The Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers are set to face off in a Week 9 showdown in Nashville. Entering the game as significant underdogs, the Titans will be without some of their key players on Sunday, making their challenge even tougher.
The Titans have officially ruled out Jeffery Simmons, Calvin Ridley, Arden Key, and Xavier Woods for this contest. None of these four participated in practice throughout the week. Additionally, Blake Hance, Chig Okonkwo, and Jihad Ward did not practice on Thursday, while Bryce Oliver and James Lynch were limited in their reps. On a brighter note, Darrell Baker Jr., Tony Pollard, and Kevin Zeitler all took part fully in Thursday’s practice.
Tennessee will need all the support they can get as they face off against a rising Chargers team that’s been gaining momentum.
Jeffery Simmons, the star defensive tackle, missed last weekend’s game against the Indianapolis Colts and will be out for his second consecutive contest. Simmons is among the league’s best at his position, leading all defensive tackles with 4.5 sacks on the season. He’s also contributed 30 tackles and one forced fumble. His absence will be a major blow to the Titans’ defensive front.
On offense, Calvin Ridley is Tennessee’s top receiver, although the team’s passing game has struggled significantly this season. Ridley has recorded 16 catches for 290 yards but has yet to find the end zone. A hamstring injury will sideline him for the second game of the season.
The Titans’ passing woes are further highlighted by quarterback Cam Ward’s statistics. Ward has thrown only three touchdown passes to wide receivers this season. Remarkably, rookie wide receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike have accounted for two and one touchdown catches, respectively. Rookie tight end Gunner Helm also has a touchdown reception to his name.
In fact, the only non-rookie player with a touchdown catch this season is second-year tight end David Martin-Robinson, underscoring the team’s reliance on young talent in the passing game.
With key players sidelined and a struggling offense, the Titans face a tough test against the Chargers in Week 9. Fans will be watching closely to see how this depleted squad performs on their home turf.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/tennessee-titans/titans-news-jeffery-simmons-calvin-ridley-among-players-out-vs-chargers
