NASHVILLE, Tenn. --After playing three consecutive home games, the Tennessee Titans (3-2) go on the road this week to face the Seattle Seahawks (4-1), leaders of the NFC West. Kickoff at CenturyLink Field (capacity 67,000) is scheduled for 1:05 PDT/3:05 CDT on Sunday, Oct. 1.
THE BROADCAST
This week's game will be televised regionally on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5. Greg Gumbel will handle play-by-play duties while Dan Dierdorf provides analysis.
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, analyst Frank Wycheck, sideline reporter Cody Allison and gameday host Larry Stone.
LAST WEEK AGAINST THE CHIEFS
The Titans hosted the Kansas City Chiefs last week and fell by a final score of 26-17. After falling behind 13-0, the Titans scored 17 consecutive points in the second half before losing the lead in the fourth quarter.
Ryan Fitzpatrick made his first start in a Titans uniform, taking over for injured starting quarterback Jake Locker, who will miss this week's game as well with hip and knee injuries. Fitzpatrick, who was signed as a free agent early in the offseason following a four-year stint in Buffalo, completed 21 of 41 passes for 247 yards, including a creative toss to Chris Johnson that resulted in a 49-yard touchdown. The ninth-year veteran quarterback scored the other touchdown for the Titans on a nine-yard run.
Meanwhile, the Titans defense was stout for most of the afternoon. The unit allowed the Chiefs to convert only one out of 12 third-down attempts, a rate of 8.3 percent that was a single-game best for the team since Thanksgiving 2008 at Detroit. The Titans also limited the Chiefs to one touchdown in four trips inside the 20. Among the 32 NFL clubs in 2013, the Titans defense ranks ninth overall (321.2 yards per game).
However, the one touchdown allowed by the defense, combined with four Kansas City field goals, was enough in the end for the Chiefs after benefitting on an early Titans special teams miscue. Kansas City's first punt of the game caromed off the foot of Damian Williams and into the end zone, where it was recovered by the Chiefs for a touchdown.
THE SEAHAWKS
The Titans are attempting this week to do something no team has done in more than a season—defeat the Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks have won 10 consecutive games at CenturyLink Field. Their last loss there was Dec. 24, 2011.
The 2013 Seahawks own a one-game lead in their division on the San Francisco 49ers, despite dropping last week's matchup to the Colts in Indianapolis. Like the Titans, they let a fourth-quarter lead slip away after gaining control with a pair of touchdown passes by Russell Wilson and four field goals by Steven Hauschka. It was Seattle's first defeat in the regular season since Nov. 25, 2012, ending a run of nine straight regular-season wins.
The Seahawks are in their fourth season under the direction of head coach Pete Carroll. Since his arrival, the Seahawks are 29-24, and they earned playoff berths in two of his three seasons on the sidelines.
Wilson's ascent has been rapid since he entered the NFL in 2012 as a third-round pick from Wisconsin. As a rookie, he tied Peyton Manning's 1998 record for most touchdown passes by a rookie (26) and set a club record with a 100.0 passer rating. He started every game and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
The Seahawks also field one of the league's best defenses. Through five weeks, they are ranked sixth overall and third in passing defense. Their secondary is led by a pair of Associated Press All-Pro performers: safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman.
