KANSAS CITY — The Tennessee Titans (5-3) once again had no business playing the Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) as close as they did in a 20-17 overtime loss. They did it anyway with a rookie back-up quarterback and an exhaustive defensive effort that left everything they had on the field.

They damn near did it, too.

Tennessee knew that it would be without quarterback Ryan Tannehill in Kansas City for most of the week. Malik Willis filled in for a second consecutive game and did as much as he was capable of. Again, the Titans roster deficiencies at the receiver position were exposed with two egregious missed opportunities that were enough to cost them the game.

Again, we're left wondering why the hell they couldn't have done something about it.

Titans 2022 wide receiver experiment is a bust

If you are tired of re-litigating Tennessee trading away star wide out A.J. Brown this offseason, I understand.

It is impossible to ignore, however, when the group the Titans have tried to cobble together since then lets them down as badly as they did on Sunday night. With the Chiefs on the ropes and a herculean effort by the Tennessee defense, Willis was failed by his wide receivers on two critical plays. All the while with Brown providing running commentary on social media about how badly his former team misses his on-field presence.

The Titans led Kansas City 14-9 in the second quarter.

On third-and-nine from their own 40-yard line, Willis dropped back and unleashed a beautiful pass downfield in the direction of receiver Chris Conley. Conley, signed from the Chiefs practice squad on Oct. 25., had the ball hit him directly in the hands. Instead of a 30+ yard gain and critical conversion, the pass fell incomplete and Tennessee's offense was trotted off the field.

"I tell you what, he threw some really nice deep balls," coach Mike Vrabel said after the game. "I mean, we went up and down with three of them that we have to make. Again, we get into this drop back game, that is not where we want to play the game. I know we made some really nice balls that got up and down that hopefully we can figure out a way to catch and come down with."

Tennessee needed receiver help at the deadline and could not get it done

On the second drive of the fourth quarter and clinging to a 17-9 lead, Willis had another deep opportunity against the Kansas City secondary.

Second-and-nine from the Chiefs' 38-yard line and receiver Nick Westbook-Ikhine had L'Jarius Snead beat. Willis hit his back foot and let the ball go in Westbrook-Ikhine's direction, for what would have been a contested catch opportunity. The former undrafted rookie free agent bobbled the pass and crashed down to the field for another incompletion.

Willis completed a third down pass well short of the line to gain on the next play to running back Dontrell Hilliard, who was smoked behind the line of scrimmage for a four-yard loss.

"No one was saying this earlier in the year when we were making plays," Westbrook-Ikhine said of the Titans receivers inability to produce. "I'm just going to ignore all that and go back to work. Try to get better and make the plays we need to make."

It would be very easy to rip up such a nonsensical comment, but what is Westbrook-Ikhine supposed to say? Nearly the entire discussion around Tennessee's offense this year has been how far short the receiving corps has come up. The Sunday Night Football broadcast displayed a graphic speaking to that issue. Titans wide outs have 51 catches for 658 yards and a single touchdown through eight regular season games.

Brown has 43 receptions for 718 yards receiving and six touchdowns in the same timeframe. He is one of seven individual pass catchers who have eclipsed Tennessee's entire receiving group in 2022.

Reinforcements off of the team's injured reserve await on the horizon with rookies Treylon Burks able to be designated to return first after missing the last four games. Until then, however, this will be the Titans continued existence.

"When you were scrambling in overtime avoiding sacks, what was going through your head?" Willis was asked after the loss.

“I hope someone gets open soon," responded the rookie. "I can’t keep doing this.”

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.