CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns suffered a 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 23 of his 42 passes for 364 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Myles Garrett was held to one sack.
4Q, 0:00 – End of game: Titans 31, Browns 29
Browns move to 3-10 on the season.
4Q, 1:03 – Touchdown: Titans 31, Browns 29
What a throw from Sanders to Fannin. What a fight for possession from Fannin.
Seven-yard score.
Browns had to go for two to tie it up, and they fail.
What the heck was that attempt?
It looked like Judkins was supposed to pitch it before something happened that prevented it and he took it on his own, or the play wasn’t fully communicated or something.
Either way, the decision to go for two earlier will make for nice debate.
4Q, 1:46
Sanders finds Sampson and he takes it downfield for 31 yards.
Browns sit 15 yards away from the endzone.
4Q, 2:43
Cleveland’s defense stops Tennessee and forces a punt.
Browns takeover from their own 20-yard line.
4Q, 4:27 – Touchdown: Titans 31, Browns 23
Sanders not going out without a fight.
He operated in the pocket and ducked Simmons before electing to scramble, and it led to success.
Even when encountering a couple Titans defenders on his way into the endzone.
However, instead of taking the extra point, Cleveland decided to go for two.
Sanders fumbled and Cedric Gray recovered the ball, and ran down far enough before losing steam. Even pulling off a couple jukes before being tackled by Teven Jenkins.
It’s an interesting decision because Cleveland wasn’t aggressive early on when encountering fourth downs.
They chose to show some at a time where every point counts, and where taking the points was the best decision.
Oh well.
4Q, 5:14
That was hard to watch.
Xavier Woods delivered a huge hit on Cedric Tillman, and Tillman stayed down on the ground and looked stuck with his hands clenched and arms up.
That was concussion written all over it. Tough break for Tillman, who’s 2024 season was ended a little early due to a concussion, and missed some games earlier this year due to suffering one.
Honestly surprised Tillman was able to walk off the field and to the locker room.
Woods was flagged by unnecessary roughness and Cleveland is awarded a fresh set of downs.
Browns approach first-and-10 and sit 46 yards away from the endzone.
4Q, 6:17 – Field Goal: Titans 31, Browns 17
Joey Slye’s 41-yarder is good to extend the lead.
Right now…is when the Browns have to make something happen. Right now.
4Q, 8:24
Offense unable to make anything happen.
Browns punt. Tennessee’s James Williams Sr. blocks the punt, Mike Brown recovers and earns seven more yards after picking the ball up.
Some fans have had enough are exiting as I’m typing this.
Titans takeover 29 yards away from the endzone.
4Q, 9:29 – Touchdown: Titans 28, Browns 17
Ward to Dike for the five-yard score.
Titans extend the lead.
4Q, 10:53
Low man always wins.
Tennessee’s Marcus Harris positioned himself for the low tackle on an incoming Dylan Sampson, and it resulted in a fumble, which was then recovered by Tennessee’s Cedric Gray.
The Browns were near their own endzone, so when Gray picked it up, he took it 19 yards downfield to the eight-yard line.
Titans sit eight yards away from the endzone.
4Q, 11:07
Spears gained 35 yards on that run, but it was deemed no play due to an illegal shift on Tennessee’s side.
Titans approached a third-and-20 from their own 38-yard line and didn’t get much, and were forced to punt on fourth down.
Browns takeover on their own 20-yard line.
4Q, 13:51
Simmons sacks Sanders for a loss of 11 yards and force a Browns punt, while throwing the ‘wrist up’ celebration to the crowd like Sanders does.
On the return, long snapper Rex Sunahara made the tackle on Dike.
Titans takeover on their own 26-yard line.
3Q, 0:00 – End of third quarter: Titans 21, Browns 17
Tennessee takes the lead before the quarter ended.
One more to go.
3Q, 0:51 – Touchdown: Titans 21, Browns 17
How did Pollard get such an open way to the endzone?
Once again, on the first play of the series, Pollard puts points on the board for Tennessee.
This time for 38 yards.
3Q, 1:41
Sanders was having such a good game before that play.
On a second-and-20, he tried extending the play, and did, but the release of his pass was more so wild than accurate, and went straight into the danger zone.
Xavier Woods intercepted it and took it downfield for 38 yards.
Titans takeover 38 yards away from the endzone.
3Q, 2:59
Sanders finds Fannin for 35 yards.
Browns sit 45 yards away from the endzone.
3Q, 3:12
Another good defensive series to force a Titans punt.
Browns takeover on their own 20-yard line.
3Q, 7:35
Tyson Campbell helped disrupt Ward’s pass to Van Jefferson on third-and-8 (Tennessee was pushed back five yards due to a false start).
Titans punt on fourth-and-8.
Browns takeover on their own 23-yard line.
3Q, 7:50
On a second-and-3, Ward was nearly sacked by Grant Delpit. Until Ward with his left arm kind of threw Delpit down before throwing the ball out of bounds.
Titans approach third-and-3 from their own 31-yard line.
3Q, 11:37
Offense unable to move any further downfield and punt it.
Titans takeover on their own 25-yard line.
3Q, 11:37
Offense unable to move any further downfield and punt it.
Titans takeover on their own 18-yard line.
2Q, 0:00 – End of first half: Browns 17, Titans 14
We got good one on our hands.
Browns lead going into halftime.
2Q, 0:26
Ward stayed in the pocket a little too long and was sacked by Garrett for a loss of nine yards. Make that 20 sacks on the year.
Titans punt, Browns takeover on their own 18-yard line.
2Q, 2:47 – Touchdown: Browns 17, Titans 14
Sanders is in the zone.
Three-four Titans defenders around and he placed the ball right where it was needed for Jeudy on his post route.
Jeudy did the rest of the work and took it to the house for the 60-yard score.
There was online banter due to moment in Week 13, where video caught frustrated Jeudy talking to Sanders about a play in a way that some fans didn’t appreciate.
The two celebrated by kneeling down together in the endzone a prayer-like way.
They’ve made up now, at least publicly.
Ya happy now?
2Q, 6:45
Browns had a chance to go for it on a fourth-and-2, but they decided not to and elected to take a delay of game call and eventually punt.
Fans make their feelings known about the decision, instead wanting to see them go for it and hopefully extend the drive.
Some may argue a lack of confidence in Sanders to help convert the fourth-down, but it’s possible it’s due to Adin Huntington being out.
The defensive tackle has been the go-to to help make way for Judkins when in short-yardage positions. Huntington was out in the Week 13 loss to the 49ers, and they looked discombobulated without him on fourth-down tries, and converted on none of their four attempts.
Ok. Enough of me on this soap box.
Browns punt, Titans takeover on their own 15-yard line.
2Q, 11:25
Good job by Sanders staying collected off the play action, even with Tennessee defender in front of him, before finding Jerry Jeudy for 14 yards.
Browns sit on their own 23-yard line with a fresh set of downs.
2Q, 11:39
Cleveland’s defense buckled down and forced a Titans punt for the first time today.
However, a change might be needed at the punt return position. Gage Larvadain muffed another punt.
In last week’s loss to San Francisco, he who muffed three punts, and one of which was recovered by San Francisco late in the game and led to a 49ers touchdown.
Browns takeover on their own nine-yard line.
2Q, 14:24 – Touchdown: Titans 14, Browns 10
Going into Sunday, only three times had Sanders thrown a pass when the Browns needed one-three yards to go, per Pro Football Reference. He completed two attempts for 26 yards and two first-downs.
Never had he thrown with single-digit yards needed when in the redzone…until now.
On a third-and-goal on Tennessee’s one-yard line, Sanders delivered a beauty of a pass to Njoku in the endzone, who was covered tightly by Tennessee’s Darrell Baker Jr.
