The Tennessee Titans were the worst team in the NFL last season. The Denver Broncos, on the other hand, qualified for the NFL playoffs in 2024.
So it’s no surprise that the Broncos are considered big favorites against the Titans in Week 1, but Denver won’t take Tennessee’s squad lightly. The Titans selected promising quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, and they retained some of their key pieces on defense.
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Any team can get an upset win on any given Sunday in the NFL, and the Broncos will prepare for Tennessee’s best effort.
“We’re going to see some packages maybe Sunday that we hadn’t seen last year, and they’re probably not showing in the [preseason],” Denver coach Sean Payton said of watching film of the Titans’ defense. “So the two things that stood out in Tennessee’s three wins last year: They were outstanding defensively on third down. They just stood out. Twenty-eight percent, 27 percent, 17 percent. In other words, in their three wins, they played really good third-down defense.
“Then one step further, you can be a defense that may give up yards, but if you’re forcing field goals, there comes that play. That third down in the red zone. You’ve heard me talk about it; it’s a four-point play. If you can convert offensively, there’s a good chance you go on to score a touchdown. If you can get off the field defensively, that element, that third-down defense in the red zone is awfully important.”
So, third downs will be key for Denver’s offense on Sunday, with even greater importance in the red zone. The Broncos converted 39.6% of their third-down attempts in 2024, which ranked 13th in the NFL. That percentage will be a key stat in Week 1. If the Titans are going to get an upset win, their defense will have to get off the field. Payton and Co. will aim not to let that happen.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Sean Payton reveals key stat from Titans’ wins