When the Chiefs and Titans play each other Sunday in Nashville, it will be an opportunity for one team to begin to run away with its division and the other to stay in the race in its division.
The Titans, who enter the game 4-2, already have a two-game lead on a weak AFC South. The Chiefs (3-3), the Super Bowl runners-up, are trying to stay within close distance of first place in an improved AFC West. They trail the Chargers and Raiders by a game.
The meeting is the first between these teams since the Chiefs beat the Titans in the AFC Championship game in January 2020.
“When you have a chance to go to the big one and get a ring, not being able to do that hurts,’’ Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill told reporters during the week. “But … that was two years ago, and we are not going to get hung up on what happened two years ago.’’
Tennessee is fresh off its thrilling, 34-31, comeback win Monday over the Bills, which was its fourth victory in the past five games.
The Chiefs — who are 1-3 in the AFC, with losses to the Ravens, Chargers and Bills — haven’t been their dominant selves this season, and have been turning the ball over at an alarming rate.
They lead the NFL in giveaways, in part thanks to Patrick Mahomes’ uncharacteristic eight interceptions. Mahomes, who also leads the NFL with 18 touchdown passes, has been picked off at least once in each of the past five games, including two in each the past two.
“We’re still nowhere near where we want to be at,’’ Mahomes said. “We still have a long way to go with cutting the turnovers down, executing better as an offense and finding ways to score touchdowns, and when they’re not there, take field goals. It’s something we have to continue to get better at, and we have a long way to go.’’
Despite the turnovers, the Chiefs remain an imposing offensive team. They are second in the league with an average of 433.5 yards a game and fifth in scoring 30.8 points per game.
Kansas City’s Travis Kelce leads all tight ends with 38 catches and is tied for the league lead with 468 yards receiving. Receiver Tyreek Hill is tied for the league lead with 46 catches.
As much as the Chiefs have been inconsistent on offense, their defense is of most concern entering this game, because Titans running back Derrick Henry is the NFL’s leading rusher.
Henry is in the midst of a career-best five consecutive 100-yard rushing games and leads the league with 783 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs. He has run for three TDs in each of the past two games.
The Chiefs are allowing an average of 133.2 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks 27th in the league, and have allowed nine rushing TDs. Getting defensive end Chris Jones back after a wrist injury should help.
“We continue to jump on Derrick’s back, and he’s willing and able to carry us,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said.
“With Derrick in the backfield, you know, you do a little extra on every play,” Titans center Ben Jones said. “You never know which play it’s going to be in the game that he breaks it.’’
The Titans will face the Chiefs after having lost a couple of key players on Monday night. Left tackle Taylor Lewan, in the concussion protocol, has been ruled out. Receiver A.J. Brown is recovering from food poisoning and fellow receiver Julio Jones has been hampered by a hamstring injury. Rookie cornerback Caleb Farley was lost for the season after tearing an ACL on Monday night.
One thing Tennessee is guarding against is a letdown after such a euphoric victory against Buffalo on Monday.
Vrabel, after the Buffalo game, said his team was “as high as we can be,” adding, “We’re going to have to come back down to earth real quick.’’
The Titans are in a difficult stretch, with road games up next against the Colts (2-4) and Rams (5-1), then a home game against the Saints (3-2).
“We don’t want to get too caught up in the stretch that we have … because that is rat poison,’’ Henry said.
“We feel like we can beat anybody in the league,” Vrabel said. “I don’t circle any games. They are all in the same color. Some are on the road, some are at home, some are on Monday night, some are on Sunday, some are on Thursdays.”