Tennessee Titans face St. Louis Rams at Edward Jones Dome Sunday

Tennessee Titans (3-4) at St. Louis Rams (3-5)

Sunday, November 3rd, 2013 | Noon CST
Edward Jones Dome | St. Louis, MO | TV: CBS

Nashville, TN – This week the Tennessee Titans (3-4) return from their bye with a trip to St. Louis to face the Rams (3-5). Kickoff at the Edward Jones Dome (capacity 66,000) is scheduled for noon CST on Sunday, November 3rd.

This week’s game will be televised regionally on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5. Marv Albert will handle play-by-play duties while Rich Gannon provides analysis.

The Titans Radio Network, including Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone, will broadcast the game across the Mid-South with the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, analyst Frank Wycheck, sideline reporter Cody Allison and gameday host Larry Stone.

Additionally, WestwoodOne Sports will broadcast the game to a national radio audience. Dave Sims (play-by-play) and Mark Malone (analyst) will have the call.

Before The Bye

Prior to the Titans’ off week, they hosted the San Francisco 49ers at LP Field and fell by a final score of 31-17.

The 49ers got off to a fast start and scored the game’s first 24 points before the Titans scored 17 in the final quarter.

Colin Kaepernick completed 12 of his first 14 attempts and rushed for 68 yards and a score in the game. The 49ers converted eight of their initial 10 third-down attempts, helping to keep the Titans to a season-low time of possession (24:14).

Meanwhile, Titans quarterback Jake Locker returned to action after missing the previous two contests with hip and knee injuries suffered on September 29th against the New York Jets.

Against the 49ers, the third-year quarterback, who was making his 16th career start, registered his third 300-yard passing effort. He completed 25 of 41 passes for 326 yards, two touchdowns and an interception (92.1 passer rating).

Locker’s 97.1 season passer rating ranks fourth in the AFC and ninth in the NFL.

The Rams

Unlike the rested Titans, the Rams will have a short week of preparation for the game. They hosted the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, October 28th. The Rams lost that game 14-9.

Through the season’s first seven weeks, the Rams built an identical 3-4 mark to the Titans. They are at the midway point in their second campaign under head coach Jeff Fisher, who took over in St. Louis in 2012 after leading the Titans for more than 16 seasons. However, they will be forced to navigate the remainder of 2013 without starting quarterback Sam Bradford, who on October 23rd was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Fisher joined the Houston Oilers as defensive coordinator in 1994. He was promoted to head coach for the final six games of that season and stayed in the role through the 2010 campaign. During that time, he guided the Titans to six playoff appearances, three division titles, two AFC championship games, and one Super Bowl appearance. His record with the team, including playoffs, was 147-126.

Titans-Rams Series At A Glance

• Overall series (regular & postseason): Rams lead series 7-4
• Regular Season Series: Rams lead series 6-4
• Postseason Series: Rams lead series 1-0
• Total Points: Titans 235, Rams 231
• Current streak: One win by Titans
• Titans at home vs. Rams: 3-3
• Titans on the road vs. Rams: 1-3
• Titans at neutral site vs. Rams: 0-1 (Atlanta, Super Bowl XXXIV)
• Longest Winning Streak by Titans: 1 (last 2009)
• Longest Losing Streak by Titans: 2 (last 1999-05)
• Titans vs. Rams at LP Field: 2-0
• Last Time at LP Field: Rams 7 at Titans 47 (12/13/09)
• Titans vs. Rams at Edward Jones Dome: 0-1
• Last Time at Edward Jones Dome: Titans 27 at Rams 31 (9/25/05)
• First Time: Rams 31 at Oilers 26 (10/7/73)
• Mike Munchak’s Record vs. Rams: 0-0
• Jeff Fisher’s Record vs. Titans: 0-0
• Mike Munchak’s Record vs. Jeff Fisher: 0-0

A Titans Victory Would

Improve Mike Munchak’s career record as a head coach to 19-21.

Give Jake Locker an 8-9 career record as a starting quarterback.

What To Look For This Week

K Rob Bironas can play in his 136th consecutive game, which would move him past Elvin Bethea and Keith Bulluck (tied with 135) for fourth place on the franchise’s all-time list.

RB Chris Johnson can record the 34th 100-yard rushing game of his career.

RB Chris Johnson needs one touchdown to tie Charlie Hennigan for fourth place in franchise history with 51 total touchdowns.

WR Nate Washington can extend his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 86 (72 games with the Titans).

S George Wilson can play in his 100th career regular-season game.

