Six things the Titans should keep in mind heading into Monday night’s game against the Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Titans face the Miami Dolphins on Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium.

Here’s a look at six things to keep in mind leading up to the competition:

Can Levis find magic?

It’s been an uncertain start to the season for Titans quarterback Will Levis, who has thrown for 578 yards and four touchdowns but five interceptions, including two pick-6 INTs. The Titans need Levis to calm down and lead the way. On a Monday night last December at Hard Rock Stadium, Levis made a memorable comeback as the Titans scored 15 points in 51 seconds to win 28-27. Levis threw for a career-best 327 yards in that game. Can Levis recapture some of that magic when he returns to Hard Rock Stadium?

The Titans need to give Levis time, and he hasn’t been given much of that so far, especially last Sunday when he was sacked eight times by the Packers. Levis has been sacked 15 times in three games – entering Week 4, only Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson (16) has been sacked more in 2024. The Titans have discussed changes ahead of time, particularly at right tackle, where Nicholas Petit-Frere started the first three games. Above all, the Titans want the NPF to be more consistent and better. This much is certain: The Titans need to protect their QB better. Shaky protection is one of the reasons the team has a sack differential of minus-8, or 2^nd Worst in the NFL.

Better around Levis and points

It’s not just the offensive line that has to help the QB. The Titans need consistent playmakers here, both in the running game and in the passing game. Yes, there are several reasons why this team has only scored 17, 17, and 14 points in games this season. There are ways the Titans can get out of this. DeAndre Hopkins led the team with six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 after Calvin Ridley threw for two touchdowns in Week 2. The Titans need to be more productive on offense and, in turn, change course after several years of low spending. The Titans haven’t scored 30 points in a game since their 2nd game^nd-last game against the Dolphins, a 34-3 win in Week 17 of 2021. Tennessee’s current streak of 38 games without 30 points is the longest active streak in the NFL.

Through the first two weeks of the season, the Titans relied on their defense to keep them in the game. The unit was ranked No. 1 in the NFL in Week 2. But the defense didn’t play with the same strength against the Packers when the tackling was questionable and the pressure faded. DC Dennard Wilson tallied 15 missed tackles against the Packers. The Titans are still ranked 5th in defense^Th overall in the NFL, but the defense is allowing 26.0 points per game (T-24th).^Th). This group is ready to bounce back on Monday night against another team that is starting a backup quarterback. After Skylar Thompson was injured last week, the Dolphins named Tyler Huntley this week’s starter. Huntley is elusive and he can make plays. The Titans need to contain him and attack better.

This is another area where the Titans defense needs to make a difference. Overall, the Titans made things more difficult for themselves by passing the ball on offense. The Titans have a turnover differential of minus-7, which is worst in the NFL. Levis has eight giveaways of his own, which is the most of any player this season. But the Titans defense hasn’t forced a turnover this season, and that needs to change. The only turnover the Titans took advantage of was on special teams in Week 1, when the Bears botched a kickoff. Can that change on Monday evening? It will be one of the things to keep an eye on against the Dolphins.

The Titans are 0-3 and are now one-point underdogs against the 1-2 Dolphins after the line shifted in recent days. It’s crunch time for the Titans, who have dug themselves into a pretty big hole. Since 1990, only four teams that started 0-3 have made the playoffs. Here’s how the odds change based on Monday night’s results, win or lose: Since 1990, teams seeded 1-3 have made the playoffs 14.0% of the time, won the division 7.4% of the time, and in Won a Super Bowl 0.4% of the time. currently. The playoff percentages for teams that start 0-4 are pretty dismal: 1.0% for making the playoffs, 1.0% for winning the division, and 0.0% for winning the Super Bowl. The Titans desperately need a win before the bye week.