Derrick Henry, Titans Brush Aside Lions in 46-25 Victory
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In Week 15 against a quality AFC opponent in the Tennessee Titans, the Detroit Lions needed to play a clean football game.
Unfortunately, mistakes and two fumbles by Detroit's offense contributed to the team's 46-25 loss in Tennessee.
The Titans quickly established rhythm offensively, as they marched 75 yards on 12 plays on their opening drive.
With the touchdown on the opening drive, Derrick Henry became the fourth player in NFL history to record 1,500 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.
Detroit answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive of its own.
Matthew Stafford, who only practiced Friday on a very limited basis, was efficient on Detroit's opening offensive drive.
The offensive line did a solid job of giving Stafford time, as he was able to find tight end T.J. Hockenson on Detroit's first touchdown drive of the game.
Ryan Tannehill and the Titans' offense struck quickly.
In fact, it took just one play for Tennessee to take a 14-7 lead, as Tannehill found wide receiver Corey Davis on a 75-yard touchdown pass.
Henry threw newcomer Alex Myres into outer space, a cornerback who was elevated from the practice squad Saturday by Detroit as a COVID-19 replacement, when he stiff-armed the defensive back on Tennessee's third scoring drive of the afternoon.
© George Walker IV / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC
© George Walker IV / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC
On its subsequent offensive possession, while trailing 21-7, Detroit was able to put together a productive drive, only to come away with zero points.
Rookie running back D'Andre Swift attempted to leap into the end zone on a third-and-goal play, but the Titans' defense stood tall and forced the football loose.
The Lions' defense finally made an impactful play when Romeo Okwara used his athleticism to jump over a cut block by David Quessenberry to get the clean sack on Tannehill. It earned Detroit the safety and two points, trimming the Titans' lead to 12, 21-9.
On the following Lions offensive drive, Swift made up for the fumble by finding the end zone on a two-yard scamper with 1:02 to play in the first half. It brought Detroit within six, 21-15, after Matt Prater missed the extra-point try.
The last time the Lions' defense recorded a safety occurred against the Titans back in 2016.
A late field goal gave the Titans a 24-15 halftime lead.
On the afternoon, Detroit's offense fumbled twice in plus territory.
To start the second half, tight end T.J. Hockenson fumbled while stretching for a first down, after hitting Derick Roberson's leg. Replay showed the football came out before he was down, and the Titans took over possession on offense.
Prater tied Sebastian Janikowski for the most made 50-yard field goals in NFL history (58), when he connected on a 53-yard attempt, which trimmed Tennessee's lead to six, 24-18.
Tannehill's second rushing touchdown of the afternoon and a successful two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter extended the Titans' lead to 32-18.
A failed fake punt attempt gave Tennessee short field position, which Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and his offense took full advantage of.
After taking over on downs, Tannehill found A.J. Brown for a two-yard touchdown throw, extending Tennessee's lead to 39-18.
With 8:54 remaining and trailing by 21 points, Stafford was pulled for backup quarterback Chase Daniel.
With the loss, Detroit falls to 5-9 on the season, and will return home to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday afternoon at Ford Field.
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