Jan 5, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (29) takes the field against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Titans Defensive Backs Will be Tested Against Rams

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Luke Hubbard | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans' defense did an excellent job limiting Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos' high-powered offense. Nix threw for just 175 yards and tossed two interceptions, and Denver's offense was only able to score 20 points in the opener.

One of the highlights of the Titans' defensive effort was their defensive backs. L'Jarius Sneed, Roger McCreary, Xavier Woods and the rest of the Titans' defensive backfield were glued to their receivers all afternoon, but this week, they'll get an even stiffer test against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams' wide receiver room consists of two All-Pro receivers, Puka Nacua (2023) and Davante Adams (2017-2022). Behind them, there aren't a ton of guys to worry about, but those two can do plenty of damage on their own.

In week one, Nacua led the way with 10 catches for 130 yards while Adams complemented him with four catches for 50 yards. It was Adams' first game with Matthew Stafford and the Rams, though, so expect to see his numbers go up as the season progresses.

Needless to say, the Titans' defensive backs will have their hands full trying to cover these two receivers. However, if last week's performance was any indication of how they'll play the rest of the season, they should prove to be a formidable matchup.

In Week 1, the Titans had three defensive backs post an 80+ coverage grade, per PFF. Xavier Woods led the way with an 87.3 after not allowing a single catch in 46 coverage snaps. Behind him was Roger McCreary with an 85.0, which he earned for giving up just 24 yards on six targets and intercepting a pass. And L'Jarius Sneed was close behind him with an 83.3, but he was limited to just 16 coverage snaps.

Sneed is likely to be on a pitch count once again this week, but the number of plays he'll be on the field for is still unknown. It should be higher than the 21 snaps he played last week, but they still want to be careful with him, so guys like McCreary, Darrell Baker and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. will need to step up when Sneed's not in the game.

This game will tell us a lot about where the Titans are defensively. If they can replicate their performance from a week ago and shut down the Rams' passing attack, it will prove Week 1 wasn't a fluke and they've taken a massive step forward from last season. We won't know what happens until Sunday, but this is a great opportunity for the Titans' defense to put the rest of the league on notice.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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