As the clock struck zero on Saturday and the Tennessee Titans were officially losers in their divisional-round game against the Cincinnati Bengals, it’s safe to say shock was the overwhelming feeling for players and fans alike.
That’s because expectations were riding so high for this season. After all, the Titans finished as the No. 1 seed in the conference even with all of their injuries, and the team was getting healthy at the right time to make a run.
None of that mattered on Saturday, though, as the Titans simply couldn’t overcome their blunders on offense, and ultimately lost a game they should’ve won against a very good team.
After the game, Titans running back Derrick Henry perfectly encapsulated the way players and fans are feeling right now.
“Everybody is just stunned,” Henry said. “We all didn’t expect this and didn’t want it to happen. We enjoy being around each other, enjoy playing and being a team. We go out there and fight each and every week and came up a little short today. Just stings, it hurts.”
Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan called the divisional-round loss “super shocking.”
“It is super shocking,” Lewan said. “None of us expected this. I don’t think any of you guys expected this. Even during the week, the intensity in practice, you would have thought it was Week One. Everyone seemed so fresh and ready to go. In those games, you just have to give credit to the team that won. They won. August is a long way away. Hopefully, we bring back as many guys as possible. Jon (Robinson) and (Mike) Vrabel know what is best for this team and they are going to do that. I am excited to see how it all unfolds.”
Now all that’s left is to let this situation process and start looking ahead to the 2022 offseason, which will feel longer than most after the way 2021 ended.
