Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Win Fifth Straight Game, Defeat Houston Texans 17-10 as Derrick Henry Breaks TD Record

Episode Date: October 31, 2022

The Tennessee Titans got their fifth straight win on Sunday when they thoroughly controlled the Houston Texans. The Derrick Henry shows deserves it props and the defense led by Jeffery Simmons does as well, but the Titans special teams made big contributions also. Tyler talks about the complementary win. Then, #TitanUpTitanDown to go over all the individual performances both good and bad! The Titans offensive line had a nice day and the defensive line also was stout. Tyler gives his props and then spends some time breaking down the performance of rookie Malik Willis.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.BlueNileMake your moment sparkle with Blue Nile. Go to BlueNile.com and use code lockedon to save fifty dollars on your purchase of five-hundred dollars or more.BetterHelpThis episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOn and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, the Titans got their fifth straight win with a 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans. It is Victory Monday. I'm breaking down everything you need to know coming out of the game, including Derrick Henry's record-setting performance, Jeffrey Simmons' dominance on the defensive line,

and how Malik Willis looked in his first career start. Then we'll look at all the individual performances, both good and bad, in Tighten Up and Tighten Down. All of that and more on a Victory Monday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Let's get it! You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked on Titans podcast. And I got to tell you, it feels like it's been a very long time since the Tennessee Titans lost a football game.

I'm excited to break it all down with you guys. Thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day, Monday through Friday. Free Tennessee Titans content all year round on all platforms, including the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Subscribe there. Smash the notification bell and throw a thumbs up on the video right now if you think the Titans can knock off the Kansas

City Chiefs next weekend. I'm going to dive into Derrick Henry's performance first and foremost. There's nothing else that should take the cake at this time, quite frankly, despite a great day by the Titans defense. But Derrick Henry running inside between the tackles, down the Houston Texans' throat again. I mean, the Titans go for 314 rushing yards, 219 of those with Derrick Henry. But hell, Dontrell Hilliard had a great performance in this game as well. Eight carries for 83 yards.

in this game as well. Eight carries for 83 yards. And at that point, when you have seven yards per carry in an NFL game, you go for over 300 as a team. It's time to give a lot of credit to the Titans offensive line. While they have their struggles

in pass protection, they deserve all the credit in the world for the type of run-blocking offensive line that they are. I thought Nate Davis, Ben Jones, specifically on the interior, had great days. The tight ends really hemmed things up on the outside. I just love what the Titans did on offense.

Malik was a little shaky here and there, and the Titans came out in the second half and said, you know what? We're doing nothing but running the ball down your throat. And the Texans wore down as the game went on. I mean, the Titans completely dominated this game in the trenches. And it just shows you that if you can absolutely, thoroughly dominate in the trenches on both sides of the ball,

there's no reason that you can't win games, especially against lesser teams. And the Texans aren't a very good football team. And the Titans just went out there and said, we don't even need to throw. We're just going to run all over you. I mean, Derrick Henry's gone for over 200 yards and had two touchdowns at least in four straight games against the Texans.

That's just absolutely absurd. How he owns the Houston Texans. I mentioned it in the postcast, but it's worth mentioning again. Over 200 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns. That's quite the feat in the NFL. Derrick Henry is the all-time leader in those kind of performances with six of them, four of them against the Houston Texans. The next closest person all-time is a tie between Jim Brown,

LaDainian Tomlinson, and Barry Sanders, who all of them had only done it three times. So not only that, but in this game with the two touchdowns, Derrick Henry passes Eddie George for the most touchdowns in Tennessee Titans history. I mean, we don't need a lot of deep-seated analysis on this one, guys. Derrick Henry is just an absolute all-time freak, Hall of Fame running back. And, man, it's just absolutely incredible that we get to watch him work every single week.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jeffrey Simmons on a bum angle, just absolutely incredible in this game. The Titans defense overall was, I know that they got the field goal because Malik threw a bad interception. I know they got the garbage time touchdown at the end, but this Titans defense destroyed Houston, made them look like a college football team. They get the interception with Christian Fulton. Three sacks on the day. 3.2 yards per play for Houston. That's despicable.

