Sure, the Titans' D needs more turnovers, but giveaways were the team's big issue

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans’ defense made exceptional gains in 2021.

They had 24 more sacks, allowed an average of 6.6 fewer points per game, cut third-down conversions by 15.2 percent and ranked 16 spots better in yards.Amani Hooker forces a fumble

© Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

But after their 19-16 playoff loss to the Bengals, the Titans' top guys were lamenting the one area where things didn’t get better. The 2020 Titans managed 23 regular-season takeaways and the 2021 team had 22.

In the game that ended Tennessee’s season, Ryan Tannehill threw three bad interceptions and the Titans’ defense answered with only one interception – Amani Hooker’s grab just as the ball hit the turf of a tipped Joe Burrow pass.

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Paul Kuharsky has covered the Tennessee Titans since 1996, first for The Tennessean, then ESPN.com and now independently at PaulKuharsky.com. He served on the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee for 11 years and is the longest-tenured Titans beat reporter in the franchise's history.

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