An injury-riddled Tennessee Titans team really only did one thing well during its Week 12 loss to the New England Patriots — and even that thing was plagued by mistakes.
Without Derrick Henry, the Titans managed to tally a season-high 270 yards on the ground, with Dontrell Hilliard and D’Onta Foreman combining for 240 of them. Hilliard, who led the way with 131 yards, also found the end zone on a 68-yard touchdown run.
However, both backs also coughed up the football. Hilliard’s fumble led to three points for the Patriots, while Foreman’s was a massive momentum killer at that point in the game.
But those issues paled in comparison to a Titans passing attack that couldn’t get anything going after the first quarter, and a defense that was getting gashed for big plays throughout the contest.
With Week 12 in the books, let’s take a look and see if any Titans qualified as winners after the game, and we’ll also see who gets labeled as a loser or somewhere in between.
In between: Dontrell Hilliard
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Hilliard had his best game as a pro in Week 12, leading the Titans with 131 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown, which came on a 68-yard scamper during the second quarter.
From Tulane to the Tennessee Titans! @D_Hilliard26
📺: Watch #TENvsNE on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/RzRDWUMHgE
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) November 28, 2021
As great as Hilliard was, he wasn’t without a blemish, as his fumble in the second quarter ended a drive that was in Patriots territory, which New England turned into a field goal six plays later.
Hilliard now has two fumbles (one lost) in the last two games.
In between: D'Onta Foreman
Syndication: The Tennessean
Foreman also hit the century mark in Week 12, rushing for 109 yards on 19 attempts. But like Hilliard, Foreman also coughed up the ball in this one, with his turnover coming in the third quarter with the Titans driving to take the lead.
While the Pats failed to get points after the turnover, Foreman’s fumble, which came at the end of a 30-yard run that put Tennessee in New England territory, was a real momentum killer.
Loser: Randy Bullock
AP Photo/Stew Milne
The bloom is starting to come off the rose for Randy Bullock, who has now missed two extra points and a field goal in his last two games.
Bullock misfired on an extra point after the Titans’ first touchdown in the second quarter, and then he missed a 44-yard field goal later in the frame. Both misses doinked off the upright.
We aren’t ready to abandon Bullock yet after he has proven to be solid for much of the season, but there is definitely reason for concern here.
Loser: Ryan Tannehill
Syndication: The Tennessean
Tannehill came out firing on Sunday, finishing the first quarter 5-for-5 with 42 yards. However, there wasn’t much after that, as Tannehill mustered up just 51 yards in the final three quarters.
Making matters worse, Tannehill’s pass that was tipped and picked near the goal line in the fourth quarter sealed Tennessee’s loss, and he missed an open Chester Rogers in the first quarter deep in Pats territory, which forced the team to settle for the field goal that Bullock missed.
The Titans signal-caller has now thrown at least one pick in six of his last seven contests, and in eight of 12 games overall this season, a far cry from what we’ve seen the past two seasons.
Tannehill now has 13 picks on the year, the same amount he totaled combined in 2019 and 2020. He is also four shy of his career-high.
In between: Titans' defense
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to get mad at the Titans’ defense with the way the offense has played of late, and while it was another respectable effort in the face of major adversity, there were issues on Sunday.
The Titans failed to get consistent pressure on Mac Jones and didn’t force a single turnover, although linebacker Dylan Cole had a possible pick-six hit off his hands and fall incomplete.
Adding to that, the Patriots had about a handful of passing plays gaining 20-plus yards, including gains of 38 and 41 yards. The 41-yard reception was one of the Pats’ touchdowns.
However, it’s important to note that the Pats were also gifted pretty good field position on multiple occasions because of turnovers and penalties, and the Titans’ unit was able to hold the Pats to just 2-of-5 in the red zone.
All in all, it wasn’t a terrible effort from Tennessee’s defense despite 36 points allowed, but it certainly wasn’t great, either.
