Sunday 21st OctoberTennessee Titans vs Los Angeles Chargers @ Wembley Stadium
The 2nd of this seasons international games will again take place at Wembley on Sunday and continues the three scheduled game series in London. Owing to issues with Tottenham Hotspur new football stadium all of the three London games will now be played at Wembley Stadium instead. Another sell out crowd is expected for these popular matches and kick off will be at 2.30pm (Uk Time) and is expected to be broadcast live on BBC2 which is a wonderful show of support for the sport from the Broadcaster on top of their two weekly update shows.
Current season record
Tennessee Titans
- P6 W3 L3 F87 A107
Los Angeles Chargers
- P6 W4 L2 F175 A144
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| Head Coach -- Anthony Lynn |
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota led them to their 1st playoff in nine years and at 24 still has plenty of time to continue to develop into something special. Has plenty of assistance from their offensive unit with Derek Henry and Taylor Lewan the two to note. The Chargers starting Quarterback is Philip Rivers and has been at the head of affairs since 2006 (when they were the San Diego Chargers). Rivers threw for 424 yards and three touchdowns in the Chargers season opening 38–28 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, eclipsing 400 yards for the 10th time in his career. There's no doubt that Rivers is an exceptional QB but perhaps lacks the quality in the rest of the locker room to mount a significant challenge this season as demonstrated by their opening sequence of Won 4 Lost 2 after a win against the Cleveland Browns last weekend. Should make for a strong attacking game in London their last meeting resulted in a win for the Chargers by 43 - 35 so I will be aiming to back the OVER 44 points score.
This is the first International Series game that the Tennessee Titans have played here at Wembley though their opponents the Chargers have played in London before in 2008 when appearing as San Diego Chargers losing a close game 37-32 to the New Orleans Saints. It will be another full house and the crowd will be roaring both teams home. Expect the stadium to be full of shirts of ALL NFL teams. We will aim to keep a brief summary of each quarter as the game progresses, should be a great start to this series of UK fixtures which will surely grow until we have our own regular season NFL franchise.
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| Head Coach -- Mike Vrabel |
1st Quarter;
The national anthems are sung and it's Los Angeles who kick off having lost the toss and Michael Badgley sends the kick 62 yards to get us underway. Returned by Darius Jennings to the 33 yard line so the opening drive is underway, quarterback Marcus Mariota drives up inside the Chargers half and they reach the red zone with Mariota running himself to the 10 yard line. A few plays later and the field goal unit are required where Ryan Succop kicks a 28 yard field goal for the opening score. Los Angeles will start from their 25 yard line for their opening drive with Phillip Rivers passing immediately for a 75 yard Touchdown to Tyrell Williams and the Titans lead lasted all of NINE seconds. we have a game on here at Wembley.
Titans start their second drive from their 21 yard line, but they don't last long as Mariota is sacked on 3rd down so the punt team appear for the first time. The punt is caught on the 30 yard line, and reached the 22 yard line where there is a flag on the play ... and a 10yd penalty so it's 1st and 10 from the 22 line instead wiping out a huge play from the return team still five mins to go in the 1st quarter. Huge play and another 1st down from Keenan Allen who runs for 24 yards and the Chargers have the ball in the Titans half again soon taking it up the 10yd line and more points look like they are coming soon but they can't make it to the endzone this time and have to settle for a 29yd field goal from Michael Badgley with less than two minutes left in the opening quarter.
2nd Quarter;
The 2nd quarter begins with the Titans moving forwards on the Chargers 41yd line looking to reduce the deficit. Mariota throws the first reception to the 18yd line (Tajae Sharpe) but they fail on 3rd and short again so it's another field goal from Succup (33 yards) and it's 6-10 Chargers.
Los Angeles back for another drive moving up to midfield with Tyrell Williams again but fail to convert a 3rd down so it's punted away to the 5yd line and the game is a bit scrappy now we await a spark of life. Couple of quick 1st downs from Dion Lewis and Tajae Sharpe help but they almost mess up a 3rd and short again, Dion Lewis again just making the 1st down on the 45 yard line and there's only five mins left in the half. Tennessee have upped the tempo a little and Mariota completes a 19 pass to Tajae Sharpe for a first down close to the 30yd line and follows that by running himself to the 23yd line and another shot at the end zone as the two minute warning for the first half arrives. They started this drive on their own 5yd line, now up the Chargers 10yd but do struggle to make TDs, this will be their last chance this half to score and they throw an interception which is killing me. Ball picked off by Denzel Perryman and the half comes to an end.
H/T Score; Tennessee Titans 6 -- 10 Los Angeles Chargers
3rd Quarter;
The Chargers once again waste little time on their opening drive of the second half and Philip Rivers throws deep to Mike Williams for a 55yd Touchdown (extra point good) to extend their lead to 6-17. Tennessee get straight back up field with the help of a defensive penalty to reach the 45 yard line but really need to convert this possession and first downs into touchdowns. Mariota passes to Luke Stocker for 10 yards and another first down, Dion Lewis takes it up the sideline to the 12 yard line and again runs to the 4yd line they MUST convert this first and goal opportunity from the 1yd line? They DO 1yd touchdown run from Derrick Henry and we have a ball game once more 13-17. The Chargers take over again and Rivers moves them up to the 38yd line with plenty of time in the 3rd quarter but is sacked at the 35yd line for a loss of eight yards, the drive is slowed down with the 3rd down pass only getting 11yds so will they go for the 4th and 1? No, they let the play clock count down and allow the punt team take to the field and it's back to the Titans 19yd line. Hopefully we will see some more scoring action soon.
The Titans fail (including penalties) so have to punt away, it's returned to the Chargers 34yd line, Rivers can get them moving with four mins in the 3rd left. Austin Ekeler runs 11yds for another 1st down up towards the half way and another completed pass to Antonio Gates moves them into the Titans half once again. Rivers gets sacked again but picks himself up and throws another 1st down to Keenan Allen as the 3rd Quarter ends with the Chargers on the Titans 27 yard line.
4th Quarter;
A nine yard run sets up 2nd and 1 which they fail to improve upon losing 3 yards. 3rd down and 4 from the 21 yard and Rivers throws for a completion by Keenan Allen although it's being challenged by the Tennessee Coach Mike Vrabel but the decision is upheld so it's 1st and 10 from 15yd line. They are unable to make it into the end-zone again so settle for another field goal to extend the lead to 13-20.
The last play of the game took forever and it took Tennessee ages to finally get the ball in the end zone, they then went for the two point conversion to win the game but that was incomplete, with a flag down though so there is another play and another chance to get the two point play to win the game which fails and that means that the Chargers win 19-20.
Not been the best game and I suppose we were overdue a duff one in London as the Chargers look set to extend their record to 5-2 in the AFC West just behind the Kansas City Chiefs.
F/T Score; Tennessee Titans 19 -- 20 Los Angeles Chargers
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