NASHVILLE – It was a painful – and acquainted – ending to the house opener for the Tennessee Titans.
Similar to final week within the season opener at Chicago, the Titans as soon as once more made errors, together with a pair of turnovers and one other particular groups blunder, and it got here again to hang-out them.
The tip outcome was 24-17 for the second week in a row, this time a loss to the New York Jets.
“Identical story because the final one,” Coach Brian Callahan stated after the sport. “I believed we performed higher than final week, however the errors had been important. It is extremely irritating, however on the finish of the day I believe we’ve got what it takes on our workforce to win soccer video games. We have been in place to win them, and we have made simply sufficient errors to not.
“I consider in our workforce. I consider in our guys. I consider in the way in which we work, and I consider in what they’re made from. It is going to come. We’re not going to surrender. It is Week 2, and we have performed not even near our greatest soccer. So, we will maintain going.”
With the loss, the Titans at the moment are 0-2 on the season.
“It is form of bizarre,” Titans quarterback Will Levis stated. “Cally got here in (the locker room) and stated the identical factor, it is like déjà vu. Noticed it twice in a row, capturing ourselves within the foot. You are not going to win soccer video games like that.”
Levis accomplished 19-of-28 passes for 192 yards with a landing and an interception within the contest. He additionally misplaced the ball on a expensive fumble inside the ten, when the Titans had been in charge of the sport early. It took factors off the scoreboard.
Defensively, the Titans performed properly for lengthy stretches.
However they allowed three touchdown-scoring drives of 70-plus yards by the Jets, together with one late within the fourth quarter because the Jets surged forward.
The Titans allowed one other blocked punt on particular groups that put factors on the scoreboard for the Jets.
“It’s irritating, dropping,” defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons stated. “The issues we maintain speaking about – taking good care of the soccer, and getting turnovers, and it is not taking place.”
The Titans did some good issues, however they annoyed themselves – and their followers – with the errors.
Calvin Ridley flashed his pace early, because the Titans jumped forward.
Ridley acquired into the nook of the top zone after taking a handoff from Levis, scoring on a 10-yard run to offer the Titans a 7-0 lead with 2:30 left within the first quarter. The play capped a nine-play, 68-yard drive that additionally included a 15-yard catch from Ridley on third down.
The Titans had an opportunity to increase the lead within the second quarter, however a mistake by Levis, who tried to pitch the ball again to Tyjae Spears as he was taking place, was dominated a fumble and recovered by the Jets on the 12-yard line. The Titans had pushed the ball to the New York seven-yard line, they usually appeared poised to increase their lead.
On the workforce’s subsequent possession, Levis was intercepted on a deep ball to Treylon Burks.
The Jets then put collectively a 12-play, 73-yard drive late within the second quarter, and capped it off with a 12-yard landing go from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to operating again Braelon Allen simply 1:47 earlier than halftime to tie the sport.
The Titans took a 10-7 lead at halftime, nevertheless, on a 41-yard discipline aim by kicker Nick People.
The Jets took the lead early within the third quarter after a drive was saved alive on a roughing the passer penalty on Simmons.
As an alternative of the Jets punting, they capped a 70-yard drive off with a 30-yard landing go from Rodgers to operating again Breece Corridor to take a 14-10 lead on the 12:08 mark of the third quarter.
Then got here one other particular groups mistake – Ryan Stonehouse had one other punt blocked – and that set the Jets up for extra factors, as they cashed it in for a Greg Zuerlein discipline aim to take a 17-10 lead on the 5:58 mark of the third quarter.
The Titans struck again in a rush, scoring on a deep ball – a 40-yard go from Levis to Ridley – to make it 17-17 with 3:22 left within the third quarter.
However the Jets acquired it carried out late when it mattered, as Allen’s 20-yard landing run capped a seven-play, 74-yard drive to make it 24-17 with simply 4:31 remaining.
The Titans had a first-and-goal on the 10 within the remaining minute, however they had been unable to attain.
Within the locker room after the sport, gamers talked about one other one which acquired away.
“We misplaced, man,” Ridley stated. “I do not wish to lose, I wish to win the sport and go dwelling and chill, and be pleased. However we’ve got to return to work and determine it out. I believe we’re getting shut, although. I am upset, however I believe we’re getting shut.”
The Titans return to motion subsequent Sunday at Nissan Stadium in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers.