Titans get first shot at revenge vs. Bengals since playoff loss

Titans get first shot at revenge vs. Bengals since playoff loss
Mark Cannizzaro

If having won seven of the past eight games and still being an underdog playing at home doesn’t have the Titans feeling disrespected, then how about a revenge angle?

The Titans (7-3) will host the Bengals (6-4), the Super Bowl runners-up, Sunday in Nashville, and it’s the first time the two teams have played since January, when No. 1-seeded Tennessee was eliminated in a divisional-round upset by Cincinnati.

“More than half of our team did not even play in that game,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel, told reporters this past week, predictably playing down the revenge angle.

Indeed. The Tennessee roster has played 25 different players on defense this season. Both the Titans and Bengals, winners of four of their past five games, have overcome 0-2 starts this season and are in the heart of the playoff race again.

The Titans are in first place in the AFC South. They have a three-game lead in the loss column over the Colts and are seeking their third consecutive division title.

Their formula is the same as it has been in recent years — a lot of running back Derrick Henry and a stout defense. Tennessee is allowing an average of 15.4 points a game since a 41-7 loss to the Bills in Week 2. Henry has 1,010 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.

Joe Burrow and Derrick HenryJoe Burrow and Derrick HenryGetty Images (2)

“We know last year we got him when he was coming off an injury, and so that’ll be a little bit different from what we see from him this week,” Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said.

Making this a fun matchup is Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. He has led an offense that’s tied for third in the league in scoring with 28.5 points a game.

“We’re playing as good as anybody. We’re hitting our stride offensively,’’ Burrow said.

“I feel like we’ve had good momentum,” Taylor said. “This team’s in a really good place.”

Burrow and the Bengals are hoping to have star receiver Ja’Marr Chase, out with an injured hip, back in the lineup Sunday. He returned to practice Wednesday, but reports have said he won’t play. He has 47 catches for 605 yards and six TDs this season.

With Chase out for three games, Joe Mixon rushed for 153 yards and scored five total TDs in a 42-21 rout of the Panthers two weeks ago. But Mixon left last week with a concussion and was declared out Friday after not practicing all week.

Mixon’s production will be replaced by backup back Samaje Perine, who had three TDs on four receptions (a club record) last week, and receiver Trenton Irwin, who caught his first career TD pass.

Bengals running back Joe Mixon (concussion) won't play against the Titans.Bengals running back Joe Mixon (concussion) won’t play against the Titans.AP

Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was intercepted in that playoff loss to the Bengals with 20 seconds left to set up Cincinnati’s game-winning field goal. It was his third pick of the game. He revealed in the spring that he sought therapy to help him deal with what he called a “deep scar’’ from that game, as he blamed himself for the loss.

Tannehill enters Sunday coming off his best game this season. He threw for 333 yards and two TDs last week, and has been intercepted just four times in eight games this season.

“Each and every year is a little bit different,” Tannehill said, trying to downplay the therapy angle. “There is a little bit different mental side to it. Myself and everyone included has grown mentally throughout the challenges of this year.”

One of the Titans’ memories of the playoff game last January was setting a franchise record (and tying the NFL postseason record) with nine sacks.

“We keep bringing up last year,” Titans Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who had three sacks in that divisional loss, said this past week. “We didn’t have not one strip-sack with nine sacks, so we could get to the quarterback. Let’s try to get the ball off the quarterback as well.”