Titans Play Good Enough to Lose

The Tennessee Titans did almost everything right for 59 minutes and 40 seconds of playoff football against the Baltimore Ravens

It was the other 20 seconds that ended their season.

The ran against the legendary Ray Lewis and arguably the NFL's toughest run defense. They held the football for over 34 minutes.  The passed against the incredible ball-hawing Ed Reed and company.

They handled every blitz that the Rex Ryan could throw at them giving Kerry Collins ample time to complete timely passes to his receivers and backs. Running back Chris Johnson single handedly shredded the Ravens defensive line making ankle-breaking moves en route to 72 first half rushing yards.

But at the end of it all, after dominating time of possession and total offense. After making the Raven's defense look very average, it came down to two plays—two red zone fumbles. One by Lendale White and the other by Algea Crumpler, both the result of jarring hits by the Raven's defense.

The Ravens looked over-matched on both sides of the ball for most of the game. The one offensive bright spot was the poise of Joe Flacco, who, while not spectacular, was able to avoid sacks and turnovers often using his pure size and strength, and not-so-rookie-like awareness, to out muscle defenders just long enough to avoid negative yardage.

Flacco made three big throws when the Ravens needed them, but it was the two fatal turnovers, caused by the hard hitting Ravens' defense, that decided this game.

A second half injury to Johnson, who had provided the offensive spark through the first half with over 100 total yards, left the Titan's offense looking much more and predictable in the second half. They still managed to own the football and Kerry Collins can not be faulted for his gutsy performance.

Fumbles in the red zone took almost certain points off the board, twice. End of story. End of season.

The Ravens will travel to play the winner of today's Chargers/Steelers match up, and if I were a Ravens fan, regardless of the Steelers defense, I would be crossing my fingers that LT and Philip Rivers fall to the Steelers.

With the lackluster offensive output the Ravens showed in Nashville, and the inability to stop a speedy tailback or the intermediate passing game, playing the less flashy and more conservative Steelers, with a questionable running game and inconsistant play at quarterback, may be an easier ticket back to Tampa.