NASHVILLE – The Titans lost a heartbreaker on Sunday.
And, instead of an improbable victory, the team – and its fans – left Nissan Stadium with a disappointing defeat.
"There's no moral victories," coach Robert Saleh said after his team's 24-20 loss to the Eagles. "There's going to be things that we've got to improve on. Like I told our team, we're going to be sick when we watch this tape, because we should be 1-1 right now. But we're not, and that's credit to Philly. They executed.
"It sucks. Whether you lose by 100 or in the last second, it doesn't matter; they all suck."
After taking the lead in the closing minutes, the Titans lost it in the final seconds.
With the game tied at 17-17, the Titans put together a beautiful 10-play drive, highlighted by a 41-yard catch, and hurdle, from receiver Elic Ayomanor and 27-yard run by Tyjae Spears.
And with 1:56 left, the Titans took a 20-17 lead on a 33-yard field goal by kicker Joey Slye.
But the Titans couldn't hold on.
The Eagles drove 65 yards down the field and scored on a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts to receiver Darius Cooper with nine seconds left.
"It definitely hurts," Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. said. "We have to be more detailed, all the way to the end. We know we could have won that game, and we're tired as a team saying, 'We could have.'
"We have to figure out a way to do it, to (win)."
The loss dropped the Titans to 0-2.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward completed 13-of-20 passes for 183 yards in the contest, and he ran for two scores.
Ward guided the Titans on several nice drives, including the go-ahead drive late, and he was much improved from a week ago, when the team looked out of sync across the board in a season-opening loss to the Jets.
But that was no consolation for Ward, or anyone else.
"It's not a moral victory – it's a loss," Ward said after the game. "With every game, there is good and there is bad. But we have to be a mentally tough team, and we have to be able to play four quarters of football.
"We all have to be better. … I am proud to be on this team, and I am proud to be one of the leaders in the locker room. I am looking forward to all of us taking it on the chin and getting better."
The Titans made a big play early, which provided a spark.
With the Eagles on the Tennessee eight-yard line, Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepted a pass from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and raced 92 yards down the field.
It gave the Titans a first-and-goal at the Philadelphia 10, and Ward snuck in from the one-yard line to make it 7-0 in the first quarter.
But the Eagles drove the field and tied the score at 7-7 on a two-yard touchdown run by Tank Bigsby early in the second quarter.
The Eagles then surged ahead 14-7 on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Hurts to receiver DeVonta Smith.
The Eagles led 14-10 at the half after a 37-yard field goal by Slye on the final play of the first half.
Midway through the third quarter, a 58-yard field goal by kicker Jake Elliott gave the Eagles a 17-10 lead.
But the Titans put together a 12-play, 69-yard drive on their next possession, and capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run by Ward, who dove into the left front corner of the end zone to make it 17-17 with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Titans then got a big play on defense, as cornerback Marcus Harris intercepted Hurts at the six-minute mark at the Tennessee 17-yard line.
It looked like magic might be in the air.
Then came the dramatics in the final few minutes, and the emotional swing at the end.
The Titans were outgained 341 to 291 yards in the game, and the Eagles held the ball 36:25 to 23:35 for the Titans. But the Titans gave themselves a chance with improved, spirited play in the second half, only to leave disappointed.
The Titans return to action next Sunday at the New York Giants.
"There's no such things as moral victories," defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said. "But we were one play away, and a lot of positives that came out of today. Absolutely no one outside of the building gave us a chance, and that ball game came down to the end and that's a good football team.
"We played our tails off at the end … I am frustrated because we're 0 and 2."
