Chargers survive late Titans rally to win at Wembley
If the Los Angeles Chargers can’t make a go of it in California perhaps they should move to London?
Last week NFL owners reportedly discussed the team’s viability in LA, where they have struggled to attract meaningful support since moving up the California coast in 2017 after 56 years in San Diego, but Wembley was a happier home on Sunday as they saw off the Tennessee Titans 20-19 in a tepid game with a ferocious conclusion.
American football can sometimes feel like interminable arthouse cinema. Hours of incomprehensible action with no discernible flow. What makes it the most popular sport in America and increasingly prevalent in the UK are endings like Sunday’s game.
Having fought back to within a point of the Chargers with a late touchdown, the Titans decided to take the option of eschewing the expected point after touchdown - a simple kick from 33 yards, and instead tried for another two - secured by throwing the ball into the endzone again.
With less than a minute left on the clock quarterback Marcus Mariota aimed for Taywan Taylor with a pass that would have likely won the game. Instead it was tipped away by Chargers safety Adrian Phillips and is team held on to move to a 5-2 record.
Until the second half here the Titans had a fairly fundamental problem - they had forgotten how to score touchdowns. At the break it had been 10 consecutive quarters without one, but the change in scenery from Nashville to Brent did the job in the end, with Derrick Henry rushing in from a yard out early in the third quarter.
Mariota is quick and adept at prolonging plays when scrambling but lacks the arm and firepower of his veteran counterpart Philip Rivers. His two long-range passing touchdowns at the beginning of each half illustrated the small but significant difference in what these teams are capable of offensively.
It was all witnessed by a near-capacity crowd at Wembley, another test passed if the NFL is still concerned about the level of fan interest here. By any reasonable measure these are two of the least-supported teams in the league.
As ever for these games, it was easy to see all 32 of the league’s teams represented on jerseys, T-shirts and bobble hats on the walk down Olympic Way. This often creates an unpredictable atmosphere inside the stadium. It felt hostile to the Chargers at times in the second half, officially at “home” but being booed and jeered on crucial third downs.
Rivers is used to that. While his team waits for the new enormous stadium they will share with the LA Rams they are playing home games at the 27,000-seater StubHub Center, a venue as incongruously small for NFL as Dean Court is for Premier League football. Much of the crowd go there to support whoever the Chargers are playing, and Rivers’ coolness in the face of distracting noise was evident on a long drive which straddled the third and fourth quarter.
His team had to settle for a field goal at its conclusion but much of the Titans’ growing momentum was extinguished. Although not before a nuclear strop from Keenan Allen, presumably fed up by his team’s decision to look for Mike Williams instead of him on third down.
This year’s Wembley games conclude next Sunday when the Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles facing Shahid Khan’s Jacksonville Jaguars at the venue their owner was trying to buy. It looks the most promising fixture of this year’s three, but will do well to eclipse this one for late excitement.
Full Time - Chargers win 20-19
Well, from quiet beginnings that blossomed into a real cliffhanger and you can't help but feel for the Titans. The Chargers basically won it with two plays at the start of each half: a 75-yard touchdown completion to Tyrell Williams within nine seconds of their first possession; then a similar 55 yard effort to Mike Williams at the start of the second.
The Titans hung in there and came home with a wet sail, clawing to within one point in the final 30 seconds. Coach Mike Vrabel's decision to try and win the game in normal time with a two point conversion ultimately cost them the game. Chargers now 5-2, Titans 3-4.
Winning quarterback Philip Rivers says: "It was a heck of a team win. It was a weird game. We've been talking about finding a way to get to 5-2 and we've done it by winning four straight. We missed Melvin today but the guys upfront stepped up. The defence made the play of the day with the game on the line at the end. It was an old school, gritty, tight win."
Two point conversion missed - Chargers 20-19 Titans
It was a brave call to reject the field goal and go for the win, and it hasn't come off. Mariota's throw is tipped away to safety by Phillips. Looks like Titans are going to lose by one. Gutsy call, and with hindsight the wrong one.
