Titans HC Offers Blunt Response to Goal-Line Play Calling in Week 7

It was another game for the Tennessee Titans with confusing goal-line play calls on Sunday. 

The Titans quickly took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, thanks to two rushing touchdowns by Tony Pollard. 

The offense then slowed, and the Cleveland Browns got back into the game with a rushing touchdown by Quinshon Judkins to make it 14-7, but the Titans still led. 

Both teams had a three-and-out on their following possessions. The Titans then got the ball in the final minutes of the first quarter. 

The offense had great field position after the Titans were able to force a stop with the Browns inside their own 20-yard line. Tennessee started the final drive of the first quarter at their own 44-yard line. 

The Titans eventually found themselves on the goal line after converting a couple of first downs. It looked like Pollard had scored on 1st-and-Goal, but the call was overturned after officials ruled him down. 

The Titans still had three more attempts to score if they went for it on fourth down. Tennessee had three plays, all on the Cleveland one-yard line. 

On 2nd-and-Goal, the Titans tried a quarterback sneak with Cam Ward. Ward was stopped, and then they attempted a pass play in which the quarterback was sacked for no gain. 

The Titans then tried to run it in with Pollard. The Browns got a goal-line stand and the ball after stuffing Pollard. 

After the game, head coach Robert Saleh was asked for his thoughts on the play calling in that situation. He didn't care what the play call was. He wants his team to score when they are on the one-yard line. 

"We got to be able to push it in from an inch yard line," Saleh said. "I don't give a **** what the call is." 

This isn't the first time that something like this has come up this season. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll made another questionable play call against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. 

The Titans were in a similar situation. 

They were on the goal line with four plays to score, but this time they trailed 14-7. The Titans were getting a strong push up front from the offensive line. Daboll called four straight running plays, which raised eyebrows. 

That wasn't the main problem. The issue was that on 4th-and-Goal, Daboll called a Wildcat play to Pollard, but the defense stopped it at the line of scrimmage. The easy play call seemed to be just giving the ball to Pollard, instead of trying a gimmicky Wildcat play. 

The Ravens used the momentum from the goal-line stand to score on the next drive and put the game away. 

The Browns didn't capitalize right away after stopping the Titans on the goal line, luckily. Cleveland actually turned the ball over thanks to a forced fumble from Anthony Hill Jr. which was recovered by Tony Adams. 

The Titans then gave it right back after Ward threw an interception on the next play. The goal-line stand didn't necessarily put the game out of reach for the Titans as it did in Week 4, but the team has got to make sure to capitalize in these situations. 

The Titans would have taken a 21-7 lead if they had scored. Given how the game went, the Titans could've had a 21-17 lead going into halftime, which could've changed the second-half outlook. 

Tennessee can't seem to figure out goal-line play-calling, and it's cost them twice this season.