One Tennessee Titans player was fined twice, and another was also disciplined for actions during the team’s Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns.
The NFL announced Saturday that linebacker Cedric Gray was fined $6,492 on two separate occasions for facemask penalties, both occurring in the fourth quarter — one with 5:01 remaining and the other with 1:21 left. Gray’s fines total $12,984.
Linebacker Jihad Ward was also fined $7,806 for a hit on the quarterback involving a blow to the head or neck with 2:43 remaining in the fourth quarter. Ward had previously been fined following the Titans’ Week 12 game against the Seattle Seahawks for unnecessary roughness related to an illegal striking action.
The Titans (2-11) defeated the Browns (3-10) by a score of 31-29.
Cedric Gray Emerging as Leader of Titans Defense
Gray has emerged as a steady presence amid the defense’s overall inconsistency. The second-year linebacker leads the team with 128 tackles — nearly 60 more than any other Titan — as he and the rest of the locker room remained focused on securing the team’s second win of the season.
Powered by a strong rushing attack and timely contributions from the defense and special teams, Tennessee snapped a seven-game losing streak by holding off the Browns.
“We hadn’t won since Week 5, so it feels amazing,” said Gray, who had a team-high 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. “I’m not worried about the No. 1 overall pick. We’re ballplayers. We got heart every time we step on the field.”
Gray Had Big Fumble Recovery and Ran Out of Gas
In the fourth quarter, Gray recovered a Dillon Sampson fumble and returned it 19 yards to the Cleveland 8-yard line, setting up Cam Ward’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Chimere Dike that pushed the Titans’ lead to 28-17. Tennessee never relinquished the advantage, holding off a late, valiant push by the Browns and Shedeur Sanders. Gray was visibly exhausted attempting to run the ball back.
“(Sampson) fumbled the ball, I picked it up,” Gray said postgame. “I was stumbling at first but once I got down the sideline, I was tired, ran out of gas, legs kinda got heavy. So I tried to juke the defender out and ultimately got hawked. I promise I did not try to throw the game. I want to win just as bad as anybody else on this team.”
Gray’s teammates didn’t let him off easy for running out of gas.
“I’ve been getting crap all week,” Gray said earlier this week. “It’s all good, it is what it is. Next time I’ll have a better result.”
Offense Was Much Improved
Tony Pollard powered the Titans with a career-best 161 rushing yards and two touchdowns, as Tennessee averaged 5.3 yards per carry. The defense generated two second-half takeaways and special teams blocked a punt, with those key plays accounting for 17 points.
Ward, the top overall pick in April’s NFL draft, went 14 of 28 for 117 yards and two touchdowns — his first game with multiple scoring passes. He did throw an interception, but was sacked just once, marking the first time this season he wasn’t taken down at least twice.
“This is complementary football. Big plays in all three phases,” said interim coach Mike McCoy, who picked up his first win in seven games since he replaced the fired Brian Callahan.
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