| Advertisement |
MIAMI, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Another week meant another top-tier wide receiver with an abysmal stat line after facing the Tennessee Titans. On Sunday, cornerbacks Perrish Cox, Jason McCourty, and Brice McCain stifled Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry in a 30-17 victory. Landry had just three catches for 28 yards. The performance comes a week after the unit limited Houston Texans stud DeAndre Hopkins to one catch for four yards.
Advertisement
"We are just trying to work together and be able to make plays," said McCourty, who had an interception in the win. "This week, Brice really handled the challenge. He played down here in Miami last year so he knew Jarvis. I'm sure they had quite the battles in practice, with him being a slot receiver. Brice really stepped up and did a good job on him today. Overall as a secondary we try to know who can hurt us in what type of situation. We try to go out there and make plays."
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill had trouble making plays after being disarmed by the Titans secondary. He completed 12-of-18 passes for 191 yards and two interceptions. Fans at Hard Rock Stadium took notice, chanting into a chorus calling for backup quarterback Matt Moore.
"You go out there and obviously go over the routes with the receivers that we compete against in practice," McCourty said. "When it comes to Sunday man, I say it week in and week out, you just go out there and compete. Last week, getting a chance to go against DeAndre Hopkins, this week getting the chance to go against Jarvis Landry. When you know the quarterback is going to get the ball to a guy...he's a talented wide receiver...all you can do is go out there and play your technique and compete and try to make as many plays as you can against him."
Landry entered Sunday tied for No. 2 in the NFL with 31 receptions. His 375 receiving yards ranked No. 4 overall. Hopkins entered his Week 4 matchup against the Titans with 16 receptions for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Oakland Raiders star wide receiver Amari Cooper netted just four catches for 62 yards in his Week 3 battle against the Titans. McCourty & Crew held Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate to two catches for 13 yards in Week 2. It's worst game against a No. 1 wide receiver came in Week 1 against Minnesota Vikings speedster Stefon Diggs. Diggs had seven catches for 103 yards in the Titans first game of the season. But Diggs was held out the end zone, something the Titans have done against every No. 1 wide receiver it has faced this season.
Great outside coverage on Dolphins burners Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker and McCain's brilliance in the slot forced Tannehill to dump off a plethora of passes to running backs underneath. That trend is something you can look forward to in the coming weeks. Not only does it knock top-flight wide receivers down in the fantasy football rankings, but also should improve receptions for opposing running backs. Tannehill had seven of his 12 completions to running backs or tight ends.
"It was a couple situations today where they did a good job on defense, caught us in a coverage," Tannehill said. "We hurt ourselves by getting to third-and-long and then you're playing the guessing game of what they're going to be in."
Next week the Titans face the winless Cleveland Browns. With Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman missing from its lineup, expect lockdown coverage on Terrelle Pryor. The Titans allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers entering its Week 5 victory.
"It was a good win, a good win on the road," Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. "I'm very happy for these guys and I'm very proud of these guys. I thought we played better and I thought we played more complimentary football as a team. We gave up too many big plays, those hurt us and it kept them really in the game. But for the most part guys stuck together and really executed the schemes. I'm really, really proud of them."
