It's a tale as old as time. An NFL team loses a close game; their fanbase blames it on a missed call by the referees. We've all heard a frustrated fan complain, "The refs lost the game for us."
Tennessee Titans fans have a real case, though. If not for a blatant missed false start call on Cleveland Browns right tackle Dawand Jones late in the fourth quarter, Robert Saleh's squad might have come away with its second victory of the season.
Instead, Tennessee took its sixth loss. Even in one of its more impressive games of the year, this team can't seem to catch a break.
Titans were a penalty call away from beating the Browns
You could see it in real time. With 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter of a tied game, the Browns had a first down on their own 45-yard line. Before the ball was snapped, Jones started his kick slide. It was so blatant that any fan watching from their couch would have seen it.
Apparently, the referees did not.
The play was allowed to continue, and Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson hit tight end Harold Fannin Jr. on a short in-breaker. Fannin Jr. took it deep into Titans territory, setting up a game-winning Andre Szmyt field goal as time expired.
To be clear, the referees aren't the only ones who deserve blame for this loss. As in any game, countless moments led to the loss. No result is the product of one play. Even on the play in question, Titans defenders allowed Fannin Jr. to get open and missed tackles after he caught the ball. But to miss that blatant a penalty on the most important drive of the game is inexcusable.
Leading up to Week 7, the Titans had actually been on the right side of penalty calls more often than not. They ranked second in the NFL in net penalty yards at 156. It's safe to say that this missed call more than makes up for the difference, though.
This game may not have mattered for the Titans' playoff chase. That ship sailed weeks ago. But every tick in the win column matters for this team. Even in his first year at the helm, Saleh's job may not be entirely safe. Cam Ward is under pressure as Tennessee projects to have an early pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. This loss stings, and the missed call only makes it worse.
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