GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – During the short week, just five days after beating the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field in an overtime thriller, the Packers can’t carry the momentum into a win on Thursday Night Football.
During a matchup where Derrick Henry, the league leader in rushing attempts, was the focus of much of the attention, Tennesee’s passing helped propel them to a win. Going into this Week 11 game, the Titans had the 31st-ranked passing offense. But Ryan Tannehill threw for 333 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception against what was the third-ranked Packers pass defense. Aaron Rodgers threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns, and rookie Christian Watson added a pair of touchdowns of his own.
The Titans controlled the pace of the game and the time of possession in the first half. Tennessee took 4:29 off of the clock on its first drive, which was capped off by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Tannehill to Dontrell Hilliard.
The Packers and Titans then traded three-and-outs before Green Bay drove down the field in 11-plays for 78 yards, capped off by Christian Watson’s fourth touchdown in five days. Rodgers found Watson with just 0.5 yards of separation from his defender. But the Titans retain the lead after Denico Autry blocked Mason Crosby’s point after touchdown.
Tennessee marched down the field with an 18-play drive, taking over ten minutes off of the clock. But Green Bay’s defense, led by Preston Smith and Quay Walker, stuffed Derrick Henry’s fourth down rush attempt and kept the Titans out of the endzone.
Later in the second quarter, Henry scored his first touchdown of the game, rushing in from four yards out to give the Titans a 14-6 lead going into the half.
The Lambeau crowd heard from Packer’s great Leroy Butler during the break, as the former safety received his Pro Bowl ring and witnessed his name become just the 28th on the Lambeau Field facade.
The game picked up in the third quarter, with the Titans and Packers scoring on four straight drives. Green Bay started off with a field goal, then Tennesse responded with a touchdown pass from Derrick Henry to Austin Hooper to give the Titans a 20-9 lead.
Rodgers then found Christian Watson for the rookie’s second receiving touchdown on the day and Aaron Jones punched in a two-point conversion to cut the Titans’ lead to three.
But Ryan Tannehill’s touchdown pass to Austin Hooper in the first play of the fourth quarter would be the last time either team would score. The Packers offense couldn’t capitalize on a Rasul Douglas interception or a 24-yard punt return from Keisean Nixon, the longest of the Packers season so far.
Green Bay drops to 4-7 on the season and lost 27-17 to Tennessee. The Packers have ten days to prepare for another primetime matchup, this time against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.
