The Tennessee Titans can't seem to buy a win this season. After getting out to an early 13-0 lead, the Titans let the Cincinnati Bengals score 14 unanswered points to take a 14-13 lead into the locker room at halftime. The second half saw the two teams exchange blows throughout regulation and wind up in an overtime situation.
The Bengals got the ball first and marched down the field to score a touchdown. The Titans squandered their possession and lost their 7th game of the season 43-36.
The overall feel of the Titans throughout the game was positive. When Titans Wire began debating who deserved Player of the Game honors, we had a problem we're not used to having: There were multiple players who deserved to be recognized for their play.
Tony Pollard,
Amani Hooker, Cam Ward, Jacob Martin, and Chimere Dike were all in the discussion. Ultimately, we landed on Hooker.
Statistically, Hooker recorded six tackles (four solo), three passes defensed, and three interceptions. Beyond the stats, he was all over the secondary today, sniffing out the ball, stealing it from the air, disrupting the routes of the Bengals' receivers, and essentially being a nuisance.
What gave him the edge over the other players was the rarity of a player having three interceptions in the same game. This isn't something that happens every season. In fact, it doesn't even happen in consecutive seasons. The last time it was done was in 2023 with Jordan Whitehead, who played for the New York Jets at the time.
For Hooker, today's game actually triggered a $250,000 salary incentive in his contract. If he gets another interception this season, that incentive is doubled.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game: S Amani Hooker
