Titans-Patriots: The who, what, how and why

The Tennessee Titans have not won their first two preseason games since 2009. It looked for a long time Saturday like this would be the year they did it but the New England Patriots rallied with 14 second-half points and the Titans fell 22-17 at Nissan Stadium.

“I thought we gave a solid 60-minute effort in all three phases of the game,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “… We showed good toughness and resiliency. That’s a good football team.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Titans scored first late in the first quarter with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to Delanie Walker – a decidedly popular moment for the home crowd given the fact that Walker missed virtually all of 2018 with an ankle injury. They did not trail until 4:12 remained, when New England’s depth guys on offense, led by quarterback Jarrett Stidham, put together their third straight drive of at least 10 plays and the second of those three that ended with a touchdown.

Tennessee’s reserves, led by quarterback Logan Woodside, failed to answer – or even produce a first down – the one chance they got after that.

When the Titans did score, they sometimes did so two at a time. Mariota delivered a two-point conversion after the first touchdown when he scrambled and got upended as he crossed the line (pictured). With 4:37 to play in the second quarter the Titans were awarded a safety when the Patriots were called for holding as quarterback Stidham attempted to throw out of his own end zone.

The teams traded missed field goal attempts in a second half.

WHY IT HAPPENED

For starters, it did not hurt that New England’s starting quarterback, Tom Brady, never saw the field after he served as his team’s lone representative for the coin toss. Had he played it would not have been for long. Still, it’s tough not to think that he would have put points on the board before the opening minute of the second quarter, which is when the Patriots scored with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Conversely, the Titans got the touchdown pass and two-point conversion from Mariota as well as a touchdown pass from backup Ryan Tannehill on his first series of the night (a 15-yard pass to running back Jeremy McNichols). Those two were a combined 13-20 for 147 yards with no interceptions. Each had a passer rating of better than 115.0 and at halftime the Titans led 17-8.

The second half was a contest between Stidham and Woodside, and Stidham clearly got the better of things. Woodside completed just four of 13 passes.

WHO MADE IT HAPPEN

It was the Titans’ defensive line that set the tone early. Three of the Patriots’ first four running plays ended with solo stops by one of the big guys up front – in order, Austin Johnson, DaQuan Jones and Matt Dickerson. In fact, in the first quarter, when starters for both sides were still involved, New England’s offense managed just 17 yards and one first down.

Walker (two catches, 26 yards and the touchdown) set the tone for what was a productive night for Tennessee’s tight ends. Cole Wick was the team’s leading receiver with three receptions for 42 yards, and Anthony Firkser added two catches for 32 yards. Wick, Firkser and Walker were first, second and fourth, respectively, among the Titans in receiving yards.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The Titans have a full week of preparation before another home game, Sunday against Pittsburgh. Officially, training camp broke Friday but this week will be an important time because it will be the last extended run of practice time before mandatory roster cuts and the shift into regular season mode and player development takes a back seat to game preparation.

It also will be a chance for guys like Walker, wide receivers Corey Davis and A.J. Brown and others who have been limited and/or injured to increase their workload. It might even be the week that running back Derrick Henry, who was injured on the first day of camp, returns to the practice field.

“We’re a game-plan team, so we have Pittsburgh next,” cornerback Logan Ryan said. “I’m assuming we’ll play the starters a little more next week to prepare for those guys.”