Tennessee Titans @ New Orleans Saints
Final Score: Titans 30 – Saints 27
Writer: Steven Pintado (@coachstevenp on Twitter)
The Titans and Saints finished their preseason with a high-scoring affair full of exciting moments. The Titans got one last chance to see their first-team offense get some work before week one. They looked solid and were able to move the ball downfield for two scores. The Saints had their battle for the backup to Derek Carr. We saw Spencer Rattle and Jake Haener go at it to win the job. We also saw some receivers attempt to be that WR3 for the first-team offense. We also almost had a 118-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown by Puka Nacua’s brother, Samson Nacua.
Two Up
- Will Levis – Levis played well in two series. He looked comfortable in the pocket as he made great throws downfield.
- Tony Pollard – Pollard got the start in this game and looked like the better running back in the offense. His ability in the receiving game is dangerous to a defense.
Two Down
- Tyjae Spears – Spears didn’t get on the field for the first series, and he didn’t touch the ball until Pollard had seven touches. Is he the 1B or more of the backup? That is the question that needs to be answered in week one.
- Bub Means – He had a few bad drops in this game.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Will Levis : 7/8, 118 yards passing
Will Levis looked solid in the Titans’ final preseason game. The improved offensive line showed how well Levis can throw the ball when he has time in the pocket. Most of his throws were screens or out in the flat, though he did have a few downfield throws, especially toward Calvin Ridley. Levis was accurate and got the ball out quickly with no mistakes in this game. Levis is poised for a big season, but only the regular season will show us that.
Notes
- He was 4/4 on his first series with big plays downfield.
- He led both drives to scores.
Mason Rudolph : 11/15, 114 yards passing | 2 carries, -1 yard
Mason Rudolph is the clear backup to Will Levis. Outside of one botched handoff, Rudolph also played well. He played the game like a game manager. He made some solid throws downfield and extended plays when pressure struck. He played the second quarter until late in the third.
Missed Opportunities
- Forced a ball deep toward the end where he had Spears wide open underneath.
Running Back
Tony Pollard: 5 carries, 17 yards rushing, 1 TD | 2 receptions, 27 yards
Pollard showed that he may be the 1A in this offense over Tyjae Spears. Pollard handled the first six running back touches until the second series when Spears got on the field. His running was average at best, but he was able to push himself into a four-yard rushing touchdown. His two receptions were on screens, and he was able to gain 20-plus yards after the catch. This backfield may still be a headache, but the Titans will use Pollard as a weapon.
Notes
- Played the whole first series.
Tyjae Spears: 4 carries, 12 yards rushing | 1 reception, 12 yards
Tyjae Spears didn’t get on the field during the first series of the first-team offense. He did play the majority of the second dive. He was taken out on a key fourth down, and the team put Tony Pollard back in. Spears didn’t run well on the ground in this game, either. Spears was getting a few more touches with the second-team offense, where he had his one reception with Mason Rudolph.
Notes
- Didn’t touch the ball until the second series.
Julius Chestnut: 4 carries, 24 yards rushing | 1 reception, 4 yards
Julius Chestnut was the next running back after Spears and Pollard. He played the majority of the second quarter with some solid runs. He seems locked for the third RB slot in this offense.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Calvin Ridley: 2 receptions, 39 yards receiving
Ridley played the first two series with the first-team offense. He looked fast in the offense and could produce some yards after the catch. He had a big catch in the game’s second series that went for 33 yards. Ridley looks like he is the WR1 for this Titans offense.
Notes
- Ridley’s 33-yard catch was due to the defender falling on his break.
Tyler Boyd: 1 reception, 22 yards receiving
Tyler Boyd had a beautiful catch along the sideline in the first drive. He played in both series with Will Levis. He lined up in the slot for most of the day. Boyd’s value will increase if DeAndre Hopkins misses any time.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: 1 reception, 13 yards receiving
Westbrook-Ikhine is fighting with Treylon Burks for the fourth receiver spot in the Titans’ offense. He made a difficult high catch with two defenders around him. He has always been a solid blocker at receiver, so we’ll see if that is enough to help him but he is likely the WR5.
