Last Game Provides Titans a Second Chance
The Tennessee Titans already have turned the page on a disappointing 40-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Their focus now turns to an opportunity that coach Mike Vrabel defined as rare. For the second straight week, it’s simple for the Titans. All they need to do to qualify for the postseason for the third time in four years and claim their first AFC South division title since 2008 is defeat the Houston Texans.
There are a few other avenues to both possibilities. The Titans would clinch the division with an Indianapolis loss or if the two teams somehow ended the final week of the season with ties.
Additional ways for the Titans to clinch a playoff berth:
- a Baltimore loss OR
- a Miami loss OR
- a Titans tie and Browns loss OR
- a Titans tie and a Miami tie OR
- a Titans tie and a Baltimore tie
Of course, there also is a chance that the Titans could miss out on the playoffs altogether.
Players and coaches alike have all stressed that they don’t want their playoff fate to end up in somebody else’s hands, and this week will be no exception to that.
“I think that’s the message this week, is that we’ve got a second opportunity to be able to go on the road, win a game, with our 11th game, win the division, host a home playoff game,” Vrabel said Monday. “We’re going to have to put everything that we have into it and continue to work and continue to try to prepare and fix the things that cost you.
"... Rarely do you get a second opportunity at something."
The Titans also will be looking to get a number of things corrected before that potential trip to the playoffs on both sides of the football following their most lopsided defeat of the season at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
The defense, in particular, will look to straighten things out -- something the unit has seemingly been trying to do all season. The Titans have the fewest sacks in the league (15) and one of the worst pass defenses. Their run defense isn’t much better, and they have surrendered more third-down conversions (106) than any team.
On Sunday, Rodgers completed 21 of his 25 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns. The Titans sacked him once but didn’t generate much pressure at all. Wide receiver Davante Adams had his way with the secondary, catching 11 passes on 12 targets for 142 yards and three touchdowns. A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones combined for 218 rushing yards. Dillon scored twice.
“We didn’t give our offense, our team a chance,” safety Kevin Byard said following the contest. “We didn’t start fast. We didn’t finish strong. We didn’t play well.
“But it’s very important for us to try to hurry up and regroup and kind of forget this game. One of the goals we set at the beginning of the year is still there. We have to find a way to regroup and go out there with the guys we have and try to win the division next week.”
Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones shared those thoughts.
“Our season ain’t over,” he said. “We have a huge game next week and we have to come ready to play. The faster we can shrug this off and get back to the drawing board to get ready for Houston, the better. We can’t let this deter us, knowing where we are in our division and knowing that we have another opportunity coming up.”
The Titans’ offense, one of the top scoring units in the league, turned in one of its most underwhelming performances Sunday. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has been one of the most efficient at his position all season, threw two interceptions and completed just 11 of his 24 passes for one touchdown and a season-low 121 yards. He ran 45 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Corey Davis, in the middle of his most productive season to date, was targeted twice and didn’t catch a pass. A.J. Brown didn’t fare much better, catching four passes for 43 yards.
“It’s tough. I have to be better. As an offense we have to be better,” Tannehill said. “We didn’t execute well or consistently at any time. We put a couple of drives together, but other than that we weren’t executing well. We have to be able to look at this and get it fixed for next week.”
Running back Derrick Henry, who will be the league’s rushing champion for a second straight season by this time next week, never got it into gear. He did finish with 98 yards on 23 carries, but he didn’t pick up large chunks of yards and struggled to find room to run against Green Bay’s surging defense. His streak of 100-yard road games ended at nine, one shy of Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders’ run of 10.
“We all, all three phases, need to play better,” Henry said. “That’s what we are going to try to do. Correct it and get ready for next week.”
The Titans know what is at stake in Week 17. What could have been done Sunday in Green Bay will be out in front of them again in Houston. It all comes down to improvement. Quickly.
“You have to play well. You have to play,” Vrabel said. “You have to execute the keys. You have to understand what's important that goes into winning. That's what's important. Playing well and coaching well is going to be important.”
