The Tennessee Titans couldn’t shake their losing ways in Week 17 after dropping their sixth-straight game to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-13.
Not lost in all of that was the fact that the Titans had markedly better quarterback play from Joshua Dobbs, who surprisingly got the start on Thursday night after it was assumed Malik Willis would get the nod.
While Dobbs isn’t going to be winning any MVPs anytime soon, he did offer an upgrade under center for Tennessee, which will no doubt give the team momentum going into a Week 18 do-or-die game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dobbs was obviously one of the players to make the winners and losers list for the Titans in Week 17. Let’s see who else made the cut.
Winner: Joshua Dobbs
Dobbs certainly had some hiccups with a few turnovers (and he could’ve had at least a few more), but there’s no question he gives the Titans the best chance to win in Week 18 after what we saw overall in Week 17.
The sixth-year pro ran the offense more competently than Malik Willis did in his three starts, and his superior decisiveness and accuracy was on full display.
If Dobbs can lead the Titans to a win over the Jags, he’ll immediately cement his legacy in franchise history. We shall songs in his honor for years to come should that come to fruition.
Loser: Malik Willis
Let me preface by saying this: Malik Willis wasn’t supposed to see the field this season and was never expected to be ready for Year 1, so his struggles come as no surprise.
However, the fact that a guy the Titans signed off the street a little over a week ago was so clearly an improvement over Willis, who has been with Tennessee all season, isn’t a good look for the rookie.
Now, all of this is not to say that Willis is done or anything like that. He just simply doesn’t give the Titans the best chance to win right now, and right now is all that matters.
In between: Titans' defense
Even without its best players, the Titans’ front held up its end of the bargain against the run, holding the Cowboys to 87 yards and 2.7 yards per carry on the ground.
However, the secondary did not hold up its end of the bargain, with the unit committing multiple pass interferences, the worst of which came from Tre Avery. Two of Tennessee’s DPIs helped the Cowboys score a touchdown.
If you take away Avery’s penalty, the Cowboys score just 20 points and the Titans are in this one until the very end.
Another blemish on the secondary was it allowing multiple third-and-long conversions, and there were definitely some tackling issues thrown in there from the defense as a whole.
Overall, the defense gave a better effort than anyone expected, but it certainly could’ve been better.
Winner: Kevin Byard
Great players step up when their team needs them the most, and that’s exactly what Byard did with the majority of his starting mates not playing in Week 17.
Byard tallied six tackles in the contest, but he also notched a pair of picks. He was in the right place at the right time for a deflection on the first one, and he flat out made a great play on the second, jumping a route to come up with the turnover.
As if we needed another reminder of Byard’s greatness…
Loser: Titans' pass-catchers
Dobbs could’ve had an even better night if not for some drops, with Robert Woods, Treylon Burks and Austin Hooper being among those who were guilty.
Making the drops worse was the fact that they came on some key third-down situations. Burks did end up having a good game and Woods found the end zone, but this game could’ve been a bit different without those drops.
Winner: DL Teair Tart
Tart was another defensive stalwart who stepped up for the Titans on Thursday, notching 0.5 sacks, two QB hits and a fumble recovery. His attempt at a celebration hit a snag, but it was a good night for the big man.
Tart did come down with a leg injury in the second half, but he was able to walk off under his own power, so hopefully he’ll be OK.
In between: Treylon Burks
While we put the Titans’ pass-catchers as a whole in the loser column, Burks’ individual performance was good enough to land him in the in between category.
As we already mentioned, Burks’ drop on what would’ve been a third-down conversion in Cowboys territory was brutal. These receivers simply cannot afford to drop passes with the team’s situation on offense being what it is.
However, Burks also had a hand in two Titans scoring drives.
His 30-yard reception in the second quarter set the Titans up for three points before the half, and his 21-yard reception in the third quarter aided a Titans touchdown drive.
In all, Burks had three gains of 20-plus yards, and he would’ve had a fourth if not for the dropped pass. He finished with four catches for a team-high 66 yards, while also adding 20 yards on one carry.
Winner: Titans' chances in Week 18
With Dobbs almost certainly set to be the starter after a solid showing in Week 17, the Titans actually have at least some momentum and hope for Week 18 against a Jaguars team that crushed them in Week 14.
