Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - POSTCAST: Tennessee Titans Fall to Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in TOUGH Battle, Treylon Burks Balls Out

Episode Date: November 27, 2022

The Tennessee Titans fell once again to the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins had their way with the Titans cornerbacks and the pass rush didn't do enough to help. The Titans offense was stagnant at times, but two big plays from Treylon Burks kept them in it. Tyler also awards his game ball for best player of the game in this Week 12 Postcast!Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!PrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONSimpliSafeWith Fast Protect™️ Technology, exclusively from SimpliSafe, 24/7 monitoring agents capture evidence to accurately verify a threat for faster police response. There’s No Safe Like SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafe.com/LockedOnNFL to learn more.TuroForget boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.comAudibleHead over to Locked On NFL for a sneak peak of Block Forever or catch the full series available anywhere you get your podcast. Available everywhere now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to a Locked on Titans postcast. The Tennessee Titans lose to the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16. Joe Burrow and T.E. Higgins dominate the Titans defense. And the Titans offense has no semblance of a running game. Leads to the loss. And we saw some questionable coaching. And of course, a questionable penalty that ended it all. We're going to break it all down plus give out my game ball for week 12 all on

a Locked on Titans postcast. Tighten up. You are Locked on Titans. Your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Titans fans, it is a week 12 postcast. Unfortunately, it is not after a victory. The Cincinnati Bengals just seem to have the Tennessee Titans number. Joe Burrow has not lost to the Bengals since he came into the NFL. And some of the things that I was worried about throughout the week played out on the

field. So a 20 to 16 loss that drops the Titans to seven and four. Let's dive into what happened in this game before we do. Thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day, Monday through Friday, free Tennessee Titans content on all platforms all year round, including the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe, smash the notification bell, and throw a thumbs up on the video. Right now, it goes a long way to help support the channel, and I do appreciate it.

At the end of the day, Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins. Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins. Tee Higgins ended up going for seven catches, 114 yards, and one touchdown. And throughout the week, I said, the Tennessee Titans can win the chess match. The Tennessee Titans can call the right play and have the Bengals snuffed out.

And Joe Burrow makes some magic in the pocket. And then one of those wide receivers, Jamar Chase or Tee Higgins, makes a play on the sideline in a one-on-one situation. The Bengals are the Titans' kryptonite in that sense. Joe Burrow has the magic to beat the pass rush even when it's good, and then Tee Higgins and Jamar Chase have the magic to win one-on-one situations outside. The Bengals didn't have Jamar Chase in this one, but that one guy who could win in those situations consistently was enough, was enough to get it done.

And Burrow, of course, got it done with his legs, got away in some situations late in the game on third and longs just to make some plays. The Titans called good plays out there. I thought schematically the Titans defense did a pretty decent job. I would have liked to see the Titans do better in the run game. Yeah, for certain. For certain. But I don't think

it was punitive in the way that it was what lost them the game. At the end of the day, the cornerbacks got beat in one-on-one situations against T. Higgins in the moments that mattered and it led to the victory. That's just the truth. That's just what it was.

It's hard to accept when they didn't play terrible. The Titans didn't play terrible. But here's the other reality. Other than the Bengals winning one-on-one in situations on the sidelines, you also got to talk about the pass rush. The Titans had one sack in this game. Jeffrey Simmons and Bud Dupree alone are not enough. That's because Bud Dupree is a sweetener. Bud Dupree is the fourth rusher who makes everybody else better. Bud Dupree and Jeff on their own isn't Bud Dupree and Danico on their own. It's not the same.