Treylon Burks: 1 reception, 11 yards receiving
Treylong Burks didn’t shine in this game to help him be considered a player relevant to fantasy. He had three targets and one with Levis on the game’s first drive. He played the most snaps among all the receivers after the first quarter. He had a short underneath pass, but nothing impressive. Burks role in this offense is likely minimal with the new additions.
New Orleans Saints
Quarterback
Jake Haener: 8/17, 87 yards passing | 1 carry, 6 yards
Haener got the start in his game as he is the current backup to Derek Carr. Haener played as a game manager. He was able to extend plays and get first downs. He didn’t push the ball downfield all that much. Most of his throws were short or while he was on the run. He did enough to keep the backup job for the time being.
Notes
- Haener got the start and played the first quarter.
- He would rotate the second half with Rattler
- He played the last series with the game on the line.
Missed Opportunities
- Threw an 18-yard passing touchdown that was overturned by penalty.
Spencer Rattler: 7/13, 105 yards passing, 1 TD | 2 carries, 13 yards
Spencer Rattler deserves to be the backup to Derek Carr, but he likely will be the QB3 on this team. Rattler looked better than Haener on the field. He led three touchdown drives and threw some solid deep balls in this game. He was able to push the ball downfield and could be better for this offense’s potential if something happened to Carr.
Notes
- He played the entire second quarter of his game
- He rotated the second half with Haener
Running Back
Jordan Mims: 5 carries, 33 yards rushing | 2 receptions, 14 yards
Jordan Mims is the fourth running back on the depth chart. He did get the first touch in this game. Mims looked great in the backfield. He exploded out of the backfield on plays. He also showed his ability as a pass catcher. If the Saints are concerned with injuries from their top three running backs, Mims would be a nice RB4 to have on the team.
James Robinson: 3 carries, 17 yards rushing | 1 reception, 2 yards
James Robinson played in the first series of the game, and he rotated snaps with Jordan Mims. He didn’t look good in the backfield. He looked slow and didn’t show off much aggression with the ball in his hands. His only saving grace was that he had 63 kick return yards in this game on three returns. Robinson is a roster bubble player, but perhaps his ability on special teams can save him a spot.
Missed Opportunities
- Had a rushing touchdown called back due to a penalty.
Jacob Kibodi: 11 carries, 59 yards, 2 TDs | 1 reception, 13 yards
Kidobi was the most productive, skilled player today for the Saints. He didn’t play until the third quarter of this game. He looked explosive with the ball in his hands. He had some nice hard runs. He isn’t likely to make the 53-man roster but is likely to join the practice squad after Tuesday.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Bub Means: 2 receptions, 17 yards receiving | 1 carry, -1 yard
Bub Means played the slot often in this game. He didn’t look all that good in this game. He was sloppy with his route running and he is probably on the roster bubble after this showing.
Missed Opportunities
- Had two bad drops in this game with the ball right in his hands.
Equanimeous St. Brown: 3 receptions, 40 yards receiving, 1 TD
St. Brown shined among the receivers in this game. He had a beautiful over-the-shoulder touchdown in the second quarter. He showed some of his speed and ability to separate from a defender deep. He is likely the favorite to land the WR4 in this offense.
Missed Opportunities
- Had a six-yard reception come back due to a penalty.
A.T Perry: 2 receptions, 67 yards receiving
A.T. Perry is fighting for a starting job with the two other receivers above. Perry had some solid moments in this game. His almost touchdown was a nice route, and he made a tough catch. He didn’t overly impress, but he showed as a big play receiver on offense. He may have a chance to be the WR4, but he should make the team.
Missed Opportunities
- Had an 11-yard catch overturned in the first quarter.
- Had an 18-yard touchdown catch that was overturned by penalty.
- Had a bad drop in the second quarter.
Juwan Johnoson: 1 target
It was great that Johnson got back on the field after recovering from an injury during the offseason. He played early on in this game and saw one target.