Vrabel: Titans ‘At a Crossroads’

It has been a while for the reason that Tennessee Titans misplaced three video games in a row.

Coach Mike Vrabel conceded Sunday that they might be headed in that path in the event that they’re not cautious.

The Titans misplaced a second straight sport Sunday once they fell 35-10 on the highway to the Philadelphia Eagles. That dropped them to 7-5 general, worst among the many AFC’s 4 division leaders.

“I feel we’re at a crossroads,” Vrabel stated following the competition. “I informed the staff I feel we’re at a crossroads [with] sort of how we need to proceed down this season. We are able to’t level fingers. Now we have to imagine that each one in every of us didn’t do a ok job – as a result of we didn’t.

“… It sucks shedding. It sucks getting beat the way in which we did. However now we have to decide. How a lot we’re prepared to take a position and belief in what the coaches are doing, belief in what the opposite gamers are doing? I feel it’s a important time for us.”

This now the second time this season that Vrabel’s staff has dropped two in a row. Tennessee began the season 0-2 however then received 5 in a row and 7 of its subsequent eight. In so doing, the Titans took management of the AFC South and themselves itself for a fourth straight playoff look.

The roll ended with a 20-16 loss to Cincinnati at house on Nov. 27. Then got here the loss to the Eagles, a sport wherein Tennessee by no means led and was outgained 453-209.

“We’re going to seek out out what we’re about,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill stated. “Now we have a resilient group. We’re powerful and now we have bounced again from rather a lot earlier than. And I consider we’ll bounce again from this.

“… On the finish of the day, this one’s achieved. It stings. It hurts. We’re all upset. We’re all pissed off. Mad. Indignant. Each emotion you possibly can identify. However now we have to have the ability to recover from it and prepare to go win the following one.”

The following one is Sunday at house in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8), who misplaced 5 in a row earlier this season and haven’t received back-to-back video games since Weeks 2 and three. Jacksonville is third within the division, a half a sport behind Indianapolis (4-7-1).

“Now we have to come back to work with higher vitality and higher resolve to organize to win a soccer sport in opposition to a division opponent,” Vrabel stated.

Because the begin of 2020, the Titans are actually 10-4 following a defeat, the third-best mark within the NFL. With Tannehill as their beginning quarterback, they by no means have misplaced greater than two in a row.

They did drop consecutive contests as soon as every in 2020 and 2021. It occurred thrice in 2019, the primary two earlier than Tannehill changed Marcus Mariota.

“I feel we simply [need to] come collectively, stick collectively,” operating again Derrick Henry stated. “These occasions we should be nearer and be constructive and be actual with one another and know what we’ve obtained to do as a staff to have the ability to win video games and play the model we need to play.

“That’s what you’ve obtained to do when you could have two powerful losses like this. All people has to deal with doing their job a little bit higher. Significantly better.”

The final time Tennessee misplaced three straight was 2018, Vrabel’s first season as head coach. Then, a three-game slide in October was answered with wins in six of the following eight.

That additionally was the final time this franchise failed to succeed in the postseason.

“If we need to be a playoff staff, now we have to resolve what we’re going to do,” security Kevin Byard stated. “What are we going to be? Leaders, coaches, all people on this group, now we have to get this factor straight proper now. We don’t have any time to lose. What are going to do proper now? Clearly it’s very irritating to lose a sport proper now however we will’t be dropping anymore video games like this in December.”