What We Learned from Monday doubleheader

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1. Titans battle adversity to earn first win. With zero wins in their first three weeks, Tennessee hit the road for a muggy Miami with one desperate goal: win the game. They didn’t get off to a great start, committing a couple of false starts before Will Levis threw away possession via an Emmanuel Ogbah interception, and it seemed as if the going would only become more difficult once Levis left the game with a shoulder injury. But Mason Rudolph‘s experience helped steady the ship, keeping the Titans’ offense afloat before they turned to their ground game to carry them to victory. Defensively, the Titans put together an excellent game, stifling Mike McDaniel’s offense, forcing a turnover and five three-and-outs, and holding the Dolphins to under 200 yards of offense on the night. It wasn’t the cleanest operation — Tennessee committed eight accepted penalties for 69 penalty yards — but it was enough to leave with a much-needed first win for coach Brian Callahan, who can tout his team’s toughness after watching them win the physical battle and consistently put enough points on the board to cruise to victory.
2. Miami’s offense remains stuck in mud. The Dolphins entered Week 4 without holding a lead for a single second of regulation through three games. It seemed, at least on paper, like they might finally break through in Week 4 against the Titans, but we were wrong. In choosing veteran Tyler HuntleyMiami rolled out its third different starting quarterback in four games and found the going to be just as difficult as it was in their ugly loss to Seattle last week, entering the fourth quarter with only 84 total yards of offense. The Dolphins gained just seven yards as a team in the third quarter, trudging into the final period with few signs they’d ever find a rhythm before the end of the game. They did, piecing together an 11-play, 70-yard touchdown drive, but it took 7:09 and plenty of effort. Gone are the days of the explosive Dolphins offense, which just can’t get comfortable without Tua Tagovailoa and is struggling to even make the simple plays.
3. Bill Callahan’s offensive line is starting to come together. On a night in which Tennessee lost its starting quarterback in the first quarter, the Titans needed the running game to carry the load, a reality from which their staff did not shy. The Titans ran the ball on 64.5% of their offensive snaps, churning up 142 yards on the ground and capitalizing on a blocking scheme that consistently created running lanes for Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard. The latter led the way, averaging 4 yards per carry on 22 attempts, but both served a purpose and each found the end zone, taking a ton of responsibility off Rudolph’s shoulders. It’s no surprise Rudolph gave credit to the ground game in his postgame interview, because it carried them to a road win, helping the Titans command possession (34:52 to 25:08) and pull away. And after a rough start that included a couple of false starts and a holding penalty, it was very encouraging to see this unit settle in and execute consistently. That bodes well for a Tennessee team that desperately needed a reason to believe after three tough weeks to start the season.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Titans-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): The Titans’ run defense shut down Miami’s designed rushing attempts Monday night, limiting Dolphins ball carriers to 72 yards on 26 designed runs, including -43 rushing yards over expected, the seventh-lowest mark posted by a defense in a game this season.

NFL Research: The Dolphins are the first team to never own a lead through the first four games of a season since the 2017 Browns, who finished 0-16. In the team’s Week 1 win over the Jaguars, the Dolphins kicked the game-winning field goal with no time left.