Pass Defense Holds Up When It Matters Most

The rest of Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders was a different story, similar to the ones against other recent opponents.

Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports

The Tennessee Titans’ pass defense has been good at times this season. Most importantly, when time is running out.

Linebacker David Long’s interception at the goal line with six seconds to play, for example, sealed the Titans’ 21-17 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. It also put a Band-Aid on performance in which that defense allowed Washington quarterback Carson Wentz to throw for 359 yards (tied for the fourth-highest total of his career) and two touchdowns.

It is now five games into the 2022 season, and Tennessee has set a franchise record by allowing 300-plus passing yards in four consecutive contests.

“We need more ball production, more ball disruption,” coach Mike Vrabel said following the contest. “That’s something that we’re going to have to have on defense. And this is a good place to start – with the game on the line.”

A game-by-game look at the net passing yards allowed by the Tennessee Titans over the last four weeks:

Opponent	Pass Yards	Pass TDs	Yards Per Pass
Buffalo	313	4	7.6
Las Vegas	300	2	6.5
Indianapolis	327	2	8.2
Washington	342	2	8.3

The Titans have won three of those four, and this was not the first time that the pass defense came through with the game on the line.

Two weeks earlier against the Las Vegas Raiders, linebacker Dylan Cole and safety Kevin Byard combined to break up a game-tying two-point conversion attempt with 1:14 to go in a 24-22 victory. The defense responded to that with a worse statistical performance the next week at Indianapolis.

The passing yards allowed also are not necessarily a product of teams throwing the ball to try to dig out of a big deficit. The Colts got behind by 21 late in the second quarter but threw 17 passes and had 11 runs after halftime. Las Vegas stuck to the run until the fourth quarter, when Derek Carr went to the air 22 times and piled up 178 of his 303 passing yards in that one. Both ultimately were one-score games at the finish.

None of those contests been high-scoring, back-and-forth affairs either. The Titans have not scored more than 24 points yet. The last time that was the case this deep into a schedule was 2006, when – under Jeff Fisher – they started 0-5.

The season’s lone rout was a 41-7 loss at Buffalo in Week 2. Bills quarterback Josh Allen had 208 passing yards by halftime of that one.

“We never panicked,” Long said after his game-saving interception. “They made some plays. … It was a tough one, but we pulled it through.”

Tennessee (3-2) never led Washington (1-4) by more than seven points. The Commanders, though, got their passing yards in chunks – as have the others. Their 10 longest gains of the day all came on passes, including four of 30 yards or more. Wide receiver Dyami Brown’s only two catches went for touchdowns of 75 and 30 yards, respectively.

Each of the last four opponents has had multiple completions of 25 yards or more. Washington’s five were one more than Indianapolis had in Week 4.

“Tackle and stay on top,” Vrabel said. “That was what the message was all week, to not give up (explosive) plays and to tackle. Missed tackles led to points. And the (explosive) plays led to points.”

At the conclusion of the contest, the Titans ranked 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed and yards per pass attempt. Opponents have completed nearly 68 percent of their passes, which is on pace for the worst of the Titans era, and 12 of the 14 touchdowns opponents have scored thus far have been on pass plays.

But Tennessee also sat alone atop the AFC South, the only team in the division with a winning record.

“I think that kind of defines our defense,” said lineman Jeffery Simmons, who did his part up front with a sack and a half, three quarterback hits and a pass deflection. “… We don’t want it [to be close] like that, but at the end of the day with the game on the line, I want it to be in our hands [on defense].

“That’s a hell of a play by (Long), picking that ball.”

One that capped off another hellish performance.