And, and you think about that yards per play number. Well, the Texans had 161 total yards on offense in this game. 90 of it came on the last touchdown drive. On that last garbage time drive. Where the Titans just said, whatever. I mean, if not for that

last drive, the Titans would have had them below two yards per play. I mean, this was a dismantling. The Texans had 43 rushing yards. The Titans are the best rush defense in the entire NFL. Yeah, they struggled early on in the first couple of weeks up to week three, but once week four hit, I mean, it's absurd how great they are against the run right now. It's crazy. 2.4 yards per rush, 43 rushing yards total. I mean, the Titans held the Texans a two for 14 on third down. The Titans continue to be the number one third down defense. I mean,

just really, really great stuff from the Titans in the trenches overall. But I mean, everybody on the defense and almost everybody on the offense had a great performance in this game. I'm very excited to get into tighten up and tighten down. Make sure you guys let me know your top tighten ups and tighten downs down in the comments. Just wonderful. Do want to remind you guys. Tomorrow, looking at the Titans next five games. They have a difficult stretch of games ahead of them.

What should be our expectations for them? Wednesday, breaking down the film for you guys and rewatch Wednesday telling you what I see on tape in this win. Thursday, crossover Thursday with Chris from Locked On Chiefs going behind enemy lines to get you the best information possible before that game. Friday will be a game plan Friday. And next Sunday, I'll be here again with a postcast instant reaction and a full 30-minute breakdown.

So make sure you guys subscribe to the Locked On Titans podcast on whatever platform you do stream. But let's talk about all the good and bad individual performances. We'll talk about Derrick Henry, Jeffrey Simmons more, and of course, Malik Willis and how he did in his first start. Before we get into it, do want to let you know that this Victory Monday episode of the Locked on Titans podcast is sponsored by BetterHelpTherapyOnline. Guys, living life doesn't come with a user's manual.

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Go to Betterhelp.com. Guys, I did it. It's going to be absolutely fantastic for you when you realize that you don't have to do everything on your own. Professional therapy available to you at L P.com slash locked on Titans fans. Let's continue this victory Monday edition of the locked on Titans podcast. It's time for Titan Up and Titan Down. And I can't wait to get into all the individual performances here that stood out to me before I get into them. Do want to thank you guys again for making the Locked On Titans podcast

your first listen every day. As for your second listen, check out the Locked On Sports Today podcast. It's all the biggest stories in all the major sports in North America. Always going to be under 25 minutes as well. It's a great way to just get caught up on all the big national stories

in sports. You get all your specialized coverage here with me on Locked On Titans. Get the entire picture with Locked On Sports Today free and available on all platforms part of with Locked On Sports today, free and available on all platforms, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. But starting with Tighten Up and Tighten Down, we're going to take a look at Malik Willis' performances. But in Tighten Up, got to start with Derrick Henry.

32 carries, 219 yards, two touchdowns. The King just reigned supreme once again. And I talked about the records that he was breaking for the Titans all-time touchdown leader, his dominance over the Texans, and just the all-time freakish stats that Derrick Henry is putting up. There's something oddly comfortable.

If you've been a Titans fan as long as I have, for nearly 25 years, excuse me, there's something awfully, awfully comfortable about watching a running back be absolutely all pro insane and watching a really, really good defense dominate on Sundays. I mean, there's something about it. Whether it be Eddie George and the Titans defense back then,

whether it be Chris Johnson and the Titans defense, or whether it be DeMarco Murray, and then into Derrick Henry. Besides a two-year blip on the radar where the Titans had Arthur Smith, that offensive coordinator, this team has been a run-the-ball-and-play defense unit. And, you know, although it was very exciting to see some great offense for a few years, this does feel like home. And you can't do it without having that All-Pro Hall of Fame level running back. Derrick Henry just continues to prove it.

Also, like I said at the beginning, you can't give all this praise to Derrick Henry and not mention Dontrell Hilliard's eight carries for 83 yards. On those draw plays, on third downs, Hilliard had good explosiveness, had good speed, and made some great, great plays. And both of those guys lead me to this. The offensive line.

Seven yards per carry. This offensive line deserves a ton of credit. Outside of that, I think you've got to give credit to the tight ends. Jeff Swaim, Austin Hooper, Chigga Conquo, Kevin Rader. You also have to give credit to the wide receivers. There was a long run. I believe it was from Dontrell Hilliard going down the sidelines on the left-hand side. And Nick Westbrook-Akina and Cody Hollister just destroyed the defensive backs in run blocking.

