The Tennessee Titans Week 4 matchup gives the team an opportunity to reverse their fortunes after struggling to an 0-3 start in the early going of the 2024 NFL season.
Luckily for Titans fans, the team should have a great bounce-back opportunity against a Dolphins team that just lost their franchise quarterback. In order for Tennessee to get their first win in Week 4 against the Dolphins, they’ll need some key players to step up. With that being said, let’s make some bold predictions for the Tennessee Titans in Week 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 pm ET on Monday, September 30 from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
The Titans’ defense has not one, not two, not three, but four interceptions
The Titans’ defense played very poorly last week against the Packers, and they will be looking to get the bad taste out of their mouth as soon as possible. That could come as quickly as this week when they take on the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are in quite a bit of turmoil themselves, and they’ll be without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who suffered a brutal head injury in Week 3.
Tagovailoa was one of the best quarterbacks in football, and he was integral to what the Dolphins wanted to do offensively. The former Alabama star unlocked the team’s offense and helped Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have some of the best games of their careers. Tagovailoa might not have had the best arm strength, but he was above average in that department, and he also had precision accuracy, particularly on deep passes down the field. The Dolphins’ offense needed a player with that skillset to get the most out of their deep threat specialists in Hill and Waddle.
The primary candidates to start under center for the Dolphins this week are Tyler Huntley, Tim Boyle, and Skylar Thompson. No matter who starts for Miami, though, they will be a significant downgrade from Tagovailoa. They won’t have nearly as much pure talent and will also likely be rusty or less experienced. The Titans’ defense has some great playmakers in both the pass rush and the secondary. In the secondary, Chidobe Awuzie and L’Jarius Sneed are both above-average cornerbacks who could shut down a passing game by putting the clamps on most wide receivers.
T’Vondre Sweat is a game-wrecking tackle, and the team also has good passer rushers on the outside, led by Arden Key. Key is a physical pass rusher with excellent burst and bend who can reliably get by offensive tackles. They’ll be able to pressure the Dolphins’ QB and force mistakes for the secondary to capitalize on.
Will Levis has the best passing game of his career
Will Levis has struggled a bit to start this season, but he is still oozing with raw talent and is somebody who can put it all together at a moment’s notice. One of the most popular pre-draft comparisons for Levis was current Bills star quarterback Josh Allen, and the more that Levis plays the more apt that comparison appears. It took Allen several seasons to finally put it all together, but when he did, he turned into a star. Levis could be the same way.
He has surplus arm talent, and is also strong enough, fast enough and physical enough to make an impact in the running game. What he really needs to improve the most is his decision-making and ability to read NFL defenses, but that can come with time and coaching. The biggest thing Levis has going in his favor is that he’s not afraid to stand in the pocket and take a hit while accurately getting the ball downfield.
Miami has some individual talent, but they’re not a great pass defense and Levis is too talented not to bounce back. If he can at least show signs of life and the pure talent that helped him get selected early in the 2023 NFL draft, the Titans will have a chance to win this football game.
Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins find the end zone a combined four times
DeAndre Hopkins established a quick rapport with Levis as the Connecticut native ascended to the starting quarterback role, and the two have very complementary play styles.
Levis has a big arm and loves to get the ball down the field, while Hopkins is a fast, physical receiver, who loves beating defenses down the field and winning contested catches. The young quarterback is more than happy to air the ball out and give his receiver a chance, and Hopkins is more than capable of bailing his quarterback out of trouble and making the most of those opportunities.
Look for Levis to target Hopkins heavily whenever the team is in the red zone and give him a steady diet of jump ball opportunities in the end zone. If he can also make a couple of plays between the 20s, Hopkins could be in line for a big day with 100+ receiving yards and two or even three touchdown receptions.
Calvin Ridley is another talented weapon that Levis has at his disposal, and the former Alabama receiver’s career appears to have flown a bit under the radar after his suspension for gambling.
Ridley is an excellent route router with solid hands, and he does a great job of getting open against both fan and zone coverage.
The Titans would be wise to utilize Hopkins as the red zone specialist while leveraging Ridley’s skills in the open field. Ridley should have plenty of targets and he’s great after the catch. Look for the rising star to mirror Hopkins’ yardage potential with 100+ yards of the zone and add one or two touchdowns as the cherry on top of the Sunday.