TOUCHDOWN TITANS
Here we go then. Fourth and inches. We're looking at Henry, Mariota, we're looking for a hero. They throw it rather than run, unbelievable. It's complete, Luke Stocker the tight end catches wide left for a touchdown - 20-19 and the Titans are going for the win with the two point conversion. Mariota holds the ball for an eternity, can't find anybody, throws it away, there are penalty flags all over the show. Hayward has been penalised for holding on the defence so we're going to run that play all over again. Hot nonsense.
Disallowed. Chargers 20-13 Titans
Under review, it's been determined that Mariota's left shoulder is down before the ball breaches the line. No touchdown. Titans are now on fourth and goal with 35 seconds left. It's do or die now with potentially the last play of the game...
TOUCHDOWN MARIOTA. Or is it?
The Titans look like they've leveled it up at the death. Mariota, as he's done so often, pulls the ball back in and goes for it himself, running ten yards through a crowd scene before being felled just short of the line. He reaches out as he hits the ground and breaches the line for what looks like a touchdown. Under review.
Titans banging on the door - Chargers 20-13 Titans
Henry runs on the first and second downs to leave the Titans with third and four on the eight yard line. Mariota completes to Sharpe for first and goal. It's a repeat of the end of the first half, Mariota threw an intercept on that occasion, this time he tries to get Lewis running in but he's stopped dead. Almost literally dead. Second and goal. Titans spend a final time out. Mariota throws for Davis, incomplete, third and goal, 40 seconds left, goodness it's tense.
Two minute warning, Titans in touchdown range - Chargers 20-13 Titans
Inside the final four minutes, Titans make it to first down on halfway, and then Mariota pulls it back in and dashes ten for another. Suddenly, exhilarating stuff from Dion Lewis who bursts through the middle and rides tackles deep into the Chargers' half for a 36 yard gain. Quick snap on the first down, completed and into touch to stop the clock. Huge chance for the Titans to tie the game as we tick down to the two minute warning.
Chargers halted - Chargers 20-13 Titans
Chargers look like they've gone three and out with their possession as Allen comes up short only for Logan Ryan to be harshly called for a hold. Automatic first down. Titans, with one timeout left, have seven and a half minute to salvage something. They stop them at the second time of asking though and Jones will punt from the halfway line with five minutes to play. Fair catch called for and made on the 11.
Missed field goal - Chargers 20-13 Titans
Second time in this drive, a big miss from Corey Davis this time. Mariota looks like he's found him on third and seven but Davis is late to turn and look for the ball and drops it clean, Succup will now try a field goal from 51 yards. Missed wide to the left.
Thom Gibbs says: "Certainly easier to make jokes about Titans kicker Ryan Succop who missed that long field goal to take his team within four, but the blame must go to to Corey Davis who spurned an easy catch which would have prolonged the drive. Whatever air was in the Tennessee balloon has been let out now and you'd be surprised to see them win it from here. Although Austin Ekeler looks determined to win today's "worst dropped catch" competition... Operation beat the queue at Wembley Park tube now in effect, people are heading for the exits. Don't they believe in late drama at this stadium? Have they never heard of Bobby Zamora?"
Mariota moving the chains - Chargers 20-13 Titans
Big miss by Taywan Taylor on first down, Mariota finds him open down the middle for what should be a 30 yard gain but it goes straight through his hands. Titans subsequently lose two yards on the second down so it's another long third down with time starting to tick down. Mariota comes up with a big completion to Sharpe for 16 much needed yards and a first down.
Game in the balance - Chargers 20-13 Titans
Ok so the Titans are within a touchdown, but given they've only scored one of those in nearly three matches now that might be a tall order. Good kick off return wouldn't go amiss... Darius Jennings gets it back to the 34. Heated discussions between Allen and Rivers down on the Chargers bench about their failure to turn that last possession into seven points. Mariota completes to Lewis for a first down and more in midfield. 11 mins 30 secs left in the game.
