Kendell Brooks returned an Easton Stick interception 53 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and the Tennessee Titans held on to beat the Atlanta Falcons 23-20 in the 2025 NFL preseason Week 2 game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 15, 2025. Joey Slye’s 23-yard field goal with 9:03 remaining in the fourth quarter was the margin. Attendance was 67,784.
Cameron Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, completed 2 of 7 passes for 42 yards across three series for Tennessee. Atlanta’s top two quarterbacks, Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins, sat out entirely.
Table of Contents
Score by Quarter
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Final
Tennessee Titans
6
7
7
3
23
Atlanta Falcons
0
3
17
0
20
Scoring Summary
Qtr
Time
Play
Score
Q1
2:29
Kendell Brooks 53-yd interception return (Slye PAT failed)
TEN 6, ATL 0
Q2
2:30
Younghoe Koo 42-yd field goal
TEN 6, ATL 3
Q2
0:38
Gunnar Helm 25-yd pass from Brandon Allen (Slye kick)
TEN 13, ATL 3
Q3
12:21
Nathan Carter 43-yd run (Koo kick)
TEN 13, ATL 10
Q3
10:49
Younghoe Koo 39-yd field goal
TEN 13, ATL 13
Q3
2:35
Jermar Jefferson 16-yd run (Slye kick)
TEN 20, ATL 13
Q3
0:34
Chris Blair 52-yd pass from Easton Stick (Koo kick)
TEN 20, ATL 20
Q4
9:03
Joey Slye 23-yd field goal
TEN 23, ATL 20
Tennessee Titans Player Stats
Passing
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
RTG
Cameron Ward
2/7
42
6.0
0
0
0-0
52.1
Brandon Allen
11/14
119
8.5
1
1
0-0
96.1
Trevor Siemian
4/7
34
4.9
0
0
1-0
69.9
Team
17/28
195
7.0
1
1
1-0
78.7
Ward’s longest completion was a 35-yard strike to Elic Ayomanor on the Titans’ opening drive. Titans coach Brian Callahan had originally planned two series for Ward but added a third given the low snap count. Van Jefferson dropped what Callahan later described as an “incredible throw” from Ward on another deep attempt. Allen took over after Ward and went 11 of 14 for 119 yards, throwing the second-quarter touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm. Siemian, signed the Monday before the game after Tim Boyle’s release, ran the fourth-quarter drive that produced Slye’s winning field goal.
Rushing
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
Jordan Mims
12
50
4.2
0
12
Kalel Mullings
8
25
3.1
0
7
Jermar Jefferson
4
18
4.5
1
16
Julius Chestnut
4
16
4.0
0
8
Brandon Allen
2
8
4.0
0
8
Elic Ayomanor
1
2
2.0
0
2
Trevor Siemian
1
-1
-1.0
0
-1
Team
32
118
3.7
1
16
Receiving
Player
REC
TGT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
Gunnar Helm
4
4
48
12.0
1
25
Elic Ayomanor
2
4
47
23.5
0
35
James Proche II
3
4
35
11.7
0
12
Xavier Restrepo
2
2
18
9.0
0
13
Jordan Mims
2
2
12
6.0
0
11
Josh Whyle
1
1
11
11.0
0
11
Mason Kinsey
1
1
10
10.0
0
10
Bryce Oliver
1
1
7
7.0
0
7
Julius Chestnut
1
1
7
7.0
0
7
Van Jefferson
0
2
0
—
0
0
Chimere Dike
0
2
0
—
0
0
Thomas Odukoya
0
1
0
—
0
0
Jha’Quan Jackson
0
1
0
—
0
0
David Martin-Robinson
0
1
0
—
0
0
Team
17
27
195
11.5
1
35
Atlanta Falcons Player Stats
Passing
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
RTG
Easton Stick
19/32
173
5.4
1
1
2-15
71.5
Emory Jones
2/5
16
3.2
0
0
0-0
48.8
Team
21/37
174
5.1
1
1
2-15
68.4
Stick played through three quarters competing for Atlanta’s No. 3 quarterback spot. His interception, returned by Brooks for the game’s first score, came early in the first quarter. He answered with a 52-yard touchdown pass to Chris Blair with 34 seconds left in the third quarter that tied the game at 20. Jones replaced Stick in the fourth quarter and was stopped on a fourth-down run near the Tennessee 20 with 2:57 remaining, effectively ending Atlanta’s last real chance.
