The Tennessee Titans suffered their fifth loss of the season in Week 7 against the Buffalo Bills. The team now sits at 1-5 and any fans that were holding out hope for this season have surely given that up now.
The Titans still have games against the Lions, Chargers, Vikings, Texans, Commanders, and Bengals, so it’s hard to see where the wins are going to come.
The offense did look better with Mason Rudolph under center, at least in the first half. Rudolph completed 25 of 40 passes for 215 yards with one touchdown and one interception. For the first time this season, though, the Titans’ defense was not able to hold up their end of the bargain.
Josh Allen threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns, and once again, the Titans’ defense didn’t force a single turnover. Just not winning football from this team.
Final score: Bills 34, Titans 10
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| Titans | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Bills | 0 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 34 |
Keys to the game
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- The Titans once again did not force any turnovers. This has been a recurring theme. The Titans’ offense commits all sorts of turnovers, and the defense doesn’t force any. When playing a team like Buffalo, that’s a recipe for disaster.
- The defense couldn’t hold up. Entering this game, the Titans’ defense had allowed the fewest yards per game in the NFL. In Week 7, though, the Bills collected 389 total yards of offense and put up 34 points. This is the most yards and points allowed by the Titans in a game this season.
- The offensive line was not good enough. Jaelyn Duncan got the start at right tackle, inexplicably, but the young lineman left almost immediately with an injury. In total, the Bills got three sacks and six tackles for loss on Sunday. As the game went on, Rudolph had to immediately get rid of the ball because of the constant pressure.
It was over when…
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This game was over when Brian Callahan decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 44-yard line. The defense had been playing great up to that point, so it was mind-boggling to see the coach go for it here. It immediately backfired as Tony Pollard lost yards on the play and the Bills took over.
Of course, the Bills scored and took the lead for the first time on the day. This was a lead the team would never relinquish, as all of the momentum was on Buffalo’s side at that point.
Callahan is in his first season as an NFL head coach, and it’s glaringly obvious. The coach came out with a solid game plan but made zero adjustments as the game went on. As is always the case with this team, when they go behind, the game is over.
Players of the Game
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- P Ryan Stonehouse: You know it’s bad when the punter gets Player of the Game honors. Stonehouse deserves it, though, after punting five times for 266 yards. The punter averaged a whopping 53.2 yards per punt and had a long of 62 yards.
- LB Arden Key: Key finally picked up his first sack of the season. The veteran also added two total tackles and two tackles for loss. It was nice to see an edge rusher other than Harold Landry III do something.
- RB Tony Pollard: Pollard continues to be the most consistent player on this offense. The veteran back rushed 18 times for 61 yards and also caught two passes. The former Memphis Tiger has been a reliable contributor, which is more than most of the team can say.
Injuries
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Jaelyn Duncan got the start at right tackle but left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. The tackle was listed as questionable to return and Nicholas Petit-Frere took over.
Kenneth Murray Jr. left with a shoulder injury and was listed as questionable. Jack Gibbens came in in relief.
Calvin Ridley went down in the first half but jogged off the field and returned to the game.
Tony Pollard was evaluated for a concussion but was cleared to return.
What’s next?
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Head coach Brian Callahan will hold a Zoom call with the team’s beat writers on Monday afternoon before a few players are also made available.
The Titans will return to practice on Wednesday ahead of a Week 8 game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, October 27 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Kickoff is 12:00 p.m. CDT.
