NASHVILLE – The Titans showed some spunk early.
At the end of an eventful week, the team scored on its first two possessions and put points on the scoreboard three of the first four times it had the football.
But the offensive success eventually dried up under interim head coach Mike McCoy on a day when the defense had all kinds of trouble stopping the Patriots.
The end result: A 31-13 loss to the Patriots, which dropped Tennessee's record to 1-6 on the season.
"We got off to a fast start, exactly what we wanted to do as a football team," McCoy said. "It's disappointing the way the game went after the end of the first half. … Offensively, we can't get shut out in the second half and do what we did. … But we're going to stick together here, we're going to fight our tails off, and find a way to go win the next one."
Titans quarterback Cam Ward completed 25-of-34 passes for 255 yards and a touchdown and an interception in the contest, making some really nice throws early.
Ward was sacked five times, however, and he lost the football on a play that gave New England an easy touchdown. He also threw an interception on a ball that was behind tight end Chig Okonkwo.
"With the quick start, it was just us having an urgency," Ward said. "That's how we need to start every game, and maintain it throughout the whole game."
While the Titans were shut out in the second half, the Patriots heated up.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 21-of-23 passes for 222 yards in the contest with two touchdowns. The Patriots also racked up 175 yards on the ground as they took over the contest in the middle portion of the contest, outscoring Tennessee 28-3 in the second and third quarters combined, including 14-0 in the second half.
Making matters worse: Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (hamstring) and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (quad) left the contest with injuries, and neither player returned.
It all contributed to another tough Sunday.
"We just have to keep improving," linebacker Cedric Gray said. "It might not be our time right now, or this year. But we just have to find ways to get better, keep stacking, and our time will come.
"It feels a lot better when you stay through the (expletive), you work through the (expletive) together and when you finally come out on top it is going to feel a lot better."
The Titans looked good early on Sunday.
It was 3-0 Titans after a 49-yard field goal by kicker Joey Slye, and after the Patriots tied it up with a 36-yard field goal by kicker Adam Borregales, the Titans answered back.
A 38-yard touchdown pass from Ward to receiver Chimere Dike made it 10-3 Titans. Dike had four catches for 70 yards in the first quarter, in fact.
Even after the Patriots answered back with a scoring drive of their own, capping it off with a three-yard touchdown pass from Maye to tight end Austin Hooper to make it 10-10, the Titans came back again, putting together an eight-play, 32-yard drive that was capped off with a 50-yard field goal from Slye. Receiver Van Jefferson had a pair of catches on the drive, which made it 13-10 with 1:48 left in the half.
Then came a flurry of points from the Patriots, and no answer from the Titans.
A 39-yard touchdown pass from Maye to receiver Kayshon Boutte with 49 seconds left before the half made it 17-13 Patriots at the half.
Then, a three-yard touchdown run by Rhamondre Stevenson made it 24-13 Patriots with 7:31 left in the third quarter.
Ward lost control of the football on the team's next possession, and when the ball hit the turf, Patriots linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson had it bounce into his hands, and he returned it four yards for a touchdown to make it 31-13 with 7:20 left in the third quarter.
That ended any hope of a Tennessee victory.
Instead, players were once again left talking about things that need to be better.
"I think that the belief is still there within the group," Dike said. "And any time you go through adversity in life, and we're facing adversity early in the season, it definitely feels good when you're able to come out the other side. So, it's important we get back to work this week, have a great week of preparation and go play a great game Sunday."
The Titans return to action next Sunday at the Indianapolis Colts.
The Tennessee Titans take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3 at Nissan Stadium.
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots compete at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
