The Tennessee Titans dropped their third-straight contest in Week 14, dropping to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 36-22 — and because of this, Tennessee is rightly transferring down within the NFL energy rankings of most consultants.
We are saying most as a result of, properly, in some way the Titans moved up in a couple of of the ability rankings in our round-up regardless of their worst lack of 2022.
The primary skilled we’re checking in on is USA TODAY’s Nate Davis, who has the Titans transferring down three spots to No. 19. Right here’s what he needed to say about Tennessee:
19. Titans (16): They’ve misplaced three in a row for the primary time since 2018, Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach. Tennessee has now been outscored by 35 factors on the season, worst of any crew at present above .500.
Whereas the sky feels prefer it’s falling in Nashville after the Titans failed to reply towards a crew it usually dominates, Tennessee nonetheless has a commanding lead within the AFC South.
That mentioned, issues aren’t wrapped up but, and the potential for a collapse feels extra potential than it did just some weeks in the past.
Now, the remainder of the round-up, which options two consultants really transferring the Titans up, and one in every of them has Tennessee transferring up two spots.
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Robert Zeglinski and Christian D’Andrea, For The Win:
Tennessee gave up 20 factors through turnover in a sport it misplaced by 14. This threw Mike Vrabel’s offense off schedule, compelled his crew to improvise greater than it wished, and finally gave technique to Jacksonville’s first win in Nashville since Barack Obama was President. The important thing to beating the Titans stays the identical — make them play from behind and throw the ball, and you’re taking away their bread and butter.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Barry Werner, The Record Wire:
Derrick Henry had a giant sport, made some large performs, and the Titans misplaced. That is attending to be a drained script for a crew that must be opening up lengths within the horrible AFC South.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Mark Lane, Landing Wire:
Just like the Buccaneers, the Titans most likely received’t lose their division simply due to how horrible everybody else’s information are. Nonetheless, Tennessee is hardly a contender within the AFC until one thing drastically modifications on their roster.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports activities
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting Information:
What was that? The Titans noticed their nine-game residence profitable streak vs. the Jaguars finish regardless of Derrick Henry doing his factor. The shortage of a dependable constant passing sport hurts after they get behind.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports activities
Frank Schwab, Yahoo Sports activities:
Derrick Henry had simply 2 yards on three second-half carries after dashing for 119 within the first half. The Titans aren’t going to win like that. The Titans’ subsequent two opponents are the Chargers and Texans, two of the worst run defenses within the NFL, so Henry may have an opportunity to place up some massive numbers.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Josh Schrock, NBC Sports activities:
15. Tennessee Titans (7-6): The Titans fired their GM midweek, after which the crew went out and laid an egg towards the Jags. The ship is sinking in Nashville.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Dan Hanzus, NFL.com:
After a blowout loss to the Eagles in Week 13, Mike Vrabel advised reporters the Titans had been at a crossroads. On Sunday towards the Jaguars, Tennessee seemed like a crew that has stumbled down a darkish path to nowhere. The shorthanded protection was lit up by Trevor Lawrence, whereas the offense turned the ball over 4 instances in a 36-22 drubbing by the Jaguars. Three consecutive losses, mixed with final week’s gorgeous dismissal of common supervisor Jon Robinson, paint the image of a crew in deep trouble. Stated Vrabel: “Nothing was adequate at this time.” The boo birds in Nashville that got here out in power by the third quarter strongly agree.
George Walker IV/The Tennessean-USA TODAY Sports activities
Turron Davenport, ESPN:
The FPI efficiencies are a superb match for the Titans’ mediocre 7-6 document. Tennessee’s offense has had its share of struggles, particularly within the second half, throughout which it has averaged an NFL-worst 5.2 factors. The particular groups has 15 discipline objectives — tied for the third least within the league — and its protection models have struggled, notably towards the Eagles, with rookie Britain Covey returning six punts for 105 yards in Week 13. In the meantime, the protection has been excellent towards the run (81.3 yards allowed, third greatest), however the go protection is permitting 283.7 yards per sport, the second worst within the league.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports activities:
What was that towards the Jaguars? The protection is terrible proper now, which received’t win plenty of video games going ahead, and the offensive line is terrible.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Bleacher Report:
Barring an epic collapse, the Tennessee Titans are going to win the AFC South for a 3rd consecutive season. However that collapse has already begun…
And the Titans are in bother.
After getting drilled at residence by the Jaguars, the Titans have dropped three straight for the primary time since 2018. Over the previous two weeks, they’ve been outscored 71-32—and the video games weren’t as shut as even these lopsided numbers point out.
Tennessee turned it over 4 instances towards the Jaguars, with operating again Derrick Henry accounting for 2 of them. Henry had an enormous first quarter earlier than utterly disappearing within the second half, and he confessed to reporters afterward that he has to play higher.
“I bought to be higher,” Henry mentioned. “No excuse on that. Simply fall on the ball and play one other down.”
For head coach Mike Vrabel, the skid means it’s gut-check time for the Titans and their gamers.
“We’re going to have to have the ability to climate the storm and discover out who’s keen to provide us that further push right here down the stretch,” Vrabel mentioned.
The Titans had higher get it collectively—with two video games left towards groups with profitable information earlier than visiting Jacksonville in Week 18, the very last thing Tennessee wants is for that sport to imply one thing.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports activities
Conor Orr, Sports activities Illustrated:
Nearly as good because the Titans are, and as spirited as they are going to be if they’re remotely near their opponent on the finish of a sport, they will battle to maintain up in boat races, even on afternoons the place Derrick Henry is cruising to greater than seven yards per carry.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Austin Gayle, The Ringer:
The Titans offense tanks off-script, and their go protection is getting uncovered each week. Tennessee ranks fourth in EPA per play within the first quarter of video games; they rank thirty second in the identical statistic within the subsequent three quarters. Mix that with a protection that’s permitting the second-most passing yards per sport of any crew within the NFL, and it turns into extra apparent why the one crew the Titans have beat with a profitable document this season is the Commanders. Tennessee continues to be a protected wager to win the AFC South, however it looks like they’re primed for an early exit within the playoffs.
Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean-USA TODAY Sports activities
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic:
Misplaced to Jaguars, 36-22, to fall to 7-6. Tennessee ought to make the playoffs due to its actually dangerous division, however we don’t assume they’ll final lengthy in them.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Walter Soccer:
Dropping to the Bengals and Eagles was comprehensible, however a 14-point residence to defeat to Jacksonville must be worrying. That mentioned, the Titans had been extraordinarily banged up in that sport, so I’d anticipate them to carry out higher as soon as they get some gamers again into the lineup.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Dalton Miller, Professional Soccer Community:
The 2022 NFL season has been a narrative of streaks. The Titans rattled off seven wins in eight video games, doing so by profitable of their patented ugly trend. Nonetheless, they’ve now misplaced three straight video games, and, simply this previous week, fired common supervisor Jon Robinson.
Tennessee’s receiving corps is underdeveloped, their tackles are dangerous, the secondary is injured, they usually’ve struggled to run the soccer the way in which we’re used to seeing from the Titans this season.