Ryan Tannehill: Drive-by-drive analysis of Titans QB’s 1st start

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 20: Marcus Mariota #8 and Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans bump fists before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Nissan Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 20: Marcus Mariota #8 and Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans bump fists before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Nissan Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 20: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans throws a pass to Corey Davis #84 to score a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers to tie the game during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 20: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans throws a pass to Corey Davis #84 to score a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers to tie the game during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)

Drive 1

The Titans started their first drive of the game from their own 31 after the Chargers turned the ball over on downs.

Tannehill made a beautiful throw to Jonnu Smith for 24 yards and a first down. He threw it behind Smith because of the coverage, but it was still a great throw, and a great adjustment by Smith

Tannehill then fumbled the snap on the very next play. Not sure if it was his fault or center Ben Jones’ fault, but it was just not a very good play.

After an illegal shift penalty, the Titans faced a 2nd-and-16. Tannehill found Adam Humphries for a six-yard gain.

On third and 10, Tannehill found Corey Davis short in the flat for a two-yard gain up to the Chargers 43, well short of the first down

The Titans would follow it up with a fake punt on which the Titans got a first down as Kevin Byard caught a pass from punter Brett Kern.

After two runs by Derrick Henry that gained him a total of five yards, the Titans faced a 3rd-and-5. Out of the shotgun, Tannehill floated a jump ball to A.J. Brown, but it was broken up by Michael Davis and nearly intercepted by Roderick Teamer off of the ricochet.

That lead to a 45-yard field goal by Cody Parkey to make it 3-0.

Tannehill went 3-of-4 for 32 yards and a first down on the drive. He got the ball out noticeably quicker than Mariota has, but he also seemed to settle on throwing to shorter routes. On that 3rd-and-10, he settled for a shorter crossing route from Davis that was clearly not going to get the Titans the first down, but it at least set up a successful fake punt, and I’ll take that over forcing a pass that gets intercepted any day.

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