NASHVILLE – The Titans lost 23-13 to the Vikings on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Here's a look at six things that stood out from the contest:
Bad Call
Another week, another questionable call that went against the Titans. Coming clean here: I actually thought the officials got it right last week in Los Angeles in ruling Justin Herbert's fumble/incompletion was an incomplete pass. Not sure they should've overturned it with the replay (after help from New York), but nonetheless I felt they got it right. I thought Sunday's call against Titans safety Mike Brown was a horrendous call that changed the complexion of the game early. Officials called Brown for unnecessary roughness on a 4th-and-goal pass from Sam Darnold to Jordan Addison that should have been an incompletion, and Titans ball. Brown dislodged the football with a clean hit to the chest. The call turned a 7-3 game into a 13-3 game, and it forced the Titans to play catch-up the entire contest. In a pool report, this is what referee Clete Blakeman said after the game: "We had two officials call it. Essentially, the defensive player launched into the receiver – who is considered a defenseless player – and there was helmet contact to the chest and neck area." I'm calling b.s. on this one.
Too Many Penalties
The Titans were penalized 13 times for 91 yards on Sunday, while the Vikings were flagged just three times for 35 yards. I'm not going to write in here that the Titans lost because of the refs, because they didn't. And, I'm not going to say some of the calls – other than the Brown penalty – were necessarily bad calls. Some were judgement calls, and they could've gone either way. I'm just pointing out the penalties played a big role in the football game, resulting in dramatic swings. The Vikings were gifted a score following the Brown penalty, and another Vikings TD scoring drive remained alive because of a penalty on Titans cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who twice was flagged for pretty weak DPI/illegal contact calls, in my opinion. Also, a Titans touchdown was taken off the scoreboard because tackle Isaiah Prince wasn't on the line of scrimmage. Prince was flagged three times for illegal formation, which wiped out some big plays. He has to know better, or the Titans need to coach him better to keep it from happening multiple times. The Titans also got a pair of 15-yard penalties on late hits by Kenneth Murray and James Williams. Again, some of these calls were right on, and some were debatable. This much is certain: The Titans continue to do things that hurt themselves.
Don't Blame Will Levis
Titans quarterback Will Levis has been a punching bag for a lot of fans since he arrived in Nashville, and he's given those that never liked him plenty of ammunition along the way. He's made too many mistakes, and the Titans have lost too often with Levis at the controls. But Levis was hardly the problem on Sunday. I thought he showed guts against a tough Vikings defense, when he was running for his life on a lot of plays. Levis threw for 295 yards and a touchdown, with an interception late. Yes, he was guilty of holding the ball too long once again, but the guy's confidence in what's in front of him has to be shaky because he just can't get too comfortable in the pocket. Levis was sacked five times on Sunday by the Vikings, and on a few plays, he never had a chance. In many of the losses, Levis has been a part of the problem for sure. But if the Titans were better around him, Levis wouldn't catch so much flack so often.
Deep Ball to NWI
I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine streaking down the sideline on his 98-yard touchdown pass from Levis. On a third-down-play from the two-yard line, Westbrook-Ikhine ran under a beautifully thrown pass from Levis and caught it in between a pair of Vikings defenders before racing for the third quarter score, which cut the lead to 16-10. The 98-yarder was tied for longest reception in franchise history, and it was the 2nd-longest play of any kind in franchise history, trailing only Derrick Henry's 99-yard touchdown run vs the Jaguars. Westbrook-Ikhine finished the game with two catches for 117 yards on the day, good for a 58.5-yard average.
Gibbens Injury
I wanted to cover my eyes when linebacker Jack Gibbens went down with a lower leg injury, because it was ugly. Teammates surrounded Gibbens when he was injured in the third quarter, and a cart went on the field. Gibbens had his entire leg put in an air cast, and he was carted off. Gibbens had played well after finding his way back into the starting lineup, but now his season is over. "Obviously not good," Callahan said. "Ankle, likely out for the year. So, there's not really much to say about that one. I think you guys all saw it."
Showing Some Fight
No one gets any participation trophies in the NFL, and a double-digit home loss is certainly nothing to brag about. The Titans dropped to 2-8 on Sunday, and it's been a bad season, there's no doubt about it. Still, I thought the Titans showed some toughness on Sunday, displaying resilience on a number of occasions when it looked like they were dead. Despite the adversity, and the calls that went against them, the Titans were just a few plays away from making things really interesting against the Vikings. But they either couldn't get a call, couldn't get a stop, or couldn't make a play, in big moments, and once again proved to be simply not good enough to win.
The Tennessee Titans take on the Vikings in Week 11 at Nissan Stadium.
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings compete at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
