Tennessee Titans: What Actually Killed the Titans in Meltdown Loss to Steelers
A lot of fingers could be pointed in a lot of different directions as the blame for the Tennessee Titans' meltdown, 19-13 loss to Pittsburgh is assessed. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing made some questionable decisions, QB Ryan Tannehill wasn't perfect, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine dropped a well-placed deep ball, the pass protection was consistently awful and […]
A lot of fingers could be pointed in a lot of different directions as the blame for the Tennessee Titans' meltdown, 19-13 loss to Pittsburgh is assessed.
Offensive coordinator Todd Downing made some questionable decisions, QB Ryan Tannehill wasn't perfect, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine dropped a well-placed deep ball, the pass protection was consistently awful and the defense committed some key, costly penalties.
Yet, the Titans would have overcome every single one of those issues, and more, if not for the fact that they turned the ball over a whopping four times on offense.
More than anything else, that's what led to the Titans' second-half collapse.
Despite their litany of miscues, the Titans managed to dominate both time of possession and yardage. They also went to halftime with a 10-point lead, and they didn't surrender the lead until the fourth quarter.
If the offense had been able to hold onto the ball, they might have never given it up.
Tennessee's first turnover came when TE Anthony Firkser, who's been terribly disappointing in 2021, brutally fumbled over the middle of the field after making what would've been a nice third-down conversion.
WR Racey McMath also lost a fumble, and Tannehill couldn't connect with Ben Jones on an under-center snap in the fourth quarter.
Tannehill threw an interception, too, which resulted from a tip at the line of scrimmage.
It was the third time in the Titans' last four games that the offense has turned the ball over at least four times⏤a wildly concerning and, even, embarrassing trend.
Disciplined and well-coached in so many areas, the Titans just can't seem to find any kind of success in the turnover department, where they've been a complete disaster.
It's maddening to watch, and it will be up to Mike Vrabel to fix it. Otherwise, the Titans will keep losing and could find themselves in a tight division race.
Cover image: George Walker IV/The Tennessean
