Once again, penalties have Callahan, Titans frustrated after latest loss

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Brian Callahan has seen enough flags thrown against his Titans in back-to-back games in crucial moments.

On Sunday, he made sure the NFL officiating crew knew what he thought of this momentum-shifting penalty midway through the second quarter.

Enough that the first-year coach earned himself not one, but two flags tossed high in the air for unsportsmanlike conduct in a 23-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Callahan said he got no feedback from the official on the unnecessary roughness penalty given to Mike Brown in the end zone after breaking up a catch by Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison on fourth-and-goal from the Tennessee 1.

“I saw a hit that was level with the shoulder pads to the body,” Callahan said when asked if he saw a replay of the hit. “That’s what I saw.”

That penalty alone gave the Vikings first down inches closer to the goal line. So Callahan took advantage of the moment to express his frustration on yet another crucial penalty with Sam Darnold scoring on a quarterback keeper the very next play.

Last week, he watched as officials changed the on-field ruling of Jeffery Simmons' sack-strip of Justin Herbert scooped up by Titans cornerback Roger McCreary and returned to the end zone for what would have been a 14-13 lead at halftime. The review wiped out the turnover, and the Titans lost that game.

Sunday's loss dropped the first-year coach and the Titans to 2-8. They wound up flagged 13 times for 91 yards with one illegal formation on a new right tackle wiping out a 51-yard touchdown pass from Will Levis to Calvin Ridley.

The same tackle drew another illegal formation penalty to wipe out a 23-yard gain in the fourth quarter.

“They have every right to be frustrated, and they should be,” said Callahan, who noted he talked Friday to NFL senior vice president of officiating communications and administration Perry Fewell.

Referee Clete Blakeman told the pool reporter that the down judge and side judge each flagged Brown with both agreeing on what they saw. Blakeman said each had different angles but good looks.

“Essentially, the defensive player launched into the receiver — who is considered a defenseless player — and there was helmet contact to the chest and neck area,” Blakeman said.

Such plays aren’t reviewable. Blakeman said nothing came from replay “assist-wise.”

On video, Brown's left foot appears to stay on the ground as he hits Addison in the chest.

Levis said Callahan reminded them to watch what they said about officials after this latest loss. The Titans also dropped to 1-4 at home with this loss.

“Guys are playing their hearts out,” Levis said. “And at some point or another, things are going to shake in our favor we feel like and it just hasn’t been that way. But all you can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

The illegal formation penalties came against the Titans' latest attempt to find a solution to what Callahan called their “weakest link” at right tackle. Isaiah Prince signed with the Titans' practice squad Oct. 22 and wound up flagged for that three times — costing Tennessee that TD and a combined 80 yards passing.

Rookie left tackle JC Latham said officials obviously are cracking down on illegal formation but he had never seen it called three times in a game. He said an official warned him on the first play to edge up closer to the line.

All the flags had the Titans biting their tongues. Simmons said some came so late Sunday when he was already celebrating.

“Things like that are out of our control,” Simmons said. “I think we’re cursed when it comes down to officiating right now. That’s just my opinion on that. We can’t say too much about it because we know the NFL is waiting to fine us for that.”