Tennessee Titans Implode in Loss to Minnesota Vikings

The Tennessee Titans fell to the Minnesota Vikings 25-10 in a game where they shot themselves in the foot several times.

Well, that was not fun. The Titans started the game well, controlling the run game on both offense and defense. DeMarco Murray was effective in the running game and passing game, while Derrick Henry made a couple of big plays with yards after the catch as well. Marcus Mariota was sharp, finding Tajae Sharpe early and often and putting his running backs to good use out of the backfield. The defense was stifling, holding the Vikings to punts and a pair of missed field goals.

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Then things slowly, but surely, started to unravel. The defense was still stout, but Shaun Hill began converting third downs on the back of electric second-year receiver Stefon Diggs. The offense just couldn’t sustain drives, and then the wheels really came off after a bad decision by Mariota that ended up in a throw behind his receiver that was intercepted for a 77 yard touchdown. Then a failed exchange between Mariota and Murray led to another defensive Vikings touchdown, followed on the next drive by a Murray fumble. Before anyone knew it, the Titans were in a hole they haven’t been built to climb out of.

This was supposed to be a team that controlled the clock, controlled the run game, and grinded out victories. What a team like that can’t afford is turnovers. If you milk clock only to let your drives end in turnovers, then the end-game is completely for naught.