The Titans' biggest failure in loss to Bengals
Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was a frustrating one for the Tennessee Titans to say the least. Not only is losing at home to the Bengals reminiscent of the painful AFC Divisional Playoff game from back in January, this one hurts extra when you consider how many opportunities the Titans had to win […]
Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was a frustrating one for the Tennessee Titans to say the least.
Not only is losing at home to the Bengals reminiscent of the painful AFC Divisional Playoff game from back in January, this one hurts extra when you consider how many opportunities the Titans had to win this game.
In a game with dumb penalties, missed field goals, and questionable play calling, the biggest failure from the Titans on Sunday was still obvious: Red Zone execution. Simply put, the Titans failed to convert in the red zone, and it's hard to win in the NFL when you settle for field goals (or field goal attempts, at the very least).
In three red zone trips, the Titans went 0-3, and scored just six points total on those possessions. But what was the cause of this massive failure on Sunday?
What Went Wrong?
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what led to the lack of offensive scoring in the red zone from the Titans, but it likely just boils down to a lack of execution and efficiency.
Titans rookie kicker Caleb Shudak missed a 35-yard field goal, which left Tennessee empty handed after an impressive drive to end the first half. That certainly didn't help, but Tennessee was also killed by a combination of questionable play-calling and physical mistakes when it mattered most.
Opening the second quarter, the Titans failed to convert in the red zone after drawing up a screen pass to blocking tight end Geoff Swaim from the Bengals 16-yard line. The play design was actually strong on paper, but targeting a block-first tight end (Swaim) over more athletic playmakers like Treylon Burks or Chig Okonkwo seemed a bit backwards, and really let the air out of the drive.
Later in the game, Tennessee hit a home run by opening a series with a 51-yard completion to Burks. Cincinnati also picked up a personal foul on the play, and the Titans were set up with a 1st and 10 from the Bengals 12-yard line. A dropped pass by Okonkwo on what may have otherwise been a touchdown would force the Titans to once again kick a field goal.
Titans running back Derrick Henry spoke to the level of frustration on the sideline when Tennessee wasn't able to finish off scoring drives.
"Yeah, definitely it was frustrating," Henry said. "Whenever you get down there you want to get points, and we just strung some plays together to get down there, we just couldn't get in the end zone. We've got to get back to work and hopefully be better."
Given what we already know about this Titans offense, taking advantage of scoring opportunities is the key to success against good teams. The big plays and sustained drives are so rare, that when you get one, you better get six points out of it. If you don't you allow other teams to hang around and beat you late in games.
The 7-4 Titans will travel to Philadelphia next Sunday, as they attempt to turn things around against an old friend.
Image via Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
