FLOWERY BRANCH, GA ― Across 2½ quarters in the Tennessee Titans’ preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, backup quarterbacks Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle combined to complete 10 of their 25 passes (40%) for 86 yards and three interceptions.

After the game, coach Brian Callahan was blunt.

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“We’ve got to play better for sure at that spot,” he said.

Two days later, Boyle was cut.

Such is the life of a backup quarterback.

“I think it’s something you just don’t think about,” Allen told The Tennessean on Aug. 12, a day after Boyle’s dismissal. “You just come in every day. You try to do the best you can each and every day and you try to take advantage of the opportunities you’re given. Obviously they can be taken away in a second. It happens. I’ve been in the league 10 years now. I know how that sort of thing goes. So it’s all about taking advantage of the opportunity when you’re given one.”

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A glaring counterpoint to the Titans’ backup quarterback situation was on display. While the Titans trotted out Allen and fellow veteran journeyman Trevor Siemian, their joint practice foes from Atlanta had Kirk Cousins, he with the 288 NFL passing touchdowns and four Pro Bowls to his name.

Naturally, the Titans’ backup quarterback situation caught flak after the performance in Tampa. Boyle took the brunt of it, but Allen ― who has started just 10 games the past decade ― wasn’t absolved. Callahan was quick to point out how Allen’s interception was on a fluke play that involved a tipped pass and an engaged linebacker making a one-handed catch. But speaking more broadly, Allen talked about the unique challenges of preseason games that manifest themselves early.

“In the preseason, you want to put on a good performance,” Allen said. “You really do. And a lot of times you’re out there with guys who might not have gotten a lot of reps in camp and all that. So it does make it even more challenging. You still want to go out there and perform well. It’s tricky. It’s difficult. But you do what you can do.”

This problem isn’t reserved to the Titans, of course. Cincinnati backups Desmond Ridder and Jake Browning went 13-for-30 combined in the Bengals’ first preseason game. Baltimore backups Cooper Rush and Devin Leary went 5-for-16. The Kansas City Chiefs saw backups Bailey Zappe and Chris Oladokun go 14-for-30 with a pair of picks. Those are three AFC title contenders, and their down-roster quarterbacks aren’t exactly lighting up the preseason.

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But the situation for the Titans, of course, is different. They don’t have Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes making $45 million to $55 million a year to be the guy. They have Cam Ward on a rookie contract learning the ropes for the first time.

And they have Allen, a guy who at the very least knows how to be a backup and knows what his job needs to be.

“I’ve done it for a long time, so I think I am comfortable in this role,” he said. “I’m comfortable in the offense. It’s not so much about my comfortability as it is getting the whole offense comfortable. Getting them comfortable running routes and seeing certain routes versus certain coverages. We’ve got a lot of young guys out there playing, and for the young guys it’s all about reps. It really is.”

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at  nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: As Titans backup QB situation catches flak, Brandon Allen defends role