TITANS-RAMS GAME CENTER

TEAM NOTES

· The Titans won their fifth consecutive game to improve their record to an AFC-best 7-2. It is the second consecutive season in which the Titans have recorded a five-game winning streak.

· With a 7-2 record, it marks the fifth time in the "Titans era" (1999–present) that the team has won seven or more of its first nine games in a season (1999, 2000, 2003, 2008).

· The Titans improved to 6-0 in 2021 against clubs that advanced to the playoffs in 2020. In addition to the win at the Rams, they have two wins over the Colts and victories against the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. The Titans are nearing the end of a five-game streak of games against incumbent postseason qualifiers, as they conclude the stretch next week against the New Orleans Saints (Nov. 14).

· The Titans are 13-3 in their last 16 road games. Their .813 road winning percentage since Dec. 1, 2019 ranks second in the NFL behind only the Kansas City Chiefs' .857 (12-2). The Titans' 13-3 road record over 16 games is tied for the best stretch in franchise history, matching a period from 2006 to 2008.

· The win improved the Titans' all-time record on Sunday nights to 12-11. It was their first win on Sunday Night Football since Dec. 30, 2007 at Indianapolis.

· The Titans won the turnover battle with two takeaways (two interceptions) and one giveaway (interception). It marked the sixth consecutive week they either won the turnover margin (five games) or were even in turnovers (one game). The Titans have now improved their takeaway-giveaway ratio for the season to plus-one (13 takeaways and 12 turnovers) after beginning the season minus-six in their first three contests.

· The Titans tied their season low with four penalties. Their 19 penalty yards were a season low through nine weeks. Conversely, the Rams were flagged 12 times for 115 yards, each season highs by a Titans opponent.

· The Titans scored 14 points off turnovers, giving them 55 points off turnovers in their last five games.

TEAM NOTES – OFFENSE

· The Titans offense attempted two fourth downs and converted on both of them to improve its season totals to 10 conversions on 14 attempts. Their 71.4-percent conversion rate on fourth down ranks third in the NFL in 2021 behind Arizona (88.9) and Denver (76.9).

· The Titans offense was perfect in the red zone and in goal-to-go possessions, scoring all three times they were in each situation. The Titans rank ninth in the NFL in red-zone offense (65.7 percent) and first in goal-to-go scoring efficiency (94.1 percent).

TEAM NOTES – DEFENSE

· Two interceptions helped the Titans score a pair of touchdowns within 11 seconds in the second quarter. David Long Jr.'s interception led to a touchdown pass from Ryan Tannehill to Geoff Swaim with 12:21 remaining in the second quarter, and on the first play of the subsequent Rams series, safety Kevin Byard returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown with 12:10 on the clock.

· The Titans defense allowed the Rams to convert only four of their 15 third-down attempts. The 26.7-percent conversion rate was the second-best for the Titans defense through nine games in 2021 (25.0 percent vs. Indianapolis on Sept. 26). The Rams entered the Sunday night contest with the fifth-best third-down offense in the NFL at 46.2 percent.

· The Titans defense limited the Rams to one touchdown on three trips inside the red zone, as well as one touchdown in a pair of goal-to-go possessions.

· The defense totaled five sacks, the most by the Titans since a five-sack performance at Atlanta on Sept. 29, 2019.

· The Titans are tied for fifth place in the NFL with 23 sacks in 2021.

· The Titans registered their first game with at least five sacks and two interceptions since Sept. 8, 2019 at Cleveland (five sacks and three interceptions).

DL DENICO AUTRY

·      Totaled three tackles, 1.5 sacks and two passes defensed.

·      Registered a nine-yard sack of Matthew Stafford in the first quarter and split a six-yard sack with Harold Landry III in the third quarter.

·      Improved his totals to five sacks in 2021 and 35.5 sacks in his career.

·      Secured the fourth season of his career with at least five sacks.

WR A.J. BROWN

·      Led the team with five receptions and 42 receiving yards.

S KEVIN BYARD

·      Recorded his first career interception return for a touchdown, picking off Matthew Stafford's pass in the second quarter and returning the ball 24 yards for a touchdown. It was his second career touchdown and second in 2021 after returning a fumble for a score at Jacksonville on Oct. 10.

·      With his 23rd career interception, he passed Marcus Robertson (22) and tied Willie Alexander (23) and Samari Rolle (23) for 11th place on the franchise's career interception list.

·      Logged his fifth consecutive game with either an interception, forced fumble or fumble recovery.

·      Secured his third season with at least five interceptions (2017 and 2019).