Rushing
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
Nathan Carter
9
63
7.0
1
43
Easton Stick
2
14
7.0
0
12
Dylan Drummond
1
12
12.0
0
12
Emory Jones
3
10
3.3
0
6
Jashaun Corbin
6
7
1.2
0
6
Nick Nash
1
6
6.0
0
6
Elijah Dotson
3
3
1.0
0
2
Team
25
115
4.6
1
43
Receiving
Player
REC
TGT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
Chris Blair
3
5
78
26.0
1
52
Dylan Drummond
4
7
22
5.5
0
11
Quincy Skinner Jr.
2
3
15
7.5
0
10
Nick Nash
3
7
14
4.7
0
10
David Sills V
2
2
13
6.5
0
7
Jesse Matthews
2
4
12
6.0
0
6
DJ Chark
1
3
11
11.0
0
11
Feleipe Franks
1
1
9
9.0
0
9
Nathan Carter
2
2
9
4.5
0
5
Elijah Dotson
1
1
6
6.0
0
6
Joshua Simon
0
1
0
—
0
0
Team
21
36
189
9.0
1
52
Defense
Tennessee Titans Defense
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
TD
Cedric Gray
7
5
0.5
1
0
1
0
Amari Burney
6
4
0.0
0
0
0
0
Amani Oruwariye
5
3
0.0
0
1
0
0
Gabe Jeudy-Lally
4
3
0.0
0
0
0
0
Curtis Jacobs
4
2
0.0
0
0
0
0
Marcus Harris
4
2
0.0
0
2
0
0
James Williams Sr.
3
2
0.0
1
0
0
0
Carlos Watkins
3
1
0.5
0
0
1
0
Mike Brown
3
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Jermari Harris
3
1
0.0
0
1
0
0
Joshuah Bledsoe
2
2
0.0
0
1
0
0
Desmond Evans
2
2
0.0
1
0
0
0
Oluwafemi Oladejo
2
2
0.0
1
0
0
0
Joe Gaziano
2
1
1.0
1
0
1
0
Arden Key
2
1
0.0
1
0
0
0
Cody Barton
2
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
James Lynch
2
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Jalen Kimber
2
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Blake Lynch
1
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Mason Kinsey
1
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
David Martin-Robinson
1
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Kalel Mullings
1
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Julius Wood
1
1
0.0
0
0
1
0
Xavier Woods
1
0
0.0
0
0
1
0
Ali Gaye
1
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
Josh Whyle
1
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
Clarence Lewis
1
0
0.0
0
1
0
0
Kendell Brooks
1
0
0.0
0
1
0
1
Cam Horsley
0
0
0.0
0
0
1
0
Team
68
40
2.0
6
7
5
1
Atlanta Falcons Defense
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
TD
Lamar Jackson
8
6
0.0
0
1
0
0
Caleb Johnson
7
4
0.0
1
0
0
0
Josh Thompson
5
4
0.0
0
0
0
0
Ronnie Harrison Jr.
5
2
0.0
0
0
0
0
Xavier Watts
4
3
0.0
0
0
0
0
James Pearce Jr.
4
3
0.0
0
0
0
0
DeAngelo Malone
4
1
0.0
0
0
1
0
Jordan Fuller
3
3
0.0
0
0
0
0
Brandon Dorlus
3
3
0.0
1
0
0
0
Nick Kubitz
2
2
1.0
1
0
1
0
JD Bertrand
2
2
0.0
0
0
0
0
Dontae Manning
2
2
0.0
0
0
0
0
Mike Ford Jr.
2
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Morgan Fox
2
1
0.0
1
0
0
0
Jashaun Corbin
1
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
LaCale London
1
1
0.0
1
0
0
0
Zach Harrison
1
1
0.0
0
0
1
0
Billy Bowman Jr.
1
1
0.0
0
0
0
0
Kentavius Street
1
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
Henry Black
1
0
0.0
0
1
0
0
Teagan Quitoriano
1
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
Bralen Trice
1
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
Simeon Barrow Jr.
