Since becoming the Tennessee Titans coach, Robert Saleh’s answers had never been so short, his scowl never so twisted until the conclusion of his seventh regular-season game.
Tennessee’s 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns at Nissan Stadium on Oct. 25 gave reason to be upset, and he put the loss on himself.
“Didn't do a good enough job in the run game,” Saleh said, “didn't do a good enough job tackling, didn't do good enough covering, didn't do a good enough job coaching. Just not a good enough day on defense.”
Saleh installed the defense the Titans are running in his first season and said he’d call plays this time too, unlike his tenure with the New York Jets.
So don't blame quarterback Cam Ward and Tennessee's scoring woes for this one, as easy
has that has become.
Saleh's defense kept the Titans (1-6) from winning consecutive games for the first time since 2022 after surrendering 491 yards of offense, their most allowed since 2022, and the Browns casually scored on two fourth-quarter drives to win.
Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson averaged 8.6 yards per pass and his ball carriers averaged 6.3 yards per touch.
Ward and his offensive counterparts have been easy targets for not producing this season, and they deserve their share of blame. They missed too many chances to score off short fields against the Browns, including three tries from the Cleveland 1-yard line late in the second quarter.
Right tackle JC Latham said there was no blocking breakdown at the goal line. The Titans just lost up front.
“We've got to be able to push it in from the inch yard line,” Saleh said. “I don't give a (expletive) what the call is.”
Credit Ward also for his clutch third-and-12 completion to Carnell Tate on the Titans' touchdown drive that tied the score at 24-24 late in the fourth quarter.
But Cleveland's winning drive was too easy.
Browns receiver Harold Fannin Jr. flicked away defensive backs Marcus Harris and Kevin Winston Jr. while rumbling for yards after a catch that ultimately set up Cleveland’s winning field goal.
It encapsulated the day.
“We talk about it all the time, when it’s in our hands to shut the game out, end the game on our terms,” said Winston, who returned after missing two games with a quad injury. “We didn’t do it again today. We’ve really got to figure out what we have to do and make sure it’s simple. Do our jobs, get the ball down.”
Said Harris: “They had a good scheme, but we were in position to make plays. You gotta execute when the time comes and make the plays that come to us.”
Nothing about the effort met Saleh’s “fast and violent” mantra. It probably wouldn’t have taken a perfect defensive performance, either. Tennessee led 14-0 in the first quarter, and Saleh was eager to see his defense play with a big lead for a change.
“I feel like we should have probably boat-raced them in the first half,” Saleh said.
The Browns produced seven plays of more than 20 yards and three over 30.
Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said Watson got the ball out too quickly to pressure him. That must’ve been the case, because Watson threw for 308 yards, his first 300-yard passing game since he lit the Titans up for 365 in 2020.
Despite the blemishes, one more defensive stand and the Titans could have at least tried their chances in overtime.
They didn’t have a stand to spare.
“Pass rush wasn't good enough. Pressure designs weren't good enough. Coverage wasn't good enough,” Saleh said. “It just wasn't good enough today.”
Tyler Palmateer covers the Tennessee Titans for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Don't blame Cam Ward, Titans offense for blown chances against Cleveland Browns
