DENVER (AP) — A day after Tom Brady’s dud of a debut for Tampa Bay, Stephen Gostkowski did not put all that Patriots pedigree to work in his first sport with the Tennessee Titans.

Till the very finish.

In contrast to Brady, who misplaced his first sport in a uniform apart from New England’s, Gostkowski prevailed Monday night time when he nailed a 25-yard area purpose with 17 seconds left, sending the Titans previous the Denver Broncos 16-14 after he missed 4 kicks for the primary time in his profession.

”I actually wished to return out and make a robust first impression,” Gostkowski stated. ”I did the precise reverse.”

Gostkowski missed a kick in every quarter, together with a blocked area purpose and an errant further level.

It did not matter in the long run.

”We’re completely happy to get a win,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill stated. ”Any win within the NFL is an effective win. I will take it. They do not put any asterisks on it within the win column.”

Titans coach and ex-teammate Mike Vrabel stated he had no qualms about sending Gostkowski out for one more attempt,

”Nope, they usually did, clearly, as a result of they weren’t utilizing their timeouts they usually have been banking on him lacking,” Vrabel stated. ”We have all obtained to do our job. And once more, it is not on only one participant. We’ll get these things mounted. We have a variety of religion in our gamers. Excited to get out of right here with a win. It is a powerful place to play.”

Gostkowski missed each means you possibly can consider: extensive left, extensive proper, a block and a shanked further level that loomed giant till he atoned for his terrible night time within the last seconds.

”You’ll be able to’t anticipate him to overlook all of them,” stated Broncos defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who was traded from Tennessee within the offseason.

Gostkowski by no means missed three area targets in a sport throughout his 14 seasons in New England, the place he gained three Tremendous Bowl rings, made 4 Professional Bowls and left this offseason because the Patriots’ all-time main scorer.

On Thursday he joined the Titans, who had the worst area purpose unit within the NFL final 12 months when their first 4 kickers mixed to attach on solely 44.4% of area targets (eight for 18).

The final Titans/Oilers kicker to overlook three area targets and an additional level in a sport was Skip Butler in opposition to the Jets within the 1977 season opener.

Gostkowski appreciated the assist.

”I simply obtained right here and are available out right here and play like that? For the fellows to nonetheless assist me and nonetheless have my again was fairly good,” Gostkowski stated. ”That is the cool factor about crew sports activities – you win and lose as a crew. A place like mine, everyone sees whenever you screw up.

”That is why I used to be grateful for the chance on the finish, as a result of the fellows deserved the win. We’re all execs right here. We have all had our days. However the kicking place, you miss a few kicks, the digicam follows you round, they speak about you the entire time, they watch you. It might get to a lonely spot. However it’s important to preserve your head excessive and carry on going.”

Gostkowski, who had made 87.4% of his kicks coming into the sport, a proportion that ranked fifth-best in NFL historical past, missed a 47-yarder within the first quarter and Shelby Harris blocked his 43-yarder simply earlier than halftime. Gostkowski’s 42-yarder within the third quarter was extensive left and he missed the PAT following Tennessee’s go-ahead landing on Jonnu Smith’s catch from Ryan Tannehill on fourth-and-1 with 13:49 remaining.

Denver replied with a 75-yard drive, with Melvin Gordon taking it in from a yard out, and Brandon McManus’ further level put the Broncos up 14-13 with 9 minutes left.

The Broncos punted on their subsequent two possessions and the Titans made them pay with a 12-play, 83-yard, game-winning scoring drive.

The groups scuffled to a 7-all tie after an eventful first half that included an ejection, a goal-line stand and Gostkowski’s dismal debut 4 days after signing with the Titans. The 36-year-old kicker left New England with 1,775 factors over 204 video games.

Drew Lock threw a 9-yard landing go to Noah Fant after Gostkowski’s first miss, and the Titans tied it on Tannehill’s 1-yard strike to MyCole Pruitt after a Denver turnover.

Gordon, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal in free company, coughed up the ball on the Denver 23 on a tough hit by security Kevin Byard, who leads the league with 17 interceptions since 2017 however had by no means compelled a fumble. Jeffrey Simmons recovered for Tennessee.

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The Broncos did not punch it in on three tries from the Titans 1 within the second quarter. Lock overthrew a wide-open Nick Vannett, Gordon was stuffed for no achieve and Lock’s shovel go to Jake Butt got here up a yard wanting the purpose line.

Butt was on the receiving finish of Rashaan Evans’ punch that obtained the Titans linebacker ejected.

There have been no paying spectators however about 500 friends of gamers and coaches have been within the stands as a form of trial run for the Broncos’ subsequent residence sport, in opposition to Brady and Tampa Bay in two weeks, when 5,700 followers can be allowed into the 70,000-seat Empower Subject at Mile Excessive.

Lock missed having the house crowd’s vitality within the fourth quarter.

”Yeah, that will have been candy,” he stated. ”It was undoubtedly bizarre on the market tonight. No noise. The timeouts, it was simply quiet. I wished to name the performs quiet within the huddle as a result of I did not know if they might hear us.”

INJURIES: Titans CB Jonathan Joseph left within the first half with an arm harm however returned.

Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay (foot) and CB A.J. Bouye (shoulder) each went out within the first half and did not return.

The Broncos misplaced their finest defender, Von Miller, to a season-threatening ankle harm and their finest offensive participant, receiver Courtland Sutton, to a sprained AC joint final week. Plus, second-round receiver Okay.J. Hamler (hamstring) was out.

Coach Vic Fangio stated the rash of accidents is disturbing ”however we’re adequate to beat them. I imagine that. We nearly gained the sport tonight. I do know nearly doesn’t suggest something, however we have been aggressive and performed good soccer regardless of all these accidents.”

UP NEXT

Titans open at residence in opposition to Jacksconville on Sunday.

Broncos go to the Steelers on Sunday.

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Observe Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL