The Tennessee Titans continue to fumble opportunity
Losers of five in a row and now overtaken in the AFC South standings by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans have completely fumbled an opportunity to run away with their division. It once seemed like Tennessee would have a guaranteed playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season. Now, they will need to win on […]
Losers of five in a row and now overtaken in the AFC South standings by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans have completely fumbled an opportunity to run away with their division.
It once seemed like Tennessee would have a guaranteed playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season. Now, they will need to win on the road in Jacksonville in Week 18 in order to get there, and the Titans have nobody to blame but themselves.
When looking for the answers to the Titans' five-game losing streak, you need not look further than the turnovers. While Tennessee's problems are much deeper than just one thing, the Titans' bad habit of turning the ball over has caused their season to fully unravel over the last few weeks.
The five-game losing streak began with losses to Cincinnati and Philadelphia. Tennessee did not have a turnover in either game, but those are two of the better teams in the NFL. Even if the Titans were playing their best football, those are tough matchups that you can't hold against them quite as much. However, following that up with three losses in winnable games against the Jaguars, Chargers, and Texans is a different story, and is what has really put their backs up against the wall.
Turnover Trends
Over the last three weeks, turnovers have been the achilles heel for the Titans' offense. In the last three games combined, Tennessee has turned the ball over eight times and is -5 in their turnover margin. That is the worst margin in the NFL over that span.
They have also found a way to commit those turnovers at critical junctures in the game, often taking points off the board and setting up an opponent score.
Leading 14-10 early in the fourth quarter on Saturday, Titans running back Derrick Henry fumbled the ball with his team driving down into scoring range. The Titans very quickly went from approaching field goal range and extending their lead, to losing the possession and giving up points on the defensive end.
Quarterback Malik Willis would later throw an interception in Houston territory with the game on the line in the final few minutes. Another critical moment, and another big time mistake.
This is exactly what has prevented the Titans from getting out of their rut. So often in the NFL, you win and lose in the margins. That's especially true when you lack the talent that can overcome fundamental failures. Tennessee has lost in the margins with regularity down the stretch of this season.
So, where do they go from here? Is it fixable? We've already heard Mike Vrabel's concerns about his team's ability to stay self-motivated outside of the team facility. Given that, how can the Titans flip a switch?
Running back Derrick Henry told the media on Saturday that it all starts with him.
"I was trying to break a tackle. Trying to get a few extra yards," Henry said about his fumble. "I’ve got to take care of the ball. We practice that. That’s on me. No excuse. The organization puts a lot on me to carry the ball and put it all on my shoulders to do what I can for this team and make plays. There were three games in a row where I fumbled the ball. No excuse. I need to do a better job taking care of the ball. In the last three weeks I have not done that, and I’ve got to get back to work. I feel terrible, terrible about it. I’ll feel terrible until we play again. There is no excuse for it. I'm going to be better."
While Vrabel said after the game that he believes the team needs to "find ways to get everybody to protect the guy with the ball," Henry taking responsibility for his fumbling habits is great leadership, regardless of how much of it is truly on him.
Henry makes a great point. With the emphasis the organization puts on running the ball and getting him involved in the offense, losing the turnover battle just is not an option. If your identity is going to be one-dimensional, you need to at least be good at it.
It has been said all year. This Titans team is not good enough to overcome big mistakes. Penalties, turnovers, and negative plays are the things that will cost them in the end. That's exactly what we have seen as the 2022 season has played out. Week after week, they make the biggest mistake in the biggest spot. Quite literally fumbling a big opportunity.
Image via Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
