NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Many people probably wouldn't have expected the Tennessee Titans to have a 1.5 game lead in the race for the top seed in the AFC after the first 10 weeks, especially with injuries to stars Derrick Henry and Julio Jones.

Well, that's exactly where the Titans (8-2) sit after pulling off a 23-21 win over the New Orleans Saints (5-4) on Sunday. The Titans managed to find a way to win despite getting only one reception for 16 yards from their top playmaker, A.J. Brown.

And for style points, the Titans are 7-0 this season against teams that made playoff appearances last season. Per ESPN Stats & Information, that's the most wins over playoff teams from the previous season that any team has had through 10 games since the 1970 AFL-AFL merger.

Tennessee's winning formula now starts with the defense. That figures, because its coach, Mike Vrabel, was once a standout defensive player for the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs.

The Titans have managed to find the perfect marriage between the back end and front end on defense. Kevin Byard's five interceptions place him second among all NFL defenders. But it goes beyond just the interceptions.

Starting with Byard, the secondary has found ways to clamp down on opposing teams, allowing its defensive line to get to the quarterback. In fact, one of Jeffery Simmons' two sacks came courtesy of blanket coverage by the secondary that caused Saints quarterback Trevor Siemian to hold onto the ball a tick longer.

"Guys have to win their one-on-one matchup," Simmons said after the game. "Things like that in that nature, guys on the back end covering guys, that’s helping us get sacks."

Impacting the quarterback has always been a goal for the Titans' defense. But last season, Tennessee's defense finished with only 19 sacks, the third lowest ever by a team that made the playoffs.

Through 10 games this season, however, Simmons (7.5 sacks) and Harold Landry (10 sacks) have combined for 17.5 sacks alone. The Titans were sixth in the NFL with 23 sacks entering their game against the Saints. Landry, Simmons and company got to Siemian four times on Sunday, pushing their sack total to 27, which is now tied for fourth and only two behind the league-leading Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings.

Simmons' two sacks came after three sacks the week prior against the Los Angeles Rams. His production has been a catalyst for the rest of the defense.

"I think that’s just a part of this game," Simmons said. "Each year, each game, each day, I want to get better. I want to play better each and every week. I got dogs on the D-line, so if they double me, somebody gets one-on-one. So, I’m surrounded by – just grateful to have a good group of guys on the defensive line. So, if we have a one-on-one or whatever it may be, we expect to win."

Added Byard, "He’s been a leader down there. He’s been a tone-setter. We really respect Jeff and everything he’s doing for this team. I talked about it before; me and Jeff talk all the time. He expects me to make plays, and I expect him to make plays. I feel like for us, as a defense, to continue to have success with what we’re doing, our best players have got to play well down the stretch, and Jeff’s playing well."

Landry's sack Sunday marks the first time a Titans' pass-rusher has eclipsed the double-digit sack mark since Brian Orakpo's 10.5 sacks in 2016. Some of Landry's sacks have come with him winning off the edge, but others have also come from Tennessee's front working as a group to hunt quarterbacks.

"It's awesome," Landry, who's third in the NFL in sacks, said after the game. "People on the outside don't know how hard we work as a whole, as a front. It's definitely rewarding seeing all of that hard work pay off for all of us. We're all eating as a defense."

It should be noted that the Titans didn't get a sack in the second half after holding New Orleans to six points through the first two quarters. They opened the door for the Saints to claw their way back into the game and come within a two-point conversion of tying it.

Given the struggles the Titans have had on offense, the defense doesn't have much margin for error. Tennessee finished with 264 total yards against the Saints, which is an improvement from its 194-yard total the week prior.

However, the Titans scored touchdowns on all three of their red zone visits against the Rams, but they only reached the end zone on two of their five trips inside the 20-yard line against the Saints.

The Titans weren't able to put the Saints away despite leading 20-6 after a forced fumble by Dylan Cole on the opening kickoff of the second half that set up a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Tannehill to MyCole Pruitt.

The Titans will have a chance to build on the AFC's top record against the Houston Texans (1-8) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) at Nissan Stadium. But it's a divisional game against a team that knows them well. They can't leave the door open for the Texans, or anybody, like they did against the Saints.

"We’ve got to create some momentum as a defense," Simmons said. "This game is played at all three levels -- offense, defense, special teams. Sometimes the offense may not be on a roll starting off, but that is something we talk about as a defense. We have to start fast, give our offense good field position and have to get off the field."