Tagovailoa throws 3 TDs as Browns rout Tennessee Titans 31-2

Nashville, TN - Tua Tagovailoa and KC Concepcion Jr supplied the explosive production, while Cleveland's defense made sure Tennessee never found the end zone.

Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes, Concepcion finished with 196 receiving yards and two scores, and the Cleveland Browns overwhelmed the Tennessee Titans 31-2 in Week 7. Cleveland built an advantage and continued creating separation in a matchup between teams that both entered at 3-3.

The final margin was emphatic even though the overall yardage totals were not separated by nearly as much. Cleveland finished with 380 offensive yards, including 261 through the air and 119 on the ground. Tennessee produced 319 offensive yards and recorded 20 first downs to Cleveland's 10, but the Titans finished with only two points.

Tagovailoa completed 12 of 28 passes for 261 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, posting a 112.3 passer rating. Tennessee recorded four sacks, but Cleveland's passing game still generated the afternoon's most productive individual performance through Concepcion.

Concepcion caught six passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, with an 82-yard reception standing as his longest of the game. His output accounted for most of Cleveland's passing yardage and gave the Browns a consistent source of downfield production as the margin widened.

"When you get opportunities to make something happen, you want to finish them," Concepcion said. "We were able to create some space on the scoreboard, and I wanted to keep putting pressure on them every time the ball came my way."

Tagovailoa acknowledged that the passing performance was not built on a high completion percentage, but the Browns quarterback was pleased with the end result.

"It wasn't perfect, and there are throws I'd like back," Tagovailoa said. "But we protected the football, we got the ball into the end zone and we hit enough downfield to make a difference. KC gave us a huge day."

Cleveland was also efficient when it reached scoring territory. The Browns made two trips to the red zone and scored touchdowns on both. Quinshon Judkins complemented the passing production with 97 yards and a touchdown on only 10 carries, including a 29-yard run. His performance represented most of a Cleveland rushing total that reached 119 yards.

The Titans had more first downs and ran their third-down total to 7-for-17, compared with Cleveland's 4-for-10 mark, but they did not translate that activity into touchdowns. Tennessee went scoreless on its lone red-zone appearance and failed on its only fourth-down attempt.

Cam Ward completed 20 of 36 passes for 190 yards with two interceptions and a 47.2 passer rating. His longest completion went for 20 yards, leaving Tennessee without the same kind of downfield output Cleveland received from Tagovailoa and Concepcion. Tony Pollard led the Titans' ground game with 66 yards on 17 carries as Tennessee finished with 129 rushing yards.

"The first downs are there, some of the yardage is there, but two points is two points," Ward said. "I turned the ball over twice, and that's something I have to own. We didn't finish what we started, and the score tells you how far away we were today."

Cleveland's defensive front repeatedly reached Ward, finishing with six sacks. Calais Campbell recorded 2.5 of them, while Jared Verse added 1.5. Kenny Moore II contributed an interception, an 18-yard interception return, a forced fumble and a pass deflection. The Browns finished with two interceptions as a team.

"Six sacks and two interceptions - that's production across the whole defense," Campbell said. "What stands out even more is not giving up a touchdown. They moved the chains at times, but we kept the scoreboard where we wanted it."

The contrast between the teams was especially sharp at quarterback. Tagovailoa threw three touchdowns without an interception, while Ward finished without a touchdown pass and was intercepted twice. Cleveland did not need a large number of first downs to reach 31 points, and its two red-zone possessions both ended in touchdowns.

For the Browns, the result ended a one-game losing streak with their most lopsided outcome of the first seven weeks. Tennessee, which entered after consecutive losses, left Nashville with a third straight defeat and an offense still searching for answers after being held out of the end zone.

Up Next

Cleveland will stay on the road in Week 8 to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, looking to follow up its 29-point win. Tennessee will also travel, turning its attention to a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals as it tries to rebound from the loss.