NFL: 5 takeaways from the Tennessee Titans' Week 9 win over the Chicago Bears
The Tennessee Titans came into Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears tied with the Indianapolis Colts atop the AFC South.
Ryan Tannehill has put together a great season at quarterback for the Titans. He has relied a lot on running back Derrick Henry.
The Tennessee Titans needed a win to take a step closer to winning the division and making another appearance in the playoffs. The Titans and Colts are getting ready to meet up in Week 10. The Colts lost their game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday to drop to 5-3.
With the Titans' 24-17 win over the Bears, they improved to 6-2 and now sit alone on top of the division.
5. The Bears need to put everything together at the same time
Chicago received a stellar performance from quarterback Nick Foles. Foles threw for two touchdowns and did not throw an interception. The problem was that their running game did not match Foles' performance on Sunday.
The Chicago Bears currently rank last in rushing yards per game in the NFL. They're not giving their quarterback or wide receivers help at all when it comes to offensive production. Bears running back David Montgomery is very inconsistent and if they want to help anyone who is going to play quarterback, they need him to improve.
4. Titans RB Derrick Henry was held without a touchdown
The Tennessee Titans offense needs Derrick Henry to set the tone of the football game. Their offensive production relies solely on his production. The Titans use the running game to set up their passing offense.
The Chicago Bears drew up the perfect plan. They held Derrick Henry in check throughout this game. Henry carried the football 21 times for 68 yards, but he did not touch the end zone. The Bears defense kept Henry from making an impactful play during the game.
The Tennessee Titans needed their QB Ryan Tannehill to lead them to victory over Chicago. Derrick Henry did just enough to help Tannehill and the Titans. Tennessee got back on the winning side and Tannehill is to thank for that.
3. The Chicago Bears' losing streak continues
The Chicago Bears have dropped three straight games. In those three games only one was decided by two possessions. The losing streak that the Chicago Bears are on right now is in the lap of their offense. The Bears running game is not producing, which is putting more pressure on their receivers and quarterbacks.
The Chicago Bears defense has done everything they could to keep them in football games. They just needed a little help from the offense to get over the hump. Chicago has a chance to end the losing streak next week against the Minnesota Vikings, but they will need more offensive production for that to happen.
2. The Bears' defense has kept them in every game this season
Chicago relies solely on their defense to keep them in games. This may seem like a no-brainer for any team, but Chicago goes above and beyond. The Bears struggle offensively on third down and put their defense in tough situations throughout games.
Through Week 9 of the season, the Chicago Bears are 5-4. In their nine games, eight have been decided by one possession. The credit for Chicago's five wins needs to be given to the defense. They have been put in situations that make them bail out the offense of the Chicago Bears. If the Bears want to be successful they need to fix their offensive issues.
1. The AFC South could be decided in the next three weeks
The Titans and Colts will meet up twice in the next three weeks. The Titans currently have a one-game lead over the Colts with their win this weekend. The Titans are heading into a three-game stretch that could not only determine the AFC South but their chances in the playoffs.
Tennessee will welcome the Colts this Sunday in a game that could put them two games ahead of Indianapolis if they can win. After playing the Colts at home, the Titans will travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens in a rematch from last years playoffs. Let's say they beat the Colts and lose to the Ravens. This would set up a huge game between the Colts and Titans in Week 12.
The Tennessee Titans will need Derrick Henry to get off to a fast start against Indianapolis on Sunday to get the offense clicking. The best-case scenario is that the Titans win the two against the Colts and lose to the Ravens. This would still put them in a great spot to win the AFC South and make another trip to the playoffs. Either way, the Titans have proven this year that they're looking to make a big playoff run.
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Amaar Burton