TEAM NOTES
· The 27-3 victory improved the Titans' record to 5-2 and gave them a three-game winning streak. It marks the second consecutive season and the second time under head coach Mike Vrabel (2018 to present), the Titans are 5-2 after seven games.
· The Titans improved their all-time record at Nissan Stadium, including playoffs, to 105-80.
· For a second consecutive week, the announced attendance set a new record for a Titans game at Nissan Stadium, which opened in 1999. Against the Chiefs, the Titans announced a crowd of 69,484, topping the 69,419 announced attendance six days earlier against the Buffalo Bills.
· The 24-point scoring margin was the best by the Titans since a 26-point win (42-16) against Buffalo on Oct. 13, 2020.
· In the first half, the Titans outgained the Chiefs 277 yards to 67 and possessed the ball for 23 minutes and 16 seconds.
· The Titans had a 27-0 halftime lead, their first lead of 27 or more points at halftime since Oct. 27, 2016 against Jacksonville (27-0).
· The Titans won the turnover battle with the Chiefs, getting three takeaways (one interception and two fumbles) with one giveaway on an interception. It was the fourth consecutive week the Titans were either even in turnovers or won the turnover margin. They are now minus-one in turnover margin for the season.
· The Titans won the time-of-possession battle for the fifth time in seven games in 2021. They had the ball for 36 minutes and 21 seconds (23:39 by the Chiefs). It was the Titans' highest time of possession in a non-overtime game since registering a 40:09 TOP against Cincinnati on Nov. 12, 2017.
· The Titans had five players make their Titans debut in the contest: rookie safety Brady Breeze (NFL debut), rookie wide receiver Mason Kinsey (NFL debut), tackle Bobby Hart, cornerback Chris Jones and cornerback Greg Mabin.
TEAM NOTES – OFFENSE
· In the first quarter, the Titans offense scored a touchdown on a nine-play, 97-yard drive that took 5 minutes and 34 seconds and was capped by a 24-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Tannehill to A.J. Brown. In terms of yardage, it was the longest drive by the Titans since a 99-yard touchdown series against Jacksonville on Dec. 6, 2018.
· Until an interception in the third quarter, the Titans offense scored points on 11 consecutive drives, excluding two keel-down drives against the Bills at the conclusion of each half. The unit scored on its last six non-kneel-down possessions against Buffalo (four touchdowns, two field goals) and its first five possessions against the Chiefs (three touchdowns, two field goals).
· The Titans' 27 points in the first half was the club's highest first-half total since putting up 35 points in the first two quarters at Indianapolis on Nov. 29, 2020.
· The Titans offense allowed only one total sack over a two-game span after allowing 20 sacks over the first five weeks of the season.
· The Titans converted eight third downs on 12 chances against the Chiefs. Their rate of 66.7 percent was the best for the team since converting 70.0 percent (seven-of-10) in the 2020 season finale at Houston (Jan. 3, 2021). The last time the Titans offense converted at least eight third downs was Oct. 20, 2020 against Detroit (nine-of-11).
TEAM NOTES – DEFENSE
· The three points by the Chiefs were the fewest by a Titans opponent since the Titans shut out the Giants 17-0 at New York on Dec. 16, 2018.
· The three points by the Chiefs made up Kansas City's lowest total since a 38-3 loss at Denver on Dec. 30, 2012, which was the final Chiefs game before Andy Reid was hired as head coach in 2013.
· The Titans defense recorded four total sacks, a season high through seven weeks.
· The 67 yards by the Chiefs in the first half was the team's lowest first-half total since Nov. 26, 2017 against Buffalo (57).
· The Titans defense limited the Chiefs to 334 total yards, Kansas City's lowest output since finishing with 268 yards in the 2020 season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers (Jan. 3, 2021).
· The Titans defense limited Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a 62.3 passer rating, which was the lowest of Mahomes' career. Mahomes was 20-of-35 passing for 206 yards with one interception.
· The Titans defense did not allow a touchdown on three chances by Kansas City inside the 20. The last time the Chiefs were held without a touchdown in any of their red-zone trips in a game was Oct. 25, 2020 at Denver.
DL DENICO AUTRY
· Totaled three tackles and a team-high two sacks, logging his eighth career game with at least two sacks.
· Recorded a 10-yard sack on third down in the third quarter, and on the next play the Chiefs missed a 57-yard field goal. He added an eight-yard sack to end a Chiefs drive on fourth down in the fourth quarter.
· Improved his season total to 3.5 sacks and his career total to 34 sacks.
S BRADY BREEZE
· Made his NFL debut on special teams.
WR A.J. BROWN
· Led the team with eight receptions for 133 yards, including a touchdown catch. His reception total tied for the second-highest of his career, while his yardage total was the fifth-best of his career.
· Recorded his 10th career 100-yard receiving game. He became the eighth player in franchise history with at least 10 career 100-yard receiving games and the first since Ernest Givins (1986-88) to accomplish the feat within his first three seasons.
· Caught a 46-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill in the first quarter and later on the same drove registered a 24-yard touchdown catch. It was his second touchdown reception of 2021 and the 21st touchdown reception of his career.
K RANDY BULLOCK
· Made both of his field goal attempts and all three of his extra point attempts. He made both field goals in the second quarter from 34 yards and 51 yards.
· Booted all six of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. It was the third time in his career he had six or more kickoffs and had touchbacks on 100 percent of them.
