Vrabel’s Post-Monday Mastery Continues

NASHVILLE – You’ll be able to’t win all of them. However since Mike Vrabel turned their head coach, the Tennessee Titans have by no means misplaced instantly after they performed on Monday Evening Soccer.

Tennessee improved to 5-0 beneath their present head coach in video games that adopted a Monday contest with Sunday’s 24-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Nissan Stadium. That’s tied for the perfect such file within the NFL for the reason that begin of 2018, when Vrabel changed Mike Mularkey. The Baltimore Ravens are additionally 5-0 whereas New England is 4-0 and Inexperienced Bay is 3-0.

All 5 post-Monday triumphs have been house video games, and the common margin of victory has been 11.4 factors. Twice, the Titans received by 24 factors. This newest was the third that was not determined till the ultimate seconds.

Tennessee (1-2) doesn’t play on Monday once more this season.

“Guys had been hurting. Guys had been drained, however we simply saved preaching yet one more play,” security Kevin Byard stated. “… It was going to be tight. It was going to return all the way down to a final possession the place it was the offense on the sphere or the protection on the sphere. We simply occurred to be on the market final and make a play to win the sport.”

The Titans bought previous the Raiders (0-3) solely when linebacker Dylan Cole broke up a game-tying two-point conversion with 1:14 to play, and Austin Hooper recovered the following onside kick. Las Vegas outscored Tennessee 12-0 within the second half and bought its last 10 in a span of two:15 late within the contest.

After a brief work week, a quick begin – touchdowns on the primary three offensive possessions – and a subject purpose as time expired on the second quarter gave the Titans a 24-10 lead that in the end held up.

“I am pleased with the way in which we responded (Sunday),” quarterback Ryan Tannehill stated. “We got here out and we performed with an perspective, performed with an edge and located a technique to win on the finish of the day. That is all we had been asking ourselves to do. That is all we’re asking one another to do and I am pleased with our guys. We did that.”

A take a look at the Titans’ video games beneath Vrabel following an look on Monday Evening Soccer:

• Nov. 11, 2018: vs. New England: W 34-10 – The protection held New England quarterback Tom Brady to a 51.2 completion proportion and no landing passes. Tennessee scored touchdowns on its first two offensive possessions and by no means trailed.

• Dec. 2, 2018: vs. New York Jets, W 26-22 – Marcus Mariota’s 11-yard landing move to Corey Davis with 36 seconds to play put the Titans in entrance for the primary time. The sport-winning drive included a 25-yard scramble by Mariota on which he fumbled however recovered the free ball.

• Sept. 20, 2020: vs. Jacksonville, W 33-30 – Stephen Gostkowski’s 49-yard subject purpose with 1:39 to play broke a 30-30 tie. Tennessee led by 13 firstly of the fourth quarter, however Jacksonville tied it with 7:25 to play.

• Oct. 24, 2021: vs. Kansas Metropolis, W 27-3 – The protection restricted Kansas Metropolis quarterback Patrick Mahomes to 206 passing yards and no touchdowns. Kansas Metropolis by no means crossed midfield within the first half, and for the sport misplaced two fumbles, threw one interception, failed as soon as on fourth down and missed a subject purpose.

• Sept. 25, 2022: vs. Las Vegas, 24-22 – Randy Bullock’s 48-yard subject purpose as time expired on the primary half proved pivotal. Tennessee was outscored 12-0 over the ultimate two quarters because the protection, which held the Raiders to 1 third-down conversion on 11 tries, allowed to fourth-down conversions on the Las Vegas’ last possession.

What made this newest one totally different from the others is what preceded the competition. Three of the primary 4 post-Monday triumphs got here six days after a victory. The exception was the 2018 matchup with the Jets, which got here after a 34-17 loss at Houston.

The Titans didn’t merely misplaced final Monday night time at Buffalo. Their 41-7 defeat was their worst of the Vrabel period, and it dropped them to 0-2 for the primary time beneath their head coach.

By no means, due to this fact, was it extra necessary that they arrive again and get a win on a brief week.

“I feel it is going to assist everyone,” Vrabel stated. “Dropping sucks, particularly while you’re used to successful and you’ve got excessive expectations. I’m excited for the gamers. I actually am. … You solely get what you battle for on this league, and I believed they fought for it (Sunday).”