Tennessee Titans coach breaks down red zone woes from loss to Cincinnati Bengals
NASHVILLE — There is plenty of hyperventilating being done locally about the Tennessee Titans (7-4) Week 12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (7-4). Understandably so, given the circumstances. Tennessee let a chance for a win over a quality opponent slip away at the end. A multitude of factors were at play in Sunday's game. A lack […]
NASHVILLE — There is plenty of hyperventilating being done locally about the Tennessee Titans (7-4) Week 12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (7-4). Understandably so, given the circumstances.
Tennessee let a chance for a win over a quality opponent slip away at the end.
A multitude of factors were at play in Sunday's game. A lack of consistent pressure on Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow allowed him the opportunity to make the Titans pay. The Bengals defense snuffing out running back Derrick Henry for four quarters certainly did not help.
How about Tennessee's patented red zone efficiency?
Bengals held the Titans hostage in the red zone
Rarely do you see a Tennessee team as fruitless inside of 20 yards as the one that lost to Cincinnati this season.
The Titans had one touchdown scored on the day in flukey fashion. A 69-yard Henry reception resulted in a fumble recovered in the end zone by rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks. By any means necessary, amirite?
Otherwise, the Bengals allowed three Tennessee trips inside their 20 and held them to a total of six points.
"We had an efficient run to start one drive down there," Vrabel said on Monday. "Ryan (Tannehill) probably could've got the ball to (Robert) Woods, the play that we had for him. Then he made a decision not to, which is the quarterback's prerogative. Then he progressed on and didn't really give Chig (Okonkwo) a chance. That was the one series.
"The other series we got pressured, but the ability to handle blitz zero, which we've done well in the past, wasn't something that we did. We know that we have to be much better in those opportunities. We have been, there is evidence for many years of us doing that, this year, last year."
The difference between Cincinnati and the Titans at this point in the season is not a big one. What stood out most was how one club made the other look one dimensional in a head-to-head match-up. Tennessee still boasts a Top 5 red zone offense (66.67%) after dropping their latest game.
How the Titans will respond in Week 13 at Philadelphia remains to be seen.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
