The Tennessee Titans take on the Detroit Lions today in an NFL football game on the second afternoon of the 2016 regular season schedule. Trailing 15-3 heading into the fourth quarter, the Titans offense and defense buckled down and got some momentum going in their favor.
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Marcus Mariota led an impressive fourth quarter drive culminating with a touchdown pass to Andre Johnson.
Matthew Stafford was 22 of 40 for 260 yards with one touchdown and an interception for Detroit (1-1). He was OK against the Vikings, but today he will need to keep pace with Stafford. Mariota threw for 271 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Vikings. For most of the game I thought both teams were celebrating Flag Day, which I thought was always on June 14.
“I’ve never seen anything like that”, said Lions cornerback Darius Slay, who saw the two teams combined for 29 penalties for 221 yards. “Time after time, we put the ball into the end zone and had it brought back by penalties, and we let the Titans off the hook several times with defensive penalties”. The other two nullified touchdowns came in the second quarter on consecutive offensive pass interference and offensive holding calls. Detroit was called for 17 penalties for a total of 138 yards, one more yard than the Lions had rushing in the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A-minus – The Lions haven’t got much out of their return game this year, but they haven’t allowed any field-turning plays, either.
That is notable because the Titans have only won four games with Mariota as the starter.
Tennessee also had some in game injuries also.
What was particularly odd, was that none of the plays where injuries occurred, were there any flags thrown. That score was set up by Stafford’s 24-yard scramble and a roughing the passer penalty. Eric Ebron had what appeared to be a head injury after being hit late on an out of bounds incompletion, as his head hit the ground as a result. They were able to make a play at the end to give them the edge.
Of course, the Lions probably have a pretty good idea of the severity of the injuries, but that’s nothing Caldwell will share. Lions OLB DeAndre Levy (quad) and TE Cole Wick (shoulder) headed the team’s list of inactives.
The Detroit Loins defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 39-35, last week in which quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns in 31-for-39 passes. Derrick Henry contributed 41 yards in two receptions.
On top of that, the Lions watched key contributors forced from the game throughout.
Mariota lofted a pass over triple coverage and into the bread basket of our ageless wonder, Andre Johnson, who held onto the ball and gave the Titans a one-point lead. All-in-all, Chicago managed just two sacks against the big-bodied QB, and this week they take on six-foot-five, 237 pound Carson Wentz.
The Titans will look to take the momentum from their close win into a game at home against the Oakland Raiders.
Detroit will have the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau next week, where they have had historic non-success until last season.
I, Don Drysdale, have chose to give the Detroit Lions a Mulligan for their Week 1 train wreck against the Titans and I believe that you should too.
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The game next week will open up divison play for the Lions.
