Six things the Titans noticed in their loss to the Lions on Sunday

DETROIT – The Titans lost 52-14 to the Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.

Here's a look at six things that stood out in the competition:

I remember Kalif Raymond on the Titans and I liked him. He was a great energy guy and a skilled receiver/returner with speed. He did some plays in Tennessee. On Sunday, the Titans made Raymond look like the best returner in the league as he racked up 190 yards on five punt returns, including a 90-yard return for a touchdown. It was part of a day in which the Lions totaled 262 return yards. Lions kick returner Khalil Dorsey also failed on a 72-yard return that led to a Lions rushing touchdown. After the game, coach Brian Callahan remained to answer questions about special teams coach Colt Anderson and the unit's struggles this season. “Obviously we didn’t play well enough on special teams,” Callahan said. “I think Colt is a good football coach. We didn't play well enough and we didn't train well enough. It's not good enough either schematically or in performance.

Not only did the Titans make things easier for the Lions with special teams mistakes, but they also gave them short fields due to turnovers on offense. Quarterback Mason Rudolph threw two interceptions, each leading to a Lions touchdown. Receiver Calvin Ridley lost a fumble that led to a Detroit touchdown, and tight end Chig Okonkwo also lost a fumble. Add them up and that's 21 fewer points than turnovers for the Lions, a team good enough to win without help. “Unfortunately, it’s the same story – we give them some easy offense again and put our defense on a short field,” Rudolph said. “I have to protect the ball better and put our defense in a better situation.”

Ridley was one of the bright spots for the Titans. Ridley had six catches for 118 yards on six targets in the first quarter for the Titans. Ridley finished the game with 10 catches for 143 yards, including a long haul of 47 yards, on 15 targets. There was a period where it seemed like Ridley was completely open on every play. But the Titans couldn't hold on as they fell further and further behind. “Personally, with the way the season is going, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to play better,” Ridley said. “I love football, I don’t do it just for money or anything like that. I do it because I love it. I want to do it for my brothers and I owe it to the organization to play well.”

Deflating end to the first half

Do I think the Titans would come back if that happened? No. But what happened at the end of the first half was disappointing and ended any chance of a recovery. Trailing 35-14 in the final minute of the half, the Titans had a first-and-goal at Detroit's one-yard line. The Titans threw the ball four times in a row, and every single pass fell incomplete. It was a poor end to the half, a discouraging moment for anyone who believed in a comeback. “Moving the ball so well and not getting the seven,” Rudolph said. “Yes, it’s disappointing.”

If we add up all of the Titans' losses, which we seem to be doing here, we can't discount the penalties that day. Here too, the Titans were hurt, especially in the first half, when a touchdown run by Jha'Quan Jackson was taken off the board because of a holding penalty. The Titans were penalized seven times for 55 yards in the first half. Jarvis Brownlee was cited for defensive pass interference and a facemask on the same play, and Jackson's TD run was negated due to a holding penalty on Peter Skoronski, one of two penalties he received on Sunday. The Titans, who were penalized eight times for 60 yards on Sunday, did not lose due to penalties. But they certainly didn't help matters.

The defense found itself in difficult situations, but still…

The Titans were No. 1 in total defense entering the weekend, and there's a good chance they'll remain No. 1 after this weekend's games. After all, the Lions only had 225 total offensive points. The reality is that the Lions were short-handed all day due to turnovers and coverage problems. Detroit's touchdown scoring drives were as follows: 2 plays, 23 yards; one play, 70 yards; 3 plays, 25 yards; 4 plays, 12 yards; 7 plays, 22 yards, 3 plays, 26 yards. So no, the Lions didn't outplay the Titans all day. (Yes, I know Jahmyr Gibbs ran 70 yards on a touchdown run). However, no one here deserves an award. The Titans left several Lions wide open for touchdowns and again didn't force a turnover. The opposing defenses seem to be able to do this easily against the Titans.