So just a great job by everybody involved on the offense to just fully commit to an old-school 1900s run the ball down your throat game plan and execute it properly. Just great job there. For the defense, Jeffrey Simmons, a sack, two tackles for loss, just constant

pressure in the backfield. He set up other people for plays. I mean, on the bum ankle, Jeffrey Simmons, I think he's been better than Aaron Donald this year. I think it's time. Jeffrey Simmons is the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL. He is. And Derrick Henry is the best running back in the NFL. And we just see them together lead this Titans team to victories week after week after week. Bud Dupree stepped up had another nice game sack tackle for loss

T. Air Tart out there had a very nice game had two tackles for loss I do believe Demarcus Walker got involved had a sack Danico Autry and Mario Edwards met at the quarterback for a nice pressure

at one point in time gotta give credit to the line I mean the defense everyone on defense deserves credit in this Mario Edwards met at the quarterback for a nice pressure at one point in time. Got to give credit to the linebackers. I mean, the defense, everyone on defense deserves credit in this game. The linebackers. Dylan Cole made some nasty hits coming downhill. Zach Cunningham did well chasing some guys down. David Long. I mean, David Long.

Eight tackles on the day. Led the team. Had a tackle for loss as well. Had some pressure in there. I mean, David Long continues to play his best football of his entire career. Him and Tartt together have changed this run defense from the first few weeks.

Just excellent, excellent stuff. Christian Fulton, just locking down on defense. Literally locking down. Had the interception. Great job by Fulton being physical, coming up and dealing in run defense too. Andrew Adams makes a big hit in a big play coming up to stop somebody. Got to give credit to Josh Thompson, the newly signed safety for the Titans, who had a nice

tackle on special teams. And speaking of special teams, I thought the coverage units did a really good job. The Titans have had a sneaky, really good special teams unit this year. They really have. Also, have to mention Ryan Stonehouse. Ryan Stonehouse, the Titans played the field position battle all day long. That's what happened. The Titans just played field position. How can we get our offense with good field position? How can we continue to pin back the Houston Texans

so that there's nothing easy for them? I mean, Ryan Stonehouse did his job in this game. I mean, he was exactly what you want. Not his longest average of punts at only 48 yards, but he pinned him inside the 20 four times. Four times inside the 20 with only one touchback out of five punts. I mean, that's a good day by Ryan Stonehouse. Also, I got to give credit to Todd Downing.

In this game, there was a third down where he ran the pass play and Malik threw it out of bounds even though Malik could have run for a first down. Yes, he could have gone to Derrick Henry and just took it out of Malik's hands completely. But guys, overall, Todd Downing called a simple, effective game plan. He didn't get too cute. He didn't set the Titans up to fail. He just said the simple thing.

What all of us crave every weekend, simple. Todd Downing, please just run the ball. This run defense is absolutely horrible. Just Downing, please just run the ball. This run defense is absolutely horrible. Just run the ball. Just run the ball. Down their throat. Over and over. Hell, we'll punt.

We'll take long field goal attempts. Whatever, man. We're just going to run. He only made Malik throw 10 times. We got to give credit where it's due. Pretty good job by Todd Downing, making sure that the Titans had a simple, conservative, effective game plan to win.

And yeah, I know some of you guys are going to say anybody could call running place for Derrick Henry with the way that he was playing, but let's give the credit for Todd Downing not getting insane. But with that being said, it's time to get into my Titan downs. I got a couple of them,

and I do want to talk about Malik's performance in depth a little bit more. Before we get into that though, do want to tell you guys about BlueNile.com so whether you're looking to pop the question, have a milestone, celebrated or you just want to let your love sparkle, Blue Nile can help you

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of $500 or more. That's bluenile.com, promo code LOCKEDON. Titans fans, it's time for Titan Down on this Victory Monday. We went over my big takeaways on offense and defense. We talked about my Titan Ups, all the good individual performances. Got to cap things off here going with the not so good performances in this game. Before we get into it, I do want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.

Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. Tomorrow, we will be breaking down the Titans' next five games. A very difficult stretch of the year here in the middle of the season. We'll talk about the expectations for the Titans, what their record should be coming out of that stretch. So that should be a lot of fun. Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. As for your second listen, check out again, Locked On Sports Today, all the biggest stories

and all the biggest sports in North America in under 25 minutes from the Locked On Podcast Network, free and available on all platforms. But for Titan Down, Dennis Daly gave up one of the sacks in this game. Just continues to be uneven. The Titans had Nate Davis back in this game, but they still went with Dennis Daly at left tackle. And I get why.

