ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — It doesn't appear to matter who's under center for the Tennessee Titans lately — Will Levis or, in the interim, Mason Rudolph.
The same issues — unproductive second halves, turnovers and penalties — that affected the Titans through their first five games, re-appeared in a 34-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday that has Tennessee (1-5) off to its worst start since 2015.
“Tale of two halves. Seems like the tale of our season so far,” first-year coach Brian Callahan said.
The Titans built a 10-0 lead and then frittered it away while allowing the Bills to score on their final five drives of the second half.
And it made no difference that Callahan turned to Rudolph with Levis still experiencing the nagging affects of an AC joint injury to his throwing shoulder.
Rudolph started out going 12 of 15 for 100 yards and a 4-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in putting the Titans up 10-0 early in the second quarter. And then nothing.
Tennessee crossed midfield just twice more on its final nine possessions, managed 72 yards offense in the second half and Tony Pollard's production actually dropped. After gaining 64 yards on 11 carries in the first 30 minutes, the running back combined for minus-3 yards on five carries in the final 30 minutes.
Rudolph finished 25 of 40 for 215 yards with an interception and two fumbles (one lost). He was sacked three times and took 11 hits.
Take away their 31-12 win over Miami on Sept. 30 and the the Titans have been outscored 85-21 in the second halves of their five losses — and blanked in the fourth quarter of all those outings.
The game was essentially decided on the Titans' first drive of the second half, when Pollard was stuffed for a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-2 from Tennessee's 42. Six plays later, Josh Allen connected with newly acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper for a 12-yard touchdown to put the Bills up 14-10.
“I love the aggressiveness from coach,” Rudolph said of the decision to go for it. “We just have to do a better job of executing and converting and not putting our defense in a bad spot.”
A depleted defense, missing starting cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (quadriceps) and after releasing safety Jamal Adams at his own request Thursday, eventually wore down.
Allen's 323 yards passing — 258 in the second half — were a season high against a Titans defense that held its first five opponents to under 200.
“I know we are better than what we are right now. We got to find a way to play at that level for an entire game,” Callahan said. “That’s ultimately on me finding a way to get that done, somehow.”
And without Levis, who Callahan listed as week to week.
The coach said Levis was experiencing pain following a 20-17 loss at Indianapolis last weekend, and it continued bothering him throughout the week. He then made the decision to sit Levis after he was limited in practice Friday.
“The injury is real,” he added. “He tried to fight through it. I appreciate the toughness and the willingness," Callahan said. "Just didn’t feel like he could play at the level he needed to play to come in here and win in Buffalo.”
Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins was rested for much of the second half due to what the player described as soreness after catching one pass for 6 yards, but losing another 8 yards on a lateral at the end of the first half.
And the revolving door at right tackle continued for the Titans when Jaelyn Duncan left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Nicholas Petit-Frere, benched last week for Leroy Watson IV, who was inactive against the Bills.
“We’ve got a problem at right tackle,” Callahan said. “We got to find someone that can step up and play for us. Right now, everyone’s gotten their turn, and none of it’s where we need it to be.”
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Jonah Bronstein, The Associated Press
