Titans coach Callahan defends his special teams coordinator after huge day by Lions’ return unit

DETROIT (AP) — When a team’s head coach has to defend the performance of his special teams coordinator, it probably wasn’t a very good day.

That’s what first-year Titans coach Brian Callahan had to do after Tennessee repeatedly gave up long returns to the Detroit Lions in Sunday’s 52-14 embarrassment. The Titans allowed 262 yards and a touchdown on returns, sinking any hope Tennessee had of keeping the game close.

Earlier this season, Tennessee had punts blocked in consecutive weeks. It’s a terrible look for first-year special teams coordinator Colt Anderson, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant special teams coach with Cincinnati.

Callahan was asked about Anderson’s job status after the game.

“I think Colt’s a good football coach,” he said. “We haven’t played well enough, we haven’t coached well enough. There’s really nothing else to be said about that.”

The Titans’ offense and defense certainly contributed their share to the lopsided defeat.

The offense committed four turnovers and didn’t force any, erased some of its own big plays with penalties and came up empty on four straight plays from the Lions 1-yard line. The defense didn’t force any turnovers and couldn’t get stops in the red zone.

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It’s no wonder the Titans are 1-6.

“We’ve got to do a lot of things a lot better,” Callahan said. “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.”

Still, the performance by the coverage units stood out.

After Mason Rudolph’s touchdown pass tied the game at 14-all in the second quarter, the kickoff team allowed a 72-yard return by Khalil Dorsey. Detroit took the lead for keeps three plays later.

The Lions’ fifth touchdown of the first half was set up Kalif Raymond’s 64-yard punt return.

“We didn’t get down and cover, we missed tackles today,” Callahan said. “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 Titans opened the second half by committing an illegal formation penalty on a kickoff that wasn’t even returned. After the Titans failed to pick up a first down, Raymond returned Ryan Stonehouse’s punt 90 yards for a touchdown.

When the Titans tried a trick play against a team noted for its creative play calls, they ended up looking foolish. Running back Tony Pollard took a direct snap and lateraled to Rudolph, who threw an apparent 19-yard scoring pass to Jha’Quan Jackson. That was negated as the officials called two holding penalties on the offensive line.

Another holding penalty wiped out a 25-yard pass from Rudolph to Pollard.

Rudolph, filling in for injured Will Levis, threw for 266 yards but was intercepted twice. Calvin Ridley had a big day — 10 receptions for 143 yards — but also fumbled on a running play.

Tennessee has 16 giveaways this season.

The Titans’ front office didn’t give the team a ringing endorsement last week by trading receiver De’Andre Hopkins to Kansas City and sending second-leading tackler Ernest Jones Sr. to Seattle.

Rudolph denied that had anything to do with the team’s performance.

“Not a lot,” he said. “It’s human nature (to think about it), but it’s a distraction for an hour or two.”

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