DETROIT — When a head coach finds himself having to defend the efforts of his special teams coordinator, it’s likely indicative of a tough outing. This was the scenario for Brian Callahan, who is in his first season as the head coach of the Titans. Following Tennessee’s disheartening 52-14 loss to the Detroit Lions, Callahan faced questions regarding the performance of special teams coordinator Colt Anderson, particularly after the Titans surrendered a total of 262 yards and a touchdown on returns during the game. This lack of discipline on special teams effectively quashed any chances of a competitive matchup.
Tennessee’s special teams struggles have not been isolated to this game, as they had previously encountered issues with blocked punts in back-to-back weeks. These difficulties have painted a challenging picture for Anderson, who had served as an assistant special teams coach in Cincinnati for the last four seasons before joining the Titans. When pressed about Anderson’s future with the team, Callahan expressed confidence in his coaching ability despite the recent failures. “I think Colt’s a good football coach,” he remarked, adding, “We haven’t played well enough, we haven’t coached well enough. There’s really nothing else to be said about that.”
In addition to the special teams woes, both the Titans’ offense and defense played significant roles in the one-sided defeat. The offense turned the ball over four times without forcing any turnovers in return, nullified several promising plays with penalties, and failed to capitalize during four consecutive attempts from the Lions’ 1-yard line. Simultaneously, the defense faltered; unable to generate turnovers or make critical stops in the red zone. These performances contributed to the team’s dismal 1-6 record, leaving Callahan to remark, “We’ve got to do a lot of things a lot better. Right now, it’s not a product people are excited to watch. That’s the way it is. We’ve got to do something about that.”
However, the coverage units’ performance was particularly concerning. After Mason Rudolph tied the game with a touchdown pass in the second quarter, the kickoff team allowed a 72-yard return by Khalil Dorsey, which facilitated Detroit’s subsequent lead. The Lions capitalized further on a set-up arising from Kalif Raymond’s 64-yard punt return, marking the fifth touchdown of the first half for Detroit. Callahan acknowledged these shortcomings, stating, “We didn’t get down and cover, we missed tackles today. We’re devoting resources to protect because that wasn’t good enough early but then we don’t cover very well. Right now, none of it is good enough anywhere.”
The second half didn’t bring any relief, as the Titans began with an illegal formation penalty on a kickoff that remained unreturned. Following a failure to secure a first down, Raymond executed a stunning 90-yard punt return for another Lions touchdown. Adding to the embarrassment, a trick play intended to be clever backfired when running back Tony Pollard took a direct snap and lateraled to Rudolph, who completed what appeared to be a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jha’Quan Jackson—but two holding penalties nullified the score. Another holding call negated a promising 25-yard completion from Rudolph to Pollard.
Rudolph, who took over the quarterback role for the injured Will Levis, threw for 266 yards but was intercepted twice. Calvin Ridley, one of the standout players with 10 receptions for 143 yards, also fumbled during a running play. The Titans have tallied a staggering 16 giveaways this season, further complicating their struggles.
As the Titans navigate through a difficult season, their front office made headlines by trading notable players, including receiver De’Andre Hopkins to Kansas City and second-leading tackler Ernest Jones Sr. to Seattle. However, Rudolph dismissed any notions that these trades impacted their game performance. “Not a lot,” he stated, acknowledging that while it’s natural to think about such changes, focusing on them can be distracting.