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October 10, 2016
By Jim Wyatt
Here’s a look at six things that stood out – good and bad – from Sunday’s 30-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Here’s a look at six things that stood out -- good and bad – following Sunday’s 30-17 win over the Dolphins.
Karl Klug’s dominance
Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan and Jurrell Casey got the sacks -- two each, in fact. But Titans defensive lineman Karl Klug also turned in quite a performance on Sunday. Klug was only on the field for 24 snaps, but Pro Football Focus credited him with two hits and four hurries. I watched the game again this morning and I counted three hits on Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill by Klug, including one that resulted in safety Daimion Stafford’s interception. The Titans went on a feeding frenzy on Sunday, and Klug showed his teeth.
Murray’s effectiveness
Running back DeMarco Murray turned in his second 100-yard game, and he’s now second in the NFL in rushing. How he’s doing it continues to impress me. Murray showed some nifty spin moves on Sunday, but he also lowered his shoulder and ran through would-be tacklers. Just ask Dolphins safety Reshad Jones about that. Murray also showed off his speed on the edge. Murray forced 13 missed tackles on Sunday en route to 121 yards on the ground. He now has 461 on the season.
Mariota’s confidence
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota turned in his most complete performance of the season on Sunday. He threw three touchdown passes, and he made good decisions with the football. He didn’t turn the ball over, and reacted well when under pressure. He looked comfortable. One of the biggest keys was his success running the football. Mariota sprinted for 60 yards on seven carries on Sunday, and the added dimension really hurt the Dolphins.
Sloppy tackling
The Titans dominated play, but weren’t perfect against the Dolphins. The Titans allowed three plays of 50-plus yards, including a 74-yard punt return, a 50-yard completion to DeVante Parker on a deep all and a short pass to running back Damien Williams that turned into a 58-yard gain. The Titans were sloppy on the return -- at least three guys missed Jakeem Grant – and defenders should’ve stopped Williams near the line of scrimmage. These mistakes need to be cleaned up.
O-line was dominant
If you’re looking for ‘Exhibit A’ for smash-mouth football, go back and watch the 12-play, 76-yard drive that gave the Titans a 14-7 lead. The Titans ran the ball 10 plays in a row while moving downfield with ease, ripping off runs of five, eight, eight, 22, five and 10 yards along the way. The holes were huge, and Murray and Derrick Henry both ran through them. So did Mariota. The Titans piled up 235 yards on the ground, and the group up front deserves a lot of the credit.
Two in a row
OK, this one has nothing to do with Sunday’s win. It’s about moving forward, and the opportunity ahead. The result against the Dolphins should be a momentum-builder for the Titans. The team now has three straight games at Nissan Stadium, including Sunday’s game against the Browns. The Titans haven’t won two straight games since the end of the 2013 season, and it’s time to end that streak. The Titans are headed into a stretch of the schedule that includes four teams – Browns (0-5), Colts (2-3), Jaguars (1-3) and Chargers (1-4) -- with a combined mark of 4-15. The Titans have a chance to make things really interesting. Will they take advantage of it?