I get that they want to just have continuity there, but still not a fantastic performance from Daly, at least in pass protection. Still a great job in run blocking from Dennis Daly as well. Cody Hollister, good in run blocking, but that flop on the Willis interception. Look, I

know that was a bad throw by Malik, but you're throwing to Cody Hollister and he's doing stuff like that. That doesn't help you either. Robert Woods, can the Titans find someone who doesn't fumble on punt return? Yeah, he did have the good return that set the Titans up on their own 37 later in the game. So not all bad from Robert Woods. And as a receiver, he was fine.

It made one of the only catches that the Titans actually had in this game. So not going to dog him there. But overall, oh man, it's just frustrating to see. Also, do want to mention a Titan down for Rashad Weaver. Not because he was injured and missed the game. But Poston is fine from the Titans. He showed up late to his treatment, to his therapy for his injury. He hadn't practiced all week with, I believe, a back injury. So he probably would have missed

this game anyways with the injury. But the fact that he was late to his physical therapy and posted a screenshot of the fine that the Titans gave him online to complain about it, that's immature. Be on time for your therapy. How about that? So did the Titans gave him online to complain about it. That's immature. Be on time for your therapy. How about that? So did the Titans bench him in this game? Is it just his back injury? He was out of practice all week anyway. There's probably a little bit of both in there,

but either way, a Titan down for that. And then the last thing that we got to talk about is Malik Willis. So Malik Willis' performance was up and down. And I thought going into this game that the number one thing that we would want to talk about is Malik Willis. So Malik Willis' performance was up and down. And I thought going into this game that the number one thing that we would want to talk about is Malik Willis. But honestly, he kind of gave you what you expected. It wasn't better than I thought we would get.

It wasn't really worse than I thought we would get. Yeah, he had some bad plays. He had the interception. He had the third and two where he should have ran it and he didn't. And bad plays. He had the interception. He had the third and two where he should have ran it and he didn't and he went out of bounds.

He should have ran it and he didn't and he threw the ball out of bounds. He had the third and two before halftime where he took a sack and he probably shouldn't have although it was terrible blocking on that play. Again, the interception, yeah. You know, he had some struggles out there.

The false starts. You got to, obviously, the Titans' tempo on offense was all messed up. So all of that stuff matters, and all that stuff is real. Not a great performance from Malik Willis, who ultimately, in the game, ends up going 6 for 10, 55 yards with the interception, 5 for 12 running the ball. They never really got him too incorporated in the run game. After halftime, they said, screw this. We're just running from under center nonstop or running draws to Hilliard. I like it. So yeah, you know, not great.

But I'm going to continue to repeat what I tweeted earlier in the week. We knew Malik Willis was not ready to start this year. He needed a red shirt year. We knew that. So I'm not surprised that he's having mistakes out there. I didn't think it was so bad that I'm ready to write him off as a potential option for the Titans. I don't think it was so bad that I'm ready to write him off as a potential option for the Titans. I don't think it was so good that we have to have any conversation

about him replacing Ryan Tannehill. That was always going to be nonsense if anyone was saying that, and it continues to be. Ryan Tannehill is the best quarterback on this team by far, and he needs to play. But that doesn't mean that watching Malik was a bad time. Exactly as I outlined on Tuesday's show last week, this is an opponent that's set up

where you might be able to get away with Malik Willis starting. Brian Tannehill gets to rest and get ready for the toughest stretch. The Titans were able to run the ball down their throat. Malik had his bad plays and had his mistakes, but it wasn't anything the Titans couldn't overcome, and he got some valuable experience.

So, yeah, tightened down from Malik Willis. He didn't play very good in this game, but I thought it was fine. It was fine. And I'm not making any bold proclamations based on it either. Again, Ryan Tannehill still needs to play,

despite the offense scoring 17 more points than it did last week. Ryan Tannehill is needs to play, despite the offense scoring 17 more points than it did last week. Ryan Tannehill is the starter for this team. And Malik gets to go back to having a redshirt year and progressing, and we'll see what he does in the preseason next year, hopefully. So, not an absolutely awful performance. And I just want to say this. Look at Zach Wilson.

Mac Jones. Look at, like, Justin Fields. Look at like a Justin Fields. Look at Sam Ellinger. It's not like Malik Willis is the only quarterback in the NFL that's struggling. And Malik has, and we knew that Malik needed way more progression and way more

coaching than those guys I just mentioned. And those guys are not in their rookie season. So, just think about that. I don't know. Anyways, going to be back tomorrow to examine the rest of the schedule in this next tough stretch for the Titans. Make sure you guys subscribe for Monday through Friday

free Tennessee Titans content. It's your team every day. That's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.