NASHVILLE – The Titans lost 27-24 the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.

Senior Writer and Editor Jim Wyatt takes a look at six things that stood out from the contest:

Tony Pollard's Success

Running back Tony Pollard ran the football like a man on a mission for the Titans, racking up 129 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. Pollard had 60 yards on the game's opening drive, which included a 36-yard scoring scamper just over two minutes into game. Just over four minutes later, Pollard was back in the end zone again, scoring from 10 yards out. Pollard scored again with 58 seconds left to tie the game. "We just wanted to be physical coming out the gate, get some early runs in, lean on those guys, depend on our O-line to block those guys up front," Pollard said, "and that's what we did."

No Points on First-and-Goal

Leading 14-7 early in the second quarter, the Titans had a chance to take a 21-7 lead after getting first-and-goal at the Cleveland four-yard line. Instead, the Titans came up empty after four plays failed to produce a yard, or any points. Officials initially credited Pollard with a touchdown on a four-yard run on the first down play, but after review, the ball was marked at the six-inch line. Ward was stuffed on a sneak on second down, and he was stopped for no yards on the third down play after initially looking to throw. On fourth down, Pollard was stuffed again. This sequence was deflating for the Titans, who found themselves tied several minutes later, and then down at the half.

Cam Ward's Day

Quarterback Cam Ward once again had his moments, good and bad. Ward came out firing early, completing 7-of-8 passes to start the game as the Titans built a 14-0 lead. Ward also came through in the clutch late, directing an 11-play, 63-yard drive in the final minutes to tie the game. The drive included a 17-yard completion to receiver Elic Ayomanor on fourth-and-eight, and then an 18-yard connection with receiver Carnell Tate to put the ball at the Cleveland one. But Ward also threw a poorly timed interception in the middle of the field, and he missed a wide-open Daniel Bellinger one play before the Ayomanor completion. Ward finished the day 20-of-31 for 181 yards, with a 66.7 passer rating. The Titans still leave a lot to be desired from an offensive standpoint, but with more help from the defense, on this day, it might have been a winning performance.

Where Was the Defense?

So, where was the defense on Sunday? The Titans got an early spark with an interception by cornerback Cor'Dale Flott, and later linebacker Anthony Hill forced a fumble that was recovered by safety Tony Adams. But for most of the game, the Titans had all kinds of trouble stopping the Browns, who racked up 491 yards on offense, and 26 first downs. Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 25-of-36 passes for 308 yards in the game. Cleveland running back Quinshon Judkins ran for 96 yards and two scores, part of a 183-yard rushing attack. Cleveland receiver KC Concepcion (eight catches, 129 yards) and tight end Harold Fannin (six catches, 91) spent the day running through the Tennessee secondary. The Titans gave Watson too much time to throw, tackling was sloppy, and coverage was shaky. "We didn't do a good enough job in the run game, didn't do a good enough job tackling, didn't do good enough covering, didn't do a good enough job coaching," Titans coach Robert Saleh said. "Just not a good enough day on defense."

Missed False Start

Officials missed a blatant false start on Browns right tackle Dawand Jones late in the game, and I'm only writing about it because it has generated so much attention, and conversation, in the wake of Tennessee's loss. Watch the replay and you'll see Jones backing up early on what ended up being a critical play – a 36-yard catch-and-run by tight end Harold Fannin Jr. that set up Cleveland's game-winning field goal. Reporters in the press box said in unison "false start" the moment it happened, and Pro Football Talk even wrote a post about it. But the Titans didn't lose the game because of this non-call. They lost on Sunday because of missed opportunities, mistakes, and a defense that could very well have surrendered a big gain the very next play had the flag been thrown.

Another Disappointing Loss

The Titans changed the subject with a win last Sunday in Indianapolis, and early on it looked like the team might win consecutive games for the first time since the 2022 season. But players, coaches – and fans – left Nissan Stadium dejected once again, after a winnable game escaped their grasp once again. From my spot in the press box, I heard Titans fans, many surrounded by Browns fans, get the "Titan Up" chant going in the fourth quarter. I heard fans chant "Defense, Defense, Defense," pleading for a stop late that wouldn't come. A lot of the Titans players looked drained as they left the locker room on Sunday, and I'm sure the loyal Titans fans who keep showing up, hoping for a better outcome, felt the same way. This was a gut-punch kind of loss.