Titans Vs. Bengals in the NFL Playoffs Divisional Round

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NASHVILLE- The Tennessee Titans are the number one seed in the AFC NFL Playoffs with a 12-5 record. Derrick Henry is back after sitting out multiple games due to an injury. The Titans desperately need him because the Bengals have an offense that can score against any defense and a pass defense that is one of the top lockdown units in the league. The one thing the Bengals struggle with is run defense which is why Henry’s return is the momentum swing the Titans need.

Henry’s return is so vital because the Titans would have little chance to win against the Bengals without him. It would almost be a foregone conclusion that the Titans would pack their bags and head home. That’s not to say Ryan Tannehill and Julio Jones are unable to get the offense going at all. It’s more like the team would struggle to get enough points on the board. Henry is just that good. The matchups he creates with his stuff arm are enough to wreak havoc against defenses. His ability to break tackles and plow through defenders is second to no running back. He’s comparable to Nick Chubb only a whole lot bigger. That’s scary for a defense to think about.

While the Bengals defense is significantly better than in previous years, the Titans offense is just too good to contain with Henry on the field. He’s the X factor who runs for over 1,400 yards and at least 10 touchdowns while making it look all too easy.

On the other side, the Bengals offense is going to wreak a little havoc of its own. The Titans aren’t known for playing great defense and going up against Quarterback Joe Burrow (4,611 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns), receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1,455 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns), receiver Tee Higgins (1091 yards, six touchdowns) receiver Tyler Boyd (828 yards, five touchdowns) and running back Joe Mixon (1,205 yards, 13 touchdowns) are too much for any defense to slow down let alone completely shut down. It’s virtually impossible for this offensive unit to score fewer than 28 points in a 2 game period. Don’t let the 23 points against the Raiders be a sign of sudden regression. The Bengals are going to score at least four touchdowns in this game. The two offenses will have their ways in this game. Expect a lot of points on the board and quick scores by each team.

Prediction

The Bengals have a balanced offense and excellent pass defense. However, the Titans will expose the Bengals’ Achilles heel, lack of solid run defense.

Titans 49 Bengals 42