S KEVIN BYARD
· Forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Matthias Farley in the second quarter, punching the ball out of the hands of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It gave Byard his first forced fumble of 2021 and his second career forced fumble. He added four tackles in the contest.
S DANE CRUIKSHANK
· Tied for the team lead and set a career high with eight tackles after starting the game.
OLB BUD DUPREE
· Ended Kansas City's first offensive series with a sack on third down, dropping Patrick Mahomes for a seven-yard loss. He forced a fumble on the play, but the ball was recovered by the Chiefs. Dupree logged his first sack in a Titans uniform, which gave him 40.5 career sacks. He added a pass defensed in the contest.
ILB RASHAAN EVANS
· Totaled four tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.
· Recorded his first career interception, picking off a deflected Patrick Mahomes pass in the second quarter. It led to a Titans touchdown on the ensuing drive.
· Recovered a fumble by Mecole Hardman in the fourth quarter, notching his first fumble recovery of 2021 and the third fumble recovery of his career.
· Became the 10th player in the team's "Titans era" (1999 to present) to register an interception and a fumble recovery in the same game.
S MATTHIAS FARLEY
· Credited with three tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
· Recorded his first fumble recovery in a Titans uniform and his second career forced fumble, scooping up the ball after it was lost by Patrick Mahomes in the second quarter.
· Posted his first forced fumble in a Titans uniform and his third career forced fumble, knocking the ball from the hands of Mecole Hardman in the fourth quarter. The ball was recovered by Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans.
T BOBBY HART
· Saw action at left tackle in his Titans debut four days after signing with the team from the Buffalo Bills practice squad.
RB DERRICK HENRY
· Totaled 102 scrimmage yards, rushing for 86 yards on 29 attempts with two receptions for 16 yards. It was his sixth consecutive game with at least 100 scrimmage yards, extending his career-best streak.
· Took a shotgun snap and delivered a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt to cap the first offensive series of the game. It was his first career touchdown pass in the regular season, in addition to his one playoff touchdown pass.
· Joined LaDainian Tomlinson (2005) as the only players with 10 or more rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in his team's first seven games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
C BEN JONES
· Appeared in his 150th career game.
CB CHRIS JONES
· Made his Titans debut after being elevated from the practice squad (standard elevation) and was credited with one tackle.
WR JULIO JONES
· Totaled 38 yards on a pair of receptions.
· Took a pass 20 yards in the second quarter to help set up a touchdown three plays later.
· Extended his streak to 132 consecutive individual games with at least one reception.
P BRETT KERN
· Averaged 47.0 gross yards (47.0 net) on two punts with both punts placed inside the 20 during the fourth quarter.
· On his first punt, he pinned the Chiefs on their three-yard line with a 45-yard punt out of bounds.
· On his second punt of the game, he pinned the Chiefs with a 49-yard punt that was downed by the Titans on the three-yard line.
WR MASON KINSEY
· Made his NFL debut and handled punt return duties. He finished the contest with one fair catch.
T KENDALL LAMM
· Recorded his first start in a Titans uniform (28th career start), opening the game at left tackle. He exited with an injury in the second quarter.
OLB HAROLD LANDRY III
· Recorded an eight-yard sack of Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter.
· Registered his fifth consecutive game with at least a half sack and his fourth consecutive game with at least one sack. It marks the second time in his career he put together a streak of four or more games with a sack. He did so in five straight contests in 2019.
· With 7.5 sacks in 2021, he tied William Fuller (1991) and Kyle Vanden Bosch (2005) for most sacks by a Titans player through a season's first seven games since individual sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
ILB DAVID LONG JR.
· Tied for the team lead with eight tackles, including a tackle for loss, and added two passes defensed.
· Helped cause an interception in the second quarter, deflecting Patrick Mahomes' pass that was intended for Josh Gordon and then intercepted by Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans.
CB GREG MABIN
· Logged his sixth career start and his first start with the Titans after being elevated from the practice squad (standard elevation). He totaled three tackles.
CB ELIJAH MOLDEN
· Recorded his second career start.
· Tied for the team lead with eight tackles, which also tied the career high he set in the previous game against Buffalo.
TE MYCOLE PRUITT
· Totaled 27 yards and a touchdown on two receptions.
· Caught a five-yard touchdown pass from running back Derrick Henry in the first quarter, giving him two touchdown catches in 2021 and six in his career.
· Added a 22-yard reception in the second quarter to help set up a Titans field goal.
QB RYAN TANNEHILL
· Completed 21 of 27 passes for 270 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added two rushing attempts for six yards and a touchdown.
· His 105.2 passer rating gave him his 21st performance with the Titans in which he recorded at least a 100.0 passer rating, which ranks third in franchise history. He passed Marcus Mariota (20 games with a 100.0 passer rating) behind only Steve McNair (40) and Warren Moon (33).
· Registered his 25th win with the Titans, including the regular season and postseason. He is 25-12 as a starter since joining the organization in 2019.
· Had a streak of 21 consecutive pass completions before his first incompletion in the second quarter. He completed his last 10 passes in the previous game against Buffalo (Oct. 18) and his first 11 passes against the Chiefs.
· Rushed for a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter, notching his third rushing touchdown of 2021 and the 20th rushing touchdown of his career.
· Registered his second game of 2021 and his 12th career game in which he had at least one passing touchdown and at least one rushing touchdown.
· Found A.J. Brown for a 46-yard completion in the second quarter, and five plays later, he connected with Brown on a 24-yard touchdown pass. Tannehill improved his season total to seven touchdown passes (185 career).
