Backup Dawkins leads Titans past Bears in preseason finale
CHICAGO (AP) — Dalyn Dawkins rushed for 117 yards and caught two touchdown passes, and the Tennessee Titans closed the preseason with a 19-15 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.
With Derrick Henry sitting out for the Titans alongside other starters, Dawkins took advantage of the playing time. With the Titans trailing 15-12, he sneaked out of the backfield and toward the sideline to catch a 3-yard TD pass from Logan Woodside on third-and-goal with 1:25 remaining.
Dawkins also caught a 9-yard TD pass from Woodside in the third quarter. Besides his 13 rushes, Dawkins also had four catches for 31 yards.
Woodside played the entire game in place of starter Marcus Mariota and backup Ryan Tannehill and completed 17 of 29 for 212 yards.
Ryan Succop made a 33-yard field goal in the third quarter to draw the Titans within 12-9 and added a fourth-quarter kick of 23 yards to cut the deficit to 15-12.
Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro went 3-for-3 on field goals but also missed an extra point in his bid to secure a roster spot.
Tyler Bray threw an 8-yard pass to Jesper Horsted for the Bears’ first touchdown. Bray played the entire game and completed 28 of 40 passes for 331 yards.
Thomas Ives had five receptions for 99 yards, while Horsted caught five for 82 yards.
PASS PRESSURE
The Titans had only two sacks in their first three preseason games and only one by a defensive lineman, Isaiah Mack. But they came up with three sacks against Chicago, two by Derick Roberson.
The Titans’ pass rush had also been a mild area of concern, just as the first-team pass protection had been.
The Titans allowed seven sacks against Pittsburgh in the third preseason game, but with backups playing they gave up two sacks to the Bears.
PAT MADNESS
Pineiro wasn’t the only kicker missing an extra point into the wind.
Tennessee’s Succop had just come off the physically unable to perform list a week earlier and missed an extra point with 5:36 left in the second quarter. Succop had made two short field goals in his preseason debut the previous week against Pittsburgh.
INJURY REPORT
Titans: Did not report any new injuries.
Bears: TE Dax Raymond suffered a concussion in the first half. He went down with an injury in the first quarter after a hit when he made a reception, but walked off to the sideline and later returned in the second quarter, then left the game and was being evaluated for a concussion. … Offensive lineman Blake Blackmar left with an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return.
UP NEXT
Titans: Open the season at Cleveland on Sept. 8.
Bears: Kick off the NFL season next Thursday by hosting Green Bay.
