There were just 12 seconds to go until halftime when Tennessee Titans punt returner Kyle Philips made a costly mistake.
Philips muffed a punt on his own 11-yard line. The result?
Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was able to kick an easy field goal with just one second left on the clock to put his team up 18-3 at the half.
Brutal: #Titans punt returner Kyle Philips muffs it with one second left.
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 15, 2023
Ravens getting a free field goal pic.twitter.com/CSjupp4JNJ
Philips owned up to his mistake after the game.
Kyle Philips repeatedly emphasizing that he let the #Titans down today pic.twitter.com/bVFHjVfHRe
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) October 15, 2023
"I need to be better," Philips said. "I let the team down..dropped the ball...that's really all it is. Just didn't make a play on the ball, let my teammates down [and] gave up three points. The defense did a great job of holding them. That's just one I need to take on the chin and deal with it and be better going forward and make the play for the team when they need it."
All Philips had to do was not catch the ball and let the clock run out.
"In that situation, I really didn't [need to] catch it," Philips said. "It was what, one second left. I'm the reason we gave up three points in the end, so that's on me. Like I said, I've got to take it on the chin, go forward and just be better."
While Philips didn't show good judgment skills on that one play, he showed his leadership skills, which is something his teammate Kristian Fulton failed to do last week after two pass pass-interference penalties
"It's hard when you gotta play against the refs and the receivers," Fulton said following Tennessee's loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Hats off to Philips for not putting the blame on anyone else but himself.
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