Tennessee Titans at Minnesota Vikings
Time: 12 NOON EST
Spread: TEN -2.5
Total: 49.5
Odds c/o 5dimes
The Tennessee Titans are 2-0 after defeating the Denver Broncos in Week 1 and knocking off the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-30 last week. It takes to the road in Week 2 to face the Minnesota Vikings at Noon (EST) on CBS. The over/under is set at 49.5 points according to NFL oddsmakers at 5dimes.
TEN
The Titans won Week 1 on the road and are hoping to improve to 2-0 away from home as favorites this week. The Titans got a huge game out of Ryan Tannehill, as the QB threw 18 of 24 for 239 yard and four touchdowns. The Titans did work on Gardner Minshew of Jacksonville, too, intercepting him twice and sacking him twice for 24-lost-yards. The Titans were out-gained in yardage but did manage 123 rushing yards on 34 attempts with Derrick Henry’s 84 yards leading the way.
Tennessee failed to get in the end zone via the rush, but Jonnu Smith caught two touchdown passes on his four receptions for 84 yards, and Adam Humphries and Corey Davis each caught a TD pass as well. Kenny Vaccaro and Malcolm Butler did work on “D”- the pair picked up 11 tackles apiece, and Vaccaro had a sack and tackle for loss. The other sack came from Jack Crawford who also had a tackle for loss. Kristian Fulton had a 44-yard return on an interception and Landry picked up the other pick.
Stephen Gostowski connected on 2 of 2 field goals but did miss one of his four PATs. Brett Kern landed all three of his punts in the 20, including a long-punt of 57-yards. Tannehill has thrown 70.1 percent for completion this year with six touchdowns, no interceptions, and just one sack per contest. His passer rating is 120.7, and he has rushed just twice for seven yards. Henry has just 3.6 yards-per-carry but has 56 attempts and nine first downs. Davis has caught 10 of 13 targeted passes for 137 yards and a touchdown while Jonnu Smith leads the team in touchdowns (3) and is second in first downs (5). Vaccaro has been a monster defensively with 17 tackles through two games including a sack and two tackles for loss. Malcolm Butler, Jayon Brown, and Kevin Byard all have 12 tackles or more and 38 as a trio.
MIN
The Minnesota Vikings are 0-2 after losing 34-43 to Green Bay in Week 1 and 11-28 last week to the Indianapolis Colts. Minnesota has struggled offensively in the young season. Last week, Kirk Cousins connected just 11 of 26 for only 113 yards with three interceptions and suffered three sacks for 18-lost-yards. The rush attack was mostly futile with 80 yards on 18 attempts, though Minnesota did score its only touchdown on a Dalvin Cook rush. No receiver had more than three catches or 44 yards, led by Justin Jefferson picking up just that.
Dan Bailey hit his lone field goal attempt, a 21-yard kick. Cousins has just a 58.8 percent completion ratio and is averaging just 7.3 yards-per-catch on his completions with only 203 yards per game. He has thrown four picks, three last week, and one in Week 1, and his passer rating stands at just 61.9. Cook is averaging 4.3 yards-per-carry and has three touchdowns but the rest of the team has rushed just six times.
Adam Thielen leads the receivers in total catches (9), yardage (141), and touchdowns (all two). The Vikings will have to stimulate a much better offensive attack, but how it will do so with so few prospects flashing any real offensive potential is less certain. As just 2.5-point underdogs the Vikings really should be within striking distance in this one, but which team will show up offensively? The one that managed 30-plus points week 1, or the one that could barely get anything going in week 2?