·      His 23 interceptions since the beginning of the 2017 season rank second in the NFL behind only Xavien Howard's 24 interceptions.

RB D'ONTA FOREMAN

·      Led the Titans with 29 rushing yards on five attempts in his first game since re-signing with the team less than a week before the game.

RB DERRICK HENRY

·      After being placed on injured reserve, he ended his streak of 25 consecutive starts, which was the longest active streak in the NFL among running backs.

S AMANI HOOKER

·      Led the team and set a new career high with 12 tackles.

WR JULIO JONES

·      Totaled four receptions for 35 yards.

·      With 13,232 career receiving yards, he passed Andre Reed (13,198) for 17th place on the NFL's career leaderboard for receiving yards.

·      Extended his streak to 133 consecutive individual games with at least one reception.

P BRETT KERN

·      Averaged 43.4 yards (42.0 net) on five punts with three punts placed inside the 20.

·      Pinned the Rams on their four-yard line with a 57-yard punt in the second quarter.

OLB HAROLD LANDRY III

·      Totaled five tackles, including a half sack.

·      Split a six-yard sack with Denico Autry in the third quarter to improve his 2021 total to nine sacks and his career total to 28 sacks.

·      With nine sacks in 2021, he matched his career high for sacks in a season (nine in 2019).

·      Registered his seventh consecutive game with at least a half sack, which extended the longest such streak of his career.

LB DAVID LONG JR.

·      Posted six tackles, one interception and two passes defensed.

·      Registered his first career interception in the second quarter, picking off Matthew Stafford's pass at the Los Angeles eight-yard line and returning the ball to the two-yard line to set up a Titans touchdown on the next play.

RB ADRIAN PETERSON

·      Started in his Titans debut less than a week after joining the team and rushed for 21 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

·      Scored his first touchdown in a Titans uniform on a one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter. It was his 119th career rushing touchdown, which stands fourth in NFL history.

·      At 36 years, 232 days, Peterson became the fifth-oldest player in franchise history to score a touchdown behind John Hadl (37 years, 243 days), John Henry Johnson (37 years, 10 days), Warren Moon (37 years, 3 days) and Kerry Collins (36 years, 278 days). Prior to Peterson, Collins was the most recent 36-year-old to score a touchdown for the franchise on Oct. 4, 2009 at Jacksonville.

DT JEFFERY SIMMONS

·      Totaled six tackles and three sacks, becoming the first Titans player with three sacks in a game since Dec. 21, 2008, when defensive lineman Jason Jones had 3.5 sacks against Pittsburgh. 

·      Registered a seven-yard sack of Matthew Stafford in the first quarter. In the second quarter, he ended a Rams drive with a 10-yard sack, dropping Stafford on third down. On the next Rams possession, he added a nine-yard sack.

·      Improved his totals to 5.5 sacks in 2021 and 10.5 sacks in his career.

·      Became the franchise's first player in the "Titans era" (1999 to present) with at least three sacks in a primetime game.

·      Became the only Titans/Oilers players with three sacks in the first half of a game since individual sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982. He joined Ray Childress (Jan. 2, 1994), William Fuller (Oct. 6, 1991), Kenny Holmes (Oct. 26, 1997) and Kyle Vanden Bosch (Dec. 9, 2007)—all of whom previously accomplished the feat in the second half—as the only players for the franchise since 1982 to record three sacks in either half.

·      Caused an interception in the second quarter, getting his hands on Matthew Stafford in the end zone as Stafford attempted to pass. Stafford's throw was intercepted by David Long Jr. to set up a Titans touchdown on the next play.

TE GEOFF SWAIM

·      Totaled four receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown.

·      Caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Tannehill in the second quarter.

·      With touchdown catches in consecutive weeks, his two touchdowns in 2021 established a new career high for a season.

QB RYAN TANNEHILL

·      Completed 19 of 27 passes for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception (79.7 passer rating). He added a rushing touchdown.

·      In the second quarter, he competed a two-yard touchdown pass to Geoff Swaim and rushed for a one-yard touchdown to convert a fourth down.

·      Improved his 2021 total to 11 touchdown passes and improved his career total to 189 touchdown passes.

·      His four rushing touchdowns in 2021 give him three consecutive seasons reaching the mark—all three seasons since arriving in Tennessee in 2019. Prior to that point, his career high for rushing touchdowns in a season was two touchdowns as a rookie in 2012.

·      Registered his third game of 2021 and the 13th game of his career with at least one passing touchdown and at least one rushing touchdown.