Winless Raiders and Winless Titans Clash in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders are in an NFL group no team ever wants to be mired in: 0-2 and stuck at the bottom of their divisions.

If these teams can avoid a tie Sunday in Music City, at least someone will walk away with the first victory of the season and a chance to start building some momentum.

And the Titans and Raiders, both playoff teams in 2021, insist their issues right now are all their own.

“That’s the message to our team,” Titans Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said. “It’s not about trying to see who’s going to go 0-3. It’s about the Tennessee Titans finding a way to get this win.”

The Titans haven’t started this poorly in a decade, and their 41-7 rout Monday night in Buffalo was their worst loss since October 2017.

It’s been a distressing start for a team that was the AFC’s No. 1 seed a year ago, though Tennessee at least plays in the woeful AFC South.

Las Vegas has its own high hopes after hiring Josh McDaniels. The Raiders also spent lots of money adding players such as five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Chandler Jones and handing out extensions to tight end Darren Waller and receiver Hunter Renfrow.

That made blowing a 20-point halftime lead in a 29-23 overtime loss to Arizona in the Raiders’ home opener more than disappointing in the competitive AFC West. Adams, who had just two catches for his fewest receptions in a game since 2017 and nothing after halftime, said there’s a bit of urgency.

“We have to be on our stuff and get ready and go out there and get a win now,” Adams said.

RESPECTING HENRY

Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham doesn’t have much affinity for offensive players, having spent his entire career devising ways to stop them. Graham does admit that Titans running back Derrick Henry is an exception with this his first chance at defending the two-time NFL rushing champ.

“I’ve admired from afar because as a defensive coach, there’s not too many things we like about offense, but when you see a guy that could run the ball and the way he runs the ball and the physicality, I wish he would have switched over to defensive end or linebacker at some point,” Graham said. “I’m excited about the challenge.”

The Raiders have been stingy against the run so far, allowing just 3.7 yards per carry for the sixth-best mark in the league. Henry is off to a slow start with just 107 yards rushing the first two weeks.

PROTECT TANNEHILL

The previous time the Titans played against Chandler Jones, the defensive end wreaked havoc on their offensive line, sacking Tannehill five times and forcing two fumbles to kick off his run to a fourth straight Pro Bowl and the three-year contract the Raiders gave him this offseason.

The Titans likely will be without three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan, whom Jones repeatedly attacked a year ago. Lewan was carted off after their first offensive play against Buffalo. Dennis Daley replaced Lewan in Buffalo and now will have a week of practice.