 47 yards. Through the first four games of his career, he owns a 99.7 passer rating (10th in the NFL), completing 82 of his 128 passes for 1,020 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
This week marks the third straight home contest for the Titans in a rare span that includes four home games and a bye. They were last on the road at Cleveland on Sept. 20, and the next away game they will play is Nov. 1 at Houston, giving them five weeks during the regular season without a road contest. In the 56-year history of the organization, that has happened only three previous times: 1960, 1964 and 1967.
*CAMPBELL TO DEBUT AS DOLPHINS HEAD COACH *
The Dolphins were off last week with a bye, giving them time to transition to a new head coach. On Oct. 5, the day after a 27-14 loss to the New York Jets, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced the team was parting ways with head coach Joe Philbin. Subsequently, tight ends coach Dan Campbell was promoted to interim head coach.
Following a long NFL playing career, Campbell joined the Dolphins coaching staff in 2010 as a coaching intern and was promoted to tight ends coach the next season. The former Texas A&M Aggie spent 11 total seasons as a tight end with the New York Giants (1999-2002), Dallas Cowboys (2003-05), Detroit Lions (2006-08) and New Orleans Saints (2009).
Through the first four weeks of the season, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill ranked seventh in the NFL with 1,080 yards passing to go along with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. In 2014, Tannehill's 4,045 passing yards ranked as the seventh-highest single-season total in Dolphins history and the most by any Dolphins quarterback other than Dan Marino. Tannehill's 11,252 yards passing from 2012–2014 is the sixth-highest total in NFL history by a quarterback in his first three seasons.
*NURSES FOR NEWBORNS DRIVE *
Fans attending the Titans-Dolphins game are encouraged to bring donations for the annual Nurses for Newborns Drive. The Titans and Nurses for Newborns are asking fans to bring items to help economically disadvantaged and at-risk families throughout Middle Tennessee. The most needed items are diapers, wipes, bottles, sippy cups, formula, blankets, electrolyte solution, clothing, infant Tylenol or Motrin, infant thermometers and saline nose drops. Several collection sites will be positioned outside of Nissan Stadium before the game.
