BALTIMORE, Md. – The Titans made some good plays in Sunday’s game against the Ravens.
They also, once again, did enough to get themselves beat.
“It’s just frustrating overall as a whole,” head coach Robert Saleh said after the game. “I do appreciate that everyone came out and fought.”
Sunday’s 24-18 loss to the Ravens dropped the team’s record to 0-4. More Sports News
Quarterback Cam Ward completed 20-of-31 passes for 222 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the contest. Receiver Carnell Tate had nine catches for 145 yards.
Defensively, the Titans kept Baltimore’s Derrick Henry in check, allowing 73 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries to the former Titans running back.
But the Titans hurt themselves with a pair of turnovers in the first half, including one on their opening possession.
A first-and-goal scenario for the Titans also resulted in no points early, and it helped change the complexion of the game.
And, despite Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson being sidelined the entire second half with an injury, the Titans just couldn’t do enough on offense to make it much of a game until it was too late.
“Pretty much with every single team, there’s a few things that must happen, and a few things that can’t happen,” tackle JC Latham said. “Turnovers is one of them. … It’s unfortunate how they went down. … But we have to all do a better job at every single area, from top to bottom – offense, defense, special teams. So, to pin it on one particular thing is unfair to anybody.”
It was an ominous start for the Titans.
On the team’s second offensive play from scrimmage, a flip pass from Ward went off the hands of running back Tony Pollard’s hands, and was intercepted. Five plays later, the Ravens took a 7-0 lead on a five-yard touchdown run by Henry.
The Titans answered back, with a 10-play, 70-yard drive that was capped off with a three-yard touchdown run by Pollard. Ward completions to Wan’Dale Robinson and Tate set the drive in motion, but the Titans ran the ball eight times on the drive.
The Ravens reclaimed the lead on their next possession on a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson to receiver Zay Flowers, which made it 14-7 with 12:16 remaining in the second quarter.
Then came a real tide-turning sequence.
On Tennessee’s next possession, the Titans had a first-and-goal at the Ravens eight-yard line. But four straight runs by Pollard, including a direct snap carry from the two on fourth-and-goal, produced no points.
The Ravens then went 98 yards in eight plays, and capped the drive off with a Jackson touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews to make it 21-7 with 3:32 left in the first half.
“That was a big swing in momentum against us,” Pollard said. “But we have to be professionals, come out and respond.”
Late in the first half, Ward connected with Tate for a 35-yard completion, but Tate fumbled the ball after making the play.
The Ravens cashed that in for a 64-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Tyler Loop, which made it 24-7 at the half.
After Jackson suffered an ankle injury late in the first half, he was replaced at quarterback by Tyler Huntley.
The Titans cut the lead to 24-10 midway through the third quarter on a 33-yard field goal by kicker Joey Slye, and that was the score heading into the fourth quarter.
The Titans had too many empty possessions in the second half, when they could have made the game interesting.
Ward connected with Robinson for a three-yard touchdown with 1:12 left, and the team’s two-point conversion try was successful. But the Ravens recovered the ensuing onside kick, and ran out the clock.
“We have to really hone in on the bad plays, and how we can limit that,” Ward said. “We have to limit the bad plays on both sides of the ball, not just offense.”
“Any time you lose a game,” added safety Amani Hooker, “it doesn’t feel good.”
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