Blowing Fourth Quarter Leads

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by TitanJeff, Dec 2, 2015.

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  1. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    We know the Titans are bad. This article attempts to narrow down why:
    Titans' terrible trend: Fourth-quarter failures

    The article points out how the Titans have blown fourth-quarter leads in four of their losses this season, including in their last two games. Win those four games and the Titans are 6-5 and tied for the lead in the AFC South.

    It then points out to late turnovers being a key reason for the losses. Half of the Titans' turnovers — six interceptions and five fumbles — have come in the fourth quarter. And those 11 turnovers, according to pro-football-reference.com, have occurred with the Titans trailing by an average of only 3.3 points.

    The Titans have turned the ball over in the fourth quarter in 10 of 12 games.

    Though these turnovers have a huge impact, I think it's only one part of the tale. For example, the Titans give up a lot more big plays than they make.

    So far the season, the Titans have seven passing plays of 30 yards or more. Opponents have 18 passing plays of 30 yards or more. The Raiders had four 30-plus yard passing plays against the Titans on Sunday.

    Another stat: the Titans are dead last in the NFL in points scored in the 4th quarter.

    It would seem some of these stats are easier to correct than others. The turnovers have to obviously improve and should as Mariota gains experience. But the big plays are due to a lack of talent, IMO, at WR and at DB—a more complex issue. Why the Titans aren't scoring late in games is tied to the turnovers.
     
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  2. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    We're not helping ourselves in the 1st quarter either. Too many bad starts and bad finishes to for this team to overcome..
     
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  3. SalmonSlayer

    SalmonSlayer Pro Bowler

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    This! Often we start games so flat, no energy and boring. But once the play calling gets MM8 in rhythm and he starts going, we move the ball well. But we have drive killers, stupid penalties, stupid plays so conservative, or dropped balls to keep the chain moving. In the 4th, if we have a lead, we try and play clock by running every down but that doesn't work. Then we try and rely on our D to hold...fail. DBs always giving up big pass plays. We lose the lead and have to press but we don't have the WRs to rely on to run routes or catch balls.
    Can you imagine if we didn't have Delanie? It would be absolutely the worse offense in the league to watch.
     
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  4. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    The Titans rank #12 in scoring in the first quarter. Remove the Bucs game and I bet that rank plummets.
     
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  5. TitanT

    TitanT Pro Bowler

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    :jagsbite: Is this a game preview?
     
  6. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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  7. Subjugation

    Subjugation Starter

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    Not sure if you guys read it, but kuharsky posted a link on Monday to an article from 2012 identifying, quite well,actually how this is a dick lebeau thing. Over his coaching history, everywhere he went the common thing is his defenses blow late game leads, and the only improvement/saving grace for him was rothlisberger pulling his own "comebacks" after the defense gave up the lead late.

    I've thought for most of the season that our defense while improved was more "tricking the stat line". What I mean is, I hear stats, top 5 scoring defense yada yada, top 10 in this, top 10 in that. But watching the games, it seems like teams generally chew clock and play conservative against us. We can get sacks and put pressure on the qb, but outside of that our defense seems just as incompetent as years past when you look at coverage, tackling, making tough plays. When the game is on the line, they know you are bringing pressure, and they know you can't do anything else, so the other team does what they want, and leaves with the W. Meanwhile we look at the stats and say, well they only through for 180 yards, the defense did their job. I just feel there's more to it than that.
     
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  8. TitansWillWin2

    TitansWillWin2 Pro Bowler

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    Goes back to MM being anti clutch. Can't win when it matters. Although the Saints game gave me some hope he can change.
     
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  9. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    being clutch doesnt mean just coming thru in the end of games, he's clutch throughout most games, then unravels in the end of a couple...

    Still has the "it" gene tho.
     
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  10. 520

    520 2020 GOAT CHAMP from 3-7 to champ

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    crazy. I thought mett was the only QB we had that was so bad he's throw a 4th quarter pick..or at least thats how yall made it seem after Atlanta..even thought mariota did the same thing a week or two earlier...weird.
     
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