Titans-Saints: Live Updates and Analysis

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Titans seemingly have set their sights on next week.

Running back Derrick Henry and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons have been scratched for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints at Nissan Stadium, which ultimately has little impact on the Titans’ playoff prospects.

Following Houston’s victory on Saturday, Tennessee’s only chance to make the postseason is as the AFC’s second wild card. To get there, it must win next Sunday at Houston and Pittsburgh needs to lose one of its remaining two – regardless of what happens against the Saints.

That is the backdrop for today’s action.

And here we go.

FIRST QUARTER

The Saints win the toss and defer their option to the second half. The Titans will start with the ball.

(14:55) Dion Lewis gets the start at running back and gets a handoff on the first play. It’s a one-yard loss.

(13:49) Ryan Tannehill is sacked on third down and the Titans go three-and-out. Plenty of Saints fans in the house and they chant ‘Who dat?’

(11:10) Tennessee’s defense allows an early first down but then holds and forces a punt. The offense will start its second drive at its own 27.

(7:55) Tennessee 7, New Orleans 0. Jonnu Smith scores on a 41-yard catch-and-run off play-action. On the drive, Ryan Tannehill was 3-for-3 for 72 yards and a touchdown, including a 19-yard completion on a screen pass to Dion Lewis that got the drive going. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 73 yards, 2:42.

This is the first time in four games, the second in the last eight, the Titans have scored first.

(6:40) Derick Roberson’s first career sack ends New Orleans’ second possession and forces a punt.

(4:50) Tennessee 14, New Orleans 0. The Titans get creative and give it to A.J. Brown on a run. Brown goes 49 yards for the touchdown. Scoring drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 1:11.

This is the third time this season the Titans have scored 14 first-quarter points. The others were also against NFC South opponents, Atlanta (Sept. 29) and Tampa Bay (Oct. 27).

End of the first quarter. Saints are driving. They have it at the Tennessee 28, second-and-6. Titans have outgained the Saints 142-53.

Ryan Tannehill was 4-for-4 for 87 yards and a touchdown – a perfect 158.3 passer rating – in that quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

(13:36) Tennessee 14, New Orleans 3. Jurrell Casey’s sack on third down forces a field goal attempt. Will Lutz makes it from 47 yards and gets the Saints on the board. Scoring drive: 13 plays, 41 yards, 6:14.

(11:54) The Titans offense can’t answer, goes three-and-out and has to punt. New Orleans has a chance to cut into Tennessee’s lead a little more.

(9:27) Saints are killing themselves with penalties. A holding call led to a punt on their last possession. Then a hands-to-the-face negates a sack on Tennessee’s first play following the punt. New Orleans has been penalized seven times for 50 yards. Tennessee two times for 16 yards.

(7:38) Brett Kern forced to punt from the end zone after Tannehill is sacked again (this one was not negated by a penalty). New Orleans will start at the Tennessee 48.

(2:34) Ryan Tannehill sacked two more times – that’s four so far – and the Saints get the ball back at their own 39 with 2:34 to play in the half. They have the chance to score here and – if they use the clock properly – get the ball to start the second half.

(2:23) Tennessee 14, New Orleans 10. Instead, New Orleans wastes no time and gets a 61-yard catch-and-run by former Titans tight end Jared Cook, with help from a downfield block by running back Alvin Kamara. Scoring drive: 1 play, 61 yards, 0:11.

(2:00) Two-minute warning. Titans get a much needed first down with Tajaé Sharpe’s 12-yard reception on third-and-7. When play resumes, it will be first and 10 for the Titans at their own 24.

(0:00) Halftime. Titans lead 14-10. They have outgained New Orleans 181-163. First downs are 8-8. No turnovers by either team. Dion Lewis with 33 yards on nine carries in the half. Ryan Tannehill is 7-10 for 112 yards with one touchdown.

New Orleans gets the ball to start the second half.

