Tennessee Titans fall to L.A. Chargers 17-14 for fourth straight loss
The Tennessee Titans extended their losing streak to four games after falling Sunday to the Los Angeles Chargers 17-14 at SoFi Stadium. It marked the first time the Titans (7-7) have lost four straight games since losing their last four in the 2015 season.
It was the Chargers' (8-6) third win in their past four games. Cameron Dicker kicked the winning field goal with four second remaining.
Justin Herbert got the Chargers in field goal position by completing two passes for 41 yards in the final 48 seconds after the Titans tied the game on quarterback keeper by Ryan Tannehill.
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The Titans, already riddled with injuries throughout the roster, lost Tannehill to a right ankle injury on the third play of the game after he was tackled by Khalil Mack on a scramble. Tannehill remained on the field for several moments before being helped to the medical tent and then carted to the locker room.
Rookie Malik Willis replaced Tannehill on the Titans' second possession. Willis completed three of his first four passes for 20 yards and ran for an 8-yard first down.
Tannehill, whose return was called "questionable," came back out of the locker room with his ankle heavily taped early in the second quarter and started to warm up on the sideline. He returned to the field on the Titans' second possession in the second quarter.
After his return, Tannehill engineered a six-play, 63-yard scoring drive capped by a 4-yard Derrick Henry run to tie the score at 7. Henry accounted for all 63 yards on the drive.
Tannehill struggled throughout the game. He was sacked four times, including on the final play of the third quarter and twice in the fourth quarter, and completed 15 of 22 passes for 165 yards with an interception. He was 6-of-6 for 55 yards on the Titans' final drive.
The Titans had the chance to take the lead early in the fourth quarter when they got in field goal range. Tannehill, however, was sacked for a 10-yard loss, moving the ball back to the 35. Then Randy Bullock's 51-yard field goal attempt veered wide right.
Derrick Henry reaches 8,000 career rushing yards
On his first carry of the game, Henry picked up seven yards, giving him 8,003 for his eight-year career. It was the 100th regular-season game of his career.
Henry became the seventh player in NFL history to rush for 8,000 career yards in his first 100 games. He finished with 104 yards on 21 carries.
That gave Henry 8,100 career rushing yards. He became only the third player in Oilers/Titans franchise history to rush for 8,000 yards. Eddie George (Titans) had 10,009 yards from 1996-2003, and Earl Campbell (Oilers) had 8,574 yards from 1978-84.
Henry, 28, became the all-time leader in franchise history in career rushing touchdowns with 76 earlier this season. Campbell had 73 and George had 64. Henry scored his 77th career TD in the second quarter.
He has rushed for at least 100 yards in seven games this season and 32 in his career.
Hurting again
The Titans were hamstrung again by injuries. They have used 80 different players this season, the most in the NFL.
Tennessee started the game without wide receiver Treylon Burks (concussion), Denico Autry (knee), cornerbacks Kristian Fulton (groin) and Trey Avery (knee), safety Amani Hooker (knee), wide receiver C.J. Board (rib) and running back Dontrell Hilliard (neck).
Cornerback Terrence Mitchell, who replaced Fulton, left the game with a hamstring injury in the first half and did not return. He was replaced by Greg Mabin. Right guard Nate Davis left the game with an injured right knee in the fourth quarter.
Defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr., who missed four games while on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, returned.
Chargers shuffle running backs
The Chargers lost running back Austin Ekeler to an injury on the first drive. Joshua Kelley replaced Ekeler and scored LA.'s first touchdown on a 1-yard run.
Ekeler returned midway through the second quarter. He had a season-low five touches in the first half, but scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter from three yards out.
Ekler finished with 58 yards on 12 carries while Kelley had 24 yards on 10 carries.
Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer, a former Tennessee Vol, also left with an injury. He returned in the third quarter and finished with five catches for 49 yards.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans fall to L.A. Chargers for fourth straight loss
