Through 28 minutes, the Tennessee Titans dominated the Cleveland Browns. They held a 28-3 lead. Jake Locker ran for a score and threw for a score. Kendall Wright had the first two-touchdown game of his NFL career. Justin Hunter had shown some of that promise with a 75-yard catch-and-run where he badly beat the cornerback. Though Locker was out, Charlie Whitehurst had stepped in off the bench and thrown two scores, one to Wright and one to Hunter, on nice throws. Unfortunately for Tennessee, NFL games are 60 minutes long.
The Browns started off with the double whammy the Titans couldn’t manage last week, scoring a TD right before half and a field goal on the opening possession of the second half to cut it to 28-13 early in the third. The Titans started backed up, got some yards, then committed a penalty (a running theme of the game), and punted. The Browns drove the field, then the Titans got a key fourth down stop. Three-and-out, including a penalty, but the punt was muffed. Nope, penalty on Marqueston Huff for not coming back in-bounds. The Browns drove the field only to be stopped again. Nerves for Titans fans, yes, but at 28-13 in the fourth quarter there didn’t seem to be too much cause for concern. Then another 3-and-out, and a blocked punt safety. 28-15. The Browns could make it a one-score game. Brian Hoyer intercepted! Nope, penalty, illegal contact, and a scrum that resulted in Derrick Morgan getting tossed. Given another chance, Hoyer made it 28-22.
Now was the time for the Titans offensive line to take over and grind out much of the remaining seven minutes before tacking on a FG to make it a two-score game? Nope, pass, pass, pass, punt. The Browns were stopped, though, with a Michael Griffin interception on a third-and-long armpunt. Now was the time for the Titans offensive line to take over and grind out much of the remaining five minutes before tacking on a FG to make it a two-score game, right? Pass, pass, pass and finally a conversion. Then another third-down pass gave them a conversion; nope, Browns challenge, bad spot, fourth down. Time to punt Cleveland deep from near midfield and force them to go 80+ yards in three minutes, right? Nope, QB sneak on fourth-and-a foot, and Charlie Whitehurst gets stood up at that OL can’t get it done. Two minutes and five plays later, Hoyer had his third touchdown pass of the half, and the Browns had a 1-point lead. Can Whitehurst drive for a field goal in 69 seconds with one timeout? Nope, and the Titans come away with a devastating loss.
What to say about this game.
- Penalties. The Titans were flagged for six personal fouls, including that Morgan ejection. The total penalty amount was only 7 for 68 yards, but that the actual effect of them was bigger, including the big plays they took away.
- Injuries. Craig Stevens got hurt early and never returned. Jake Locker took a hit to his head (rightly flagged, but the Titans then kicked off from the 20 instead of the 50 after a retaliatory personal foul and then another personal foul on the extra point) and returned, then took a hit to his hand that knocked him out of the rest of the game. Coty Sensabaugh suffered a knee injury in the second half and spent key moments of the fourth quarter out of the game. Oh, and Bernard Pollard suffered what may be a major Achilles injury at the end of the game.
- Play-calling. Twenty pass plays to ten runs in the second half, including six straight passes in four-minute drill-like situations. Bishop Sankey (eight carries, seven of them from the gun) and Shonn Greene weren’t always gaining many yards, but two more incompletions to give the Browns 80 fewer seconds on the clock would have really hurt their chances of winning.
- Roster issues. Defensive back depth. Once Sensabaugh went out, the Titans had to rely on Marqueston Huff and Brandon Harris, who was targeted often and with success. Craig Stevens’ injury forced the Titans out of what looked like a 2TE gameplan (and I’m not sure Lewan played much after his personal foul on the extra point). A better blocking-type than Chase Coffman might have been in order with Taylor Thompson on the sidelines. The Titans spent most of the game stuck in 11 personnel, generally not the preferred running formation.
All in all, one of the worst, most disappointing regular season losses in LP Field history, especially considering where the Titans were coming into the game and where the game situation late in the second quarter. Next up, the Jaguars, who were apparently competitive in losing 17-9 to the Steelers today. Can Jacksonville get their first win at LP Field again? Better, will anybody actually be surprised when they do?
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