Mistake-Prone Titans Lose 37-27 to Bengals, Drop to 3-11

NASHVILLE – There was some pleasure early at Nissan Stadium.

The Titans scored touchdowns, an enormous man on protection delighted the group with some nifty strikes, and a operating again did some crowd browsing into the top zone.

However issues unraveled in an unsightly means on Sunday towards the Bengals in a 37-27 loss, thanks largely to turnovers and errors.

Titans quarterback Will Levis threw three interceptions, and he additionally misplaced the ball on a fumble within the sport.

Levis additionally misplaced his job mid-game, as he was changed by quarterback Mason Rudolph within the third quarter.

“A sequence of unlucky occasions,” Levis stated after the sport. “4 of these final 5 possessions, just like the turnovers, you are hardly ever not going to get pulled whenever you flip the ball over 4 instances. So, I imply, I perceive that. I obtained to observe the tape and see the way it all went down. I sort of already understand how a few them occurred, and the final one was positively essentially the most disappointing simply because it is a look that I used to be prepared for and that I used to be able to launch, and the man made a great play. And yeah, it sucks. It wasn’t my day.”

The Titans turned the ball over six instances within the contest, on 4 interceptions and two fumbles. The Titans additionally dedicated 12 penalties for 110 yards within the sport.

All of it added as much as one other loss, and the Titans dropped to 3-11.

After the sport, coach Brian Callahan was requested loads of questions on Levis, and whether or not he’ll nonetheless be the group’s starter transferring ahead.

“I feel we’ll get by at this time,” Callahan stated. “I am not going to make any definitive statements come what may. We simply have to ensure we are able to appropriate what we noticed on tape and the place we had a tricky day for him. And once more, generally these items occur the place you will have a tough day, and you bought to get sat down. So, I am not going to make any statements about it. And we obtained to see the place we are able to get higher and the way it labored within the sport and the place we are able to enhance.”

Levis completed the day 8-of-12 for 89 yards with three interceptions, and a 49.0 score.

Rudolph accomplished 21-of-26 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception, and a score of 109.8 in aid.

“They instructed me that I used to be stepping into,” Rudolph stated. “Mindset is to attempt to get some factors on the board and reduce the lead. Happy with means the fellows fought, proud that we obtained some factors on, however I threw a purple zone choose that harm us and I would like to have that one again.

“I have been benched and it is no enjoyable,” Rudolph continued. “However I feel trying again, you should use it to—you’ll be able to be taught from it. And I feel it hardens you as a person and as a human being and it’s all about how you the way you reply, and I do know he’ll reply nicely.”

The Titans confirmed some spunk early, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions.

However the protection had bother slowing down the Bengals all day, as quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns.

“It is robust,” Titans edge rusher Arden Key stated. “We have got loads of guys who care concerning the sport, care about their final title, care about what individuals say about us.”

Issues began off on a optimistic word for the Titans.

After linebacker Luke Gifford intercepted Burrow on the second play of the sport, the Titans cashed it in for a landing.

Working again Tony Pollard capped a fast, six-play, 29-yard drive with a three-yard landing run to make it 7-0 on the 10:52 mark of the primary quarter.

The Bengals tied it up lower than 4 minutes later, nonetheless, on a six-yard landing move from Burrow to operating again Chase Brown, which made it 7-7.

The Titans then answered again shortly themselves, as operating again Tyjae Spears scored on a one-yard landing run lower than three minutes later to make it 14-7. Spears was lifted excessive into the top zone, on the arms and shoulder pads of gamers, and the rating capped a five-play, 70-yard drive that was highlighted by a 40-yard catch and run by receiver Tyler Boyd.

The Titans then made an enormous play on protection.

With the Bengals on the Tennessee nine-yard line, Titans edge Harold Landry pressured Burrow to fumble, and Titans defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat picked it up and ran it 30 yards earlier than being pushed out of bounds.

The play electrified the group, and the Titans had early momentum.

However a fumble by Levis ended the possession, and it gave the Bengals the ball again.

The Bengals made it 14-14 on a two-yard landing move from Burrow to Sam Hubbard with 5:13 left within the first half.

Issues went downhill from there.

After an interception thrown by Levis, the Bengals made it 21-14 on a 38-yard landing move from Burrow to receiver Tee Higgins.

On the group’s subsequent possession, Levis was intercepted once more, his third turnover of the primary half.

The Bengals cashed that in for 3 extra factors, on a 21-yard Cade York discipline aim, to make it 24-14 on the half.

After the Titans went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half, Titans security Daryl Worley intercepted Burrow on the Tennessee three-yard line when the Bengals obtained the ball.

However the sport got here off the rails on Tennessee’s subsequent possession, as Levis was intercepted for the third time within the sport. This one, by security Geno Stone, was returned for a landing to make it 31-14 with 7:24 left within the third quarter.

Rudolph changed Levis on the subsequent possession, and the transfer was greeted with applause from many within the crowd at Nissan Stadium.

The Titans dodged a bullet late within the third quarter when Bengals security Jordan Battle misplaced management of the soccer on the best way into the top zone after choosing up a fumble and racing to the Tennessee one, and it resulted in a touchback.

Rudolph was intercepted within the fourth quarter, which was the group’s six turnovers in seven possessions.

The Titans reduce the result in 31-21 with 6:50 left on a 17-yard landing move from Rudolph to Spears, which capped an eight-play, 87-yard drive.

The Bengals added a late landing by Chase Brown earlier than Rudolph linked with tight finish Josh Whyle for a 13-yard landing move on the ultimate play of the sport to account for the ultimate margin.

“I believed it was going to be forwards and backwards the entire sport and we had been going to must do a great job,” Callahan stated. “And finally, towards a group like that, you simply cannot flip it over. And that is the place it obtained away from us. However I used to be assured our sport plan, I used to be assured in how these guys performed and got here out able to play and finally gave them too many possibilities and a group with a quarterback like that, you give them too many possibilities, they capitalize.”

The Titans return to motion subsequent Sunday in Indianapolis towards the Colts.