So without Danico Autry, the Titans just didn't get enough pressure. They tried to run some blitzes like I talked about earlier in the week with David Long or off the slot with the corner. It just wasn't enough to consistently get pressure on Joe Burrow. One sack for the pass rush. It's just not good enough. It's not going to get it done. And that's really what the problem is. Not enough pass rush. See, the Titans' lack of pass rush was kind of canceled out by Jamar Chase. Now when the Titans are completely healthy with a full pass rush

and then the Bengals have Chase back, I feel like we're back to even there. So it just proves it again that the Titans just simply aren't better than the Bengals. They're not. They're just not. And the Bengals have the kryptonite to beat the Titans. They just do. Playmakers on the outside that can win the play even

when the Titans schematically won and Joe Burrow can beat the Titans pass rush a few times and slither out of opportunities where the Titans pass rush in normal situations would have sacks. It's just a bad matchup. The Titans are a good football team. The Bengals

are a good football team and the Bengals are just a bad matchup for the Titans. So, that's really what it was on defense. The one-on-one situations with Tee Higgins winning. Joe Burrow making some magic happen. And the Titans' lack of pass rush. All that together made for what it was. But again, the Titans gave up 20 points.

20 points. I mean, it wasn gave up 20 points. 20 points. I mean, it wasn't a bad game, and Cincinnati is a good team. So I don't think we need to be all, you know, down and, oh no, sky is falling, panic. I mean, since he's just a really good team, they're going to be in it in the thick of it at the end.

It was a close fought battle, and you just have to hope that the Titans can get better. Maybe the next time they see the Bengals, they can play better. That's what it comes down to for me. But we're going to talk about the offensive side of the ball for the Titans before we get into it. Do just want to tell you guys that today's postcast is brought to you by Audible. Audible is releasing a slate of new football podcasts that I'm sure you're going to love and that's why you'll be able to find the Block Forever bonus episode

available on the Locked On NFL channel right now. Block Forever is a brand new podcast from former NFL All-Pro Ryan Khalil and Audible. Khalil takes the conversation about football to the next level. Head over to Locked On NFL

for a sneak peek of Block Forever or catch the full series available anywhere you get your podcasts available everywhere now. Audible, get in the game. Also, do want to tell you guys about PrizePix. PrizePix is daily fantasy made simple. PrizePix has a projection for every player. Patrick Mahomes, 250 passing yards.

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on your entry. Go to prizepicks.com or download the PrizePicks app. Use the promo code LOCKEDON. First time users are going to get a 100% instant deposit match up to $100. Once again, use the promo code LOCKEDON at prizepix.com. Titans fans, we talked about the defensive side of the ball,

and again, I thought the Titans defense played pretty solid, but those one-on-one matchups on the outside with T. Higgins and the cornerbacks, and then the lack of pass rush with Danico Autry out, it just wasn't enough for the Titans to beat the Bengals, even without Jamar Chase. Again, the injury to Autry in the pass rush with Landry and Autry missing,

and then Jamar Chase missing. I feel like those things kind of canceled each other out for the Titans and the Bengals, and then you go to the other side of the ball, and the Bengals just have the Titans' offense completely figured out. There's no other way around it. The Titans were 0-3 in the red zone. That doomed them. They couldn't run the ball, so they couldn't consistently sustain

offense throughout the day. Derrick Henry had 17 carries for 38 rushing yards. They had 63 rushing yards total. The Bengals, unfortunately, it's exactly what I was worried about all week long. The Bengals came out in the 6-1 front. They took away the Titans' run game. The Titans couldn't counter with power because they're not a good enough team at running those things. And the Bengals played tight man coverage,

crowded the line of scrimmage on third down situations, and the Titans weren't able to win one-on-one enough. Enough. They did it a little bit, but not quite enough. And that's what it came because the Titans are a good team that played another good team and the Titans had good moments,

but they just weren't able to do it enough against another good team. Again, there is no room for panic right now. The Titans played a good game against a good team. They just didn't win. They didn't make enough plays when it mattered. So on offense though,

outside of the red zone woes, outside of the running woes, Burks and Chig and Tannehill played well. Tannehill was spinning it, man. He was doing his best. Burks, four catches, 70 yards, and what incredible effort. The Titans are two incredible plays from Traylon Burks away

from getting smoked in this game. That's how important Traylon Burks was to this game. And it makes sense because last year, the only thing that kept the Titans from getting blown out against the Bengals was redacted, making plays in the passing game. He must not be named. So it's nice to see Burks fill that role. I mean, Burks tried to keep the Titans in it. He really did. Burks made the plays, the big explosive plays in this game and the smart, heady awareness plays in this game to keep the Titans in it. We got, my big takeaway here on offense is just how awesome Traylon Burks is and how excited I am for what he could be. And the Titans needed that desperately.

Chigaconquo, three catches, 35 yards. Why are the Titans motioning Jeff Swaim out into the flat and then running slants to him? Why is that not Chigaconquo? Why? Does anyone know? Anyone? No? No?

No one? Okay. All right. That's what I thought. So, the reality on offense here is the Titans couldn't run the ball because they got outcoached

by the Bengals defense. Lou Anarumo is a better coach than Todd Downing. And I just want to point out this. It was second and one in the second half. The Titans have been going power run on second and short. The Bengals have been running their 6-1 front all game long against the Titans zone run scheme.

The Bengals magically on second and short changed to a four man front with four guys at the second level instead of six guys on the line of scrimmage and totally take away the Titans' power run. Because they knew what the Titans were running. The Bengals' defensive coaching staff has the Titans' offense completely figured out. Despite Traylon Burks making some great plays, it wasn't enough. Because the Bengals' coaching on defense is better than the Titans' coaching on offense is better than the Titans coaching on offense. It's a bad matchup. So again, just to recap things, whether we're talking about the

offense where the Titans pass rush can get there and Burrow can make some magic or the Titans win schematically, but Chase and Higgins just find a way to make plays. Whether we go to the defensive side of the ball, and the Bengals have physical personnel that can match the physicality of the Titans, and then the Bengals' defensive coaching, led by Lou Anarumo, is out-coaching Todd Downing. Those mismatches make the Bengals the worst possible matchup for the Titans. It's just the truth. I'd rather play the Bills. I'd rather play the Chiefs.

The Bengals just have exactly what you need on both sides of the ball to beat the Titans even when the Titans play their best. It's unfortunate, but it's a reality that we have to accept. The Bengals are a very good team. Maybe some of you guys underrated them throughout the week, but I did not. And the Bengals win a very good team. Maybe some of you guys underrated them throughout the week, but I did not. And the Bengals win 20-16. My prediction was 24-17,

so a little different than that. But again, the Titans need to get better. This is a loss to a good football team. I get that people are going to ask questions now. The Titans haven't beat a team with a winning record. I'm going to get the skepticism. I understood the skepticism last year. I'm going to get the skepticism. I understood the skepticism last year. I'm going to understand it now.

And we just have to realize that the Titans are a good football team, but they have to get better if they want to beat the Bills, the Chiefs, or the Bengals. Because they're not quite there. The coaching on offense, and then some of the health on defense. That's all there is to it. My game ball for the day, Traylon Burks. Again, four catches, 70 yards, falls on the touchdown. The Derrick Henry fumbled.

I think the big takeaway here for Titans fans from an optimistic standpoint is that Traylon Burks looks great. He made big plays, that big catch down the field. Again, without Traylon Burks in this game, the Titans get smoked probably 27-3. Burks pounced on the Derrick Henry fumble to give the Titans their first touchdown, and he caught the big play at the end of the game to give the Titans even a chance. So, you got to give a game ball to Traylon Burks. That's my game ball for the day is Traylon Burks. But overall,

a loss for the Titans. Like I said, it's just a bad matchup. Still think the Titans are a good team. Other than that, you move on. Big game against the Eagles. The Titans need to get right. The Titans need to get ready to go and hope that they can run the football better

against the Eagles. Because if the Titans are forced to be a throwing team, they're not going to get a lot of wins against good teams. So, let's hope that the Titans respond next week against Philadelphia. Because after that, they got a game against Jacksonville,

a game against Houston, and a game against the Chargers that are all winnable games. So they have a chance to go on another little run here and put this loss behind them if they can turn it around quick. But I'm going to be back later on tonight about 8 o'clock Eastern Standard Time,

and I'm going to have a full 30-minute recap going over what I saw schematically on offense and defense and tighten up, tighten down, Going to have a full 30-minute recap going over what I saw schematically on offense and defense. And tighten up, tighten down, going over the good and bad individual performances. So tough loss here, Titans fans. But a loss to a good football team that the Titans may very well see again down the line. That's going to do it for me today, though, folks. I'll be back with you guys later on this evening.