The NFC South champion New Orleans Saints moved to 12-3 in Week 16, as they downed the Tennessee Titans, 38-28.
The Titans knew they had their work cut out for them, as running back Derrick Henry was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. With a looming season-finale matchup against the Houston Texans next Sunday, Tennessee wanted to make sure he was healthy and ready to go in a matchup that could mean a postseason appearance for the Titans. Despite his absence, the Titans jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to big plays from Jonnu Smith and A.J. Brown. Unfortunately, those two touchdowns would be the last points the Titans would score until the third quarter.
The Saints scored 24 unanswered points in the second and third quarters, which was enough to spark them to their second consecutive win. Drew Brees threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns, Alvin Kamara rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and Michael Thomas passed Marvin Harrison for the most single-season receptions in NFL history. In all, he had 12 catches for 136 yards and one touchdown.
Ryan Tannehill passed for 272 yards and three touchdowns, Dion Lewis rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries and Tajae Sharpe caught five passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. This loss didn't knock the Titans out of the playoff race, thanks to the Steelers' loss to the Jets, but they will need to beat the Texans next week in Houston for a Wildcard spot. Dive in below to recap our live blog for updates, highlights and more -- and check back shortly when we turn this into a takeaways article.
Why the Saints won
The Saints offense is why New Orleans won this football game. When they are at their best, the Saints truly do have the best offensive attack in the league. It's already been a historic season, as Brees broke Peyton Manning's record for career touchdown passes and set an NFL record by completing 96.7 percent of his passes last week, while Thomas broke Harrison's single-season receptions record this Sunday. Both players have been dominant all season, but it was nice to see Kamara return to form. The two-time Pro Bowl running back had arguably his best game of the season and recorded his first multiple rushing touchdown game since Dec. 23 last year. The Saints need him to be one of the best backs in the league if they want to make a Super Bowl run this year, and on Sunday, he helped power his team to victory.
Why the Titans lost
For the first time since Week 12, the Titans scored the first points of the game and eventually turned that lead into 14 points. Smith took a pass 41 yards to the house the first score and then Brown took a carry 49 yards for the second touchdown. Those would end up being the biggest plays for the Titans all day, and they wouldn't score another point until the third quarter. Over a period of time which stretched from the second to third quarter, the Titans punted on five straight possessions. That allowed the Saints to come back from down 14 points, to up 10. The Titans' offense was inconsistent on Sunday, and Tannehill admitted that to reporters following the loss. Obviously having Henry back should help next week, but Tennessee has to figure out a way to play well for a full 60 minutes.
Turning point
While the Saints scored 24 unanswered points in the second and third quarters, the Titans scored two touchdowns in the second half to cut the lead to three points. Tannehill and Co. got possession late in the fourth quarter after a failed fake punt attempt, but wide receiver Kalif Raymond was hit hard and fumbled after making a catch on the first play of the drive. The first turnover of the game proved to be a costly one, as C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned it all the way to the Titans' 25-yard line.
From there, the Saints ran nearly two minutes off the clock and extended the lead to 10 thanks to a two-yard touchdown catch from Thomas.
Play of the game
Brown is known for his big-play ability in the passing game, and he caught a season-high eight passes for 114 yards and a touchdown last week against the Texans. This Sunday, however, he made the highlight reel thanks to a 49-yard rush.
Check it out:
No matter how or where he gets the ball, Brown has the ability to turn any play into something special. The Titans scored on a big-play weapon with their second-round pick this offseason. According to NFL research, Brown has scored four offensive touchdowns of 40 or more yards this season. He's the youngest player to accomplish that feat in franchise history.
Quotable
What's next
The Saints travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers in their regular-season finale, while the Titans look to avenge their Week 15 loss to the Texans in Houston.