Joshua Dobbs offers Titans a bit of hope regardless of loss to Cowboys

Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

-There isn’t a query that Dobbs needs to be the Titans’ starter in Week 18. He was a transparent improve over Malik Willis together with his decisiveness and accuracy and simply offers Tennessee one of the best probability to win.

-That mentioned, he has to do a greater job of taking good care of the soccer transferring ahead after committing a pair of turnovers. Dobbs might’ve had at the very least two extra, additionally, however obtained fortunate.

-Sadly, Dobbs’ receivers did him zero favors or else he would’ve had an excellent higher sport. Titans receivers dropped a handful of passes, together with a number of on key third downs. Robert Woods, Austin Hooper and Treylon Burks had been among the many culprits.

-Tennessee’s patchwork offensive line did a stable job in move safety, however it additionally helped that Todd Downing known as a very good sport when it comes to getting the ball out shortly.

-Talking of Downing: on high of serving to Dobbs get the ball out faster, he additionally had the signal-caller using bootlegs, the place he made a few of his greatest throws. It wasn’t an ideal sport for Downing, however actually one in every of his higher ones.

-Tennessee’s protection held its personal for probably the most half till late within the sport and even got here up with three turnovers, two of which got here from Kevin Byard, who stepped up identical to a frontrunner does to offer his group an opportunity.

-Penalties had been completely brutal for the Titans, who’ve been a really undisciplined group all season lengthy. There have been little doubt some unhealthy calls and the Titans obtained the worst of it between the 2 groups however there have been additionally some boneheaded penalties, with Tre Avery’s 51-yard move interference being the prime instance. Roger McCreary added a pair, and one of many Cowboys’ scoring drives had been aided by each corners’ DPIs.

-Burks had a nasty drop on this sport, however man was he explosive. The Titans had 5 performs of 20-plus yards and Burks was accountable for three of them. If not for the drop, he would’ve had a fourth.