Reaction: Titans beat Patriots to close out the Preseason

The Titans finish out the preseason on a high note with a win, here are my reactions and takeaways from the 23-7 win!!

A Near Flawless Malik Willis Night

Besides the two interceptions, Willis was near perfect all night long. The latter struggled early, but really turned it on in the second half to secure the Titans a win. Willis went 15/20 for 211 yards, 2 TDS, and 2 INTs. A beautiful TD pass to Kearis Jackson to start the fourth quarter was the highlight of Malik’s night, along with a TD to Julius Chestnut. Overall, this was a step in the right direction preseason for Willis, as he will be the team’s number two QB, and showed tremendous improvement from last year…

Caleb Murphy Must Make this Team

Murphy recorded another sack today, bringing his preseason total up to four. The former Ferris State superstar is relentless in his pursuit of the QB and can rush the passer in multiple different ways. Though Edge is a pretty deep and crowded position on this Titans’ team, Murphy definitely deserves a roster spot and rotational-type role with this team. He has been near unblockable in the preseason and was a major reason why the Titans’ defense only allowed 79 total yards today…

Kearis Jackson Makes a Statement

Jackson has been quiet this preseason and looked like a likely cut candidate heading into this game. He heard that and flat-out punched the narrative in the mouth! His TD catch from Malik Willis was the Titans’ best offense play all night, and it was Jackson’s first career TD! Kearis also made an impact in the return game, as he returned punts for TEN today and had a 16-yard return. The 6th WR spot is heavily contested right now in Tennessee, but Jackson strengthened his case for the position a ton today…

A Defensive MasterClass

The Titans’ defense was dominant tonight, giving up just seven points and 79 yards of total offense. Zappe had no answer for the Titans’ secondary, and the Pats’ O-Line struggled all night to quiet down the lethal Tennessee pash rush. Denico Autry started the game with fireworks, Weaver chipped in, Michael Dwumfour has been a surprise playmaker this preseason, and we already talked about Murphy. Recently signed Kyle Peko also came away with a sack tonight as well. In the secondary, Elijah Molden and Steven Jones Jr. were two standouts, but it was a team effort in the back end. Though many have been focused on the Titans’ offense this preseason, we have to remember that the identity of this team starts on the defensive side of the ball, especially the front four!!

The time is almost here, Week 1 of the NFL season! Training Camp and the Preseason is over, and the final 53-man rosters will be out soon. It’s football time!!