Titans Lose Big Lead, Fall to Bears 24-17 in Season Opener

CHICAGO – Within the Windy Metropolis, the Titans noticed a giant lead drift away.

The Bears rallied for a 24-17 win over the Titans within the common season opener right here at Soldier Area.

The Titans wasted a stable day from the protection, which could not overcome a giant particular groups gaffe and errors by Tennessee’s offense.

“I cherished the best way we performed, I cherished our effort,” Titans Coach Brian Callahan mentioned. “However we’ve got to have the ability to knock a group out. We made approach too many errors. I believed we have been in a great place, and we had an opportunity to win this sport. For me, it is simply disappointing we did not discover a approach to try this.

“Dangerous style in your mouth, actually upset. We now have to discover a strategy to rebound and prepare for our house opener.”

In some ways, the Titans gave the sport away with a pair of interceptions, a fumble, and a blocked punt that was returned for a landing.

The Bears managed simply 11 first downs and 148 yards of offense within the sport.

The Titans jumped out to 17-0 lead, however issues unraveled in an unsightly approach within the second half.

Quarterback Will Levis accomplished 19-of-32 passes for 127 yards with a landing and two interceptions. Levis threw a pick-6 that changed into the game-winning landing for the Bears within the fourth quarter.

“Only a bonehead play,” Levis mentioned of the pick-6. “One of many issues, from plenty of issues, I can study from on this sport.

“It is gut-wrenching, it is powerful. Having a 17-point lead and giving them the sport.”

Issues seemed good early.

The Titans took a 7-0 lead on a 26-yard run by working again Tony Pollard, which capped an 8-play, 79-yard drive. Pollard was a exercise on the drive, racking up 54 yards on the bottom.

On the following kickoff, Titans working again Julius Chesnut recovered a fumble that bounced off Bears returner Velus Jones on the Chicago 23-yard line.

The Titans cashed that in for 3 extra factors, as kicker Nick Folks was good on a 40-yard discipline purpose.

The protection, in the meantime, was stout early, forcing punts on Chicago’s first three possessions.

The Titans stored the fuel on the pedal within the first half, they usually jumped forward 17-0 on a 17-yard landing cross from Levis to tight finish Chig Okonkwo, which capped a 14-play, 73-yard drive that took 8:23 off the clock. An enormous third-down conversion cross from Levis to receiver Calvin Ridley, then a fourth-down conversion cross from Levis to receiver Tyler Boyd highlighted the drive.

A 24-yard discipline purpose by Bears kicker Cairo Santos made it 17-3 on the half.

However the Titans could not do a lot proper within the second half.

Issues obtained off to a shaky begin within the third quarter, as punter Ryan Stonehouse had a punt blocked, and it was picked up by the Bears and returned for a landing.

It was Bears defensive again Jonathan Owens who scooped up the soccer, and he raced 21 yards for a rating, making it 17-10 with 9:07 left within the third quarter.

The Bears then minimize the result in 17-13 with 14:47 left within the fourth quarter on a 50-yard discipline purpose by Santos.

Catastrophe struck once more the fourth quarter when Levis was sacked, and he fumbled. The Bears jumped on the free ball on the Tennessee 31-yard line, in an amazing place to take the lead.

The Titans protection stiffened up, and held the Bears to a different Santos discipline purpose, this one from 48 yards, to make it 17-16 with 9:52 left.

Levis then made a nasty resolution when he tried to do away with the soccer to keep away from a sack. As an alternative, Bears defensive again Tyrique Stevenson stepped in entrance of a Levis flip cross within the path of Boyd, and he raced 43 yards for a landing. Chicago’s two-point conversion made it 24-17 with 7:35 left.

The Titans could not rally, as Levis was intercepted once more late.

“It is one sport in a 17-game season,” security Quandre Diggs mentioned. “We now have to regroup. Now, simply do not let one loss create two – that is the lesson you must take out of this. I’ve been round for a very long time and I’ve seen plenty of groups let one loss result in two, result in three, result in 4, and you end up in a gap you do not wish to be in.”

The Titans return to motion subsequent Sunday at Nissan Stadium towards the New York Jets.