Browns 27, Titans 24: A Fast Start Slips Away as Szmyt Beats Tennessee at the Gun

FINAL: Cleveland Browns 27, Tennessee Titans 24 at Nissan Stadium. Andre Szmyt hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired, 58 seconds after Tony Pollard's 1-yard touchdown had tied it. Tennessee is still looking for its second win. Cleveland is now three games over .500.

How it happened: The Titans came out swinging. Pollard scored from 36 yards on the opening drive, Tennessee's first opening-drive touchdown of the season, then added a 10-yard score after a Deshaun Watson interception for a two-touchdown lead. Then it stalled. A goal-line stand at the 1 kept Pollard from a third first-half score, Quinshon Judkins answered with two short touchdown runs, and Szmyt's 28-yarder as the half ended put Cleveland ahead for the first time. Joey Slye tied it at 17 with a 29-yard field goal midway through the fourth. Watson ran in from 9 yards with 4:34 left, Pollard answered from the 1 with 58 seconds left, and Cleveland had enough time to drive for the winning kick.

By the numbers: Pollard ran 25 times for 129 yards and 3 TDs. Cam Ward went 20 of 31 for 181 yards with an interception. Carnell Tate caught 5 passes for 69 yards. Kevin Winston Jr. had 13 tackles. Cleveland outgained Tennessee 491 to 322. Watson threw for 308 yards, and rookie KC Concepcion caught 8 passes for 129 yards, all in the first half.

Our Take: This one hurts because the formula worked for a quarter. Pollard ran like it was last December, and the defense took the ball away early. But the offense left points at the 1, the passing game never stretched the field, and the defense gave up 491 yards. You can't give a veteran quarterback 58 seconds and a timeout's worth of hope and expect to win. With one win in seven games, the rest of this season is about Ward's growth. Today he protected the ball better, but 181 yards isn't enough.

INJURIES: Punter Tommy Townsend went down late in the second quarter with a leg injury (ESPN lists knee, questionable). He walked off and was back holding for Slye's fourth-quarter field goal. WR Calvin Ridley (hip) and RB Tyjae Spears (knee) were inactive. Watch the Monday injury report for Townsend.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Titans visit the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday, Nov. 1, at noon CT.

Sources: ESPN game page · FoxSports.com box score · ProFootballTalk