Titans vs. Chargers: Live Updates and Analysis
Sunday’s game between the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers is a reality check for both teams.
The perception among many league observers at the start of the season was that the Chargers were a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The offseason talk from the Titans was that 2019 was an opportunity to go from good to great.
Both teams come into this contest at 2-4.
“We just need a win to get back in the win column to feel good about what we’re doing a little bit,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “Guys are working really hard, and I like to see it pay off on Sunday. I know they are in the same boat. They’ve got a good squad. I know they feel like they’re a better team than 2-4, but this is where we’re at right now.”
The team that wins this one will be – at worst – two games out of first place in its division and can maintain some sense that it has a chance to play its way into the postseason. The loser likely will have to come to terms with a hard reality – that it’s just not that good.
“You can’t rely on the pep talks and the, ‘Hey, let’s go, come on,’” Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said. “You have to rely on the leaders of this football team. I have to show them the direction. We have really good leadership, and it will be defined now in the situation that we’re in.”
PREGAME READING
• First-round draft pick Jeffery Simmons set to make his NFL debut, click here
• Reasons to believe the Titans will (or won’t) defeat the Chargers, click here
• Big plays allowed displease defensive coordinator Dean Pees, click here
• Titans hope decision to change quarterbacks provides a spark for the offense, click here
WORDS OF WISDOM
• In the above video, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, in advance of his first start for the Titans, talks about his relationship with Marcus Mariota
INACTIVES
Tennessee – ILB Jayon Brown, OLB Sharif Finch, CB Chris Milton, OL Kevin Pamphile, OLB Derick Roberson, RB Rod Smith, OL Aaron Stinnie.
Los Angeles – S Nasir Adderley, K Michael Badgley, DE Melvin Ingram, RB Justin Jackson, DT Justin Jones, NT Brandon Mebane, QB Easton Stick.
FIRST QUARTER
Chargers ball to start.
Philip Rivers’ first two completions were to tight ends – Hunter Henry for 20 yards (on third down) and Virgil Green for nine yards – but the drive stalls when Kevin Byard breaks up Rivers’ throw on Henry on fourth-and-2 from the Tennessee 31. Titans’ opponents are now 3-for-11 on fourth down this season.
Ryan Tannehill’s first snap as the starting quarterback is a pass – a 24-yard completion to tight end Jonnu Smith. His second play is a botched exchange with center Ben Jones that he covers for no gain.
(8:18): Titans forced to punt – or are they? Punter Brett Kern completes a pass to Kevin Byard for 11 yards on fourth-and-8. The opening possession continues.
(6:02) Tennessee 3, L.A. Chargers 0: Cody Parkey’s first field goal attempt for the Titans is good from 45 yards, which makes this just the second game this season in which Tennessee scored first. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 4:54. Tannehill completed his first three passes (to three different receivers) but the offense was 0-for-2 on third down.
(3:08) Rookie Jeffery Simmons records his first career tackle when he stops Melvin Gordon for a 1-yard loss on first-and-10 from the Tennessee 22. Not bad for a guy with one week of practice since he was drafted.
(0:02) Tennessee 3, L.A. Chargers 3: Malcolm Butler nearly had an interception on the play prior to Chase McLaughlin’s 29-yard field goal. Chargers converted a third-and-15 after eight straight snaps on first or second down. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 6:00.
End of quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
(15:00) Titans start with the ball at their own 20, first-and-10. Right tackle Jack Conklin, on the injury report with an ankle issue during the week, is on the sideline riding the stationary bike. Dennis Kelly in at his spot.
(14:10) Titans report that Conklin has a thigh injury. His return is questionable.
(11:15) Brett Kern’s first punt of the day is knocked out of bounds by LeShaun Sims at the L.A. 6. Titans offense still looking for a third-down conversion (0-3). That's Kern's 24th punt of the season inside the opponents' 20 (on 41 total punts).
(8:55) Chargers on the move courtesy of two catches along the Titans’ sideline in a span of three plays – Keenan Allen for 17 yards and Mike Williams for 21 yards, the latter only after a Chargers’ challenge reversed the call on the field. First-and-10 at the Tennessee 48.
(4:52) Titans announce Delanie Walker has an ankle injury, is questionable to return.
(4:52) Mike Vrabel’s first replay challenge of the season – another sideline catch by L.A.’s Keenan Allen – is unsuccessful. The play stands as called (15-yard gain). Chargers have it first-and-goal at the Tennessee 3.
