Tennessee Titans: 5 Players Who Will Shine in Week 2

Tennessee Titans: 5 Players Who Will Shine in Week 2 Against the Houston Texans

The Tennessee Titans defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-9 in a game that felt much closer to 16-0. The early mistake by Darius Reynaud led to a safety within three seconds of the game, and the final touchdown was after the Titans were all but assured a victory.

All offseason, Pittsburgh was talked about as if they were expected to contend for a playoff spot in 2013 due to a revamped offensive line that would protect Ben Roethlisburger better. However, as soon as they lost to the Titans, everyone as ditched that talk and is now saying that the Steelers’ offense is terrible.

That is just not true. If you watched the majority of the game, Roethlisburger had his way with the Titans through the air. Tennessee’s passing defense deflected a lot of passes and put enough pressure on receivers to cause them to drop passes. The Titans’ linebackers and defensive line swarmed running backs when they tried to run to the outside, and, once Maurkice Pouncey was injured, they couldn’t run it up the middle anymore.

The Steelers aren’t horrible offensively; Tennessee’s defense is just that good. With the addition of Bernard Pollard, the Titans look to be one of the 10 strongest teams defensively in the NFL.

Next up for the Titans is their AFC South opponent, the Houston Texans. This will be a crucial test for the Titans and can determine whether they have a chance of making the 2013 NFL Playoffs.

Houston is coming off a shaky first game against the San Diego Chargers and will come out more determined than ever on Sunday. The Titans will have to be at their best if they are to win.

Here are five Titans players that will shine in the matchup against the Texans:

Taylor Sturm is an SEC Basketball Writer for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS or add him to your network on Google.

5. Jason McCourty

One of the most consistent cornerbacks in the entire NFL, McCourty always seems to get two or three deflections and keep his receivers locked down for most of the night.

4. Chris Johnson

Last season against the Texans, Johnson averaged 96 yards a game. Expect him to continue to have success against a defense known for getting to the quarterback far more than stopping the run game.

3. Kenny Britt

He’s taller and weighs more than both of the Houston Texans’ starting cornerbacks. If the offensive line can give Jake Locker time to throw, Britt could have a 100-plus yard game.

2. Zach Brown

After two sacks in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Zach Brown isn’t going to slow down. Mark my words -- by the end of the year, he will be considered one of the top linebackers in the league.

1. Delaine Walker

The Titans’ new tight end proved he had sure hands in the win against the Steelers. Against Houston, Tennessee always seems to put up the yardage necessary to win, but can’t finish in the red zone. Walker is a prime target for this type of situation.