The Tennessee Titans in Week 9 will have a short turnaround to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. This will be the first matchup between the two AFC teams since December of 2021 when the Steelers came out on top.
The Titans find themselves in an interesting position at the midway point of the season. They're coming off an upset win over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, with Will Levis receiving his first career NFL start after Ryan Tannehill was sidelined with an ankle injury. Levis' performance came as a shock to pretty much everyone, probably most notably to the Falcons, as he threw for four touchdowns without any interceptions.
Now, with the Titans at 3-4, they must decide whether they will attempt to compete or not. Some of that decision may be influenced by Tuesday's trade deadline. However, with Tannehill out again, we will get to see Levis under center for his second start against the always stingy Steelers' defense. This challenge will also be on the road during prime time.
Speaking of quarterback play, the Steelers' Kenny Pickett appears to be playing for the Thursday Night Football, even though he's still dealing with a rib injury, according to Ian Rapoport. However, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been ruled out, per ESPN. The Steelers (4-3) will need a win to keep pace with the AFC North first-place Baltimore Ravens. The Titans, on the other hand, need a lot of help to catch up to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now, let's dive into some Titans Week 9 predictions.
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Will Levis may regress a bit, but throws for a touchdown, 200 yards
Anything can happen, as we saw last Sunday when Levis had a great performance in his first start. However, this is the NFL, and as soon as there is tape on someone, they are bound to get exposed sooner or later. Also, Levis did get a bit lucky on a few of his throws, including his first touchdown to DeAndre Hopkins, where it probably should have been called for offensive pass interference.
The Steelers rank 24th in passing defense in the league, having given up 10 touchdowns through the air. If Levis is indeed the starter, I'd expect him to throw for at least one on Thursday night.
The Titans hold the Steelers to 17 points or less
This game could turn into a bit of a defensive battle, with minimal scoring, at least from the Pittsburgh side. The Steelers are averaging near the bottom of the league in points scored per game, and with a banged up Kenny Pickett starting, it doesn't look great for the Steelers' offense. Mitch Trubisky could easily find himself in the game at some point.
The Titans' defensive front was all over Desmond Ridder last Sunday, sacking him five times, and then getting to backup Taylor Heinicke once. If the Titans can get to Trubisky or a hurt Pickett, it's likely to be a long night for the Steelers, holding them to 17 points or less.
Derrick Henry rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns
The Steelers are one of the worst teams against the run in the league, allowing 4.5 yards per carry for 137 yards a game. Derrick Henry is coming off just his second 100-yard day of the season, each time carrying the ball 22 times.
With both Mike Vrabel and Titans' offensive coordinator Tim Kelly likely wanting to take some pressure off Levis, look for them to rely on the always reliable Henry — should he not be traded — and the run game, which means he should get plenty of carries and a lot of yards. That would also increase his chances of reaching the endzone a couple of times.
The Titans beat the Steelers on Thursday Night Football
The Titans found a bit of a spark last weekend when they handled the Falcons in nearly every facet. Sure, Levis got lucky a little bit, but that can't discount his overall performance, especially considering it was his very first start. Nor can it discount the Titans' overall performance.
If the Titans go into Pittsburgh this Thursday night and walk out with a victory, they'll be right at .500 with a 4-4 record. Many had already counted this team out early on when they struggled to score even a field goal. Does this team have new life now?
Look for the Titans to build on last week's performance, even if it's just for a week or two before they might face challenges again. The Titans secure a victory on Thursday Night Football.
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