NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans (7-4) could not exorcise the demons the Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) left behind in their last visit to Nissan Stadium. Tennessee could not slow the Cincinnati en route to a 20-16 home loss.

What's worse for the Titans is that they were beaten at their own game.

The Bengals were by far the more physically imposing team on Sunday afternoon. With running back Derrick Henry largely held in-check with only 38 yards on 17 attempts (2.2 per rush), Joe Burrow and Samajae Perine gradually broke down a Tennessee defense that had been so strong this season. Cincinnati capitalized on limited second half opportunities after punting on four of their first five drives to start the game.

The Titans were unable to answer.

Damning Titans penalty cost them a chance to

Bengals kicker Evan McPherson made two field goals and had connected on a third with 1:53 left in the game.

Tennessee defensive lineman Kevin Strong was flagged for unnecessary roughness after landing on the long snapper. The kick was nullified, but allowed Cincinnati to gain an automatic first down and kneel out the clock. Any chance the Titans offense had to produce an equalizing drive vanished in a single play.

"I thought I did my job," Strong said postgame. "I didn't know that I did anything wrong. I looked over at the sideline and they said that, I guess, I hit the snapper in the head, or whatever. I just did what I was coached to do. I'll be better next week."

The replay showed that both Strong and nose tackle Teair Tart both bore some responsibility for the foul.

Bengals played like the tougher team

Defensive linemen Mario Edwards and DeMarcus Walker brought down Burrow for a sack at the 4:23 mark in the fourth quarter.

The heat brought by Tennessee resulted in a 3rd-and-14 and ultimately resulted in a defensive stop. It would be the only time coach Mike Vrabel's defense would get to Burrow on the day. When the two teams met in Nashville this past January for the 2021 divisional round, the Titans got to the Bengals quarterback for nine sacks on the day.

"We have got to affect the quarterback better than what we did today," Vrabel said. "I hope we didn't think we were going to show up and sack him nine times. We didn't do enough to affect the quarterback."

Losing to Cincinnati went beyond a lack of pressure, however.

Perine, Burrow and running back Treyveon Williams combined for an effective 108 team rushing yards and a score on the ground against a Tennessee defense that had been effectively suffocating opponents up front. The Titans Top 5 red zone offense produced only six points in three trips inside the 20. The Bengals allowed gains of 20, 25, 51 and 69 through the air, but refused to give Henry a shred of daylight to make a play.

"The way we rushed the ball, the way that we stopped the run," said Vrabel. "I do not think that we tackled well. We weren't able to get in any rhythm in the running game. I felt like there were times where things were working and clicking and then we weren't able to continue to sustain that."

With a chance to get a win over a quality opponent, Tennessee got thoroughly pushed around on Sunday.

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.