The Tennessee Titans had a golden opportunity to secure a win in their season opener against the Chicago Bears but ultimately let it slip away due to critical errors.
Despite dominating much of the game and holding a solid 17-3 lead at halftime, the Titans’ offense and special teams made costly missteps that handed the Bears the victory.
First-year head coach Brian Callahan was confident heading into the second half, acknowledging that if the team maintained their strong defensive play and took care of the ball, they could clinch the win.
“We were playing so well on defense,” Callahan stated on Monday, as reported by ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “If we just played safe, we might have won.”
Unfortunately, the Titans’ plans quickly unraveled when their first punt attempt of the second half was blocked by Bears’ Daniel Hardy, allowing Jonathan Owens to score a touchdown on the return.
More News: Simone Biles Reacts to Husband, Bears’ Jonathan Owens Returning Blocked Punt For TD
Even after the mishap, the Titans were still in a good position to win. Callahan spoke with quarterback Will Levis at the end of the third quarter, urging him to play smart and avoid risky plays.
He advised, “Their offense hasn’t done much. Our defense is playing lights out. We don’t need to be spectacular on offense right now, just minimize mistakes,” as shared by Davenport.
Stacy Revere/Getty Image
As the fourth quarter began, however, Levis failed to heed Callahan’s advice. He was sacked and stripped on the Bears’ initial drive, leading to a field goal that narrowed the Titans’ lead.
The Titans still clung to a one-point advantage until another turnover proved costly. Trying to evade a sack, Levis threw an interception that was returned by Tyrique Stevenson for the game-winning touchdown.
Despite securing the ball back, the Titans couldn’t rally, with Levis throwing yet another interception to end hopes of a comeback.
These “bone-headed mistakes” overshadowed an impressive defensive performance where the Titans limited the Bears to just 148 total yards and kept the No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, to a mere 93 passing yards.
Looking ahead, Callahan is hopeful that Levis will learn from this experience as they prepare to face a formidable New York Jets defense next week.