Another second-half swoon results in a 34-10 Titans loss to the Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — It doesn't seem to matter who is the Tennessee Titans' center lately — Will Levis or, in the meantime, Mason Rudolph.

The same problems — unproductive second halves, turnovers and penalties — that had plagued the Titans in their first five games resurfaced in a 34-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills On Sunday, Tennessee (1-5) had its worst start since 2015.

“A tale of two halves. Seems to be the story of our season so far,” first-year coach Brian Callahan said.

The Titans built a 10-0 lead and then blew it while allowing the Bills to score on their final five drives of the second half.

And it made no difference that Callahan turned to Rudolph while Levis was still suffering the nagging effects of an AC joint injury in his throwing shoulder.

Rudolph initially went 12 of 15 for 100 yards and one 4-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine by giving the Titans a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. And then nothing.

Tennessee only crossed midfield twice on its last nine possessions, managed 72 yards of offense in the second half, and Tony Pollard's production actually declined. After gaining 64 yards on 11 carries in the first 30 minutes, the running back totaled minus-3 yards on five carries in the final 30 minutes.

Rudolph finished 25 of 40 for 215 yards with an interception and two fumbles (one lost). He was sacked three times and took eleven hits.

If you take away their 31-12 win over Miami on September 30, the Titans have been outscored 85-21 in the second half of their five losses – and have been blanked in the fourth quarter of all of those games.

The game was essentially decided on the Titans' first drive of the second half, when Pollard suffered a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-2 from Tennessee's 42. Six plays later, Josh Allen connected with the newly acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper for a 12-yard touchdown to bring the Bills to 14-10.

“I love the aggressiveness of the coach,” Rudolph said of the decision to give it a try. “We just have to perform better and not put our defense in a bad spot.”

A weakened defense, missing starting cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (quadriceps) and Jamal Adams after he was released at safety of his own accord on Thursday, finally gave way.

Allen's 323 passing yards – 258 in the second half – were a season high against a Titans defense that held its first five opponents to under 200.

“I know we are better than what we are now. We have to find a way to play at this level for an entire game,” Callahan said. “Ultimately it’s up to me to find a way to make it work somehow.”

And without Levis, which Callahan listed from week to week.

The coach said Levis had pain after last weekend's 20-17 loss in Indianapolis that bothered him all week. He then made the decision to sit out Levis after being limited in practice on Friday.

“The hurt is real,” he added. “He tried to fight through it. I appreciate the toughness and the willingness,” Callahan said. “I just didn’t feel like he could play at the level he needed to to come here and win in Buffalo.”

Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins was rested for most of the second half because the player was in pain after catching a pass for 6 yards, but lost another 8 yards on a sideline at the end of the first half.

And the revolving door at right tackle continued for the Titans when Jaelyn Duncan left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Nicholas Petit-Frere, who was substituted last week for Leroy Watson IV, who was inactive against the Bills.

“We have a problem at right tackle,” Callahan said. “We have to find someone who can play for us. It’s everyone’s turn right now and none of it is where we need it to be.”

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