Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 6 things to know in Week 8

The Tennessee Titans will look to bounce back from another disappointing loss when they travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8.

Tennessee dropped to 1-6 following a 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns, while Cincinnati improved to 4-2 after scoring 35 unanswered second-half points in a 35-13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The Titans will attempt to earn their first road victory in Cincinnati since 2008 against a Bengals team fighting for the AFC North lead.

Here are six intriguing things to know about Sunday’s matchup.

Titans, Bengals are coming off opposite results against AFC North opponents

Tennessee and Cincinnati enter Week 8 following dramatically different outcomes against AFC North opponents.

The Titans were in the driver’s seat to secure their second consecutive victory after building an early 14-0 lead against Cleveland. However, Tennessee couldn’t hold on, and ultimately surrendered a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati overcame a 13-0 halftime deficit against Baltimore by scoring a touchdown on their first five offensive possessions in the second half. The Titans will need to avoid another second-half collapse against a Bengals offense capable of scoring quickly

Bengals are in the thick of the AFC North race

Cincinnati enters Week 8 with a 4-2 record, tied with Cleveland and Pittsburgh in the loss column atop the AFC North. The difference between them and those two teams is an early bye week, which gave the Browns and Steelers an extra week to secure a win for 5-2 records.

While Tennessee is attempting to turn around a disappointing start, Cincinnati is fighting to remain in contention for a division championship. That makes Sunday’s matchup important for a Bengals team looking to build momentum coming off an electric second-half performance last week.

Cincinnati has dominated the recent series

The Titans lead the all-time series against Cincinnati with a 41-38-1 edge. However, the Bengals have won four of the last five meetings in the series dating back to the 2020 season, including their memorable playoff matchup in January 2022.

The Titans’ lone victory during that stretch came in October 2023. The Bengals have consistently presented problems for Tennessee, particularly with Burrow (4-1 against the Titans) leading their offense. The Titans will look to reverse that trend and earn their second victory of the season.

Titans’ last playoff appearance ended against Cincinnati

One of the most memorable meetings between these franchises came during the 2021-22 postseason, when Tennessee entered their divisional round matchup as the AFC’s No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season 12-5.

Despite recording nine sacks against Burrow, the Titans suffered a crushing 19-16 defeat at Nissan Stadium on January 22, 2022. Cincinnati secured the victory on then-rookie Evan McPherson’s 52-yard field goal as time expired, ending Tennessee’s Super Bowl aspirations.

That game remains the Titans’ most recent playoff appearance and arguably began their freefall from grace, as they have secured four consecutive losing seasons since that loss.

Tennessee hasn’t won in Cincinnati since 2008

The Titans will also attempt to end a lengthy road drought against the Bengals, as their last victory in Cincinnati came on September 14, 2008, when the Titans defeated the Bengals 24-7.

The Titans went on to finish that regular season 13-3 and earn the AFC’s top playoff seed. They haven’t won in Cincinnati since, making Sunday’s game an opportunity to end an 18-year drought.

Titans must find a way to slow down Joe Burrow

Cincinnati’s explosive passing attack presents another difficult challenge for Tennessee’s defense, as has been the case for them all season. Tennessee’s defensive front, led by Jeffery Simmons, must generate pressure on Burrow while limiting explosive plays through the air if they want a chance at the upset.

The Titans recorded six sacks against Indianapolis in Week 6 but struggled to get pressure on a Cleveland team that led the NFL in sacks given up entering Week 7. If Tennessee hopes to pull off an upset, disrupting Burrow’s rhythm and forcing Cincinnati into difficult third-down situations will be essential.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 6 things to know in Week 8