NASHVILLE – The Titans left Code Blue feeling, well, blue.
A mistake-filled first half provided too big of a hole for the Titans to climb out of in a 41-35 loss to the Cleveland Browns at Nissan Stadium.
With the loss, the Titans dropped to 8-4. The Titans and Colts are tied atop the AFC South heading into the final quarter of the season.
Time to regroup #CLEvsTEN pic.twitter.com/fTE8WE19H1
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 6, 2020
The Titans turned the ball over three times on Sunday, with two fumbles and an interception.
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill completed 29-of-45 passes for 389 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception.
Titans running back Derrick Henry carried the ball 15 times for 60 yards.
Titans receiver Corey Davis had 11 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown.
But on this day, the Titans didn’t play enough defense, and they were way to sloppy.
As a result, a valiant comeback effort fell short. The Titans outscored the Browns 28-3 in the second half.
The Titans got off to a miserable start, as they fell behind 38-7 by halftime. Despite showing some spunk at the start of the second half, things never really got better for the Titans as their comeback effort fell short.
The Browns jumped ahead 17-0 lead on after a 27-yard field goal from kicker Cody Parkey, and back-to-back touchdown passes from quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield threw a two-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jarvis Landry before throwing a one-yard scoring toss to tackle Kendall Lamm.
The Titans got on the scoreboard in the second quarter, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to Davis, which capped off a four-play, 74-yard drive that was jumpstarted by a 40-yard pass from Tannehill to receiver A.J. Brown.
But things got worse.
The Browns quickly jumped ahead 24-7 on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, and they then scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to receiver Rashard Higgins to make it 31-7 with 5:46 left in the second quarter. A one-yard touchdown run by running back Nick Chubb made it 38-7 at the half.
The Titans turned the ball over twice in the first half, when they were outgained 344 to 148 by the Browns, who racked up 22 first downs to just eight for the Titans.
The Titans started fast in the second half, scoring 14 points in the first 5:52 of the second half.
Tannehill connected with tight end MyCole Pruitt for a 22-yard touchdown pass, which capped off a quick, three-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took just 1:08 off the clock, and that made it 38-13.
Minutes later, the Titans scored again in wild fashion to cut the lead to 38-21 as Pruitt scooped up an A.J. Brown fumble and took it in for a three-yard score. Brown had reached the Cleveland three after a 16-yard catch from Tannehill, but his fumble set up Pruitt’s chance to get a scoop and score.
A 43-yard field goal by Parkey stretched Cleveland’s lead to 41-21 with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
The Titans were driving for more points late in the third quarter, but a Tannehill pass went off the hands of receiver Adam Humphries inside the 10-yard line, and it was intercepted by the Browns.
Titans running back Jeremy McNichols scored on a touchdown run with 1:23 left to make it 41-28, and Tannehill connected with Cameron Batson for an eight-yard touchdown to make it 41-35 with 28 seconds left.
And that was the end of Tennessee’s final threat.
The Titans return to action next Sunday against the Jaguars in Nashville.
