Titans rally past Browns 31-29 in a tense, back-and-forth contest that snapped Tennessee’s seven-game skid and kept Cleveland searching for consistency. Cedric Gray led the way for the Titans with a game-high 10 tackles and a fumble recovery, dismissing any chatter about the top draft pick as the team focused on grinding out a much-needed win. “We’re ballplayers with heart every time we step on the field,” Gray said, underscoring the Titans’ collective resolve.
Tony Pollard carried the load with a career-best 161 rushing yards and two scores, driving Tennessee to an average of 5.3 yards per carry. The Titans’ defense created opportunities by forcing two second-half turnovers, and special teams contributed with a blocked punt that set up a crucial scoring drive. Interim coach Mike McCoy praised the unity across phases of the game, noting that the victory came from complementary performances on offense, defense, and special teams.
Cam Ward, the first overall pick in April’s draft, turned in a productive day, finishing 14 of 28 for 117 yards with two touchdowns, marking his first multi-touchdown game. He also oversaw a clean pocket for most of the game, getting sacked only once. Cleveland rookie Shedeur Sanders threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns, plus a rushing score, in a debut-like performance against fellow first-year quarterbacks. Yet a third-quarter interception ultimately paved the path for Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown.
Cleveland surged to a 17-14 halftime lead after answering a slow start from Ward; Sanders connected on a pair of big plays, including a 60-yard strike to Jerry Jeudy and a productive sequence that featured a short-yardage connection to ND David Njoku. Myles Garrett continued his dominant season, recording his 20th sack in the second quarter and setting his sights on the NFL single-season record, needing three more sacks with four games remaining.
The Titans seized control with a late first-quarter burst, including Pollard’s 65-yard touchdown run that put Tennessee ahead 14-3. After Cleveland rallied to take a 17-14 lead, Pollard’s later 32-yard carry restored the advantage. A third-quarter interception return to the Browns’ 38 set up Ward for a 5-yard TD pass to Chimere Dike, widening the margin to 28-17.
Cleveland flirted with a comeback, scoring twice more and narrowing the gap, but the Browns missed both two-point tries late in the fourth. An onside attempt recovered by Tennessee’s Chimere Dike sealed the outcome as the Titans ran out the clock.
Key notes and injuries: Tennessee’s Dan Moore left with a neck injury in the third quarter. Cleveland’s Malachi Corley (concussion), David Njoku (knee), Ethan Pocic (Achilles), Denzel Ward (calf), and Cedric Tillman (concussion) exited during the second half. Cleveland’s offense anchored around Sanders, Jeudy, and Njoku, but costly miscues and tackling issues on defense limited their ability to finish drives.
Up next: Titans travel to San Francisco next Sunday; Browns head to Chicago for the following tilt.
