Final
Titans look to rebound against winless Lions
Nov 27, 2008 - 3:28 PM TENNESSEE (10-1) AT DETROIT, THURSDAY 12:30 pm ESTDETROIT (Ticker) -- The Tennessee Titans became the last NFL team to lose a game this season. They look to bounce back against the league's only team that has yet to win.
With their bid for a perfect season derailed by the New York Jets, the Titans have a quick turnaround with a visit to the winless Lions on Thursday.
Tennessee allowed a season-high point total in the 34-13 loss to the Jets, dropping them to No. 2 in the league for fewest points allowed for the season.
And while the Titans still hold a comfortable three-game edge atop the AFC South, they need to keep an eye on the surging Indianapolis Colts, who have won four straight and host Tennessee in the season finale.
The Jets scored 24 second-half points to pull away from the Titans, who saw their running game struggle for the third consecutive game.
Rookie Chris Johnson has been limited to 118 yards in his past three games while backfield mate LenDale White had just 65 yards in that span, including just one carry for minus-one yard against the Jets.
Quarterback Kerry Collins has carried the load in that time, rallying Tennessee to a pair of come-from-behind wins, but he labored against New York, finishing 21-of-39 for 243 yards and a score - with most of the yardage coming after the game was decided.
"The offense is going to take responsibility for this one," Collins said. "The defense certainly gave us a chance and we didn't do it."
The Titans are 3-0 against teams from the NFC North and 5-0 on the road, which does not bode well for the reeling Lions, who absorbed their 11th straight loss in last weekend's 38-20 defeat to Tampa Bay.
Detroit squandered a 17-0 first-quarter lead against the Bucs and head into its annual Thanksgiving Day game winless for the second time in eight seasons. The Lions were winless on Thanksgiving in 2001 en route to a 2-14 campaign.
"We had a lead and then we had some very basic breakdowns," Lions coach Rod Marinelli said. "We gave up two big plays and you just can't do that. It is just some basic things."
Among the basics was allowing Tampa Bay to score 35 unanswered points, adding to Detroit's NFL-worst total of 346 points allowed.
Detroit is 33-33-2 all-time on Thanksgiving Day, including a stretch of four straight defeats.
- NFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TENNESSEE 21 14 6 6 47
DETROIT 3 7 0 0 10 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: TEN - TD, CHRIS JOHNSON 6 YD RUN (ROB BIRONAS
KICK), 1:30. Drive: 2 plays, 34
yards in 0:32. Key plays: Vanden
Bosch recovery of Lions' McDonald
Fumble at Detroit 34; B Jones
28-yard run to
Nov 27 3:47 PM - NFL
FG TEN
ROB BIRONAS 43 YD
TENNESSEE 47
DETROIT 10 4:29 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Titans 47, Lions 10 4th - 4:29Nov 27 3:34 PM - NFL
FG TEN
ROB BIRONAS 45 YD
TENNESSEE 44
DETROIT 10 10:23 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Titans 44, Lions 10 4th - 10:23Nov 27 3:16 PM - NFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TENNESSEE 21 14 6 41
DETROIT 3 7 0 10 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: TEN - TD, CHRIS JOHNSON 6 YD RUN (ROB BIRONAS
KICK), 1:30. Drive: 2 plays, 34
yards in 0:32. Key plays: Vanden
Bosch recovery of Lions' McDonald
Fumble at Detroit 34; B Jones
28-yard
Nov 27 3:06 PM - NFL
FG TEN
ROB BIRONAS 41 YD
TENNESSEE 41
DETROIT 10 2:24 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Titans 41, Lions 10 3rd - 2:24Nov 27 3:00 PM - NFL
