Mason Rudolph and the Tennessee Titans celebrated their first victory of head coach Brian Callahan’s career with a 31-12 triumph over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.
This win marked a significant milestone for the Titans, as it accomplished something it hadn’t achieved in over 1000 days.
The last instance when the Titans scored 30 points occurred in Week 17 of the 2021 season when they put up 34 points against Miami. Remarkably, it has been 1,002 days since that game.
That game technically counted as part of the 2021 regular season, when the Titans raced to the No. 1 seed over two seasons ago. Since then, the team has played 38 games without scoring over 30 points.
All-around great performance for the Titans ending their scoring drought
Tony Pollard’s fourth-down dash to the pylon in the closing seconds of the Titans’ victory over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium marked the team’s first time reaching 30 points since January 2, 2022.
The Tennessee Titans scored 31 points through two touchdown runs, five field goals, and a safety, all while accumulating only 244 total yards.
Nick Folk delivered an impressive performance, consistently converting field goals for the Titans. The veteran kicker successfully made kicks from distances of 53, 52, 47, 51, and 29 yards. Folk’s five field goals tied his career-high, while his three successful kicks from over 50 yards set a new personal best.
The Titans’ defense delivered an outstanding performance on Monday night, restricting the Dolphins to only 13 first downs and 184 total yards. They limited Miami to just 2-of-12 on third downs (16.7 percent) and 1-of-3 on fourth downs (33.3 percent).
Jarvis Brownlee, Kenneth Murray, and Quandre Diggs were instrumental in stopping Tyreek Hill on one fourth-down attempt, while Ernest Jones made another significant fourth-down stop.
Arden Key scooped up a fumble behind the line of scrimmage, and Diggs intercepted a two-point conversion attempt. Murray topped the team with nine tackles, while both Harold Landry and Sebastian Joseph-Day recorded a sack each.
Mason Rudolph being steady for Tennessee
Will Levis, Titans’ starting quarterback, was replaced by Mason Rudolph in the first quarter due to a shoulder injury. After warming up on the sideline, the Titans decided to keep Rudolph in for the remainder of the game.
Callahan mentioned that Levis attempted to return but still experienced discomfort in his shoulder. The team opted to protect him from any additional risk, especially with a bye week approaching.
Mason Rudolph finished the game without needing to do much, completing 9 of 17 passes for just 85 yards. However, he managed to protect the football, unlike Will Levis, who again struggled in that department by throwing an interception on the first drive. The former second-round pick went 3 of 4 for 25 yards with the interception before leaving the game.
Head coach Brian Callahan confirmed that Tennessee intends to retain Levis as the starter, as long as he is fit to play next week. Fortunately for Levis’ shoulder, the Titans will enjoy a bye in Week 5, allowing them to prepare for their first divisional showdown of the 2024 season against the Indianapolis Colts in Nashville in Week 6.