(3:38) L.A. Chargers 10, Titans 3: Philip Rivers’ 1-yard pass to Melvin Gordon caps a long drive for the game’s first touchdown. The Chargers drove 94 yards on that possession. The Titans have 87 yards of total offense. Scoring drive: 14 plays, 94 yards, 7:36.
(0:23) Titans 10, L.A. Chargers 10: Titans respond with their own scoring drive capped by Ryan Tannehill’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis. Davis has four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown in the first half. His season-highs are five receptions, 91 yards and one TD (all against Atlanta). Scoring drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 3:15.
Halftime. Chargers have a 190-173 edge in total yards and have had the ball for 18:04.
THIRD QUARTER
Titans get the ball to start.
(10:17) Ryan Tannehill sacked twice on the opening possession of the second half, and the Titans waste Jonnu Smith’s effort that turned a short throw into a 35-yard gain on third-and-14 from the 13. Chargers take over at their own 9 following the punt.
On the defense’s first play of the second half, rookie Jeffery Simmons (who is getting a lot of playing time, by the way) notches his first sack. That’s his third tackle and it makes him the 12th member of the defense with a sack this season.
(7:10) Tannehill is hit as he tries to throw. The ball floats on him and in intercepted. That’s the game’s first turnover. Chargers ball at their own 41. Their last three drives all started inside their own 20 (two inside their own 10).
(0:00) The quarter ends with the Titans driving. They have it second-and-6 from the L.A. Anthony Firkser’s 27-yard catch-and-run was the big play. Firkser and fellow tight end Jonnu Smith are the only Titans with receptions of 20-plus yards. Between them they have three receptions, all for at least 24 yards.
FOURTH QUARTER
Coming into the game, opponents had completed 73.5 percent of their passes against the Chargers. Through three quarters, Ryan Tannehill is 15-for-20 (75 percent) for 223 yards with one TD and one interception.
(13:11) Tennessee 16, L.A. Chargers 10. Tannehill finds a wide open Tajae Sharpe in the back of the end zone on third-and-goal from the 5, and the Titans are back on top. The celebration is short-lived as kicker Cody Parkey put the PAT attempt off the right upright. Scoring drive: 14 plays, 85 yards, 7:09. That tops a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in Atlanta (6:04) for the longest of the season, in terms of the number of plays and time off the clock.
(10:55) Titans 16, L.A. Chargers 13. Chargers cut the deficit in half on Chase McLaughlin’s 50-yard field goal. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 43 yards, 2:16.
(6:39): Titans 23, Chargers 13. Corey Davis’ season-long 38-yard reception leads to Derrick Henry’s 11-yard touchdown run three plays later. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:16. Titans are 2-0 this season, 9-1 under Mike Vrabel when scoring 20 or more.
(5:09) Titans 23, Chargers 20. It doesn’t take long for the Chargers to get back into it as Philip Rivers connects with Austin Ekeler for 41-yard touchdown pass. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:30. Twenty points matches the most allowed by the Titans this season.
(3:32) With an empty backfield, Tannehill hits A.J. Brown for 11 yards on third-and-4 … and the Chargers have to start using their timeouts.
(3:01) Ryan Tannehill has 312 yards passing (he's 23-for-29). This is his first 300-yard game since Sept. 25, 2016 with Miami (319) against Cleveland.
(2:35) On fourth-and-1, Tannehill is stopped on fourth-and-1 from the Chargers’ 49. A first down effectively would have ended the game. Now things get interesting.
(0:07) Jurrell Casey’s fumble recovery at the goal line saves the day and caps a wild sequence, which included two apparent L.A. touchdowns overturned by review, a Chargers false start on the 1 followed by pass interference against Malcolm Butler. Officials needed a lengthy review to determine the Titans had made the play.
More of Mike Vrabel’s decision-making (going for it on fourth down, not challenging the spot when officials ruled Tannehill didn’t get it) comes under scrutiny as the Titans almost let one get away.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It was a good start for Tannehill, who spread the ball around and made a difference on third down. And props to Jeffery Simmons for not only getting on the field but for making plays eight months after a serious knee injury.
You take a win any way you can get it, but this one shows the Titans still have a long way to go before they are a playoff team. They have to be better with the lead. They still have to settle on the best offensive line combination and Vrabel has to make better calls.
