Cowboys-Titans
Time: 1 PM EST
Line: TEN -3.5
Total: 49
Betting odds courtesy of Bookmaker
Tennessee Titans QB Jake Locker has never been bad; he’s just seemingly always injured. Locker had six TDs and no INTs in the Titans win over the New York Jets last season.
After a 3-1 start, the Titans lost eight of its next 12 games, rotting away a nice start with another Locker injury. The Titans seemingly have made the right choice by remaining loyal to Locker.
The Titans won 26-10 over a tough Kansas City team that won 11 games last year and made a postseason appearance. Coach Ken Whieshunt said “We went in there with the idea if we play football the way we’re supposed to play, we’re going to win the game.” That’s high confidence in his team, and the Titans find themselves 3.5 point favorites over the Dallas Cowboys this week according to NFL oddsmakers.
Locker completed 22-of-33 passes for 266 yards and two TDs. His QB rating of 111.4 was his 3rd best game in 19 career starts, and last week it was 2nd only to Peyton Manning in the AFC. The time of possession also worked in Tennessee’s favor, controlling the ball for 37:44, which was the team’s highest since Nov. 2009.
The Titans racked up 162 yards via the rush. Shonn Greene rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries. Locker was concerned with the penalties the team incurred, saying “If we can take penalties out, we might score a few more touchdowns.
The Dallas Cowboys are hoping to avoid an 0-2 start, the last of which resulted in a 6-10 season in 2010. Tony Romo threw for 23-of-37 completions for 281 yards. His No. 1 target Dez Bryant missed a lot of plays in the game due to dehydration, but he still managed 55 yards on four receptions. DeMarco Murray rushed for 118 yards and a TD on 22 carries. But he did fumble the ball once which resulted in a turnover and TD for the 49ers.
Dallas showed it was notoriously bad on defense after allowing a league-high 415.3 yards per game last season. In the game against the 49ers, Dallas fell behind 28-3 and the 49ers played conservatively following the big lead.
Weisenhunt was diplomatic with the D, saying that “It doesn’t really mean anything if we don’t make this a consistent thing.
Titans TE Zach Brown is out for the rest of the season after tearing a pectoral muscle. Zaviar Brown will have to step up to replace Brown after doing so in the opener. The last meeting between the Cowboys and Titans occurred in 2006, and the Cowboys routed the Titans 45-14. But the Cowboys are far from the team it was 8 years ago.
