Offense Was Ill-Equipped to Deliver Needed Victory

Quarterback Josh Dobbs kept them in the AFC South showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars but he and his unit ultimately could not measure up.

Douglas DeFelice / USA Today Sports

In the end, it was an all-too-familiar story for the Tennessee Titans and their sputtering offense.

The names of the quarterbacks changed through the course of the season, but the song remained the same.

An inadequately staffed and too-often overwhelmed offense failed to produce well enough once again in Saturday’s 20-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a result, the Titans (7-10) fell for the seventh straight game – and missed the playoffs for the first time in four years.

It wasn’t enough that the Titans’ offense managed just three second-half points against the Jaguars after a solid first half that ended with a six-point advantage (13-7)..

This time, the offense all but gave the Jaguars 10 second-half points with a pair of critical turnovers.

Josh Dobbs’ underthrown deep pass on an ill-advised, third-and-17 attempt from deep in Titans’ territory and a 29-yard return gave Jacksonville possession at the Tennessee 25-yard line. Even though the defense held, the Jaguars trimmed the Titans’ lead to 16-13 with a field goal early in the fourth quarter.

Then the ultimate backbreaker, two possessions later: Untouched Jaguars defender Rayshawn Jenkins came roaring around the left side of the line on a third-and-6, stripping the ball from Dobbs. Josh Allen picked up the bouncing ball and cruised 37 yards into the end zone for the game-winning points, giving Jacksonville its final margin of victory with 2:51 left in the contest.

“It’s what cost you the game,” coach Mike Vrabel told media in Jacksonville. “In this league, you can’t turn it over and give up defensive scores. But we’re all in this thing together, and that’s the most important thing we have to recognize.”

Were there legitimate reasons for another second-half dud from the Titans’ offense – which featured two three-and-outs, two turnovers and a turnover on downs?

Absolutely. The Titans were backed up on nearly every drive over the final two quarters, starting on average at their own 18-yard line during six possessions. They began three drives at the 9, 6 and 10-yard lines, respectively. That limited the chances they could take.

“Starting in the shadow of your own goalpost certainly isn’t ideal,” Vrabel said. “We’ve just got to be able to string some drives together and get off to a better start, maybe convert. I thought when Jonathan (Ward) made that extra-effort play (for a late first down), I thought we had a chance to get into the drive and do some things. But that ended.”

Even more important than poor field position, the Titans were hamstrung because they were without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, starting left tackle Taylor Lewan, starting center Ben Jones and starting right guard Nate Davis.

Still, the lack of production from the Titans’ offense – especially in the second half – was a season-long problem, one that existed even when Tannehill was playing behind a far healthier line.

The Titans were held to 20 points or fewer in 12 of 17 games this season, including six of their last seven contests.

Tennessee scored a grand total of 94 points in the third and fourth quarters combined this year, an average of just 5.5 points per game.

The Titans entered this game ranked 30th in total yards, 30th in passing yards and 28th in points scored.

Those numbers aren’t the kind that lead to the postseason.

In the end, it came down to this for the Titans: Trailing 20-16 with less than three minutes remaining, they needed Dobbs, their third starting quarterback of the season, to drive them 75 yards for a game-winning touchdown.

Things started with some promise, as the Titans picked up a couple first downs.

But then came a sack, and a false start penalty, and all of a sudden the Titans were facing fourth-and-13 at their own 47, the season on the line with less than two minutes remaining.

Dobbs threw short to running back Hassan Haskins, who did all he could just to gain nine yards on the play. But Haskins didn’t pick up a first down that could have extended the drive – and potentially the season.

He never really came close.