ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Tennessee Titans have been struggling recently, regardless of whether Will Levis or Mason Rudolph is taking snaps. The same persistent problems—ineffective second halves, turnovers, and penalties—continued to plague the team in a 34-10 defeat against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, marking the Titans’ (1-5) worst start since 2015.
“It’s a tale of two halves. It reflects the story of our season thus far,” remarked first-year head coach Brian Callahan. The Titans initially surged to a 10-0 lead, but they squandered it, allowing the Bills to score on their last five drives of the second half.
The choice to substitute Rudolph for Levis, who is nursing an AC joint injury in his throwing shoulder, did not yield the desired results. Rudolph began the game strong, completing 12 of his first 15 passes for 100 yards, which included a 4-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, helping the Titans establish a 10-0 advantage early in the second quarter. However, the momentum faded quickly.
During the final nine possessions, Tennessee crossed midfield only twice, managing a mere 72 total yards in the second half. Running back Tony Pollard, who amassed 64 yards on 11 carries in the first half, struggled significantly, finishing with a combined total of minus-3 yards on five carries.
Rudolph concluded the game with a stat line of 25 completions on 40 attempts for 215 yards, along with one interception and two fumbles—one of which was lost. He faced a strong Bills defense, recording three sacks and enduring 11 hits throughout the game.
Beyond their 31-12 victory over Miami on September 30, the Titans have been outscored 85-21 in the second halves of their five losses this season, failing to score even once in the fourth quarter during those games. The turning point came on Tennessee’s first drive of the second half, when Pollard was stopped for a 3-yard loss on a fourth-and-2 attempt from their own 42-yard line. Six plays later, Bills quarterback Josh Allen found newly acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper for a 12-yard touchdown, putting Buffalo ahead 14-10.
“I appreciate the aggressiveness from the coach,” Rudolph commented on the decision to go for it. “We need to improve our execution and converting opportunities to avoid putting our defense in difficult situations.” The Titans’ defense, already short-handed by the absence of starting cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (quadriceps) and the recent departure of safety Jamal Adams at his own request, eventually succumbed to exhaustion.
Allen’s performance peaked with 323 passing yards—258 of which came in the second half—setting a season high against a Titans defense that had previously held its first five opponents under 200 total yards. “I know our potential is higher than what we currently display. We have to figure out how to maintain that level throughout an entire game,” Callahan stated, emphasizing the need for improvement.
With Levis listed as week-to-week, the coach explained that Levis experienced ongoing discomfort following a previous 20-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and was further hindered during practice leading up to Sunday’s game. “The injury is legitimate,” Callahan noted. “He tried to push through, and I commend his toughness and willingness, but ultimately he wasn’t ready to perform at the needed level for a win in Buffalo.”
Additionally, Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was sidelined for a significant portion of the second half due to soreness, having caught only one pass for 6 yards and losing 8 yards on a lateral play before halftime.
The Titans also faced instability at the right tackle position. Jaelyn Duncan exited the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury, prompting Nicholas Petit-Frere to step in. Petit-Frere had been benched the previous week in favor of Leroy Watson IV, who did not participate in the game against the Bills. “We face a dilemma at right tackle,” Callahan admitted. “We need to identify someone who can rise to the occasion and perform effectively. So far, all our options have had difficulties, and it is not meeting our needs.”