Buffalo Bills: What to expect from their AFC opponents in 2021
By Aaron Tully
Tennessee Titans
2020 Finish: 11-5
2020 Games vs. the Buffalo Bills: Week 5: Titans won 42-16
The Tennessee Titans are coming off a solid 11-5 season in which they had a disappointing early exit at the hands of the Ravens. Tennessee returns several key offensive contributors in quarterback Ryan Tannehill, wide receiver A.J. Brown, and reigning rushing champion Derrick Henry.
The Titans saw Jonnu Smith walk away in free agency during the offseason. Smith was one of the better tight ends in the NFL in 2020, catching 41 passes for 448 yards and eight touchdowns; his production will certainly be missed.
The Titans may have lost Jonnu Smith, but they brought in a much bigger star in the offseason.
The Titans were the winners of the Julio Jones sweepstakes, acquiring him earlier this month from the Atlanta Falcons.
Jones adds star power to a Titans offense that was the fourth-best unit in the NFL. It is yet to be seen how much Jones will contribute to the offense, considering he is 32 years old and coming off a season in which he played just nine games.
Even with the age and injury questions, Jones was on pace for well over a thousand receiving yards in 2020. If he can bring that production over the course of a full season, the Titans will again be one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
The one glaring question mark for the Titans in 2021 is their defense. Tennessee’s defense finished 28th in the NFL in yards allowed in 2020.
The Titans attempted to patch some holes in their defense by bringing in Bud Dupree and Jenoris Jenkins. They are upgrades, but likely not enough to completely turn the unit around.
The Titans, much like the Steelers, are only as strong as their weakest link. If the Titans lose in the Wild Card round again, it will likely be the fault of the defense.
This year’s matchup between the Titans and Bills should be much more competitive than last year’s. It will likely be a shootout between two of the NFL’s offensive juggernauts.