The Tennessee Titans kicked off their NFL regular season with the NFL with a disappointing 24-17 loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, despite building an early 17-0 lead. The Titans defense remained solid throughout the game, but crucial mistakes on offense and special teams ultimately led to their downfall.
Key Errors
Head Coach Brian Callahan expressed his frustration after the game, acknowledging that while the team's effort was commendable, too many mistakes on key plays cost them the game. Callahan highlighted the missed opportunity to have blown the Bears out when they had the lead, stressing the need for better execution at critical moments.
Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 19 of 32 passes for 127 yards, threw one touchdown pass, but also had two costly interceptions.
One of those interceptions, a pick-six in the fourth quarter, turned out to be the play that defined the win for the Bears. Levis described his pick-six as a "dumb play" and admitted that the loss was difficult to accept, but stressed the importance of learning from his mistakes.
The Titans started the game with a strong offensive drive. Running back Tony Pollard led a series with a 26-yard touchdown run, capping an 8-play, 79-yard drive in which Pollard contributed 54 yards on the ground.
Immediately after a Bears loose ball on the kickoff, recovered by the Titans' Julius Chesnut, the team capitalized with a 40-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk, extending their lead to 10-0.
Building on his momentum, Levis later connected with tight end Chig Okonkwo for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
This series, which lasted 14 plays and took 8 minutes and 23 seconds off the clock, was fueled by critical third and fourth down conversions, including a pass to wide receiver Calvin Ridley and another to wide receiver Tyler Boyd. By the end of this series, the Titans had already established a 17-0 lead.
Chicago Monta Remontanda
However, despite managing just 11 first downs and 148 yards of offense all game, the Bears began their comeback, taking advantage of Titans' mistakes. Chicago's first points came from a 24-yard field goal by kicker Cairo Santos, cutting the Titans' lead to 17-3 at halftime.
The third quarter saw a momentum shift in the Bears' favor when they blocked a Titans' onside kick. Chicago defensive back Jonathan Owens recovered the loose ball and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Titans' lead to 17-10 with just over nine minutes remaining in the quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Santos added another field goal, this time a 50-yarder, bringing the Bears even closer, making the score 17-13. Things got worse for the Titans when Levis was caught and fumbled the ball, giving Chicago possession at Tennessee's 31-yard line.
Although the Titans' defense held strong, forcing the Bears to settle for another field goal, Santos' 48-yard field goal cut the Titans' lead to just one point, 17-16, with less than 10 minutes to play.
Comeback complete ✔️ pic.twitter.com/G5Px9tBoFM
- Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 8, 2024
Bears Take Advantage of Mistakes
The key moment came shortly thereafter when Levis, trying to avoid another catch, tried to throw the ball to Tyler Boyd. Chicago defensive back Tyrique Stevenson intercepted the failed pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion gave the Bears a 24-17 lead with 7:35 to play.
The Titans were unable to mount a comeback, and Levis threw another interception late in the game, sealing the win for the Bears.
After the game, Titans safety Quandre Diggs reflected on the loss, stressing the importance of not letting this defeat become a series of setbacks, reminding his teammates, based on his extensive experience, that one loss should not turn into a losing streak.
The Titans will host the New York Jets in their home opener next Sunday at Nissan Stadium, where they will look to regroup and correct the mistakes that plagued them in their season opener.
