Tennessee Titans Strike For 80-Yard TD (Video)

Tennessee Titans Strike For 80-Yard Play Just Before Halftime (Video)

By Phil Watson | Nov 17, 2014

Nov 17, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger (7) passes against Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) and Pittsburgh inside linebacker Vince Williams (98) during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

The Tennessee Titans took advantage of a Ben Roethlisberger interception in a big way, an 80-yard touchdown bomb to Nate Washington.

Give Tennessee Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt credit for having some onions.

With the ball at his own 20-yard line and just 44 seconds left in the first half, Whisenhunt could have been forgiven for playing it safe, kneeling down a couple of times and trotting to the locker room trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-10.

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But Whisenhunt’s defense had just given the Titans a big play. Jason McCourty intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass in the end zone to deny the Steelers a score at the end of a drive that lasted nearly eight minutes.

And Whisenhunt attacked.

Rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger found receiver Nate Washington down the sideline on a fly pattern. Washington wasn’t just open, he was amazingly open … as if the Pittsburgh secondary assumed the Titans were going to just kneel on the ball and go to the locker room.

Man, did they read that wrong.

The daring strike gave Tennessee a 17-13 lead and gave all of the armchair coaches out there vindication for their constant calls to throw deep … always.

Mettenberger threw two passes for touchdowns in the first half—one to each team. The Steelers’ first touchdown came in the first quarter on a 28-yard interception return by William Gay.

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