Ryan Tannehill's ugly performance dooms Tennessee Titans in Week 1 loss to Saints
NEW ORLEANS — A forgettable day for Ryan Tannehill set the stage for the Tennessee Titans to lose their third consecutive season-opening game.
The Titans' offense stalled time and again, and the defense wasn't able to bail it out when it needed to as the Titans lost 16-15 against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on Sunday.
Tannehill finished 16-for-34 with 198 yards and three interceptions. The Titans were 2-for-12 on third downs, struggling to extend drives when faced with passing downs. And the offense had to settle for field goals on three red zone trips and five overall.
Tannehill and the offense surged into the red zone late in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead, but coach Mike Vrabel opted for a field goal on fourth-and-6 from the 11-yard line with 2:20 left and all three timeouts at his disposal.
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The Titans had a chance to get the ball back with a third-and-6 stop just after the 2-minute warning, but Saints quarterback Derek Carr connected on a 41-yard completion over cornerback Kristian Fulton, battling a hamstring injury, to essentially ice the game.
Tannehill finished with a 28.8 passer rating, the lowest in any game he's started for the Titans. His previous low was 40.5 against the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
Derrick Henry carried 15 times for 63 yards and caught two passes for 56 yards. But, in a stark contrast from past Titans seasons, there were entire drives when Henry was on the sideline as the Titans experimented with empty backfields and packages featuring rookie running back Tyjae Spears as an extra receiver.
Controversial fumble replay doesn't help Titans
Titans edge rusher Arden Key was a menacing presence throughout the first half, logging 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss and two QB hurries. But Key's biggest highlight was a pass breakup that could've been ruled something much more valuable.
With the Saints in the red zone midway through the second quarter, Key blew past Saints tackle Trevor Penning and got a hand on Saints QB Derek Carr's arm, seemingly before he started throwing, and knocked the ball loose. The ball traveled forward and was easily scooped up by Titans safety Kevin Byard, who had a clear path to return the would-be fumble for a touchdown. But the referees whistled the play dead and ruled it an incomplete pass. After a Titans challenge, the call on the field stood.
The Saints kicked a field goal on the next play, turning what could've been seven Titans points into three for the home team.
Trick play to Titans' Chig Okonkwo barely missed
Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly dialed up a trick play early in the fourth quarter. A handoff turned into an end around which turned into a flea flicker back to Tannehill, who had tight end Chig Okonkwo wide open streaking down the visitor's sideline. But Tannehill overthrew on a surefire touchdown, with Okonkwo unable to even get his fingertips on the throw.
The Titans ended up settling for a field goal to trim the Saints' lead on that drive instead of tying the score.
Tannehill had a chance for redemption on another long pass to Spears, who was open down the Saints' sideline late in the fourth quarter, but the pair was unable to connect.
Titans' pass protection still an issue
The Titans' offensive line is the most rebuilt unit on the team, and the most rebuilt front in the NFL. But even with four new starters and one player at a new position, pass protection was still a huge issue.
The Saints recorded three sacks and 10 quarterback hurries Sunday, constantly harassing Tannehill even on plays where they only rushed three defenders. Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan also batted two passes away at the line of scrimmage.
Run blocking wasn't as much of an issue. The Titans averaged 4.7 yards per carry behind a characteristically effective day from Henry. But the passing game struggled to get going, and the blocking was a big reason why.
Nick Folk was star of Titans' loss
Before the Titans offense or defense ever lined up for a play from scrimmage, the special teams was making plays. Safety Amani Hooker stole the ball from Saints kick returner Rashid Shaheed on the opening kickoff to set the Titans up with a field goal in the opening minutes.
But just as special teams can create points, they can give them away too. Punter Ryan Stonehouse had a punt blocked in the second quarter, setting the Saints up for a field goal of their own.
The big revelation for the Titans on special teams was kicker Nick Folk. Folk opened the day by splitting the uprights from 50 yards out and finished 5-for-5, a good sign for a Titans team that's ranked worst in the NFL in placekicking over the last four years.
What's next for Titans?
The Titans head back to Nashville for their home opener next Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Chargers.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ryan Tannehill dooms Tennessee Titans vs. Saints in Week 1 NFL loss
