Robert Saleh Figures Out the Real Problem With Titans in 2026

Compared to last year, there's been one big difference for the Tennessee Titans. 

The record is the exact same as it was heading into Week 8 last year. The Titans were 1-6 at this point last year as well. 

One noticeable difference is that the Titans have been in closer games.

The Titans had eight one-score games last season. They were only able to win two of them. The Titans beat the Arizona Cardinals on a game-winning field goal, then won a close game against the Cleveland Browns, 31-29, after a failed two-point conversion. 

Tennessee was involved in a one-score game on Sunday. The Titans had a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, then the Browns came back and tied the game in the second quarter. Cleveland added a field goal to go up 17-14 at halftime. 

The Browns' offense was held scoreless in the third quarter before the Titans allowed a touchdown and a game-winning field goal in the final 15 minutes. Tennessee tied the game at 24, but gave the Browns too much time on the clock. 

It took them four plays to get into field goal range for kicker Andre Szmyt. 

The Titans are 1-6 but realistically could be 4-3 if a couple more plays had gone their way. 

They lost 23-10 to the New York Jets in the season opener, then rebounded with a close 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Week 3 went down to the wire, as the Titans lost 12-7 to the New York Giants. 

The Titans stayed on the road in Week 4, losing to the Baltimore Ravens 24-18. Tennessee returned home in Week 5 to lose a blowout to the Houston Texans, 26-3. The Titans picked up their first win of the year against the Indianapolis Colts, 26-20. 

Sunday was another close loss. 

Out of the seven games the Titans have played, five have been decided by one score. The team is only 1-4 in those instances this season. 

Head coach Robert Saleh was asked how the team could string together consecutive wins. In reality, he thought the team had a different problem. Saleh believed the real issue was finishing in close games. 

"No, you know, the challenge really is finishing," Saleh said. "We're one and four in one-score games inside 5 minutes ago. You know, we're putting ourselves in a position to find ways to win football games. We did it last week versus Indianapolis. We found a way to put ourselves in a position where, in the last five minutes of the game, we're in a one-score game, and we made the plays to win. Um, Philadelphia, we're inside five minutes. We take the lead. We don't hold up on defense. New York, we're inside five minutes. It's a one-score game. We're inside the goal line. We're in a goal-to-go situation. We don't finish. Baltimore, one-score game, we don't finish. And then yesterday, multiple times, multiple chances to put ourselves in a position to finish. We did not finish." 

This is the reality of playing in the NFL. You're going to be in close games. 

The hard part is finding a way to come out on top in those games. The Titans have been good enough to beat nearly half of the teams on the schedule so far. 

Whether it's the defense falling apart in Week 2 or Cam Ward throwing the interception at the goal line in Week 3, the Titans haven't made enough plays to put games away when it matters most. 

It's been very frustrating for this team that they have come so close, yet that can't seem to find a way to finish in close games. If the Titans were getting blown out every time, the losses would still hurt, but it would be a little more expected. 

The Titans have been right there in multiple games. That's the difference between being 1-6 and 4-3 with a completely different outlook. 

Saleh hit the nail right on the head. The problem isn't stringing together wins, it's finishing.