Man, what a punch to the gut on Sunday. Our Seahawks fell to the Niners 32-29, a brutal one-score loss that still stings. But look, even after that, it’s worth checking out what went down in another Week 5 matchup, because the Tennessee Titans’ offensive line, which had been a shocking bright spot for a struggling offense, just got absolutely demolished by the Houston Texans’ defensive line. It was a complete disaster, especially in the second half, with quarterback Cam Ward under constant duress.
Titans’ O-Line Falls Apart Under Pressure
Everyone knew this Titans offensive line was going to be tested, but nobody predicted this kind of collapse. Ward was sacked a season-high four times, and it could’ve been way worse if his escapability wasn’t on point. The Texans’ D-line won this matchup decisively. Left tackle Dan Moore Jr. had a particularly bad outing, letting up a team-high seven pressures and one sack, according to Pro Football Focus. His bull-rush into the pocket even impacted Ward’s arm on his lone interception. It wasn’t just Moore, though. Peter Skoronski, Austin Schlottmann, and JC Latham were also tagged with blame for sacks. And Atonio Mafi, despite not being blamed for a sack, posted the Titans’ worst pass-blocking grade in true pass sets at a dismal 28.2.
Penalties and Non-Existent Run Game
Beyond the pass protection nightmare, the offensive line was also flagged for four collective penalties. Two of those wiped out explosive passing plays! Come on, you just can’t do that. The Titans’ offense is already scoring a league-low 11.6 points per contest, so they absolutely cannot afford to shoot themselves in the foot with avoidable penalties that erase big gains. The run-blocking effort was equally terrible. Tony Pollard was held to just 3.7 yards per carry, gaining 52 yards on 14 attempts. Tyjae Spears got zero yards on two carries and coughed up a fumble, while Kalel Mullings managed only three yards on his single run. It was an all-around embarrassing effort that truly let the whole offense down.
From Ward to Brian Daboll and the playmakers, the Titans have massive issues across the board. But their offensive line, a unit that was supposed to be a surprise strength, just took a massive step backward. It’s a rough scene over there in Tennessee. Tomorrow, our own Mariners are back on the diamond, hoping to put up some runs and give us something to cheer about after a tough Sunday in the Emerald City.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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