David Climer

dclimer@tennessean.com

With three seconds on the LP Field clock, the Titans tried to take a knee to end the first-half misery.

They couldn't even do that without screwing up.

Center Chris Spencer was flagged for an illegal snap, forcing the Titans to run another play before the half mercifully ended.

That's the Titans' season in a nutshell. This team can't get out of its own way. It is utterly hopeless. Even when they're trying to wave the white flag, they drop it.

As such, it is now safe to proclaim this the worst Titans team since the franchise moved operations to Tennessee in 1997. And it's not even close.

The previous low was the 2005 Titans, who checked in at 4-12. But that team had a little star power with Steve McNair at quarterback. And there was always rookie Pacman Jones to keep things interesting — on and off the field.

In theory, these Titans could win out and finish the season with a better record than the '05 team. But when you get beat 36-7 by the Giants, a team that arrived with a seven-game losing streak, it doesn't hint of an impending turnaround.

There's losing football and there's bad football. This is bad football.

"You can't run away from our record," guard Chance Warmack said. "It is what it is."

This is a fragile team. And I'm not talking about the injury situation, which is significant. Rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger, whose injured shoulder may need considerable time to heal, suggested that the media "is trying to tear us apart."

Come again?

"Guys can interpret something that's said in the newspaper probably the wrong way and take it negative," he said.

With that in mind, I don't want anything to be misinterpreted. Let me be completely clear: This team is horrible.

At various points during the game Sunday, some of those at LP Field offered a lusty chorus of boos in response to some particularly awful football. At least those that were booing were still paying attention. They're emotionally invested in the Titans at a time when others have checked out.

"It's disheartening and embarrassing to come out here in your home stadium and perform like that," veteran wide receiver Nate Washington said.

The season is shot. Since a surprising win at Kansas City in Week 1, the Titans have lost 11 of 12 games, eight of them by two touchdowns or more. They're not even competitive.

"It's too late," tight end Delanie Walker said. "If we do turn it around, at this point it doesn't matter. … We've only won two games and we're still playing the same way. We always say we're going to change and nothing changes."

Just when we think it could not possibly get any worse, the Titans prove us wrong. They fell behind the woeful Giants 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Titans scored their only touchdown on an interception return by rookie Marqueston Huff.

It was an across-the-board meltdown. New York held the ball 7:01 on the first possession of the game, an indication of what lay ahead for the Titans defense. The offense, which was woefully short-handed in the line and at wide receiver, didn't break the 100-yard barrier until the fourth period.

Mettenberger took a step backward. With the offensive line's injury situation and obvious shortcomings, the immobile rookie was an easy target. He was sacked five times.

Adding injury to insult, Mettenberger got knocked out of the game with 10½ minutes remaining on a sack by Devon Kennard.

It's the second straight game Mettenberger has required a relief pitcher. Remember the perception that his predecessor as starting quarterback, Jake Locker, couldn't stay healthy? I'm starting to wonder if the same reputation won't be attached to Mettenberger.

The hits keep right on coming.

"It's hard to believe," said Washington, who had three catches for 56 yards. "This season is blindsiding. Training camp, OTAs — we never would've seen this coming. It's very difficult going through a time like this."

A terrible season just keeps getting worse.

The good news: There are only three games remaining.

The bad news: There are still three games remaining.

David Climer's columns appear on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Reach him at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.