Titans Mill: 2 Pressing Questions Raised by Tennessee's Defeat vs. Browns in Week 7

Two questions were raised by the Titans' loss to the Browns that Tennessee and Robert Saleh have to answer soon.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) is hit while passing on third down during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Yesterday's matchup with the Cleveland Browns was supposed to be the Tennessee Titans' chance to prove a lot of people wrong. It was supposed to be the Titans' chance to break what is nearly a four-year drought without two straight wins.

It was supposed to be a lot of good things for Tennessee, who lost 27-24. That's a bad thing.

Much can be taken from the team's sixth loss, but in today's Titans Mill, I want to focus on two questions that were raised as a result of the team's shortcomings in Week 7. Starting with Cam Ward should be no surprise to Titans fans.

How much longer can Cam Ward be left to struggle?

Just how long can Tennessee leave Ward out there to struggle? Robert Saleh has denied the possibility of benching Ward again and again - today, he even said that anyone blaming yesterday's defeat on Ward is "just trying to make ---- up."

The loss wasn't entirely Ward's fault by any stretch, but there's no other way to spin it: The QB has been subpar for weeks now.

Week 7 marked Ward's fifth straight game with an interception. It was the second of his last three games without a score, and the sixth of seven games this season in which Ward failed to break 185 yards passing. Those are not franchise numbers.

Ward is comfortably on pace to shatter the record for most losses for a QB in their first two seasons in the NFL, per PFF. Ward has 20 losses (and four wins). The record is 22. Ward has 10 more games left.

Waiting on development is one thing, but ignoring regression is another. Ward is regressing, and it's worth asking now more than ever what Tennessee plans to do if he continues to come up short.

Was d-line's breakout in Week 6 a fluke?

On defense is where the other worry becomes apparent. In the Titans' Week 6 victory, Saleh's defensive line leveled six sacks against the Indianapolis Colts, with DT Jeffery Simmons forcing a critical fumble in the process.

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) celebrates a missed field goal by the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Yesterday against Cleveland, that same unit managed just one sack. The Browns went on to stack up 491 total yards in a performance that was the night to last week's day for Tennessee's defense. CB Cor'Dale Flott managed to come down with a pick, and LB Anthony Hill Jr. caused a fumble.

But the d-line struggled to generate any pressure as the game went on, and QB Deshaun Watson had his way on the day as a result. Saleh said the Titans' tackling "sucked" vs. Cleveland, so at least he's aware of the problem here.

It was still a massive step back for a unit that looked like they'd broken the barrier, nonetheless. It's not a complete defensive picture by any means, but where other units seem to be improving (or at least finding stability), the d-line is falling behind.