NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans keep proving that for every step forward, they always find ways to take two back.
The Titans (3-9) clinched a third straight losing record to mark first-year coach Brian Callahan's debut season in an ugly 42-19 loss to Washington.
Yet another slow start, more turnovers, sacks, penalties ruined their chance at stringing together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years.
Callahan said Monday they're trying to build consistency.
“In the NFL, a lot of it is about not losing the game first, and we do right now with the amount of penalties and turnovers we’ve had,” Callahan said. "We put ourselves in position to lose games and not win them. And so, yes, there is a there is an element of learning how to win.”
Tennessee had 11 of 12 penalties before halftime, trailing 28-7. The Titans also were the previous NFL team to be flagged for at least 11 penalties and trail by 20 or more points at halftime in Week 17 of 2005 against the Jaguars.
Only Baltimore has been penalized more than Tennessee this season.
Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said after the loss that the Titans need to learn how to deal with winning better coming off a 32-27 win at Houston. Simmons said they were "hungover from our own success."
Callahan said Monday he didn't see any hangover issues.
“You have a performance like that and you're sort of grasping for an explanation on why and there really wasn't one other than we made too many errors early in the game and put ourselves in a hole,” Callahan said.
What’s working
Quarterback Will Levis' development over the four games since his return from a sprained, right throwing shoulder at least gives the Titans promise for the future.
The second-year quarterback made some nice throws and limited yards lost on two sacks Sunday. He threw two TD passes for 212 yards. Since his return, he is completing 61.7% of his passes for 960 yards with seven touchdown passes and only two interceptions with a 101.3 passer rating in that span.
What needs help
Now the defense is struggling after going into Washington second in the NFL in yards allowed, ninth against the run and first defending the pass. They gave up a season-high 267 yards rushing after giving up just 40 a week ago.
The Titans also gave up 28 points within the first 20 minutes, becoming only the third team to do that in the past five seasons. The Titans also did that in Week 8 earlier this season after being routed by the Lions in Detroit. Washington did it against Dallas in Week 16 of 2021.
Stock up
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Originally undrafted out of Indiana, Westbrook-Ikhine is tied for fourth in the NFL with eight TD catches entering Monday. That's despite starting only five games this season and not having a pass thrown to him the first month of the season.
He has earned a multi-year deal with his performance. He had three receptions for 61 yards against Washington and was targeted a season-high eight times.
Stock down
Rookie Jha'Quan Jackson. A sixth-round pick out of Tulane and nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Ed Reed has fumbled five times as the punt returner recovering only two of those. That got him benched against Washington.
His fumbles have come in the past six games, including one in each of the past two. His fumble against Washington led to an early touchdown.
Injuries
LT JC Latham hurt a quadriceps muscle but finished the game. Callahan said they will see how CB Roger McCreary (shoulder) and LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (strained hamstring) recover during the week.
Key number
36 — The number of games since the Titans have had consecutive victories.
Next steps
The Titans at least are home with their best focus trying to improve their standing inside the AFC South with four divisional games down the stretch. They have two games remaining against Jacksonville (2-10) starting Sunday with Trevor Lawrence likely out.
But their biggest question now is how high does this franchise draft in April.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
