Ryan Tannehill: Drive-by-drive analysis of Titans QB’s 1st start
Drive 6
The Chargers would do nothing with the turnover, and the Titans would get the ball back at their own 15.
On first and 10, Tannehill threw a screen pass to Dion Lewis which turned out to be incomplete. Tannehill took a shot from Joey Bosa on the play.
On second-and-10, Tannehill found Tajae Sharpe near the left sideline for a first down. Sharpe picked up 14 on the play.
On a second-and-9 from the 30, Tannehill fired it in quickly to the right side Humphries for another first down.
Henry picked up about six yards on first down, and then two more on second down after Tannehill seemed unready for the snap. On third and two, Tannehill ran a sneak up the middle for a first down, picking up two yards.
On the very next play, Tannehill ran another play action, rolling to the right, and finding Anthony Firkser for a big first down, though it looked like Tannehill was looking for Jonnu Smith on the play. Firkser got the ball up to the Chargers 22 on the 27-yard gain.
A four-yard carry by Henry would end the third quarter, with the score tied at 10.
Dennis Kelly, filling in for the injured Jack Conklin, would be called a false start, making it a second-and-11, and Tannehill threw a pass into the dirt, with Bosa again getting pressure on him.
On third-and-11, Tannehill would find a wide-open Humphries over the middle on an in route, and Humpries would take it for a first down up to the Chargers’ nine-yard line.
Henry would lose a yard on first-and-goal, and on second down, Tannehill would fire it into Smith, who would make a tough catch for five yards.
On third-and-goal from the 5, Tannehill would find a wide-open Tajae Sharpe in the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown.
Unfortunately, Cody Parkey went back to his old ways of doinking kicks off the uprights, so the Titans lead would remain 16-10.
Tannehill lead a 14-play, 85 yard drive that took seven minutes and nine seconds off the clock, going five-of-seven for 71 yards, four first downs, and the touchdown pass to Sharpe. When given a clean pocket, Tannehill has made all the right throws.
Some questioned whether or not the completion to Firkser was actually intended for Smith, but honestly that speaks more to the fact that the play-calling of Arthur Smith has way too many plays where receivers are running way too closely to one another. That has to stop.