1
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
Natrone Brooks
0
0
0.0
0
1
0
0
Team
62
41
1.0
5
3
3
0
Interceptions
Team
Player
INT
YDS
TD
Tennessee
Kendell Brooks
1
53
1
Atlanta
Natrone Brooks
1
33
0
Fumbles
Team
Player
FUM
LOST
REC
Tennessee
TJ Sheffield
1
1
0
Atlanta
Teagan Quitoriano
0
0
1
Special Teams
Kicking
Team
Player
FG
PCT
LONG
XP
PTS
Tennessee
Joey Slye
1/1
100%
23
2/3
5
Atlanta
Younghoe Koo
2/2
100%
42
2/2
8
Punting
Team
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
TB
In 20
LONG
Tennessee
Johnny Hekker
6
286
47.7
0
1
53
Atlanta
Bradley Pinion
6
291
48.5
0
3
55
Kick Returns
Team
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
LONG
TD
Tennessee
Chimere Dike
2
43
21.5
22
0
Tennessee
TJ Sheffield
1
20
20.0
20
0
TEN Team
3
63
21.0
22
0
Atlanta
Natrone Brooks
2
52
26.0
29
0
ATL Team
2
52
26.0
29
0
Punt Returns
Team
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
LONG
TD
Tennessee
James Proche II
1
11
11.0
11
0
Tennessee
Jha’Quan Jackson
1
5
5.0
5
0
TEN Team
2
16
8.0
11
0
Atlanta
Dylan Drummond
2
19
9.5
14
0
Atlanta
Dee Alford
2
9
4.5
9
0
ATL Team
4
28
7.0
14
0
Team Stats
Stat
Tennessee
Atlanta
Total Yards
313
289
Total Plays
61
64
Yards per Play
5.1
4.5
Passing Yards
195
174
Comp/Att
17/28
21/37
Yards per Pass
6.7
4.5
Sacks / Yards Lost
1 / 0
2 / 15
Rushing Yards
118
115
Rushing Attempts
32
25
Yards per Rush
3.7
4.6
1st Downs
19
13
Passing 1st Downs
11
7
Rushing 1st Downs
7
5
Penalty 1st Downs
1
1
3rd Down
5/13 (38%)
5/15 (33%)
4th Down
1/1 (100%)
0/2 (0%)
Red Zone (Made/Att)
1/2
0/0
Turnovers
2
1
Fumbles Lost
1
0
Interceptions Thrown
1
1
Penalties
6 for 65 yds
10 for 63 yds
Time of Possession
30:29
29:31
Defensive / ST TDs
1
0
Key Absences
Tennessee held out: RB Tony Pollard, WR Calvin Ridley, WR Tyler Lockett, RG Kevin Zeitler. C Lloyd Cushenberry, returning from an Achilles injury, went through pregame warmups but did not play.
Atlanta held out: QB Michael Penix Jr., QB Kirk Cousins, RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London, WR Ray-Ray McCloud. DE Jalon Walker, who played the previous week against Detroit, was out with a groin injury sustained in Wednesday’s joint practice.
Game Information
Date: August 15, 2025 Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA Attendance: 67,784 Broadcast: NFL Network / FOX 5 Atlanta Referee: Brad Allen Tennessee record: 1-1 (preseason) Atlanta record: 0-2 (preseason)
The 23-20 final was Tennessee’s second preseason game of 2025. Ward started the regular season as the Titans’ starter. Younghoe Koo, who went 2-for-2 on field goals in this game, was released by Atlanta two weeks later on September 19, 2025, before the Falcons’ Week 3 regular-season opener.
Statistics via ESPN. Game played August 15, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA.
Bobby A. Smith is a Senior Sports Analyst with over nine years of professional experience, specializing in forensic analysis of game strategy and player performance.
His work provides a definitive lens on a broad spectrum of professional sports, delivering expert commentary on the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Soccer, Boxing, Cricket, F1, and NASCAR. Unlike surface-level reporting, Bobby’s analysis is known for identifying the critical, game-deciding patterns that raw statistics often obscure. Every article is grounded in rigorous, fact-based research and an unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity.