FG TEN
ROB BIRONAS 49 YD
TENNESSEE 38
DETROIT 10 12:04 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Titans 38, Lions 10 3rd - 12:04Nov 27 2:35 PM - NFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TENNESSEE 21 14 35
DETROIT 3 7 10 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: TEN - TD, CHRIS JOHNSON 6 YD RUN (ROB BIRONAS
KICK), 1:30. Drive: 2 plays, 34
yards in 0:32. Key plays: Vanden
Bosch recovery of Lions' McDonald
Fumble at Detroit 34; B Jones
28-yard run
Nov 27 2:11 PM
TD DET MICHAEL GAINES 2 YD PASS FROM DAUNTE CULPEPPER (JASON HANSON KICK)
Titans 35, Lions 10 2nd - 0:34Nov 27 2:09 PM
TD DET MICHAEL GAINES 2 YD PASS FROM DAUNTE CULPEPPER (JASON HANSON KICK)
Titans 35, Lions 10 2nd - 0:34Nov 27 2:09 PM
TD DET MICHAEL GAINES 2 YD PASS FROM DAUNTE CULPEPPER (JASON HANSON KICK)
Titans 35, Lions 10 2nd - 0:34Nov 27 2:09 PM- NFL
TD DET
MICHAEL GAINES 2 YD PASS FROM DAUNTE CULPEPPER
(JASON HANSON KICK)
TENNESSEE 35
DETROIT 10 0:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Titans 35, Lions 10 2nd - 0:34Nov 27 2:09 PM - NFL
TD TEN
LENDALE WHITE 2 YD RUN
(ROB BIRONAS KICK)
TENNESSEE 35
DETROIT 3 2:48 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Titans 35, Lions 3 2nd - 2:48Nov 27 1:53 PM - NFL
TD TEN
LENDALE WHITE 6 YD RUN
(ROB BIRONAS KICK)
TENNESSEE 28
DETROIT 3 14:20 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Titans 28, Lions 3 2nd - 14:20Nov 27 1:31 PM - NFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TENNESSEE 21 21
DETROIT 3 3 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: TEN - TD, CHRIS JOHNSON 6 YD RUN (ROB BIRONAS
KICK), 1:30. Drive: 2 plays, 34
yards in 0:32. Key plays: Vanden
Bosch recovery of Lions' McDonald
Fumble at Detroit 34; B Jones
28-yard
Nov 27 1:25 PM
TD TEN DAVE BALL 15 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 21, Lions 3 1st - 2:22Nov 27 1:17 PM
TD TEN DAVE BALL 15 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 21, Lions 3 1st - 2:22Nov 27 1:17 PM- NFL
TD TEN
DAVE BALL 15 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN
(ROB BIRONAS KICK)
TENNESSEE 21
DETROIT 3 2:22 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 21, Lions 3 1st - 2:22Nov 27 1:17 PM - NFL
TD TEN
CHRIS JOHNSON 58 YD RUN
(ROB BIRONAS KICK)
TENNESSEE 14
DETROIT 3 8:21 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 14, Lions 3 1st - 8:21Nov 27 12:59 PM - NFL
FG DET
JASON HANSON 53 YD
TENNESSEE 7
DETROIT 3 10:30 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 7, Lions 3 1st - 10:30Nov 27 12:53 PM - NFL
TD TEN
CHRIS JOHNSON 6 YD RUN
(ROB BIRONAS KICK)
TENNESSEE 7
DETROIT 0 13:30 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 7, Lions 0 1st - 13:30Nov 27 12:45 PM
Related News
- Dan Campbell Comes Under Fire Following Lions Loss Jan 29
- Brock Purdy Proves Merit for 49ers Jan 29
- Lions Defeat Buccaneers, Advance to NFC Championship Game Jan 21
- Baker Mayfield Corrects Trash Talk from Lions Jan 18
- Matthew Stafford's Wife Claims Lions Fans Booed QB's Children Jan 16
- Matt Stafford Taking on Lions Is a Primetime Matchup Jan 8
- Detroit Lions Are Eligible for Criticism Jan 3
- Detroit Lions Week 16 grades: Offense passes big test vs. Vikings Dec 26
- Titans now own No. 7 overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft Dec 26
- Week 17 opening odds: Lions significant road underdogs vs Cowboys Dec 26
- Recently-cut Lions kicker Riley Patterson quickly finds new team Dec 26
- Discussion: Is this the best Detroit Lions team of your lifetime? Dec 26