Terrible
It wasn’t just that they lost. It was how they lost. As if the football gods decided, for whatever reason, that not only were the Titans going to lose, but do it in such a way as to extract the maximum amount of frustration out of the team and its fans possible. As if the entire game, or season for that matter, was designed by a higher power to to taunt us repeatedly with the prospect of winning. Time and again the Titans marched down the field poised to take command and bring the AFC Championship game to Nashville. And each time we took careful aim, slowly squeezed the trigger, and blew off another bit of badly mutilated foot.
There was a great defensive series that ended in a penalty and 48 yard TD pass for the Ravens. A 7 minute 58 second drive that seemed destined to drain the Ravens defense, instead ended with an interception just 19 yards from a 14-7 lead. Followed shortly by another turnover at the 15 yard line that could have sent the team into the locker room up by a TD with the ball to start the second half. A drive late in the game that ended with a fumble on the one yard line! And another drive that ended in a field goal on 4th and 1. One yard short.
One yard short.
I think I realized we were done in the third. We’d had our chances and missed them I thought, especially once I realized Chris Johnson was out. And by the time we started down the ramps I had already moved through all five stages of grief and I was ready to get home and put the season behind me. Unfortunately the shuttle bus operators had other ideas.
This was the second time this season I’ve decided to park down at Greer Stadium and take the shuttle bus to LP Field. I didn’t feel like walking in the rain, wind, cold, etc., so this seemed like a good idea. But, apparently someone forgot to tell the shuttle bus operators that we’d be needing shuttle buses to get back to our cars, because we waited for over an hour after the game for them to arrive. Hundreds of disappointed Titans fans waited as the winds rose and the temperatures fell. It was not a happy time.
Eventually we made it home, safe and sound, and I’ve had a few hours to digest the loss, and I thought: despite having hopes of an AFC Championship or even, dare I dream, a trip to the Super Bowl dashed this evening, it is still probably better than being a Lions fan.