Tennessee
For these Tennessee Titans, beating the wretched Panthers was needed medicine | Estes
Running back Derrick Henry spoke last week about focusing on “efficiency,” meaning he wanted to make the most out of his opportunities with the football. Of course he wants that. It’s one of those obvious goals that’ll get dressed up in football verbiage, making it seem more complex than it really is.
“We’ve just got to block better,” said Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel when asked Sunday about Henry’s efficiency. “Efficient on his plays? I’m not sure what that means. …
“He’ll come up here and you’ll be able to ask him about his efficiency. I’m going to tell you that we’ve got to block better.”
To that, I chuckled.
It was perfect. It was the truth. It was what needed to be said.
These Titans, I figure, could stand a little more bluntness in media settings these days. Beating around the bush, though, is instinctive among players when a team is struggling. Vrabel, as coach, has the luxury of being able to be critical publicly and say what upstanding players like Henry can’t and won’t about their teammates – because they understandably don’t want to appear selfish or point fingers.
Obviously, Titans blockers haven’t provided enough space for Henry to run.
Just like they haven’t provided quarterbacks enough time to throw.
That part, in fairness, didn’t change dramatically in Sunday’s 17-10 hold-on-for-dear-life victory over the wretched Carolina Panthers. Ultimately, the Titans’ defense won this game. It stepped up repeatedly when it was required, bailing out an offense that floundered late.
Otherwise, the best thing you could say about the Titans after this bottom-of-the-barrel NFL matchup was they didn’t blow the lead and lose, thus sparing themselves the indignity and messy fallout of losing to a one-win team at home.
What did change Sunday for the Titans, however, was the energy.
“Energy is different when you win,” Titans cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting said. “When you lose, you can sense moping. You can sense people being upset or feeling sorry for themselves. Obviously, when you win, everything else goes out the window.”
Winning is simple. Losing is what makes it complicated.
To jump on Murphy-Bunting’s point, “everything else” would be the byproduct of losing. Having to explain and rationalize failure. To everyone. To yourself. That’s difficult.
Players start looking in the mirror. What can I change? How can I do more personally? That’s how a Hall of Fame-caliber running back comes up with “efficiency,” like he hasn’t forgotten more about playing running back than most others at the position will ever learn.
But it’s Henry’s job to look for ways he can improve, just like any player on a losing team.
It’s Vrabel’s job, however, to diffuse that and not allow losing to get into a team’s head.
Vrabel played a solid coaching card this past week. He preached a return to simplicity – combating a football player’s tendency to “make up things” during a losing streak, as defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons put it.
“When you get this late in the season,” Simmons said, “guys start thinking a lot, especially when you’re on a losing streak. But then you get reminded just to go back to the base things, what got us here, what helped us win games. Vrabes did a hell of job of showing us that.”
And voila …
Probably had more to do with the Panthers than the Titans. The Titans certainly didn’t fix all their problems by beating a bad opponent. But at least they got to relax and feel good again for a moment. They provided a week for fans to focus on positives and the next game instead of the draft order or Vrabel’s status.
Estes: Mike Vrabel’s Titans job is probably safe, but with Amy Adams Strunk, how do you know?
They also continued to enjoy success at Nissan Stadium, where they’ve quietly become tough to beat. Hasn’t happened this season, and they’ll play here four more times before the season’s end.
If a few other things fall right, hey, who knows?
“Because our good is good enough to win,” Vrabel said. “I know that. I’ve seen it, and I believe in it.”
The Titans weren’t that good on Sunday. But they were good enough to win against a bad team.
That’s as simple as it gets. Simple is good. Helps lead to efficiency.
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @Gentry_Estes.
No. 15 Tennessee rolled to a convincing 69-3 victory over Chattanooga in the Vols’ first game of the 2024 college football season on Saturday.
There was little to critique in the victory as Josh Heupel’s squad demolished an overmatched Mocs team. Starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava was brilliantly efficient in the start, completing 22 of 28 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Dylan Sampson rushed 12 times for 124 yards and three more scores.
The defense was also impressive, limiting Chattanooga to just 227 offensive yards and a paltry three points.
REQUIRED READING: College football schedule today: Games, scores for Saturday’s Week 1 top 25 teams
However, at least one Tennessee fan had something to gripe about after the game. And it had nothing to do with what occurred on the field. As noted by Russell Smith — one of the hosts for “The Voluntary Reaction” postgame show on Fox Sports Knoxville — a Tennessee fan got into a verbal argument with his wife after calling into the radio show.
