Recap: Packers beat Titans 31-17

It’s the preseason, so no true game story tonight. Instead, here’s a collection of takeaways from the first watch of tonight’s game.

• The Titans lost 31-17. This does not matter at all.
• Corey Davis did go through warm-ups before the game. He did not play, however. No Rishard Matthews either, as expected. It was Darius Jennings and Taywan Taylor getting the start at receiver. It’s notable that Tajae Sharpe played behind Jennings tonight, just as we have seen in practice.

First Team Offense

• Marcus Mariota hit Nick Williams out of the slot on a short throw. Williams broke a tackle and got free, flipping the field and getting the Titans in striking distance.
• Mariota tossed a really nice fade route to Taylor, who tripped. That was an easy six points had Taylor not lost his footing.
• Mariota came back with a short touchdown pass to Jennings. It was a really nicely designed play, featuring a couple of picks on the inside. Jennings ran a quick inside route and easily scored.
• Derrick Henry took three carries for 11 yards while Dion Lewis handled one carry for seven yards on the opening drive.
• Mariota played just one series. He finished 2-3 for 42 yards and a touchdown. He carried the ball once for seven yards.

First Team Defense

• Harold Landry got the start on the edge in place of the injured Brian Orakpo.
• That new secondary we were all so excited to see? Well.... not a great start. It was Adoree’ Jackson getting beat a couple of times for short gains, then Malcolm Butler gave up a deep completion to Davante Adams. Butler was in decent position, but the ball was spot on from Brett Hundley.
• Hundley finished off the drive with a short pass to Jamaal Williams, who capitalized on a missed tackle from Jayon Brown.

Other notes

• Rookie safety Dane Cruikshank went down with an injury on punt coverage. He was attempting to recover a fumble when he landed awkwardly on his arm/shoulder.
• Harold Landry made an impact early. He fired off the left side of the line and dipped under the left tackle, coming free for a sack. He stripped the ball from Hundley in the process.

• Mike Vrabel chose to go for it on 4th and 4 from the Packers’ 12 yard line in the second quarter. Akrum Wadley was able to convert. Do with that information what you will, but it was nice to see the Titans make such an aggressive move early on.
• Gimel President was able to get pressure and a hit in on Hundley, forcing a fluttering pass which was picked off by Jayon Brown.
• LeShaun Sims had a huge first half. After forcing a fumble on a punt, Sims came back and was super active in man coverage. He nearly single-handedly ended a Packers drive with a couple of pass breakups in the endzone.
• Anthony Firkser didn’t have a great night. He caught a pass in the first quarter with open field in front of him, only to fall down on his own. He backed that up with a drop in the third quarter.
• Akrum Wadley showed some flashes of ability tonight, but lost a fumble to open the fourth quarter.
• Cameron Batson handled most of the kick-off returns tonight. Wadley got the last two, taking the last one 50+ yards.
• Luke Falk missed on a deep attempt late in the game. Devin Ross came free deep, but Falk was a good ten yards short. He followed that up with a nice timing out-route to Deontay Burnett, however. Falk finished the night strong, capping off a touchdown drive with a throw to Tim Semisch.
• Rico Gafford, Demontre Hurst and Joseph Este had rough nights in the second half. The first five cornerbacks seem firmly set, as expected.

Stay tuned to MCM for full coverage as we wrap this one up.