Chargers-Titans Game Recap: Bolts fall to Titans 27-24 in OT, drop to 0-2

The Chargers fought and clawed until the very end for second consecutive week but the result was ultimately the same. They had the ball with the chance to win the game multiple times at the end but the offense couldn’t quite come away with the needed points against a fierce Titans defense.

With the 27-24 loss in overtime, the Chargers are now 0-2 to begin the season and hold an 11.5 percent chance to make the playoffs.

For the compete quarter-by-quarter recap of today’s game, continue on below!

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First Quarter

The Chargers received the opening kickoff but couldn’t do anything with it as Justin Herbert was sacked on third-and-three to force a quick three-and-out.

The Titans managed to kills some clock with a nine-play drive, but the Chargers held them to just 23 yards and Kenneth Murray recorded a sack on Ryan Tannehill to forced a turnover-on-downs near midfield. He also laid a thump on Derrick Henry earlier in what was a strong opening drive for the fourth-year pro.

The Chargers went on a 10-play drive that spanned just 39 yards before things sputtered inside the 10-yard line. Following a third-down holding penalty by Trey Pipkins, the Chargers got thefirst three points of the game from a short Cameron Dicker field goal. They led 3-0 with 3:46 remaining in the quarter.

Joey Bosa helped shut down the Titans on their next drive by getting home on a sack to force the Titans into their first three-and-out of the game. Rookie Tuli Tuipulotu helped set a pick to get the Big Bear loose.

The Chargers ended the opening quarter with the ball near midfield and driving.

Second Quarter

The Bolts chose to punt on fourth-and-two form the Tennessee 45-yard line in a move that left some questioning Brandon Staley’s decision-making process. The defense, however, made him 100 percent correct after they forced a quick three-and-out via a Morgan Fox sack of Tannehill at the two-yard line.

Herbert made the Titans pay with a slick touchdown to Keenan Allen after he got smacked in the facemask. He then threw a two-point conversion to Trey Pipkins to put the Chargers up 11-0 halfway through the quarter.

The high of that score was short-lived as the Titans responded with their own touchdown drive that went 75 yards in just three plays, headlined by a 71-yard pass to wideout Treylon Burks over the head of Asante Samuel Jr. Derrick Henry punched it in two plays later to minimize the lead to four.

Keenan Allen caught his second deep pass of the season with a 42-yard bomb on the ensuing drive. The Chargers managed just three more yards after that and couldn’t punch it in. Dicker was good from 30 yards and the Chargers lead was pushed to 14-7.

The Titans moved the ball on the ground well behind Derrick Henry on their next drive and managed to add three points on the board before halftime. Both teams headed in their locker rooms with the score at 14-10. Titans will would receive the opening kickoff of the second half.

Third Quarter

The Titans found the end zone to begin the second half via a rushing touchdown by Ryan Tannehill. The Chargers were hurt by a pair of penalties on the drive, the first being an unneccesary roughness penalty on Derwin James and the second was a late hit on Tannehill by Sebastian Joseph-Day. Both were arguably soft calls but that’s the NFL these days.

On the other side, the Chargers started the drive with a pair of first down plays to Mike Williams, but ran headfirst into the wall that is the Titans defensive line. They punted back to Tennessee with 7:06 remaining in the quarter.

Tennessee looked like they were poised for some more points on their next drive but the defense found their footing and Joey Bosa sacked Tannehill on third down to force them to punt. After no one sacked Tua Tagovailoa in Week One, the Chargers now have four sacks (two from Bosa) against the Titans.

The Chargers ended the period with big pickups through the air to tight ends Stone Smartt and Gerald Everett. They’ll have the ball first-and-10 at the Tennessee 16-yard line to begin the fourth quarter.

Fourth Quarter

On the second play of the quarter, Herbert hit Allen for his second touchdown of the game on a slot fade after faking a quick screen to Williams on the same side. The Bolts retook the lead 21-17.

The defense rallied on the ensuing drive, forcing a needed three-and-out. Punt returner Derius Davis tacked on a 20-yard return to set the Chargers up at their 34-yard line.

Both teams traded three-and-outs on their next possessions. Herbert checked into a failed run on third-and-four while Tannehill was sacked on third-and-four by Tuli Tuipulotu, his first NFL takedown.

The Chargers offense once again failed to capitalize on the moment. They punted back to the Titans without much time taken off the clock and Tennessee wasted little time in burning them over the top with a 49-yard play action pass to Chris Moore. A late hit on Kenneth Murray gave the Titans the ball near the goal line. Three plays later, Tannehill hit wideout Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for the score to put the Titans up 24-21 with 2:22 remaining.

Unlike in Week One, the Chargers went to work on what they hoped would be their final offensive drive of the game. They got all the way to the Tennessee 10-yard line but Herbert was sacked to force another Dicker field goal. His kick was good and the teams headed to overtime tied 24-24.

Overtime

The Chargers started overtime with the ball and ultimately gained zero yards before punting it away. On their third-and-10, Linsley snapped the ball before everyone was set and Herbert ultimately threw it away with zero chance of moving the chains.

Facing the perfect gamescript, the Titans rode Derrick Henry into Chargers territory. A clutch pass to DeAndre Hopkins for a big first down conversion put the Titans in field goal range. Nick Folk drilled it from 41 yards and the Chargers dropped to 0-2 on the season.

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Justin Herbert finished with 305 yards on 27-of-41 passing with two touchdowns.

Joshua Kelley led the Chargers in rushing with 39 yards on 13 carries.

Keenan Allen was his usual self with eight catches for 111 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Derwin James led the defense with 11 tackles. Joey Bosa had two sacks. Morgan Fox, Kenneth Murray, and Tuli Tuipulotu each record one quarterback takedown.

The Chargers are on the road once again in Week Three with a date in Minneapolis with the Vikings.