Titans clinging on - Chargers 17-13 Titans
Challenge rejected, Chargers first down, completed to Ekeler on the ten yard line. Big moment in the game here. Rivers with time to pick a pass on the second down but can't find a man in the endzone so we're into another tense third down situation, albeit in field goal range. Third and six on the ten... Brilliant defence by Ryan on Mike Williams to prevent the touchdown so here comes the field goal for take the Chargers out to 20-17.
Titans challenge - Chargers 17-13 Titans
Into the final quarter, Ekeler runs it to the 22 yard line for a second and two. The Chargers lose yardage on the next downs though so the Titans are on the verge of stopping this drive. Rivers throws to Allen inside the 15 and he thinks he's got his arms underneath it and completed. Ruled a catch for the first down, Vrabel willing to spend a time out to challenge the ruling. Borderline.
Chargers settling down - Chargers 17-13 Titans
Rivers completes to Antonio Gates for a Chargers first down on halfway, two minutes of the third quarter left. Tennessee spends a first time out of the second half, and whatever they spoke about has worked as Jayon Brown sacks Rivers to leave him facing a third and seven on the 40. No bother though, completes to Allen on the 28 for a first down. That could have been a big stop for the Titans.
Rivers to Gates on third down never gets old.
— Ricky Henne (@ChargersRHenne) October 21, 2018
Titans back with the ball - Chargers 17-13 Titans
Titans start on their own 19 yard line and gain five with their first down. They've been at their best today when playing quick and we're straight into a second down with a minimum of fuss but Henry is pushed out of bounds for a one yard loss. A tough third down is made even more difficult by a clipping penalty which backs them up to their own 12. Second and 17 is run back by Mariota set up third and five. Incomplete.
Our man Thom Gibbs says: "84,301 is the stated attendance, and while Wembley is impressively full for a game that's basically West Brom vs Stoke, the NFL has clearly been taking attendance-announcement lessons from Arsenal. Plenty of empty seats visible in the upper tier. Crowd rallying a little now Titans have scored their first touchdown since they were called the Oilers but it's felt flat here compared to previous games. Stadium has had the low murmur of a cricket crowd for most of the game."
Momentum shift? Chargers 17-13 Titans
Rivers sacked for the first time in the game, now third and 12 from the 35. He completes to Tyrell Williams but he's short of a first down. They are going to go for it on fourth and one though as the Titans smell a stop. Ah, sneaky, no they're not, play clock expires as they try and draw a false start penalty. They will punt after all.
AN ACTUAL TENNESSEE TOUCHDOWN
A real one. First in two and a half games as Mariota hands it off to Derrick Henry to run it in from no range at all. Now Chargers 17-13 Titans, 9.45 left in the third.
This time? Chargers 17-6 Titans
Dion Lewis recovers that with a strong run for a first down and then looks like he's going in for a touchdown on the next play but he's just about held at the five. Surely this time? First and goal...
Titans start again - Chargers 17-6 Titans
Good kick off return and then an unnecessary roughness penalty has the Titans starting inside the Chargers half. Second down on the 36, Mariota completes for a first down nut is then sacked for the second time today for a loss of six.
TOUCHDOWN CHARGERS
Much the same as the first half. Very early on, Rivers decides to air it out and completes to Mike Williams for a 55 yard touchdown. Now Chargers 17 Titans 6, Mike Vrabel's face is a study.
Second half underway - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Mike Vrabel wants more urgency and tempo to go with the time in possession. His team starts with a kick off into the endzone and a touch back at the 25. Rivers completes to Travis Benjamin just shy of the 45.
Half Time Chargers 10-6 Titans
Sticking to script, the Titans have had twice as much possession on the clock but can't get themselves into the end zone. Two games without a touchdown leading into this and they've found progressively more weird and wonderful ways to keep that record going in the first half, culminating in that nonsense interception on third and goal in the final minute.