THIRD QUARTER

(14:00) New Orleans 17, Tennessee 14. One play after Logan Ryan is called for pass interference, Alvin Kamara gets free for a 40-yard touchdown run, and the Saints lead for the first time. Scoring drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 1:00.

(11:19) Dion Lewis has his longest run of the season, 17 yards, but the drive is undone by a Ben Jones holding penalty and another sack of Ryan Tannehill. Titans punt. Saints start the next drive at their own 30.

Defense needs a stop.

(10:25) Titans lose their first timeout when Mike Vrabel calls for a replay challenge. Great play by Logan Ryan to break up a pass for Michael Thomas. Vrabel thought (hoped?) that it was a catch and fumble. There was a clear recovery for Ryan, but officials ruled the video was inconclusive so the play stands as called.

(7:08) New Orleans 24, Tennessee 14. The Saints take advantage of the favorable review and quickly drive the rest of the way. Alvin Kamara’s second touchdown of the day, a 1-yard run, caps it. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:00.

That’s 24 straight points for the Saints over a span of 21:28 … in case anyone is counting.

(4:25) New Orleans 24, Tennessee 21. Finally, the Titans with a response. Ryan Tannehill finds Tajaé Sharpe after his primary option was taken away. Sharpe with the catch and run for 36 yards and a touchdown. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:43.

The Saints get a 47-yard kickoff return (the longest allowed by Tennessee this season) and will start their next drive at their own 48.

(1:18) New Orleans 31, Tennessee 21. Drew Brees and the Saints are rolling now. Jared Cook has his second touchdown of the day, a 16-yard catch on a perfectly thrown ball this time. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 3:07.

Saints have scored touchdowns on four of their last five drives. The exception was the two plays they ran at the end of the first half.

End of the third quarter. Titans are 2-4 this season when trailing after three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER

(11:26) Derick Roberson with another sack. Looked like a safety at first. Officials spot the ball just outside the goal line. New Orleans has to punt.

(10:42) Following a 12-yard punt return by Kalif Raymond, the Titans will start at the New Orleans 42.

(7:27) New Orleans 31, Tennessee 28. Tajaé Sharpe with his second touchdown catch of the day. This one a leaping grab on a really well-thrown ball to the back of the end zone. Give Ryan Tannehill credit for standing in against the rush. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 42 yards, 3:15.

It should be noted that new kicker Greg Joseph is 4-for-4 on PATs so far. He has not attempted a field goal.

This is now the first multi-TD game of Tajaé Sharpe’s career. He’d had six games with one touchdown reception. He also has doubled his number of TD catches this season.

(4:23) The Saints attempt a fake punt from the Tennessee 38. Taysom Hill throws a strike to defensive back Justin Hardee, who drops it. Titans take over at their own 38 with a chance to take the lead.

(4:06) Titans’ first play: Kalif Raymond catches a slant for 22 yards, gets drilled by a safety and fumbles. Saints recover and return it 38 yards to the Tennessee 25. It should be noted that Raymond likely was in for Corey Davis, who went to the locker room with trainers earlier in the quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.

(2:10) New Orleans 38, Tennessee 28. The Saints convert the takeaway into a touchdown. Michael Thomas scores on a 2-yard reception. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 1:56.

It’s desperation time for the Titans.

The 38 points allowed tie the most against Tennessee (and are the most allowed at home) in the Mike Vrabel/Dean Pees era. The only other time since the start of 2018 the Titans allowed that many was Nov. 18, 2018 at Indianapolis (a 38-10 loss).

(1:44) Tennessee fails to convert a fourth down and New Orleans can exhaust the clock from here.

A really good effort from the Titans when they could have been looking ahead to next week. Now they can do exactly that – look ahead to next week.

CLOSING THOUGHT

The good news for the Titans is that Pittsburgh lost today as well. Even with this defeat, therefore, Tennessee now holds the AFC’s second wild card spot and needs only to win next Sunday at Houston to make the playoffs.