In a disappointing 19-16 overtime defeat to the Houston Texans on Sunday, Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly faced heavy criticism for what many are calling his worst game of the season. Kelly's questionable play calling, particularly on first-and-10 situations, has drawn significant scrutiny and raised doubts about his decision-making abilities.

The Titans' reliance on star running back Derrick Henry proved to be futile as he struggled to find any running lanes throughout the game. Surprisingly, despite their inability to establish the run on first down, Kelly continued to hand the ball off to Henry, a move that proved to be costly for the team.

A detailed analysis of every Titans drive revealed that Kelly called 12 Henry runs on first-and-10 (or first-and-goal) plays. Shockingly, these 12 runs resulted in a total of zero yards gained for the offense. Six of these rushing attempts by Henry even led to negative or neutral yardage, further showcasing the inefficiency of the play calling.

Moreover, the statistics paint a bleak picture of Henry's performance as he was met at or behind the line of scrimmage on nine out of his 16 rushes. His yards-before-contact average of -0.6 yards per rush was his second-worst in a game with 10 or more carries, further highlighting the struggles faced by the Titans' star running back.

To make matters worse, Kelly's decision to give running back Tyjae Spears opportunities on first-and-10 plays did not yield any positive results either. Two rushing attempts by Spears on these plays resulted in a loss of four yards and a subsequent unfavorable second-and-15 situation.

In a surprising development, rookie quarterback Will Levis only attempted five first-and-10 passes during his extended playing time, spanning five quarters. Despite limited opportunities, Levis completed all five of his passes for a total of 26 yards, including a 20-yard completion to Treylon Burks. Ironically, even when the Titans opted to pass on early downs, they often targeted Henry, leading to minimal gains.

While Henry may seem like an easy target for criticism, he should not shoulder the blame for the team's poor performance on Sunday. Constantly meeting resistance at the line of scrimmage, it was evident that he was put in unfavorable positions by the Titans' ineffective offensive line. The makeshift O-line struggled to execute their assignments and was consistently outmatched by an aggressive Texans defensive line.

Ultimately, the blame falls squarely on Kelly's shoulders for his failure to adjust his strategy as the game progressed. Although the desire to avoid second-and-long situations due to poor pass blocking is understandable, the offensive coordinator's stubborn play calling only led to more unfavorable second-and-longs.

As the Titans lick their wounds from this devastating defeat, the focus will undoubtedly shift to Tim Kelly's future with the team. Sunday's game exposed glaring flaws in his play calling, leaving fans and analysts questioning his ability to make necessary adjustments and maximize the team's offensive potential.