NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Three minutes into the second quarter of Sunday’s home opener Ryan Tannehill and the Titans offense was practically booed off the field.
But over the next two hours Tannehill found his range, the offense found its stride and the Titans found a way to beat the Chargers 27-24 in overtime, snapping an eight-game losing streak that dates back to last year.
It didn’t look good early. The first three Titans possessions ended on sacks. The first set the Chargers up on a short field that led to a field goal. The final one led to a touchdown drive and a two-point conversion that put Tennessee in an 11-0 hole.
Los Angeles had more points than the Titans had yards (8) at that point. But offensive coordinator Tim Kelly stayed aggressive. On the first play of the next series he called a playaction shot play for Treylon Burks and Tannehill hit him in stride on a 70-yard bomb down to the five-yard line.
It was the longest Titans pass play since 2020 and helped the offense get off the mat.
Two plays later Derrick Henry leaped over the top of the line for the team’s first touchdown of the season and the game was on. The Titans scored on five of their final eight possessions, putting up 27 points which matched their highest point total from all of last season.
After a terrible outing in the opener in which he threw three interceptions, Tannehill bounced back in a big way. The veteran QB had his most accurate day as a Titan, completing 20 of 24 passes for 246 yards. He also ran for a 12-yard touchdown on a unique option look that saw a fake to Tyjae Spears and then Tannehill keeping it while flanked to the right by Henry against a confused Charger defense.
Kelly continued to show he’s willing and able to use both of his running backs. Henry carried the ball 25 times for 80 yards and also had three receptions. Spears ran it eight times for 49 yards and chipped in two catches.
Tannehill completed passes to seven different guys, including Chris Moore who made a beautiful 49-yard over the shoulder catch to start a critical fourth quarter drive that started with the Titans trailing by four and at their own 18-yard line.
Tannehill also hit DeAndre Hopkins for a first down on third and four to keep that drive alive, and then found Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the back of the end zone with the Chargers selling out to stop the run on third and goal.
The Titans defense allowed the Chargers to drive into field goal range in the final 2:00, but Harold Landry’s third down snap inside the 10-yard line prevented Los Angeles from taking a shot to win the game in regulation. Then in overtime, the pass rush harassed Justin Herbert into three straight wild incompletions, giving the ball back to the offense in excellent field position.
The defense was expected to be good this season and it has been. Jeffery Simmons, Denico Autry and Harold Landry all had sacks Sunday as the Titans ran their total to seven through two games. And the Chargers couldn’t run the ball at all without star back Austin Ekeler available.
Perhaps, most impressive the Titans held L.A. to just two conversions on 14 third downs on the day.
But it was the offense that got its redemption in overtime. Spears gained 14 yards on a pitch to the left on the first play. Moments later Tannehill rolled right and hit Hopkins along the sideline to get into field goal range just as heavy rain began to fall on the new turf inside the stadium.
The Titans traded a seventh round pick to acquire veteran kicker Nick Folk from the Patriots in the preseason, and the move has paid off. Folk accounted for all 15 of the Titans points in week one, making all five of his field goals. He added two more Sunday, including the game-winning 41-yard kick through the rain drops and through the south uprights to begin a wild celebration.
It was the first time this Titans team experienced the thrill of victory since Nov. 17th of last season in Green Bay. More importantly, they avoid an 0-2 start this season, which historically has made things difficult on teams trying to make the postseason.
Two games into the year the Titans know they have one of the best defenses in football, and will fight with the trademark grit of a Mike Vrabel team.
But you need to score points. And Sunday they learned their quarterback still has it and their offense has enough weapons to outscore one of the better offensive attacks in football and return the winning fun to Nissan Stadium.
