2024 NFL Season, Week 4: Four things to watch for in Titans-Dolphins, Seahawks-Lions on Monday on ESPN, NFL+ Sep 29, 2024
One other doubleheader is on the methodology for NFL fans on Monday Evening Football, that suggestions a showdown of the Tennessee Titans on the Miami Dolphins, adopted by a matchup between the Seattle Seahawks on the Detroit Lions
Within the early slot of the doubleheader, the 0-3 Tennessee Titans will seek the advice of with the 1-2 Miami Dolphins, with both groups taking a intention to catch greater from contemporary difficulties.
Tennessee has yet to file a catch in 2024, mercurial falling on the help of in the AFC South ensuing from struggles on the offensive facet. Most recently the Titans fell short in opposition to the Packers and backup QB Malik Willis, shedding 30-14 to their feeble teammate. They look to factual the ship in opposition to a Dolphins squad going through its have QB concerns.
With Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) on injured reserve, Skylar Thompson began Week 3 and fared poorly, hanging staunch three substances on the board versus the Seahawks and popping out of the game with rib ache that can catch him off the sphere this week. The recently signed Snoop Huntley will starting up with Thompson out.
As for the aforementioned Seahawks, Seattle (3-0) shall be on the avenue in the nightcap to face the 2-1 Detroit Lions.
The Seahawks’ undefeated file got here through wins in opposition to the Broncos, Patriots and Dolphins, and may per chance well look to cement their assign of residing as a contender with a victory over the Lions, a preseason playoff celebrated. The Lions have won games over other NFC West foes already in the Rams and Cardinals, taking their first lack of the season in Week 2 versus the Buccaneers.
Most novel matchups between these squads have been high-scoring affairs, with the two combining for a minimal of 65 substances in each and every of the final three matchups, most recently a 37-31 time previous law catch by Seattle in Week 2 of the 2023 season. The Seahawks have won each and every of these matchups, leaving Lions head coach Dan Campbell composed making an are attempting for his first catch in opposition to those avian foes.
Meanwhile, Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald is the totally undefeated rookie head coach this year and the totally Seahawks HC in history to head 3-0 to starting up out his occupation, and is also taking a intention to proceed both inclinations on Monday night.
Right here are four things to peep for when the Titans-Dolphins and Seahawks-Lions games kick off on Monday Evening Football on ESPN and NFL+:
- WHERE: Inviting Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, Fla.
- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ESPN Deportes, NFL+
1) Levis’ errors need to pause. A principal storyline of every and every of the Titans’ three losses has been quarterback Will Levis’ struggles to tackle the ball, with in unlucky health-told resolution-making and dear turnovers leaving substances on the board. He had two interceptions and a fumble in the fourth quarter in opposition to the Bears in Week 1, after which a fumble come the purpose line in opposition to the Jets. Final week versus the Packers incorporated yet yet one more opt-six to Jaire Alexander. In total, he has four touchdown passes and five interceptions — the latter already extra than his 2023 total — and also has recorded a fumble in each and every of the first three games. It hasn’t helped that Levis has confronted come constant stress, with the offensive line ranked 2d-to-final in sacks allowed (15). Having a intention to flip over a brand fresh leaf and catch his team its first catch, Levis will hope the assign of Monday’s game can demonstrate fortuitous. The Dolphins’ Inviting Rock Stadium turned into once also the scene of now not totally the Titans QB’s final catch in Week 14 of ultimate season, but additionally one in every of his easiest performances in the NFL. Levis led two touchdown drives in the final five minutes to beat a 14-level deficit for the comeback 28-27 catch, also his totally 300-yard outing in 12 begins.
2) Hill wants to catch over the hill with backup QB. The quarterback scenario in Miami will positively severely affect the methodology Monday’s game plays out, but regardless of who is below heart, it would if truth be told advantage to catch Tyreek Hill going after the star extensive receiver’s uncharacteristically down final two weeks. After a 2023 season wherein Hill flirted with turning into the first receiver with over 2,000 yards in a season, Hill’s first game with Tagovailoa throwing to him turned into once extra of the the same, recording 130 yards. But in Week 2 versus the Bills, he turned into once stifled and had staunch 24 yards, his lowest total since 2022, and final week with Thompson, he turned into once totally a chunk greater with 40 yards. When Tagovailoa ignored four games in 2022, Hill had 55 or fewer receiving yards in three of these contests, a style that can’t proceed this time around if the Dolphins are to catch whereas Tagovailoa recovers. With Tagovailoa out except now not now not up to Week 8, Hill will need to catch a technique to come to maintain to advantage carry his team to victory, even with out his strange QB on hand.
- WHERE: Ford Discipline (Detroit)
- WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN+, NFL+
1) Can Lions recede rusher pop off in opposition to Seahawks’ O-line? Aidan Hutchinson has been on a meander to starting up out up the 2024 season, recording now not now not up to one sack and one kind out for loss in each and every of the Lions’ four games and exploding for 4.5 sacks in Week 2 versus the Buccaneers. His 6.5 sacks have him already extra than halfway to his 2023 sack total of 11.5. Facing off in opposition to the Seahawks this week will contemporary an engrossing subsequent peril for the young recede rusher, as whereas Seattle’s offensive line has now not been markedly wrong at preserving Geno Smith brilliant — allowing eight to this level, tied for 15th — it is lacking crucial pieces. Sort out Abraham Lucas and his replacement George Fant are both inactive with accidents, with the latter’s placement on injured reserve that methodology backup Stone Forsythe can have the great job of averting Hutchinson. Adding an additional layer of intrigue is the familiar face Hutchinson will gaze true in the course of the sideline in Mike MacDonald, who turned into once the defensive coordinator at Michigan for one in every of Hutchinson’s years on the college. Whether he’ll be ready to add to his ever growing stat sheet in opposition to his worn coach’s contemporary squad shall be a story to trace.
2) Brave Seattle D faces hardest test. By three weeks, the Seahawks have featured a shutdown protection that has kept the team in games even on the climate wherein the offense confirmed some struggles. The unit comes into this Week 4 matchup ranked No. 1 in the league in passing protection after allowing staunch one passing TD to this level and an realistic of 132.3 passing yards per game. But these outcomes got here when lining up in opposition to the likes of Bo Nix, Jacoby Brissett and Skylar Thompson, three quarterbacks who don’t have a recognition for being gunslingers. Thus going through Jared Goff this week may per chance well demonstrate to be the protection’s hardest test yet. Goff’s offense turned into once No. 2 in recede yards in 2023, and to this level has the Lions sitting at No. 7, which becomes in particular harmful when paired with their laborious-operating floor attack. Nonetheless, Goff’s had a peril to this level with costly turnovers, recording extra interceptions (4) than touchdowns passes (3) coming into the matchup. Seattle has totally two interceptions this year, but when the Seahawks can change into ballhawks, they may per chance well exploit this weak point to realize a key distinction in the game.