Offensive Titan of the Week: Week 1

Week 1 is in the books, and it was indeed a week to forget for the Titans. After watching the longest game in NFL history, it left us with much to ponder. Is Delanie Walker out for the year? Obviously, we now know that the answer is yes. How healthy is Mariota? What’s up with Dion Lewis getting 29 more snaps than Derrick Henry? That’s not the point of this article though. We’re here to discuss the offensive standout of the week for the Titans.

Who Stood Out?

There are two obvious choices here, Dion Lewis and Corey Davis. Both made significant contributions to an otherwise dismal showing of our offense. Lewis, tallying 16 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown, was the main factor in the run game. On top of that, he hauled in 5 of his 8 targets for 35 yards. This left Lewis accounting for nearly a third of the Titans offense for the day. Davis, on the other hand, caught 6 of his 13 targets for 62 yards. Both were crucial components against the Dolphins. Unfortunately, they were not able to claw out a win for the Titans.

Offensive Player of the Week

Dion Lewis gets my offensive player of the week nod for week 1. Establishing the run game was a key for the Titans to be successful in this game. Establishing anything was difficult with mother nature unleashing her fury. Derrick Henry was unable to get anything going the whole day, leaving everything on the shoulders of Lewis. To be fair, Henry did have a 62-yard touchdown called back on a phantom hold call. Other than that, Lewis was the constant spark that the Titans had been looking for all game. Lewis even held a 47-20 snap advantage on Henry. On the Titans game-tying touchdown drive, Lewis was phenomenal. With the score 10-3, the Titans mounted a 9 play, 75-yard drive to tie it up at 10-10. Lewis accounted for 39 of those yards himself, including the touchdown run to end it. Unfortunately for the Titans, the Dolphins returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to retake a lead they wouldn’t again surrender.

What Does This Mean?

If the Titans are going to be successful this season, they will need Henry and Lewis to produce. Figuring out how to use them together will be one of the most critical parts of the Titans season. One lousy performance from Henry shouldn’t change your expectations going forward. We knew Lewis was going to be productive coming into the season, so it’s good to see it in action. Look for Lewis to continue contributing like this in several games this year. He may not always lead the team in rushing, as he is a threat in the passing game as well. Lewis is a Swiss Army knife, he can do anything you need him to do. Lewis was arguably the best player for the Titans offense on Sunday, and it’s not a surprise to me.