It led to an awkward moment live on the air as listeners everywhere heard the argument.
“Get off the damn sports radio, it doesn’t matter to your family,” a woman can be heard saying in the background. “It’s a loser situation. My dad needs your help.”
After a short pause, the woman can then be heard saying, “I’m so done with you. I know you don’t care. … I’ll take your two-and-a-half million dollars.”
At that point, the audio cuts out, with no obvious outcome in the verbal argument.
Whether the Tennessee fan will call into the show again remains to be seen.
The Cleveland Browns were reportedly in the hunt for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk earlier this month, but Aiyuk apparently had no interest in going to the Browns and ultimately ended up signing an extension with the 49ers.
But perhaps the Browns are not done examining options at wide out.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has suggested that Cleveland pursue a trade for Tennessee Titans star DeAndre Hopkins, noting all of the cap space the Browns opened by restructuring Deshaun Watson’s contract.
Of course, Watson and Hopkins were a dynamic duo during their days with the Houston Texans, so perhaps reuniting Watson with his former teammate could help bring the quarterback out of his shell in Cleveland.
Unlike in the proposed Aiyuk deal where the Browns would have had to part ways with Amari Cooper, Knox is surmising that Cleveland would end up keeping Cooper in any potential trade for Hopkins.
If the Browns were able to land Hopkins, they would suddenly boast an impressive receiving trio of Cooper, Hopkins and Jerry Jeudy, providing Watson will all of the weapons he needs to rediscover his previous form.
Hopkins may not be the same elite pass-catcher he was during his Texans days, but he is coming off of an impressive 2023 campaign in which he hauled in 75 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. He managed to achieve that with rather subpar quarterback play in Tennessee.
The 32-year-old has made five Pro Bowl appearances while also earning three First-Team All-Pro selections throughout his NFL career, which began with Houston in 2013. He also spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Titans last year.
Tennessee
What channel is Tennessee football vs Chattanooga on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game
Tennessee football opens the 2024 season with FCS opponent Chattanooga on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
The Vols have high expectations for the season, in line with the expectations of new starting QB Nico Iamaleava.
Chattanooga is ranked in the top 10 in FCS in the preseason, but the Vols should have a major edge across the field.
Here’s how to watch the Tennessee football vs. Chattanooga game today, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Watch Chattanooga vs. Tennessee live on Fubo (free trial)
What channel is Tennessee football vs. Chattanooga on today?
Tennessee vs. Chattanooga will broadcast nationally on the SEC Network in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season. Taylor Zarzour and Matt Stinchcomb will call the game from the booth at Neyland Stadium, with Alyssa Lang reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
SCOUTING PREDICTIONS: Tennessee football vs Chattanooga: Our score prediction, scouting report for Vols opener
Tennessee football vs. Chattanooga time today
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
- Start time: 12:45 p.m.
The Tennessee football vs. Chattanooga game starts at 12:45 p.m. Saturday from Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
Tennessee football vs. Chattanooga predictions, picks, odds
Knox News reporter Mike Wilson’s prediction: Tennessee 45, Chattanooga 17
The Nico Iamaleava era gets off to a good start with a home win to launch into the 2024 season.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Aug. 29
- Odds: N/A
- O/U: N/A
- Money line: N/A
Tennessee Vols football schedule 2024
- Aug. 31: Chattanooga, 12:45 p.m. on SEC Network
- Sept. 7: vs. NC State, 7:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+
- Sept. 14: Kent State, 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network
- Sept. 21: at Oklahoma, TBD
- Sept. 28: OPEN DATE
- Oct. 5: at Arkansas, TBD
- Oct. 12: Florida, TBD
- Oct. 19: Alabama, TBD
- Oct. 26: OPEN DATE
- Nov. 2: Kentucky, TBD
- Nov. 9: Mississippi State, TBD
- Nov. 16: at Georgia, TBD
- Nov. 23: UTEP, 1 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
- Nov. 30: at Vanderbilt, TBD
- Dec. 7: SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, 4 p.m. on ABC
- Record: 0-0
Chattanooga football schedule 2024
- Aug. 31: at Tennessee, 12:45 p.m. on SEC Network
- Sept. 7: at Georgia State, 7 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 14: Mercer, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 21: OPEN DATE
- Sept. 28: Portland State, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 5: at ETSU, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 12: at Furman, 2 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 19: Wofford, 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 26: VMI, 4 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 2: at Western Carolina, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 9: at The Citadel, 2 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 16: Samford, 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 23: at Austin Peay, 2 p.m. on ESPN+
- Record: 0-0
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