There has been a lot of talk all over social media as to whether or not the Tennessee Titans’ Week 12 game against the Cincinnati Bengals should be considered a revenge game.
Truthfully, it’s up to each fan, player, and coach to individually determine how they see Sunday’s contest.
However, the actuality of the situation is these are practically two completely different teams than the ones that faced off in January. Adding to that, a regular season win for the Titans doesn’t erase the playoff loss at all.
Regardless of all that, many fans and media members alike are going to hype this weekend’s AFC showdown as something along the lines of a redemption game, especially when it comes to Titans’ quarterback, Ryan Tannehill.
#Titans QB @ryantannehill1 on @Bengals playoff game from a year ago: This is a new team facing a new challenge. It's not a revenge game, and this year's game has nothing to do with last year
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) November 22, 2022
In reality, there’s absolutely nothing that could happen on Sunday that’s going to completely erase the scar that was opened during last year’s unfortunate playoff ending.
Nonetheless, on top of getting the team’s eighth victory, what Tannehill and the Titans can possibly do on Sunday is begin to solidify the legitimacy of their budding passing attack.
Ever since the Texas native returned from his ankle injury, he’s completed 65.1 percent of his passes (41-of-63) for 588 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Tennessee’s signal caller also produced an impressive passer rating of 109.8 the past two games.
As a matter of fact, Tannehill has been one of the more efficient quarterbacks in the NFL ever since he returned to the lineup.
Over his last two games, Tennessee’s veteran quarterback ranks:
- No. 5 in Adjusted EPA/Play (0.339)
- No. 6 in EPA/CPOE Composite (0.171)
- No. 6 in EPA/Play (0.326)
- No. 6 in Success Rate (56.2 percent)
Even more impressive is the fact that he accomplished all this against objectively strong pass defenses.
The Broncos are currently allowing the third-fewest passing yards (186.8 YPG) this season, while the Packers have allowed the fifth-fewest (192.5 YPG).
According to RBSDM, Denver also has a top-five passing defense in terms of efficiency, ranking second in Dropback Success Rate (41.0 percent), and fourth in Dropback EPA (-0.101).
This week, the Texas A&M product has the chance to make a third straight statement against a formidable Bengals defense that is playing well at the moment.
Cincinnati’s secondary has allowed the fourth-lowest Dropback success rate (42.7 percent), along with the seventh-lowest Dropback EPA (-0.033) in the NFL this season. The group has also allowed fewer than 210 passing yards per game in the process (13th-lowest).
If Tannehill is able to produce a third consecutive outing with an impressive performance against another stout defensive unit, it’s going to start changing the narrative surrounding what the Titans’ ceiling as a team can be this season.
In order to do so, it’s imperative that the passing attack continues to treat first-round wide receiver Treylon Burks like the primary option he is.
Treylon Burks vs Packers:
• 8 targets (led team)
• 7 receptions (led team)
• 111 yards (led team)What a BREAKOUT game for the Titans rookie WR 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cFA0dCvAAw
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) November 18, 2022
That type of commitment to the rookie would then allow Robert Woods to excel in the No. 2 role he has often thrived in during his career, while also reverting Nick Westbrook-Ikhine back into a contributing complementary asset for the offense instead of overly relying on him as a primary weapon.
This week, Tannehill and his arsenal of pass-catchers have the chance to prove that these last few weeks were not a fluke.
Also, no matter how much some try to downplay the situation, it definitely wouldn’t hurt seeing No. 17 slinging the rock against the same opponent that forced him into a dark mental space earlier this year.
Ryan Tannehill said he was in a dark place after the loss to the Bengals. Tannehill said he had gone to therapy before but felt this was the first time he really needed therapy to get out of the dark place he was in. #Titans
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) May 3, 2022
Again, nothing the Titans do this weekend will change anything about the 2021 playoffs, but a strong performance — especially in the passing game — can undoubtedly go a long way toward washing the sour taste out of everyone’s mouths when we collectively think of the Bengals.
More importantly, another convincing outing by this passing attack will help to establish Tennessee as a legitimate Super Bowl contender once again.
