NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have yet another loss with the kind of self-inflicted mistakes that have plagued them since at least last season. This one can’t be pinned on Brian Callahan.
Playing for the first time since Callahan was fired Monday after his overall record as Tennessee’s coach dropped to 4-19 six games into his second season, the end result for the Titans and their fans was familiar.
Five sacks allowed and two turnovers, including a fumble returned for a touchdown, led to the Titans being blown out 31-13 by the New England Patriots, who are in their first season under Mike Vrabel — Tennessee’s coach from 2018-23 before being fired and replaced by Callahan.
The final score could have been worse if not for the Patriots taking a knee late in the game at Nissan Stadium, where there were chants from the stands of “Vrabel! Vrabel!” as the clock wound down and one Tennessee fan fan held up a sign apologizing to the Patriots coach, whose Titans tenure included a pair of AFC South Division titles and the franchise’s three most recent playoff appearances from the 2019 to the 2021 seasons.
“I didn’t get that many tickets, I don’t know …,” Vrabel said of the chants. “I’m happy for our players. I think these guys they’re figuring out how to win, they’re figuring out how to practice. I guess it’s humbling to have these people, whoever that is, cheer for us whether that’s the Patriots or (quarterback) Drake Maye, or me or anybody else.”