Sunday started off with the Titans feeling pretty good about their chances to take the AFC South. The Jags were heading to a loss against the Washington Commanders. The Colts and Texans also looked like they were competing to take last place in the AFC South. Then the Titans started off their game against the Giants with a 13-0 lead going into halftime, only to end the game with a 1-point loss.
What Went Wrong
A lot, actually. The Giants were held to only 133 yards in the first half. The Titans defense looked like it was firing on all cylinders – something you should expect when playing a team like the Giants. Then things just sort of went downhill. The Titans had back-to-back 3-And-Outs to start the 2nd half. The Giants capitalized both times with touchdowns to tie the game at 13 after Giants failed on a 2-point conversion.
The Titans answered immediately with a 75-yard touchdown drive to put them back ahead. A few series’ later Titans receiver Kyle Phillips muffed a punt, giving the Giants excellent field position. However, Titans safety Amani Hooker came big with an interception in the red zone. With about six and a half minutes left the Titans were looking at 3rd and 1. A few first downs is all the remained from sealing the deal. Unfortunately, offensive coordinator Todd Downing wanted to toss his hate in the ring for the worst play call possible and tried to run a trick play that cost the Titans four yards. Yes, the same Titans with Derrick Henry. The same yardage situation that could be obtained by a simple QB keeper up the middle.
The Titans ended up punting the ball away to the Giants who scored 10 plays later. They ended up converting the two-point conversion to give the Giants a 1-point lead with just over a minute left. Titans QB Ryan Tannehill then marched the Titans down the field and into FG range where Randy Bullock would ultimately miss the game winning field goal.
Key Notes
Tannehill looked alright. He had some good passes and didn’t throw any interceptions. Pass protection looked sound, too. Tannehill didn’t exactly light it up, but there is reason to be confident in how he played. This loss wasn’t on him. Derrick Henry showed some shades of his former self, although not entirely. Perhaps the most alarming statistic is Saquan Barkley’s 164 yards and 9.1 yards per carry average.
On to the Next One
At the end of the day, it’s the NFL. Every team has professional football players that are ready to take advantage of any mistakes you make. However, losing to a team like the Giants to start the season off hurts. The teams looks to bounce back against the Bills next week.
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