Tennessee Titans Escape with Upset Win over Miami Dolphins
The Tennessee Titans pulled off a shocking upset on Monday night, defeating the Miami Dolphins 28-27 despite costly turnovers. This win marked the Titans’ first road victory of the season and dealt a blow to the Dolphins’ quest for the No. 1 AFC seed. The Baltimore Ravens now hold sole possession of the top spot. Let’s take a closer look at each team’s performance:
Tennessee Titans (5-8)
Somehow, the Titans managed to come away with the win over the Dolphins, who were tied with the Ravens for the top seed in the AFC. Quarterback Will Levis led the Titans on a game-winning drive, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown run by Derrick Henry. This was Levis’ first fourth-quarter, come-from-behind scoring drive. He had an impressive performance, throwing for 327 yards, the most by a rookie in “Monday Night Football” history. Levis showed great arm strength and accuracy, connecting with DeAndre Hopkins on a deep 45-yard pass and threading the needle on a 24-yard completion to Hopkins between three defenders. The Titans’ red zone defense also played a crucial role, limiting the Dolphins to just two field goals on their first three trips inside the 5-yard line.
Pivotal Play
Coach Mike Vrabel’s decision to attempt a 2-point conversion after making it a one-score game proved to be the difference-maker. The successful conversion put the Titans in a position to take the lead when Henry crossed the goal line with 1:49 left on the clock.
Under-the-Radar Stat that Matters
The Titans’ red zone defense has been exceptional this season, allowing opposing offenses to score touchdowns on only 37% of their visits inside the 20-yard line. Miami, on the other hand, had the best touchdown scoring rate in the red zone at 75%. However, the Dolphins struggled to convert their red zone opportunities into touchdowns against the Titans, settling for field goals on two of their three trips inside the 5-yard line.
Up Next
The Titans will face the Houston Texans at home on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Miami Dolphins (9-4)
The Dolphins had a difficult time finishing the game, surrendering 15 unanswered points in the final four minutes. Despite having a greater-than-99% chance to win with less than four minutes remaining, the Dolphins failed to secure the victory. Their offense struggled to score touchdowns in the red zone, only converting on two out of five trips. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa faced pressure on over 40% of his dropbacks due to injuries to four starting offensive linemen. He finished with 240 passing yards but failed to throw a touchdown or interception.
Promising Trend
The Dolphins’ defense continued to shine, scoring a touchdown for the third consecutive game. Their defense has been the best in the NFL over the past month, contributing to the team’s competitiveness.
Up Next
The Dolphins will host the New York Jets on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.