Titans-Rams Series History

The Titans and Rams have played only 11 times since the American Football League and National Football League merged in 1970. Their initial encounter on October 7th, 1973, a 31-26 L.A. Rams victory, set the tone for the Rams to win seven of the 11 contests.

In the regular season, the Titans and Rams have squared off only twice since meeting in Super Bowl XXXIV at the conclusion of the 1999 season. Most recently, the Titans achieved a 47-7 home win over the Rams on December 13th, 2009, the fifth-largest margin of victory in franchise history.

The 2009 trip to Nashville for the Rams was their second ever in the regular season. The Rams visited LP Field during the 1999 regular season on October 31st, a game the Titans won 24-21. The outcome resulted in 6-1 records for both teams, and each squad would eventually finish the regular season 13-3.

In the Super Bowl on January 30th, 2000, the Titans and Rams produced one of the most thrilling games in postseason history. Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson was tackled by Rams linebacker Mike Jones just short of the goal line on the game’s last play, preserving a 23-16 Rams victory. The play ended an inspired two-minute drive led by quarterback Steve McNair.

[32pleft]After the Rams took a 16-0 lead in the third quarter, the Titans charged back on two touchdown runs by Eddie George and then a 43-yard field goal by Al Del Greco with 2:12 remaining. On the first play from scrimmage after the field goal, Rams receiver Isaac Bruce broke free and scored on a 73-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner. McNair then led a 12-play, 87-yard drive that culminated in the completion to Dyson, one yard short of the end zone.

The last time the Titans played the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome was September 25th, 2005. In an up-and-down affair, Tennessee initially took a 10-0 lead before the Rams scored 24 consecutive points. Aided by four takeaways by the defense, the Titans battled back to tie the game, but the Rams passing attack, which produced 259 yards and three touchdowns, struck for the final and deciding time in the fourth quarter with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Marc Bulger to Kevin Curtis. A late rally led by Steve McNair was denied by the Rams, and the Titans fell to 1-2 on the season.

Titans-Rams: The Last Meeting

St. Louis Rams 7 at Tennessee Titans 47
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

 

In Week 14 of the 2009 season, the Titans jumped out to an early lead against the St. Louis Rams and never looked back, eventually leaving LP Field with a 47-7 victory. The 40-point margin was the fifth-largest in team history.

Key factors in the victory were three total touchdowns by running back Chris Johnson, four field goals by Rob Bironas and five interceptions by the Titans defense off Rams rookie quarterback Keith Null, who was making his first NFL appearance.

Quarterback Kerry Collins entered the game for the Titans midway through the second quarter after starter Vince Young left the contest with a hamstring injury. Both quarterbacks were effective. Young completed six of eight passes for 132 yards and one touchdown, while Collins was 11-of-19 for 154 yards and one touchdown.

Johnson provided a pair of big plays to open the scoring in the first quarter. With three minutes remaining in the first quarter, he gave the Titans a 7-0 lead with a 39-yard touchdown run. On the second play of Tennessee’s next series, Johnson took a pass from Young and went 66 yards for a touchdown.

In the second quarter, Bironas made a 27-yard field goal to cap an eventful drive. The score was preceded by a career-long 44-yard run by Young. However, Young strained his right hamstring on the play and was forced to leave the game.

Later in the second quarter, linebacker Keith Bulluck intercepted a pass by Null. Ten plays later, Bironas booted a 34-yard field goal to make the score 20-0.

On the Rams’ next series, Cortland Finnegan recorded an interception to give the Titans possession at the St. Louis 41-yard line with 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter. After a 17-yard carry by Johnson on fourth-and-four, Bironas kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

After a 50-yard field goal by Bironas in the third quarter, Bulluck notched his second interception and provided an 18-yard return to the St. Louis 23-yard line. That led to Johnson’s third touchdown of the game on a three-yard run.

On the final play of the third quarter, the Rams made their longest play of the day when Kenneth Darby took a fake punt at the St. Louis 36-yard line and raced 51 yards. An 11-yard touchdown pass from Null to tight end Randy McMichael ended the Titans’ hopes for a shutout, making the score
33-7.

The Titans responded with a 10-play, 61-yard drive. Collins converted a third-and-four with a 32-yard pass to Nate Washington, and on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, Collins completed a touchdown pass to tight end Alge Crumpler.

With the Titans up 40-7, defensive back Vincent Fuller intercepted a pass by Null and raced 45 yards for a touchdown.

Cortland Finnegan tallied his second interception of the game in the end zone with less than a minute on the clock.