A bit more like it for Tennessee Titans in frantic win over Las Vegas Raiders | Estes

Four observations from the Tennessee Titans’ 24-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium:

A little more like it – for a while

The Titans’ offense couldn’t have been much worse than it was Monday night in Buffalo, but it was going to have to be a lot better Sunday to grab this team’s first victory.

To start the game, it was.

The Titans won the opening toss, wanted to receive and then scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, driving at least 75 yards each time. The biggest key – as usual – was getting Derrick Henry rolling on the ground and also, this time, through the air to open up others. Henry broke a 23-yard screen pass on the game’s second snap and ended up with five catches in addition to his 85 yards rushing.

Didn’t last, though. The Titans’ offensive problems returned in the second half, along with an inability to put the game away, similar to Week 1 against the New York Giants. That led to another frantic finish as the Titans’ defense barely held on with a 2-point stop with 1:14 remaining – allowing the offense’s early scores to hold up.

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Overall, the Titans’ offensive line wasn’t perfect, but it was better despite Taylor Lewan’s absence. Ryan Tannehill had 195 passing yards at halftime, and Robert Woods had a nice game, catching a 41-yard pass (longest gain of the season for the Titans) and offering a timely reminder of what he’ll be able to do provide this offense.

The Raiders helped out

Las Vegas’ offense kept leaving points on the field and in the red zone, and that became the difference on a day in which both sides moved the football at times – but both also struggled to take advantage of opportunities to seize control in the second half.

In particular, Raiders tight end Darren Waller had a rough afternoon, dropping an early pass in the end zone, an open third-down throw and then tipping Kevin Byard’s late interception – again, in the end zone.

Coming out of halftime, the Raiders needed 14 plays and more than eight minutes of game clock to drive for a mere field goal – when they needed a touchdown.

With the lead at 24-13, the Titans’ offense had an opportunity to put a stranglehold on the game, but instead had a horrible series, being penalized for having 12 men in the huddle before Tannehill was intercepted – on what appeared to be a miscommunication with Woods. The Raiders took over at the Titans’ 31-yard line, but they couldn’t score, picking up a costly holding penalty on first down.

Then the Titans had a drive stuffed on third-and-1 and failed to convert a bold fourth-and-4 at Vegas’ 44 when a pass slipped through Treylon Burks’ hands. Then Derek Carr was picked off by Byard.

And at this point, you understood how these teams were 0-2 entering Sunday.

Hit or miss for defense

The Titans’ defense stepped up when it mattered most. But much of the game, the pass rush was lacking without Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi — in addition to Harold Landry. The Titans instead had to rely on Derrek Tuszka and Wyatt Ray.

They’ll get healthier, but it still has been discouraging to watch a strength of this team become a liability again, often leaving the secondary more vulnerable to Carr, who had 303 passing yards.

This defense, while not terrible, has been shakier than expected. That said, the Titans fared well against star receiver Davante Adams. After the Titans allowed Saquon Barkley (Giants) and Stefon Diggs (Bills) to have huge performances in Weeks 1 and 2, limiting the Raiders star to only 36 receiving yards was a surprise.

A troubling turn for Caleb Farley

In the game’s final minutes, veteran Titans cornerback Terrance Mitchell was beaten on a 48-yard pass play to Mack Hollins on fourth-and-15 – and then again in fourth down by Hollins for a jump-ball TD with 1:14 remaining.

The Titans signed Mitchell just last week from the Patriots’ practice squad. Only a few days later, he was announced as a defensive starter and played as the boundary cornerback ahead of Caleb Farley, who’d struggled Monday night in Buffalo, putting Roger McCreary mostly in the slot.

Mitchell is an experienced NFL player, but nonetheless it doesn’t say much for Farley that the Titans would rather play a brand-new cornerback than their 2021 first-round draft pick.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans finally find pulse in frantic Las Vegas Raiders win