NASHVILLE, Tenn. — New head coaches want to win, even preseason games that don’t count once the regular season starts in September.
Winning with a walk-off? Even sweeter.
Brayden Narveson kicked his third field goal of the game as time expired, helping the Tennessee Titans rally twice in the fourth quarter to beat the Seattle Seahawks 16-15 Saturday night in an exhibition game.
“To win the game on a walk-off field goal to get in position was outstanding,” Titans coach Brian Callahan said. “And then obviously Narveson hitting from 59 was something that I didn’t have on my bingo card today. So, that was really, really cool to see.”
Callahan credited special teams coordinator Colt Anderson with encouraging him to give Narveson, a rookie from North Carolina State, the chance at the 59-yarder with 7:53 left. Narveson is in camp to ease veteran Nick Folk’s workload, and he made field goals of 21, 59 and 46 in the fourth quarter.
“That’s a grown man kick in the NFL,” Callahan said of the 59-yarder. “I mean that’s not easy to hit. So, that was great for him to put on tape for himself too. So really cool to see.”
The Titans signed Folk, who turns 40 in November to a new contract in March after he led the NFL in 2023 making a career-best 96.7% of his kicks. Someone retrieved the ball used on both the 59-yarder and the game-winner for Narveson, who said only that he can make kicks longer than 59 yards.
“This was probably the coolest,” Narveson said of his game winner.
That final one capped a nine-play drive with Mason Rudolph proving why he deserves the job backing up Will Levis at quarterback for Tennessee.
Jason Myers kicked his third field goal, a 50-yarder, for a 15-13 lead with 1:55 left as the Seahawks appeared ready to turn safety Ty Okada’s late interception into a victory.
“We put ourselves in a situation to win the game,” Seattle first-year coach Mike Macdonald said. “Ty made a great play. We took the ball, Jason made a great kick, and we unfortunately didn’t close it out.”
Callahan started Malik Willis, the third-round pick in 2022 out of Liberty, giving him a chance to show what he could do with backups. His best drive used up 14 plays and 9:23 setting up Narveson’s first field goal early in the fourth quarter to pull Tennessee within 12-10.
Rudolph didn’t need the start to show why he’s the Titans’ better option at backup quarterback. One drive was more than enough as he drove the Titans 78 yards in 10 plays and found Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 15-yard TD pass pulling them within 9-7 of Seattle.
Rudolph also set up Narveson’s 59-yard field goal to give the Titans their first lead of the game at 13-12 midway through the fourth quarter.
Sam Howell started and played the first half, making his case to back up Geno Smith for the Seahawks with his best performance yet in a battle of almost all backups. He was 11 of 14 for 153 yards and a touchdown pass with a 136 passer rating and a 12-7 lead when he left the game at halftime.
Howell quickly drove the Seahawks downfield to set up Myers for his second field goal, a 48-yarder for a 12-7 halftime lead. Howell graded himself as “pretty solid,” though he would’ve liked to have scored more points.
Where are the starters?
Safely on the sideline with Geno Smith expected to see the field a bit in the preseason finale for the Seahawks.
The Titans did play wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who has started 30 of his 61 games as an undrafted player out of Indiana. But that’s because Tennessee protected Calvin Ridley and Treylon Burks with Tyler Boyd nursing a bruised foot and DeAndre Hopkins out with an injured knee.
Folk did handle the extra point for Tennessee after Myers’ lone PAT try clanked off the right upright in the first quarter.
Injuries
Titans wide receiver and returner Kearis Jackson hurt a knee after a 38-yard kickoff return. Adding insult to injury was a holding penalty on a teammate during the return pushing the Titans back. Rookie running back Jabari Small was in the concussion protocol, and defensive end T.K. McLendon hurt a foot.
Up next
The Seahawks host their lone home preseason game against Cleveland on Aug. 24.
The Titans wrap up the preseason visiting New Orleans on Aug. 25.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl