NASHVILLE - Ryan Tannehill has done exactly what the Tennessee Titans hoped he would when they made him their starting quarterback.
They have scored at least 30 points in four straight games, the franchise's longest streak since 2003, and are coming off a 42-21 win at Oakland in which they averaged more yards per play than any NFL team in a single game this season. Still, the Titans see plenty of room for improvement.
"There's definitely things we can clean up some games more than others," Tannehill said Wednesday. "You go back and look at the tape, there's always things we can be better at, plays that we missed. Conversions that we should've had, maybe a block on the backside of a run or a throw location could've been better, a route could've been better."
Some might say they're nitpicking, but the Titans (8-5) are working to address their imperfections.
"The same mistake next game could hurt us," Tannehill said, "so we definitely want to clean those things up."
The Titans have averaged 34.1 points per game the past eight weeks, a stretch in which the only team that has scored more is Baltimore, with dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson helping the Ravens average 35.1. All the scoring has helped the Titans win four straight games and six of their past seven, turning Sunday's division matchup with the visiting Houston Texans (8-5) into a showdown of AFC South co-leaders.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. / AP Photo by Ben MargotIt seems as if everyone on the Tennessee roster is getting into the scoring act, too.
The defense has scored a touchdown three times this season, with linebacker Jayon Brown the most recent to do so, picking up a fumble and returning it 46 yards for the final touchdown Sunday against the Raiders. Linebacker Rashaan Evans returned a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown in a Nov. 10 home win against the Kansas City Chiefs, and cornerback Malcolm Butler returned an interception 38 yards to score in a season-opening road rout of the Cleveland Browns.
Sunday at Oakland, Brown returned a fumble forced by Tye Smith, who returned a blocked field goal for the go-ahead touchdown in a division win at Indianapolis early this month.
"We're all feeding off each other," Brown said. "Special teams is feeding off defense, and the defense is feeding off the offense. It's just real good to see all three phases clicking right now. We're just playing real good complementary football, and it's working for us."
The biggest difference for Tennessee in this scoring outburst in recent weeks has been due to the offense. The Titans had scored only one touchdown in 10 quarters when coaches benched fifth-year starter Marcus Mariota in favor of Tannehill - the former Miami Dolphins starter came to Nashville in an offseason trade as the Titans tried to upgrade their depth - looking for an offensive spark.
The difference in the offense was immediate, and the Titans have scored 27 touchdowns in seven games with Tannehill leading the offense. They've scored at least 31 points in four straight games and haven't scored fewer than 20 in a game since the 16-0 loss at Denver, where Mariota was benched in the second half.
"I don't think it's like a secret formula or anything like that," Titans safety Kevin Byard said. "I think guys are just executing a lot better than they were before."
Tannehill not only is second in the NFL by completing 73.4% of his passes, he leads the league with a 118.5 passer rating. Derrick Henry ranks second with 1,243 rushing yards, and he's averaging 5 yards a carry to give Tennessee a serious threat on play-action passes. Rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown leads the team with 39 catches for 779 yards and six touchdown receptions.
Trying to figure out how to stop or at least slow down the Titans is keeping Houston coaches busy ahead of the trip to Nashville.
"He's a good football player," O'Brien said of Tannehill. "He's accurate - very accurate. He's been accurate his whole career. He's making really good decisions with the ball, he's getting them into the right play, out of a bad play, he can run, he's very athletic. He's playing really well."
Along with the rest of the Titans.