The Chargers went in within nine seconds of their first possession through Tyrell Williams but it's been field goals only since then and the gap is four at half time.
Intercepted - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Of course it is. Mariota on first and goal, throws his first career interception in the red zone after a tip on the ball by Ingram at the line of scrimmage. Denzel Perryman intercepts for the first time this season and runs it back down the field. That'll be about it for the first half. Two and a half matches with no Titans touchdowns.
Gotta get the pic after the pick. @D_Perryman52pic.twitter.com/tt7Rfw3A1v
— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) October 21, 2018
Titans' best chance of the game - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Other side of the two minute warning, Titans once again move into promising field position with a third and two on the 15 yard line. They complete to Corey Davis on the ten so will have three from there with a minute left in the half to try and find that elusive touchdown. They haven't registered a maximum in the second quarter of a game all season...
Titans in a hurry - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Having got it back to third and ten, the Titans complete the recovery with a 19 yard completion to Sharpe on the Chargers 35. Increased tempo sees the Titans snap it almost immediately and suddenly it's second and three. They really are in a hurry, Mariota just about making the distance himself for another first down.
Sport crossover - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Penalty for an illegal block in the back leaves the Titans facing first and 20. Mariota skips out of the pocket, passes the line of scrimmage, then throws it laterally to his left in a manner we'd expect more from the Rugby League Challenge Cup final on this ground. It is very, very, very harshly judged as an illegal forward pass. Mariota can't catch a break. Now second and 22.
Telegraph man Thom Gibbs says: "Impressed with Dion Lewis, Titans RB, especially because of the terrifying helmet-to-helmet collision he was involved with in the first quarter. Mariota keeps going to him and he's proving effective as a rusher and receiver. Not much else available for Mariota given his leaky-looking offensive line. Confusion in the crowd and my seat about that illegal forward pass call, looked like an acceptable lateral in real time and in replays."
Titans escsape - Chargers 10-6 Titans
On third and two, Titans almost get done by the play clock but get a timeout called just in time. The extra thinking time gets Dion Lewis over for a first down by inches. Five minutes to go.
Titans working it out - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Mariota does well to skip and turn his way out of his second sack of the day and scamper back to second and nine. Lewis runs it out 17 yards for a first down to the Titans 35. 7 minutes 30 seconds left in this half.
Chargers forced to punt - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Only a three man rush on third and four but Rivers is nearly sacked and then throws into touch so the Chargers will punt from just shy of halfway. It's quite a punt though, 43 yards and downed by Michael Davis. The Titans will be starting basically from their own goal line.
King back to the 17 - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Best Titans coverage on a kick off so far brings Desmond King down at the 17 from the kick off. No use though, on second and eight Tyrell Williams collects an ambitious throw into coverage from Rivers on the 45.
Three and out again - Chargers 10-6 Titans
Sorry if you feel like you've seen this film before, but Mariota chucks the third down straight into touch so here comes Ryan Succop to try and make it 10-6 from 23 yards. No problems there so 10-6 it is. 12.51 of the first half left.
Titans start the second strong
Big start to the second from the Titans, Mariota to Sharpe for a first down on the Chargers 23. Yard or two gained on the first down so they're second and nine and within scoring distance now. Scoring, remember that? Third and two now...
Chargers lead 10-3 end of the first
First quarter comes to a close without any further Titans disasters. They trail 10-3, and given their offense perhaps we can all head home now?
Name that Brit
The coverage has cut to somebody from Glee. Last time I was sitting in this chair they were asking Julia Roberts what she thought of Paul Pogba. Stop the world I want to get off. Thom Gibbs, save us please...
"The jinks are high on the big screens here during breaks in play, with Chargers players invited to guess what some English words and phrases not used much in America mean. Nappy, pavement, universal health care, that sort of thing. Forrest Lamp guesses for 'queue' - 'I have no idea. A TV?'. A little bit later we have a game named 'Who’s that Brit?' Melvin Ingram, when faced with a picture of the queen, goes for 'Martha Stewart'. Nearly as funny as the Titans' secondary."
