NASHVILLE – Ryan Tannehill thought his second was at hand.

There was 1:53 to play and the Tennessee Titans trailed by only a landing after their protection held the Cincinnati Bengals to a 31-yard discipline objective.

Because the Titans quarterback, Tannehill has directed 13 game-winning drives within the fourth quarter or extra time. So, this was nothing new.

One drawback. Officers flagged Tennessee for unsportsmanlike conduct for a success to the top or neck space of the Bengals’ snapper, who is taken into account a defenseless participant in that scenario. That gave the Bengals a contemporary set of downs, and the Titans, who had used their closing timeout simply previous to the sector objective, have been helpless to cease the clock.

All Tannehill and the remaining may do was watch the time run out on a 20-16 defeat at Nissan Stadium. Each groups are actually 7-4, however Cincinnati now has a head-to-head tiebreaker benefit, if that ought to come into play.

“It was a crushing second,” Tannehill stated. “I used to be speaking via two-minute changes on the sideline with my receivers. I had plenty of confidence that we have been going to go down there and get a landing and both kick (a PAT) to tie it or go for 2 to win it, relying on what [Coach Mike] Vrabel needed to do.

“… What occurred, occurred. It was undoubtedly a crushing feeling.”

It additionally was out of character with what happened all through a lot of the remainder of the competition.

Cincinnati was flagged 9 occasions for 80 yards on the day. That was probably the most yards marked off in opposition to a Titans opponent this season and one shy of probably the most violations by the opposite crew.

The Bengals had specific issues on particular groups. Twice they have been flagged for holding and as soon as for pointless roughness on punt returns. In consequence, three of their first six offensive possessions began 90 yards or extra away from the top zone.

“It felt like we had some killer penalties that actually set us again,” Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor stated. “We had some actually unhealthy discipline place however we hung in there. For it to be 10-10 on the half, it felt like the best way the sport had gone that we have been in a very good area there.”

The Bengals took the lead with a discipline objective and a landing on back-to-back possessions and – following a Titans’ discipline objective – received the ball again at their very own 25 with 6:07 to play.

9 performs and 69 yards later, the Titans thought they nonetheless had an opportunity. They weren’t about to wave a white flag. It was a yellow one, although, that saved the offense on the sideline and unable to attempt to reside up to date.

Cincinnati took the factors off the board after which took the remaining break day the clock.

“We have been making an attempt to dam the kick,” Vrabel stated. “That’s all it was. I do not know. We’ll need to take a better take a look at it and see what it was. It was fast replay. I don’t know if we hit him within the head or not. They felt like we did. It’s not like we misplaced the sport on that play.

Formally, the decision went in opposition to defensive deal with Kevin Robust. It’s potential, although, that nostril deal with Teair Tart was the responsible occasion. Or possibly it was each.

“It seemed like two guys hit the snapper,” security Kevin Byard stated. “I don’t know what else we should always count on. They threw the flag. … That’s one thing that we discuss on the sector. We will’t hit the snapper or nothing like that. Irritating technique to finish the sport.

“Clearly, you need to give the offense an opportunity to go on the market and rating a landing and attempt to take it to extra time. That’s not the best way it performed out.”