Titans 17, Chargers 27

Another game for the Titans where they felt like the better team in the first half, and then blow up in the second half. Tennessee was up 7-3 in the second quarter with all of the momentum, but a missed field goal took all the wind out of their sails. After that, it was all Chargers.

LA is now (6-3) and fighting for a wildcard spot. They’re a good and disciplined team that would be first in many divisions but they just so happen to be in the same division as the Chiefs.

Tennessee (2-7) is close to being a great time, I thought it would happen this year but I was clearly wrong… if they stick by Levis and get him some weapons then 2025 will be their year. Tennessee faces the Vikings, Texans, and Commanders in their next three weeks, and that run of a schedule will end their season. Let’s hope Levis can flash in one of those games.

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QB Report:
- Will Levis (18/23 for 175 yards, 2 TDs; 5 rushes for 41 yards) always looks good, and he did again here. He didn’t have one of those stupid plays that would go viral so people are making up reasons for why this was a bad game, mainly that he took too many sacks (7, for 18 yards). Sure that’s a lot, but it’s not fully his fault… their o-line isn’t great, the Chargers' defense is maybe the best in the league, and the receivers they haven’t aren’t all that good either. 

Levis could work for you in a deeper league, he’s running a lot because of the offensive issues noted above, but he’s also just a smart QB who more often than not knows when to pull it down and run.

RB Report:
- Tony Pollard (7-47-0; 4 catches for 19 yards) is a fun back to watch, this offense as a whole is very fun to watch if you just cover up Tyler Boyd and the offensive line. 

I have Pollard as a buy-low this week for a couple of reasons, the most important one is that he is running very well. When Pollard is ‘on’ this offense is humming along, and when the offense isn’t working then they rely on Pollard to try and inch the ball forward. Pollard is the future of this offense for the rest of the season and years to come (for those dynasty peeps).

- The return of Gus Edwards (10-55-0) looked solid. JK Dobbins (15-50-0; 3 catches for 5 yards) has looked so bad that there is a place for Edwards in this offense in deeper leagues. Who knows, maybe he works his way into a true split.

WR Report:
- Ladd McConkey (2-52-0/2) had a ‘Chargers Winning’ game. There’s nothing wrong it’s just Harbaugh would prefer to run the ball 40 times and pass to his tight ends rather than one of the best route runners in the league.

- Quentin Johnston (2-24-1/2) has 16 targets in the Chargers last 4 games, but he’s hauled in 3 scores so it’s working a little bit. 5 TDs in their last 6 as well.

- The Calvin Ridley (5-84-2/9) move is finally paying off, and it took constant berating from the media for 2 months to unleash him. This is HUGE for Levis and this offense as a whole, getting a true #1 WR. Ridley looks so so good I can’t express it over text. He’s found himself in that group of players I love that aren’t superstars like Pickens-McConkey-Coker.

- On top of the Ridley breakout, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (3-31-0/3) is starting to look like a player worthy of being in the NFL. These are all good signs for Will Levis and the Titans moving forward.

D/ST Report:

- Both of these defenses are superb as we know, Tennessee is #1 in total yards and #1 in pass yards allowed but is 29th in points allowed. They are getting killed by dumb offensive plays and special teams. The Titans allow the most return yards in the league.

- Checking in on Jack Gibbens (15 tackles) who I raved about last week, and he went nuclear. He was on the ball on almost every play. Incredible job, but also playing the Chargers run-heavy offense, tackle numbers will be higher among the front seven. In Gibbens’ two starts after the Ernest Jones trade, he has 14 and 15 tackles. 

- The Chargers have their own ILB going off, Daiyan Henley (14 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL) just notched his third-straight 10+ tackle performance.

image source: (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)