Brian Callahan got his first win as an NFL head coach as the Tennessee Titans triumphed over the Miami Dolphins, 31-12, on Monday Night Football. However, some critics accused Callahan of running up the score late in the game. The Titans, up 24-12 with 2:27 left in the game, marched down the field, and Tony Pollard punched in a touchdown on fourth down from the 4-yard line, sparking questions about Callahan’s play-calling.
Callahan addressed the criticism, explaining that the situation left him with little choice but to continue running plays. “I mean, I’m not gonna lie, I thought about it, but the intent was really to just try to run the clock out because we couldn’t take a knee in that situation. The clock wouldn’t have run out at that point,” Callahan said, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN.
Brian Callahan said he did think about ending the no 30 pt2 streak (1002 days) but wasn't necessarily trying to score. He was running goal line plays and was surprised the one scored from the 4 yd line. pic.twitter.com/lfo3LwJzbS
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 1, 2024
The final drive saw the Titans running the ball with Pollard multiple times, and while Callahan considered taking a knee, he opted for what he believed would be safe goal-line plays to drain the clock. “You know, I called a play from the four that usually doesn’t score from the four. To be honest, it was really a way of taking a knee in a sense, and Tony just ended up breaking outside and scoring,” Callahan added.
While the Dolphins were without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Titans also faced adversity, losing their own starting QB Will Levis to injury early in the game. Veteran Mason Rudolph stepped in and managed the game effectively, helping the Titans secure their first win of the season. The victory snapped a 1,002-day drought where Tennessee had not scored 30 points in a game.
Despite the late touchdown drawing accusations of running up the score, Callahan’s focus remains on moving forward with the Titans. Tennessee now heads into a bye week with a bit of momentum and a chance to get healthy before taking on the division-rival Indianapolis Colts.
As Callahan celebrates his first win as a head coach, the Titans will look to build on this success and solidify their playoff aspirations as the season progresses. For now, Callahan is embracing the victory and moving forward. “We’re just trying to keep things moving in the right direction,” Callahan said, a mantra Titans fans hope will carry the team through the rest of the season.
