The Tennessee Titans traveled east to Landover, Maryland to take on the Washington Commanders in Week 13 action on Sunday. It was a game many expected to be close because of how the two teams have performed in recent weeks, but, in true football fashion, these two teams surprised us all.
The Commanders got out to an early 21-0 lead in the first quarter, capitalizing on a couple of Titans’ mistakes and putting points on the board. The Titans looks confused in the first half, as if they were dumbfounded at what was happening. The second half was better for the Titans, at least on the eye test, but they could not overcome the hole they dug and fell to the Commanders 42-19.
Now with a 3-9 record, the Titans’ miniscule playoff hopes are officially dashed. Let’s take a look at what we learned about the Titans in their most recent loss.
Amber Searls-Imagn Images
It’s a rebuilding year. No one expected the Titans to make the playoffs this year, the only expectation was seeing progress in the rebuild. Seeing progress includes enduring setbacks, which is what we saw with the Titans on Sunday. It was chaotic early; the first quarter was full of mistakes leading to an early deficit that the Titans simply couldn’t overcome. But the Titans didn’t go away after the first half. They came out of the locker room with the intention of playing a solid second half, and, for the most part, they did.
Setbacks are going to happen, especially during a rebuilding season. What matters now is that the Titans hit the film room, analyze what went wrong and figure out how to fix it. Learning from mistakes is how improvement happens, and the fact that the Titans didn’t give up after the first half is a telltale sign that this team knows it can be successful.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Early in the season, Will Levis always looked panicked when he was under pressure. He would make poor decisions, his movements were frantic, and he seemed unsure of what he was supposed to do. He’s looked improved in that aspect the last few weeks, and what we saw form him on Sunday is that his new-found poise isn’t fake. Levis is stepping up in the pocket under pressure, he’s throwing the ball away instead of forcing throws, he’s learning how to avoid sacks and when to take off running. His field vision is better, his decision-making is better, and he has remained poised and composed under pressure. If this play continues from Levis, he certainly has the ability to be a solid NFL quarterback.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
The Titans drafted safety Amani Hooker in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 2022, they signed Hooker to a multi-year extension, and with the way he’s playing this year, it’s worth it. He’s already matched his season-high number of interceptions with four, something he did in 2020 and hasn’t done since. He’s not only on pace to have the best season of his career, but he makes an impact on the field each week. He consistently ranks among the top defenders in tackling, and he’s been excellent at sniffing out where to help on the field. He doesn’t become an unrestricted free agent until 2026, so Titans fans can rest easy knowing he’ll be around for another season.
Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
There are three bright spots on the Titans’ special teams unit: Nick Folk, Ryan Stonehouse, and Julius Chestnut. Other than that, it hasn’t been pretty on special teams plays over the last six weeks. Jha’Quan Jackson has lost his touch, or at least his ability to hold on to the ball. Tackling and blocking haven’t been good, and while it was better this week, it’s because they pulled T’Vondre Sweat and Jeffery Simmons over to help out. The unit as a whole struggles with penalties, and it needs an overhaul, starting with special teams coordinator Colt Anderson.
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
In two of the Titans’ three wins, Tony Pollard has over 100 yards rushing. He recorded 128 yards against the New England Patriots and 119 yards against the Houston Texans. Those are the only two 100-yard games he has this season. Can we see the problem here? Why are the Titans forcing so much play through the air when they have one of the best running backs in the league? Washington has one of the worst run defenses in the league, yet Pollard only ran the ball eight times for 35 yards. It was a one-dimensional game that was easy for the Commanders to defend.
Next week, the Titans play the Jacksonville Jaguars. They rank at the bottom of the league in all things defense (practically, anyway), and it would be nice to see a more balanced approach to the offensive strategy.
