NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a desperate attempt to spark an 0-3 football team and try to save his job, Brian Callahan turned over offensive playcalling to quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree.
Any hope that that would light a fire under the NFL’s worst offense disappeared in Sunday’s 26-0 loss against the Texans in Houston.
The offense – the selling point for hiring Callahan in the first place almost two years ago – is broken and there does not appear to be any moves that can help.
Just two of Tennessee’s 10 drives against the rival Texans lasted more than five plays. There were three three-and-outs, a four-and-out and an interception.
The two drives that were extended both resulted in missed field goals by Joey Slye who suddenly has missed four straight kicks after starting the year 10-10.
Cam Ward once again made an incredible play on the game’s opening possession.
The rookie quarterback escaped an immediate pressure by Will Anderson and then improvised another street ball-style play, throwing back across his body as he rolled right to hit Elic Ayomanor for 33 yards in a play strikingly similar to the duo’s first touchdown against the Rams in week two.
It was another highlight reel play on an otherwise pedestrian day as Ward struggled to complete just 10 of 26 passes for 108 yards.
He was sacked twice, had an ill-advised forward flip while in the grasp of a defender on another one, and escaped pressure once during the third quarter only to rifle a ball behind Ayomanor, who got a hand on it only to send it fluttering right to cornerback Byron Stingily for an interception.
Tony Pollard ran for 64 yards on 14 carries, but Hardegree’s offense had no rhythm and no production. If possible, it was worse than what we had seen with Callahan calling the plays over the first three weeks.
This is the worst offense in Titans history through four games. It ranks last in the NFL in points per game, passing yards and total offense. They have failed to score a touchdown in either of their road games and have now been outscored by 69 points and outgained by 630 yards through the season’s first month.
On Sunday it ruined a game defensive effort, at least for a half, led by Jeffery Simmons.
The defensive tackle’s playing like the star he is. His sack of C.J. Stroud in the first quarter came in just over two seconds; the fastest sack recorded in the NFL in over two years. He added four more tackles for loss as he continued his impressive start to the season.
Simmons just needs more people to step up alongside him.
The defense, on the field for nearly 38:00 against the Texans, ran out of gas in the second half when it surrendered touchdowns on three straight drives. Rookie Woody Marks put up 119 total yards and two touchdowns to help Houston pull away.
But it all comes back to the inept offense and, despite the change in playcaller, to Callahan. This was supposed to be his specialty. This was his job to groom the team’s new franchise quarterback. Will Levis appeared to regress in year two with Callahan at the helm and Ward took a step back Sunday.
Finding a way to protect Ward and put him in a position to grow needs to be the top priority for the rest of the season. Having already been through a switch in playcaller, perhaps now is not the time to get rid of his head coach.
But the Titans are running out of moves as they sit 0-4 for the first time since 2009 and with zero optimism for a quick turnaround.
It will take at least another offseason, and likely two, to rebuild and there’s no magic move Callahan can make to fix that.
Giving up playcalling was a last-ditch effort to delay what is seemingly inevitable. Sunday’s blowout loss likely cemented the head coach’s fate.
It seems now the only question is when, not if the Titans decide to move on.
