- TITANS at CARDINALS
- 1:05 p.m. Saturday
- State Farm Stadium
- Line: Cardinals -7.5 (For more NFL odds, visit the BetMGM online sportsbook)
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NAME: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr. would be the first to tell you he didn't start the Thursday night game against Seattle the way he wanted to. In fact, he said it, "couldn't go worse" for him. It’s not always about how you start, it’s about how you finish and MHJ had a hot finish. He caught four catches on four targets and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, keeping the Cardinals in the game. The key moving forward is having that efficiency through all four quarters. That's not just on Harrison alone, but rather on the entire receiving corps to elevate this passing game to its potential the way we saw in the final quarter last week where Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and Trey McBride all had crucial catches. Facing the Tennessee defense, which has allowed an average of more than 200 passing yards and 30 points per game, is the prime opportunity for this passing game to get rolling. That all starts with WR1.
-- Dani Sureck
NUMBER: 11
The injuries to James Conner and Trey Benson impact the running back room, but it's not the only unit that will be challenged by their absence. The tight end room's production might take a dip. With Conner and Benson in the mix, the offense prioritized and emphasized 12 and 13 personnel, packages that would allow tight ends Tip Reiman and Elijah Higgins to see the field more often. Against the Seahawks, the Cardinals were in 11 personnel over 80 percent of the time in large part because of injuries and the understanding that it would be tough to run against Seattle. If the Cardinals can't solve the run game dilemma with Emari Demercado and Michael Carter, then there's a chance that the offense shifts its identity to more "11" that will continue to be centered around tight end Trey McBride.
-- Zach Gershman
NUANCE
Three sacks in Week 1. Three sacks in Week 4. Last season it took the Cardinals defense until Week 7 to record a second three-sack game. Now why is that important this week? Well, no quarterback has been sacked more times (17) than Cam Ward, who is the third-most pressured quarterback through four games. Affecting the quarterback is something head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis speak about frequently. Last year, the Cardinals ranked near the bottom in both pressures and pressure rate. This year, they've improved significantly – their 61 pressures are the eighth-best in the league. The goal on Sunday is to continue to make life difficult for Ward, who has struggled mightily in his first handful of NFL games.
-- Craig Grialou
