Broncos Week 3-Traveling to Tennessee

The game will be broadcast by CBS. Bill Macatee will handle play-by-play duties, while Steve Tasker will provide analysis. Check here for the Regional Telecast.   

LP Field has a Tifsport Bermuda Sod surface and seats 69,143. The weather forecast for the game on Sunday calls for 

For the current up to date forecast, check here.

The Officials for the game are:

The Titans couldn't get their running game going through the first two weeks, partly because RB Chris Johnson held out for the entire preseason. Johnson had  a meager 53 yards on 24 carries (2.2 ypc) against the Ravens last week. Javon Ringer had a 10-yard touchdown run, but the Titans needed their passing game to move the football. The Offensive Line did not give up a Sack and Matt Hasselbeck threw for 358 yards in the game including a 4-yard touchdown pass to WR Kenny Britt, who led the team with 135 yards receiving. WR Nate Washington added seven catches for 99 yards.

The Titans gained 432 total net yards, qualifying as the highest yardage total in team history against the Ravens. 

Against Baltimore, the Titans ran the ball a little more to the left side than the middle or right. They ran most of the time in the 212 (RB, TE, WR) set, but also in the 122. They also like to run a delay to Chris Johnson in the 3 WR set out of the shotgun. When they passed the ball, Tennessee employed a 4 WR, 1 RB set. That is where they beat the Ravens. The Titans also passed more often than ran out of the 113 set and ran play action in the 212 effectively. Matt Hasselbeck spread the ball around the field, passing 16 times to the left, 9 to the middle and 19 to the right side, including the touchdown and interception.

Kenny Britt has the size and speed to outmatch the Bronco DB's. He is having trouble with his Hamstring tightening up this week in practice, which may have an affect on the game. Nate Washington is a reliable #2 guy and coming in at the 3rd and 4th Receiver spots are Lavelle Hawkins and their primary return man Marc Mariani.

Defensively, Tennessee ranks 4th in points given up (14.5), 3rd in Total Yards yielded (276.0), 3rd in Pass Defense (172.0) and 14th in Rushing Yards allowed with 104.0 per game. The Titans Defense has allowed the least yards per play (4.4) through Week 2.

The Titans defense forced three turnovers, totaled three sacks and limited the Ravens to 229 total yards last week. Their Defensive Line got good penetration when the Ravens ran the stretch run play, swarming to the ballcarrier. DE Dave Ball, who usually plays on the right side, played at Left end for the Raven game. 2nd year DE Derrick Morgan rotated in on passing downs. This week Ball should be moving back to the right side as current starter William Hayes returns from a preseason shoulder injury. They are also high on rookie DT Karl Klug, who got his first career sack on Sunday and also forced a pair of fumbles in the game.

The Titans clamped down and stopped the run on Sunday, holding Rice to 43 yards on the ground. That was an improvement from Week 1, when Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 97 yards and a score. 

At Linebacker, Free Agent acquisition Barrett Ruud is the Titan's leading tackler. He and 10th year Will Witherspoon balance out the rookie Akeem Ayers.

In the backfield, FS Michael Griffin is the team's 2nd leading tackler. Starting SS Chris Hope missed the Ravens game with a shoulder injury. He should return to practice this week, and how strong the shoulder is will determine if he plays on Sunday. Jordan Babineaux played well filling in for Hope, with a fumble recovery in the game. 

Cortland Finnegan and Jason McCourty are the Cornerbacks for Tennessee. Alterraun Verner is their 3rd CB. This trio is as good as any in the league. Cortland Finnegan is the starting RCB, but played the nickel spot against Baltimore.

Former Bronco punter Brett Kern has 10 punts with a 41-yard average, putting 7 inside the 20 with one touchback. The punt Coverage Unit has allowed an 8.75 return average. 

Kern had a nice 38.3-yard net on Sunday. Rob Bironas made four straight field goals after missing a 34-yard try in the first quarter.

Rob Bironas is 4/6 (58.1%) on his Field Goals this year. He is an 85% career success rate and his longest Field Goal was 60 yards, though he is 15/23 (65.2%) over 50+ yards. Rob's kickoffs average 67 yards. Half of his 10 kickoffs have been touchbacks, the other half were ran rack an average of 33.6 yards. 

Marc Mariani has 4 punt returns for a 6-yard average. He hasn't had the opportunity to return a kickoff yet and it should be a priority for the Broncos to continue that streak. Mariani scored on a 98-yard kickoff return against the Broncos in 2010.

The Broncos head into this game as one of the league's most penalized teams, with 17 accepted penalties in two games, six for Offensive holding, and four Personal Fouls