Titans lean into 'core beliefs' to climb back atop AFC South

By Ben Arthur
FOX Sports AFC South Writer

Three weeks ago, it felt like the Tennessee Titans' season was on the brink of disaster. 

They were humiliated in primetime in Buffalo: a 41-7 defeat to the Bills, the biggest loss by point differential in the Mike Vrabel era (2018-present). Their gap with the NFL's elite couldn't have looked any larger. The embarrassing display had followed a deflating season opener during which the Titans collapsed in the second half against the Giants. 

At 0-2, the Titans couldn't establish Derrick Henry, their all-everything running back and the key cog to their offense. The defense, the strength of the team last season, was giving up explosive plays at an astounding rate. Tennessee faced an identity crisis. 

The Titans' response? No wholesale changes — just leaning more into who they are. 

"You think about every time throughout all of our lives when things haven't really been great," Vrabel said on Sept. 23. "[When] we've all been through adversity, you rally around what you believe and your core beliefs and your family, people that you trust. That's what the message was: Doing the things that we believe in that we know works." 

That mindset has the Titans back in control of their destiny. 

After losing its first two games, Tennessee has won three straight to take the top spot in the AFC South (Jacksonville dropped to second after its surprising home loss Sunday to Houston). The Titans (3-2) are currently third in the AFC. 

The Titans have made ugly wins their living, finding a way to come out on top in the drama they help cultivate. All three victories have come by one score.

Tennessee edged Las Vegas 24-22 in Week 3, despite allowing 12 unanswered points and going scoreless in the second half, thanks to stellar red-zone defense and deflecting what would've been the game-tying two-point try in the closing seconds.

Against the Colts in Week 4, the Titans again allowed double-digit unanswered points (14) and went scoreless in the second half. But defensive lineman Denico Autry registered a big third-down sack on Matt Ryan late in the game, forcing a long field-goal attempt that was missed. Tennessee iced the game with a first down.

In Washington on Sunday, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was constantly under duress, sacked five times and hit 13 times overall. The pass defense continued to struggle, with cornerbacks Caleb Farley and Roger McCreary giving up touchdowns of 75 yards and 30 yards, respectively. 

But a 61-yard reception by receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine helped set up the Titans' first second-half touchdown since the season opener. And the Commanders had first-and-goal at the Titans' 2-yard line on their final possession with 19 seconds left and a chance to win — a drive that started at their own 11 — only for linebacker David Long Jr. pick off Carson Wentz at the goal line to secure the victory. 

"They fight and they compete, and I love that about them," Vrabel said Monday of his team. "They're not afraid to play in a close game if it gets to that. We'd rather it not. We've said that numerous times, but they understand what the situation is, what it requires — whether that's offensively in a four-minute drill or defensively to be able to execute in the end of the game." 

The Titans are a flawed team — battling numerous injuries to key players on both sides of the ball — that's seen many of the same issues show up repeatedly, even as they're now doing enough to win. It's a testament to the culture of resiliency, what we saw to the extreme last season — breaking the NFL record for players used en route to 12 wins and the AFC's top playoff seed. That resiliency has been present since Vrabel first arrived in Nashville. 

Since 2018, Vrabel's first year as coach, the Titans have a .676 winning percentage (23-11) in one-score games (decided by eight points or fewer) during the regular season, second in the league in that span, according to TrueMedia. 

"Just believing in each other that we're going to find a way to win," Tannehill said of the success in one-score games. "And winning is contagious. You get that taste, you get that feeling, you get that locker room after the game. Those are the things that you never forget: celebrating in those locker rooms after wins. As the team gets a taste of that and starts to feel that, it really brings you together as a team. That belief only grows." 

The Titans' best football may be ahead of them, too. 

They enter a Week 5 bye, with a chance to get a number of key players back ahead of their Oct. 23 showdown at home against the divisional-rival Colts (2-2-1). Four defensive starters could return — outside linebacker Bud Dupree, inside linebacker Zach Cunningham, safety Amani Hooker and nickelback Elijah Molden — as well as right guard Nate Davis and second-year receiver Racey McMath, who flashed a deep threat during training camp and the preseason. 

"If we're going to share in the success, we're going to share in maybe the times that aren't so good," Vrabel said. "To help everyone through. That starts with me, making sure that we're all accountable for what we're doing and we're getting [the players] the information they need to survive. That's the culture that we talked about: making sure that no matter what comes up, it doesn't waver your belief. 

"The things you know are important don't waver." 

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.