The Titans faced the Broncos on Sept. 7 in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Here are takeaways and highlights from the game.
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Final Score: Broncos 20, Titans 12
In a gritty opener at Empower Field at Mile High, the Denver Broncos emerged with a 20-12 victory over the Tennessee Titans that showcased both Denver’s defensive dominance and Tennessee’s offensive woes. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, endured a baptism by fire. He finished 12 of 28 (42.9%) for 112 yards with six sacks and ended the game with a fumble—a harsh but earnest lesson in NFL realities.
Broncos’ Defense: Relentless and Opportunistic
While Tennessee had four takeaways, it was Denver’s defense that shone.
- Talanoa Hufanga, in his debut as a team captain, forced a fumble on Tony Pollard, shifting the momentum early.
- Nik Bonitto’s third-down sack thwarted a Tennessee red-zone chance, limiting the damage to a field goal.
- In the fourth, Jonah Elliss and Zach Allen delivered back-to-back sacks that stalled a Titans scoring drive.
- The cherry on top: Ja’Quan McMillian’s fourth-down strip-sack sealed the victory.
The Denver defensive performance produced a stunning half-dozen sacks and held Tennessee’s offense to a meager 2.4 yards per play. It was the kind of effort that breathed life into Denver’s season-opening victory when its offense struggled.
Titans’ Self-Inflicted Wounds
Tennessee’s issues extended beyond Denver’s defense. Quite simply, they plagued themselves.
- The Titans committed a staggering 13 penalties for 131 yards, several of which were ill-advised. These mental miscues crippled the Titans’ offense and extended drives for the Broncos.
- The Titans’ offense only converted two of 14 third downs. The unit had just seven total first downs and finished with an abysmal 133 yards of total offense. They also continued their ongoing trend of failing to capitalize on red zone opportunities.
Head coach Brian Callahan called it “incredibly frustrating,” acknowledging that despite effort, mistakes cost them the win.
Highlights
Game wrecker @GrindSimmons94 💥
📺: #TENvsDEN on @NFLonFOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/SeHqvFL8UE
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 7, 2025
Court is in session! @SuttonCourtland | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Bkd9SaFIAT
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 7, 2025
First TD in the orange & blue. 🥳
📺: FOX | @Jkdobbins22 pic.twitter.com/y94pdLRngV
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 7, 2025
Looking Forward
The Broncos opened the season with an emphatic win, fueled by opportunistic defense and timely offense, despite their own flaws. The Titans, in contrast, showed grit but were undone by errors. In Week 2, the Titans play their home opener against the Los Angeles Rams while the Broncos travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts.
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