DENVER – The Titans had a great opportunity for a Week One upset here on Sunday.
But missed opportunities on offense, and too many mistakes across the board, ended up dooming them in the end.
The Titans lost 20-12 to the Broncos to start the season at Empower Field at Mile High.
"At the end of the day, we didn't make enough plays to put ourselves in a position to win at the end," Coach Brian Callahan said. "I thought our team played with great effort, and we had opportunities to go win it. … We couldn't get any rhythm offensively at all. Defensively I thought we played pretty good, but some of the third down penalties were critical. … Disappointed we couldn't find a way to win.
"We have some things to clean up."
Quarterback Cam Ward completed 12-of-28 passes for 112 yards in the contest, but he was sacked six times and lost a fumble.
The Titans were just 2-of-14 on third down on a day when the team managed just seven first downs and 133 yards of offense. The team also fell short in the red zone, settling for four field goals in the game.
"We didn't score touchdowns, that's really the biggest frustration," Ward said. "Shooting ourselves in the foot, getting in long (down and distance) situations. At the end of the day, we have to continue to get better. It's only game one, and we have 16 more ahead of us."
The defense forced three turnovers, and they also recovered a fumble on special teams.
But the Titans committed too many penalties – 13 for 131 yards – and many of them proved costly.
It left the Titans at 0-1 to start the season.
"Penalties, man," Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said. "Myself, dumb (expletive) that hurts the team. There's no excuse for that, and I take full responsibility for (mine). But even with all the freakin' penalties we still had a chance, we were still in the game.
"But when you have that many penalties, that's terrible. You'll never win a game like that, especially against a good football team on the road. We have to clean that up."
The Titans were in it from start to finish, which made this one tougher to accept.
The Titans took an early 3-0 lead on a 50-yard field goal by kicker Joey Slye, which capped a seven-play, 33-yard drive that included a big play from Ward on third and 10. Ward avoided a sack on the play, and he flipped the ball to running back Tony Pollard for a 29-yard gain.
The Broncos tied the game at 3-3 on a 39-yard field goal by Will Lutz.
It was a defensive battle throughout, and the Titans made some plays to keep them in it.
On this day, however, they just couldn't make enough plays to win it.
"It's very frustrating," center Lloyd Cushenberry said. "Week One, tough environment, no excuse.
"We have to capitalize on those chances we have. Opportunity will come again, but we have to get seven instead of settling for three, and hurting ourselves for penalties."
Titans cornerback Roger McCreary intercepted Broncos quarterback Bo Nix toward the end of the first quarter when he went up and took the ball away from Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton.
In the second quarter, the Titans jumped back ahead after another turnover caused by the defense, and a field goal.
Simmons sacked Nix, forcing a fumble, and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day jumped on the loose ball for the second forced turnover of the day.
The Titans took over at the Denver 38, and took it all the way to the four-yard line.
But Ward was sacked on third down, and the Titans had to settle for a 33-yard field goal from Slye to make it 6-3 with 2:16 before halftime.
The end of the first half featured plenty of swings, including a tough one for the Titans.
Leading 6-3 in the closing minute, the Titans had a chance to get into halftime with the lead.
But a pair of incompletions, and Ward getting sacked at the 1, forced the Titans to punt.
The Broncos took advantage of the time, and good field position, and they cashed it in for a touchdown – a 22-yard touchdown pass from Nix to Sutton, which made it 10-6.
Titans returner Chimere Dike returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards to put Slye in position to kick a 42-yard field goal, and he made it, and the game went to halftime with the Broncos leading 10-9.
The Titans continued to be scrappy on defense, forcing another turnover early in the third quarter. Safety Xavier Woods picked off Nix this time, after Simmons created pressure.
The Titans cashed that in for three more points on a 35-yard field goal by Slye, to make it 12-10 at the 11:56 mark of the third quarter.
The Broncos reclaimed the lead, 13-12, on another field goal from Lutz, this one from 33 yards, with 4:17 left in the third quarter.
The Titans got another break early in the fourth quarter when the Broncos muffed a punt, and linebacker Dorian Mausi jumped on the football at the Denver 20.
But the Titans allowed back-to-back sacks on Ward, and ended up punting.
The Broncos then extended their lead to 20-12 with 7:37 left on an 19-yard touchdown run by J.K. Dobbins.
The Titans had another chance late after a fourth down stop on defense, but they couldn't move the ball.
A late penalty by Simmons allowed the Broncos to run more clock.
When the Titans got the ball back, Ward was sacked, and fumbled, and the game was over.
So, too, were the hopes of a Week One upset.
The Titans return to action next Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams at Nissan Stadium.
"It's the NFL – the next game is coming in seven days," Callahan said. "We have another good team coming to our place, another playoff caliber football team. We have to get ready to go, and we have to clean up what we didn't do well and play another game."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Denver Broncos in Week 1 at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos compete at Empower Field at Mile High on September 07, 2025 in Denver, CO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