Chargers lead 10-3
Logan Ryan saves a touchdown, palming the ball away from Mike Williams. Chargers have to settle for a field goal from Michael Badgley.
Tyrell Williams' last four catches have gone for 193 yards and three touchdowns (48.25 yards per catch).
— Chris Hayre (@chrishayre) October 21, 2018
Chargers moving the chains
Philip Rivers moving the chains with ease in this latest Chargers possession. Already on the Titans 32 after three quick first downs, including a 30 yard gain with Keenan Allen found in acres of space.
More of the same in this latest set of downs, a 17 yard gain to Allen on second and eight. Inside the 20 now. Momentum building, and you'd think given the state of the Titans offense that going 14-3 down here could already be fairly critical. Time out called.
Mariota sacked, and there's worse to come
Familiar feeling for the Titans quarterback, who holds on too long on third down and is brought to earth by Darius Philon forcing a punt. Desmond King collects the kick and returns with serious interest, 57 yards down the left flank. Penalty on the play though, ten yards for illegal block in the back. Big warning signs for the Titans here though. 7-3, 8 minutes of first quarter to go.
TOUCHDOWN CHARGERS
Well, there you go, explosive start for the Chargers. They receive the kick off in the end zone, take it out to the 20, Philip Rivers heaves one down the field to a one on one situation for Tyrell Williams who catches under little pressure and runs it in for a 75-yard touchdown. Nine seconds that drive, seven points posted.
Titans 3-0
Drive stalls on 3rd and 5. Mariota tries to find Sharpe again on the five yard line but it doesn't stick, and could well have been intercepted. The Titans will settle for a field goal from Ryan Succop, who has scored 48 of their 90 points this season.
Your friend and mine Thom Gibbs is the Telegraph's man at Wembley today. He say...
"Plenty of literal fireworks here at Wembley, let's hope for some metaphorical ones too. The Chargers are finding out just how 'nominal' the title of 'nominal home team' is, the crowd was louder for the arrival of the Titans. This will be nothing new for Philip Rivers and co. who are used to playing in front of about the same number of home fans in LA as Wimbledon did in the Selhurst Park purgatory years. Plenty of love for Keenan Allen's emergence, less for Austin Ekeler, but perhaps he’ll have won some hearts and minds in a few hours given Melvin Gordon’s absence?"
Into the red zone
Mariota completes to Lewis on third down, he escapes close attention and works down the sideline for 14 yards. Titans are on the Chargers' 17 now. Mariota runs his next play down to the 10 and out of bounds. Strong start here and a big chance with two downs in hand, 2nd and 4.
Titans first down x2
That might settle Mariota down. From third and ten, completes to Sharpe for a first down on the LA 48. And then another to Henry, but Ingram really should have intercepted on the next play.
Kick off
Chargers get us underway kicking left to right in Sky Blue. Pitch not looking the best. Jennings runs it back to the 37 yard line for the Titans. Here comes Mariota, two touchdown passes all season... Loss of three on the first play. Inauspicious start.
Ready to go
Teams ambling out in their usual low key manner, we'll be underway here in just a moment after the anthems.
"We're an average team"
Mike Vrabel, three-time Superbowl winner as a player, in his first year as Titans' head coach after moving from defensive coordinator at Houston in 2017, pulling few punches pre-match.
"I would say average, that's where we are as a team. We're 3-3. I've coached an average football team and I have to do a better job.
"It's a young group of wide receivers, it's a talented group and it's improving. We have to work our way through to the end of the season and continue to improve.
"I'm proud to be their coach, to stand in front of them and lead them and help them win."
Haven't we met?
Rivers has literally been here before - way back in 2008 the then San Diego Chargers were beaten 37-32 by the then New Orleans Saints in the second ever game of the international series at Wembley. The new-look side has carried on its good form from the end of last season into the start of this.
