Field Level Media
Oct 1, 2023
Derrick Henry ran 22 times for 122 yards and a touchdown and also threw a touchdown pass to help the Tennessee Titans rout the visiting Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 Sunday in Nashville.
The Titans (2-2) held the Bengals (1-3) to just 211 yards while Ryan Tannehill completed 18 of 25 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown.
One week after gaining just six first downs, the Titans rebounded with a balanced attack against a Bengals defense that wilted in the 85-degree heat with missed tackles and blown assignments.
Joe Burrow was ineffective and off-target for most of the day, finishing 20 of 30 for 165 yards.
The Bengals were held to three points for the second time in four games this season. Adding to Cincinnati's misery was the loss of two players to injury. Tee Higgins suffered a rib injury in the first half and did not return while starting cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt left in concussion protocol in the third quarter and did not return.
The Titans were up 24-3 at the half after Tannehill and Henry each threw a touchdown pass in the second quarter, sandwiched around Henry's 29-yard touchdown run.
Tennessee opened the third quarter with a 15-play drive that consumed over 10 minutes of the clock, aided by Dax Hill's unsportsmanlike conduct call on third down when it appeared the Bengals' defense would get off the field.
Joe Mixon was one of Cincinnati's lone bright spots with 67 yards on 14 carries.
The Bengals were off to a promising start when they took the ball and drove right down the field. Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins each had two catches for 26 and 19 yards, respectively.
The Bengals drove to the Titans 10, but the Bengals couldn't punch it in. Additionally, Burrow was lucky he didn't get intercepted on second down when Amani Hooker stepped in front of Higgins and nearly picked off a pass that could've resulted in a pick-6 for Tennessee.
The Bengals ran it with Mixon on the next play down to the Titans 3 and had to settle for a 21-yard Evan McPherson field goal.
Mixon was a force in the first quarter, running it five times for 33 yards for a 6.6-yard average.
The Titans started bringing more pressure in the second quarter and got to Burrow, including a sack and two quarterback hits that landed Burrow flat on his back.
--Field Level Media