400TH WIN: The victory over the Chiefs was the franchise's 400th all-time win in the regular season.
TITANS ON KICKOFF WEEKEND: The Titans won their second consecutive Kickoff Weekend road game. They started 1-0 in 2013 with a win at Pittsburgh. All-time in Week 1 contests, they are 29-26, including a 9-7 Kickoff Weekend record in the Titans era (since 1999).
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The Tennessee Titans open the 2014 regular season against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)
WHISENHUNT'S DEBUT:The Titans played their first game under the direction ofKen Whisenhunt**, who was named the 17th head coach in franchise history in January. Whisenhunt, who was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2007 through 2012, improved to 5-2 in Kickoff Weekend games as a head coach with the victory over the Chiefs, including a record of 3-1 on the road.
THIRD-DOWN DEFENSIVE SUCCESS: The Titans limited the Chiefs to one conversion on 12 third-down attempts. The 8.3 percentage rate was the defense's best mark in any game since allowing the exact same numbers against the Chiefs at LP Field on Oct. 6, 2013.
TIME OF POSSESSION: The Titans controlled the ball against the Chiefs for 37 minutes and 44 seconds. It was the team's highest time of possession since Nov. 1, 2009, when they recorded a 39:43 TOP against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
CHARLES LIMITED: Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles led the AFC (third in NFL) with 1,287 rushing yards in 2013. Against the Titans, he was limited to 19 yards on seven attempts. The yardage total was the lowest allowed against Charles by any defense since he recorded 10 yards at Oakland on Dec. 16, 2012.
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OCKER'S EFFICIENCY:In his 19th career start, Titans quarterbackJake Locker** was 22-of-33 passing for 266 yards, no interceptions, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 111.4. It was the third-highest passer rating of his four-year career. He also had six rushes for 14 yards against the Chiefs.
ROOS TIES BIRONAS AND BURROUGH: In his 144th career game, left tackle Michael Roos tied Rob Bironas and Ken Burrough for 14th place on the franchise's all-time games played list.
SUCCOP RETURNS TO KC: Only eight days after being released by the Chiefs, Ryan Succop was back at Arrowhead Stadium, only this time wearing a Titans jersey. He delivered with four field goals on four attempts, connecting from 36, 31, 46 and 47 yards. The sixth-year veteran also was perfect on two extra points and had four touchbacks on seven kickoffs.
GREEN LEADS TITANS: Running back Shonn Greene led the Titans with 71 rushing yards on 15 carries (4.7 avg.). His yardage total was the second highest in his two seasons with the Titans (91 at Jacksonville on Dec 22, 2014).
GRIFFIN BREAKS INTO TOP 10: In the fourth quarter, safety Michael Griffin helped seal the victory by picking off an Alex Smith pass. Griffin's 23rd career interception put him in a three-way tie with Willie Alexander and Samari Rolle for 10th place on the franchise career interceptions list. Griffin is now alone in fifth place for franchise safeties in career interceptions, breaking a tie with Marcus Robertson (22) and trailing only Jim Norton (45), Fred Glick (30), Mike Reinfeldt (26) and Ken Houston (25).
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WASHINGTON REACHES 4,000:On a 12-yard catch in the fourth quarter, wide receiverNate Washingtonbecame the ninth player to reach 4,000 receiving yards with the franchise (4,003). Washington recorded four total catches for 59 yards against the Chiefs. **
SANKEY'S DEBUT: Second-round draft pick Bishop Sankey made his regular-season debut at running back in the third quarter. On his first carry he picked up four yards, and he finished the contest with 25 yards on six attempts (4.2 avg.).
WALKER TD: Tight end Delanie Walker put the Titans ahead in the second quarter with a five-yard touchdown catch. It was his 15th career receiving touchdown and his seventh in two seasons with the Titans.
McCLUSTER STARTS IN RETURN TO KC: In his first NFL game since leaving the Chiefs for the Titans as a free agent in the offseason, Dexter McCluster received a start at running back for the Titans. He recorded nine carries for 29 yards and added one reception for 17 yards.
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CAREER DAY FOR McCOURTY:In the final minute of the first half, cornerbackJason McCourtypicked off anAlex Smith** pass for his ninth career interception and the Titans' first takeaway of the 2014 season. The interception led to a Titans field goal. In the third quarter, McCourty struck again. He made a diving grab of another pass by Smith to give him his second career game with two interceptions (Dec. 17, 2012 against N.Y. Jets).
FOUR SACKS: The Titans defense recorded a sack in each quarter against the Chiefs. In his debut with the team, linebacker Wesley Woodyard was credited with a three-yard sack of Alex Smith on Kansas City's opening drive of the game. It was the ninth sack of Woodyard's career. In the final two minutes of the first half, defensive back Coty Sensabaugh recorded the first sack of his three-year career, taking down Smith on third down to end a Kansas City drive. Defensive end Karl Klug notched a seven-yard sack in the third quarter (13.5 career), and nose tackle Sammie Hill posted an eight-yard sack in the fourth quarter.
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GROVES SPECIAL:Only a week after joining the Titans as a waiver pickup from the Houston Texans, linebackerQuentin Grovescame up with two big plays. He made a solo special teams stop on punt returnerFrankie Hammond Jr.in the third quarter, and later in the same quarter he helped stuff running backCyrus Gray** on a fake punt attempt on fourth down.
KERN'S LONG: Brett Kern's 63-yard punt in the first quarter was his longest since a 63-yarder on Sept. 22, 2013 against the Chargers. Then, in the final minute of the first half, he pinned the Chiefs on the two-yard line with a 56-yard punt that led to a turnover on the next play. Kern finished the contest with a 42.8 net average on six punts with three placed inside the 20. His 50.7 gross average was his highest since Dec. 30, 2012 (51.0 against Jacksonville).