"It was a great experience, we were here the whole week and we're doing it a little shorter this time but it's great to be back and we're looking forward to it. I remember the atmosphere in the stadium.
"I don't know how you carry momentum through an eight month break but we've found a way to do it. We've so many playmakers, the key is sustaining it, not relaxing and doing it for the long haul. The great teams sustain it for long periods of time and that's where we want to be.
"We've been nearly there and can't quite get over the hump, but we're in a window where we have the roster and the players to get it done."
LA readying a Charge
The good news keeps coming for the Titans in the shape of the Chargers, so often the nearly men of the NFL but feeling like they could put something together this year.
They are 4-2 and second in the AFC West, on a three game winning streak, but crucially in the context of today's game against the blunt attack of their opponent they've allowed only 24 points against in their last two matches against the Browns (38-14) and the Raiders (26-10).
That's despite playing without star defensive end Joey Bosa, who is still a couple of weeks away from fitness after bruising a bone in his foot. The Ohio State alum was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 and got even better last year with 70 tackles, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.
Without him, they've registered 16 sacks this year (12th in NFL) with Derwin James leading the way with 3.5 ahead of Melvin Ingram with 2.5.
Chuck in former Pro-Bowler Mike Pouncey at center, arguably the best free agent pick up this season following his surprise release from the Dolphins, ahead of star quarterback Philip Rivers and there's plenty of good feeling around the Chargers coming into this one.
Any danger?
We start with the Tennessee. Poor, poor Tennessee. A team for whom touchdowns have become fantastical things you only read about in books, like goblins, or werewolves, or Redskins play-off appearances.
They went 2-1 when beating the Jaguars a month ago, but did so 9-6 with three field goals. A much improved offensive showing against the Eagles in week four yielded a 26-23 win but they subsequently relied solely on the boot in a 13-12 loss to the Bills and then were shut out completely in a disastrous outing against the Ravens (21-0) last week.
Former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, working with new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur who arrived from the Rams in the off season, is playing with nerve damage in his hand and was sacked a colossal 11 times in that brutal schooling a week ago - the Titans registered just 51 passing yards on the day once those various disasters were taken off the paltry 117 yards they did manage. Having thrown for 344 yards against the Eagles, the 24-year-old has thrown for just 246 in two games combined since. In mitigation, Buffalo and Baltimore have two of the league's top three defences, but still.
While the Titans are in a three-way 3-3 tie for the lead of the notoriously dire AFC South with the Jaguars and Texans ahead of the 1-5 Colts, they join the Bills and the Cardinals as the only teams to be nilled in a game so far this season. Only those two sides have worse passing records in the NFL this season.
Inactives
Both teams have revealed their inactives for this afternoon's encounter, with a key name on the missing list for the Chargers.
Our #TENvsLAC inactives:
K Caleb Sturgis
RB Melvin Gordon
LB Kyzir White
C Cole Toner
T Trent Scott
G Forrest Lamp
DE Joey Bosa— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) October 21, 2018
The Charges are 0-5 in games without running back Melvin Gordon since he was drafted in 2015, which is good news for the Titans (who need all the good news they can get).
.@Titans inactives vs @Chargers ����:
Kenny Vaccaro
Quinton Spain
Derrick Morgan
Will Compton
Tyler Marz
Matt Dickerson
Kenneth Durden— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) October 21, 2018
Safety Kenny Vaccaro probably the biggest miss there.
Afternoon...
Hello, good afternoon, and welcome to our live coverage of today's NFL International Series encounter from Wembley Stadium.
The 23rd regular season game to be staged in London, and the 20th at Wembley, since this series began with the Giants against the Dolphins back in 2007, pits the LA Chargers on a three game winning streak against the Tennessee Titans who haven't scored a touchdown in two games. It has been, perhaps unkindly, described in the office today as like the NFL equivalent of Stoke v West Brom.
We'll have team news for you shortly, and live updates thereafter.
