PITTSBURGH — Four turnovers by the Tennessee Titans (9-5) 19-13 road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1) tells you everything you need to know. For the third time in four games, self-inflicted wounds swallowed Mike Vrabel's team whole.

What makes the situation worse for Tennessee's offense? They just do not seem to have answers.

We all know the Titans injury situation at this point. Julio Jones returns from IR to produce four catches for 33 yards in a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, gets one target in Pittsburgh and gets ruled out for the game (hamstring) after only one half of play. Tennessee's offensive line has not started and finished a game with its primary front five once this season and the two best offensive players have no reliable timeline for their return.

Can they hang on?

Titans cannot escape turnovers

Beating the Steelers was very much in play on Sunday, but Tennessee just could not get its act together.

"We moved the ball on them," Vrabel said. "We turned the ball over and stopped them when they got turnovers. And pretty much, appreciate the way the defense played. I thought they flew around. We move the ball offensively. We were efficient on third down. Unfortunately, we just turned the football over."

That is the insanity of the Titans offense right now.

Moving the ball is really not an issue. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the Titans offense were better than Pittsburgh in third down efficiency (44.4%) time of possession (39:08), total net yardage (318) and yards per play (4.1). They have done all this in life without Derrick Henry, managing to put together a solid rushing attack that averages 135.17 rushing yards per game in their last six. If one were to look at a box score of this contest, the statistical advantage held by Tennessee would be utterly inexplicable in a loss.

That is, until you find the turnover differential.

In their last four games, the Titans are 1-3. Tennessee has given the ball away 13 times in those three games and created only four turnovers. All 13 of those gaffes have been in losses. The four takeaways all were gifted to them by rookie Trevor Lawrence last week in their win over Jacksonville.

"It's a sick feeling," Tannehill said. "Any time you walk away with a loss, it's a sick feeling. And for as many mistakes as we had throughout the game, to have a shot there at the end and to be moving the ball with the ton of confidence that we had in the huddle that we were going to walk away with the win, find a way to score at the end."

In three of Tennessee's five losses, they have had their opportunity to close at the end. It is difficult to say that they will find a way to break through without their playmakers on the field.

They are incapable of making a single mistake without an avalanche of blunders that follow.

One positive: Tennessee's defense

The Titans defense cannot outright win them football games with all of these mistakes. Damned if they aren't trying to, though.

Ben Roethlisberger surpassed Philip Rivers for fifth place on the NFL's all-time passing list, but was and has been a shell of himself this entire season. Pittsburgh's lone touchdown drive had a gain of 17 yards from Big Ben to tight end Zach Gentry. Otherwise, the Steelers scoring drive was the result of three questionable penalties. Safety Kevin Byard certainly had some thoughts about the officiating.

"I don't know if I'll get fined, but I think the majority of the calls in the game were complete BS," said Byard. "I think the pass interference on Buster (Skrine), I think he was turned around and playing the ball. Just hand fighting. I think even the hit on Kristian (Fulton), I didn't think it was a dirty play. I think he was just trying to make a play on the ball and dislodge the ball out. Unfortunately, (Pat Freiermuth) got hurt. And, also, the pass interference in the end zone, so the one drive, fueled by penalties, they got a touchdown. But the rest of the game, I felt like the defense was flying around and playing with speed."

Tennessee held Roethlisberger and company to 168 total net yards of offense.

While there were no turnover created this week, it is hard to ask a group to do more. The Titans offensive giveaways consistently placed their defense in disadvantageous positions and each time they responded. The Steelers were 2-of-11 (18.2%) on third downs and punted four straight times to start the game. It was only when things spiraled for Tennessee that Pittsburgh started to gain ground.

Even then, all the Steelers could manage were four field goals off of those short fields.

Good defense is simply not enough for these Titans right now. While the training staff slaves over hamstrings and Jones fractures, Tannehill and the offense simply must do more. Tennessee had the easiest strength of schedule remaining in NFL after Week 9.

The Titans have gone 2-3 in those games.

Their season sweep over the Indianapolis Colts (8-6) seemed like victory unto itself. Now, there are serious questions about whether the Titans will be able to hang on to their division.

Featured Image: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports.