Titans-Seahawks Week 16 Postgame Notes

Dec 24, 2023 at 05:19 PM

TEAM NOTES

The Titans played their 200th regular season game at Nissan Stadium (114-86).
The Titans played their sixth game of the season that was decided by three points or less, which at the conclusion of their game was tied for the most in the NFL (seven other teams). It was their fourth consecutive game that was decided by no more than three points.
The Titans played their 11th game of the season that was decided by eight points or less, which at the conclusion of their game ranked second only to the Minnesota Vikings (14). It was their fifth consecutive game that was decided by no more than eight points.
The Titans tied their season high with 11 rookies participating in the game against the Seahawks. They previously did so on Dec. 17 against the Houston Texans.
A season-high five rookies started in the game: left guard Peter Skoronski, left tackle Jaelyn Duncan, offensive lineman John Ojukwu (jumbo tight end), linebacker Otis Reese IV and defensive back Eric Garror.
Three members of the team saw action with the Titans for the first time: defensive back Tay Gowan, offensive lineman John Ojukwu and linebacker Garret Wallow.
The Titans had five different players record their first start in a Titans uniform: right guard Andrew Rupcich, offensive lineman John Ojukwu (jumbo tight end), defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, linebacker Otis Reese IV and safety Mike Brown.

TEAM NOTES – OFFENSE

The Titans offense's 23 first downs tied for their second-best total of the season and tied for their best total in a non-overtime game.
The Titans converted six of their 12 attempts on third down. Their rate of 50 percent was their second-best performance of the season behind only their 61.5-percent percentage against Cincinnati on Oct. 1 (eight of 13).
The Titans controlled the time of possession, holding the ball for 33 minutes and 51 seconds, compared to 26 minutes and 9 seconds by the Seahawks.

TEAM NOTES – DEFENSE

The Titans defense allowed only 58 rushing yards on 20 attempts by the Seahawks (2.9 avg.). It was the second-lowest total by a Titans opponent in 2023 behind only the 55 rushing yards by the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 3. The total was also the second-lowest by the Seahawks in 2023 (28 at Baltimore on Nov. 5).
The Titans defense recorded three sacks, marking the 11th time in 2023 the unit produced at least three sacks in a game. At the conclusion of their game, the 11 such performances by the defense were the most in the NFL in 2023.
For the fifth time in 2023, the Titans allowed an opponent to score a season-low three points in the first half. At the time, the five such games tied for the second-best total in the NFL behind the Baltimore Ravens (seven).
The 93 total yards allowed by the Titans in the first half were the second-fewest allowed by the Titans in the first half of a game in 2023 behind only the 89 yards by Atlanta on Oct. 29.
The Titans allowed 14 total yards in the first quarter—the fewest given up in the first quarter by the Titans defense since Dec. 12, 2021 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when they gave up seven yards in the first quarter. The 14 yards were the fewest allowed by the Titans in any quarter since Dec. 3, 2023 against the Indianapolis Colts, when they gave up five yards in the fourth quarter.

ILB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR

Led the team with eight tackles and tied for the team lead with two tackles for loss.
Notched his seventh game of the season in which he led the team in tackles.

DL DENICO AUTRY

Totaled four tackles and a half sack.
Teamed with Terrell Edmunds on a sack of Geno Smith for no gain in the first quarter. The sack was on third down to help force a punt. He improved his career-best total to 11.5 sacks in 2023 and increased his career total to 59.5 sacks.
His 11.5 sacks in 2023 are tied for the sixth-best single-season total by a player in the team's "Titans era," which began in 1999.
Tallied 5.5 sacks over a five-game span.

S MIKE BROWN

Registered his first NFL start at safety and totaled a career-high four tackles.

WR TREYLON BURKS

Totaled two receptions for 25 yards.

DT MARLON DAVIDSON

Registered his first start in a Titans uniform.
Posted two tackles, including a tackle for loss.

S TERRELL EDMUNDS

Teamed with Denico Autry on a sack of Geno Smith for no gain in the first quarter. The sack was on third down to help force a punt. He improved his 2023 total to a career-best 2.5 sacks and also increased his career total to 7.5 sacks.
Added a pass defensed.

K NICK FOLK

Made his only field goal attempt and both of his extra point attempts.
Connected on a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter to extend his all-time NFL-record streak to 78 consecutive field goals made on attempts from less than 40 yards.