The way Sanders dropped back, without retreating under pressure, and placed the ball for Njoku, was fundamentally sound and impressive.
As a sidenote: Njoku stayed down on the ground and seemed to be battling some kind of pain, the way his body rolled around on the ground. That was before being helped up and throwing his arms in triumphant fashion to the rambunctious crowd.
What a half we’ve seen so far.
2Q, 14:47
Sanders was actually under center this time in a short yardage situation.
On second-and-goal from the four-yard line, he handed the ball off to the Malachi Corley on a jet sweep going left end. Corley gained two yards before being met by a hard hit from Amani Hooker.
Corley stayed down on one knee for a bit while being checked out by the medical staff, potentially for a concussion.
1Q, 0:00 – End of first quarter: Titans 14, Browns 3
Browns end the quarter trying a first-and-goal while two yards away from the endzone, with Judkins in the Wildcat formation.
Why? Is it not predictable now?
Titans saw the set up and pushed Judkins back two yards.
They’ll approach a second-and-goal while four yards away from the endzone, to start the next quarter.
1Q, 3:45
Do we have a barnburner on our hands?
Sanders did a good job of getting rid of before Tennessee got to him, finding Quinshon Judkins on the quick screen pass, and he does the rest as he gains 58 yards and was stopped short on the two-yard line.
Browns sit two yards away.
1Q, 1:29 – Touchdown: Titans 14, Browns 3
First play. Tony Pollard. 65-yard rushing touchdown.
He made Cleveland’s defense look like the 11 Stooges with he weaved through and around them.
Again, the Titans are dead last in points per game (14.2), and tie for 25th in first quarter points (3.5). They’ve already met their average in the opening quarter.
1Q, 1:42 – Field Goal: Titans 7, Browns 3
Browns unable to make a touchdown happen, but Andre Szmyt’s 38-yarder puts them on the board.
1Q, 3:38
Empty backfield, Sanders’ first pass on the day is to a wide open Harold Fannin Jr., who gains 17 yards.
Browns sit 22 yards away from the endzone.
1Q, 3:45
On a third-and-9 while 24 yards away from the endzone, Ward’s pass was intended for Ayomanor, but read and intercepted by Devin Bush.
It was a dangerous throw with Bush right there, then Tyson Campbell and Ronnie Hickman Jr. in the backfield, but it looked like Ward expected Ayomanor to move a little more right end toward the middle.
Bush gained 44 yards after the pick, and places the Browns 39 yards away from the endzone.
1Q, 7:07
Oh man.
Shedeur Sanders felt the pressure from Tennessee, and instead of retreating, moved up and tried to scramble. But was still sacked by Jaylen Harrell.
One could argue a flag was missed, the way Jeffery Simmons came in and directly pushed Sanders’ helmet down in the midst of him being sacked.
Cleveland approached a fourth-and-14 and looked to punt. Then Mohamoud Diabate was flagged for a false start.
Corey Bojorquez punted finally on a fourth-and-18 in Cleveland’s own endzone, but it was an underwhelming kick. Didn’t even travel past the logo.
Not the best start.
Titans takeover 46 yards away from the endzone.
1Q, 9:52 – Touchdown: Titans 7, Browns 0
Well, Tennessee’s on the board first.
Cam Ward operated quickly in the play action and finds Elic Ayomanor on a corner route. Denzel Ward was caught off guard by Ayomanor’s brief stop in the middle, before moving onto the endzone.
Cam Ward completed all four pass attempts for 48 yards, including the score. And just as a bonus, they’ve already eclipsed half of their season point average (14.2), which is the worst in the NFL.
1Q, 13:20
Early on, we see the Titans want their passes released as quick as possible, to avoid adding on to Myles Garrett’s sack total. Ward finds Tyjae Spears on the short route, who took it downfield for 24 yards.
Titans sit 29 yards away from the endzone.
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