RB DERRICK HENRY

Led the team with 88 rushing yards on 19 attempts with one touchdown. He also threw a touchdown pass and caught one pass for 11 yards.
Completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chig Okonkwo in the second quarter. It was his second touchdown pass of the season. He improved his career passing totals to seven completions, 37 yards and four touchdowns on nine attempts. He additionally has a postseason touchdown pass. The 12-yarder against Seattle was his longest career completion.
Scored his 11th rushing touchdown of the season on a two-yard plunge in the fourth quarter. His 89 career rushing touchdowns rank first in franchise history and 15th in NFL annals. With one more, he will tie Eric Dickerson (90) and Curtis Martin (90) for 13th place all-time.
Registered his third career game with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. He became the fourth running back in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to rush for at least one touchdown and pass for at least one touchdown three or more times during his career. He previously accomplished the feat at Green Bay on Nov. 17, 2022 and against Cincinnati on Oct. 1, 2023. He joined LaDainian Tomlinson (five games), Chuck Muncie (three) and Walter Payton (three) as the NFL's only running backs to do so in the Super Bowl era.
Joined Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marcus Allen as the only players in NFL history to score at least 90 touchdowns and pass for at least four touchdowns.
Surpassed 10,000 combined career rushing yards (10,039) in the regular season (9,307) and postseason (732).

WR DeANDRE HOPKINS

Totaled two receptions for 20 yards.
With a 13-yard catch in the second quarter, he extended his active streak to 160 consecutive games with a reception—every game he has played since he entered the NFL. He owns the third-longest such streak to begin a career in NFL history behind only Marvin Harrison (190 consecutive games) and Keyshawn Johnson (167).
Drew a pass interference penalty on Seattle's defense to help set up a Titans touchdown in the fourth quarter.

OLB ARDEN KEY

Totaled four tackles, one sack and one forced fumble.
Dropped Geno Smith for a six-yard sack in the first quarter. It was his sixth sack of the season, which also was the 20th sack of his career. He was credited with his second forced fumble of the season—also the second of his career—but the ball was recovered by Seattle.

WR MASON KINSEY

Recorded a career-long six-yard reception in the first quarter, notching his first reception since Oct. 23, 2022.
Added an 11-yard punt return.

OLB HAROLD LANDRY III

Tied for the team lead with one sack and two tackles for loss. He totaled four tackles.
Dropped Geno Smith for a six-yard sack in the fourth quarter. He improved his season total to 9.5 sacks and increased his career total to 40.5 sacks.
His 40.5 sacks rank 11th in franchise history (seventh since individual sacks became an official statistic in 1982). He is the 11th player in franchise history with at least 40 career sacks.
Recorded 8.5 sacks over a 10-game span.
With two games remaining in 2023, he needs a half sack to become the team's first player since Kyle Vanden Bosch (2005 and 2007) with 10 or more sacks in multiple seasons.
Ranks second in the NFL in 2023 with 7.5 sacks in the fourth quarter. Only Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson (8.0) has more (through early afternoon games of Dec. 24).

CB ROGER McCREARY

Ranked second on the defense with seven tackles.

T JOHN OJUKWU

Made his NFL debut and started as a jumbo tight end.

TE CHIG OKONKWO

Led the team and tied his career high with six receptions. He also led the squad with 63 receiving yards, giving him his second-best career total.
Caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Derrick Henry in the second quarter. It was his first touchdown catch of the season and the fourth of his career.
Logged his fifth consecutive game with at least three receptions to tie Austin Hooper (five in 2022) for the longest such streak by a Titans tight end since the beginning of the 2018 campaign.
Improved his season totals to 49 receptions and 458 receiving yards, which surpassed his 2022 rookie totals of 32 catches and 450 receiving yards.

LB OTIS REESE IV

Recorded his first career start and posted three tackles.
Added one tackle on special teams.

OL ANDREW RUPCICH

Registered his first career start at right guard.

RB TYJAE SPEARS

Rushed for 40 yards on nine attempts.
Finished second on the team with five receptions and 27 receiving yards.

QB RYAN TANNEHILL

Started for the first time since Oct. 15 against Baltimore. He completed 18 of 26 passes for 152 yards (84.1 passer rating).
Rushed for 37 yards on two attempts, including a 23-yard run in the second quarter to convert a third-and-11, leading to a Titans field goal.

P TY ZENTNER

Punted three times for a 39.0-yard gross average and a 39.0-yard net average with two punts placed inside the 20 and two punts placed inside the 10.
Helped pin the Seahawks on their six-yard line with a 36-yard punt in the first quarter.
Helped pin the Seahawks on their four-yard line with a 33-yard punt in the third quarter.
Handled kickoff duties for the first time in his NFL career. He kicked off four times with two reaching the end zone and one resulting in a touchback.