Underrated detail behind Tony Pollard’s game-breaking touchdown run makes it even sweeter than it already is

The Titans have had few bright spots in 2025, but there’s a lot to like when looking at Pollard’s 32-yard touchdown run from an up-close angle.

Easton Freeze, Kyle Crabbs
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Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) runs for a thirty-two yard touchdown against Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit (9) during the third quarter at Huntington Bank Field.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Nobody expected the Week 14 face off between the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns to be… well, watchable. Expectations were at an all-time low for the game with the lowest total point spread of the week, in snowy Cleveland, featuring a pair of rookie QBs and two dreadful teams. This was the clear “corner TV” game of the week in every sports bar in America.

So, naturally, it was a bit of a fireworks show. Don’t you just love the NFL? Both offenses came out swinging, and the game went back and forth for the majority of the afternoon. It wasn’t until late in the third quarter that the Titans made a pair of big plays that turned the tide in their favor for good.

One of said plays was Tony Pollard’s 32-yard touchdown run that put the Titans up by four points. Tennessee never relinquished the lead after that play, so I brought in A to Z NFL’s Kyle Crabbs to break down what is arguably the biggest play of the game.

Peter Skoronski leads the charge during Pollard’s touchdown run

Kyle: Peter Skoronski, take a bow, sir! The Titans logged a win in Week 14 against the Browns thanks in large part to a big day at the office from RB Tony Pollard — but the critical score in this game came with a major assist from one of the few bright spots this season for Tennessee.

The Titans aligned in the shotgun with just a five man blocking surface on Pollard’s second touchdown run of the game, aligning at first in 2×2 before motioning TE Chig Okonkwo across the formation to snap the ball in 1×3. The Browns bumped rookie LB Carson Schwesinger overtop of the Titans’ trips bunch, leaving just a five man box to defend the run with Pollard aligned to QB Cam Ward’s right.

At the snap of the ball, Skoronski secured tight hands on DT Shelby Harris and, after a quick shove from C Corey Levin, quickly turned Harris out of the gap and pressed him towards the sideline. That, along with the backside defensive tackle aggressively spiking up the field and not playing the run, created a massive void between the tackles for Pollard to crease.

Once out onto the second level, Pollard got two more additional assists, one from each team. Rookie WR Elic Ayomanor charged Browns CB Tyson Campbell before creating displacement with a block that forced Campbell into a backpedal, cutting away his pursuit angle. And Browns safety Grant Delpit, playing high on the roof as the post safety, took a horrible angle to run himself out of any chance he may have had to wrangle down Pollard in the open field.

Pollard gets the 32 yards and the touchdown in the stat sheet, but Skoronski, Levin, and Ayomanor get their flowers here for bringing this explosive run to life for Tennessee.

Titans beat the Browns in a span of three plays

Easton: The context of this sequence is key to understanding the weight of what happened here. The Browns had the ball up 17-14 near midfield. On the play before, rookie QB Shedeur Sanders danced around in the pocket for what seemed like ages before uncorking a deep ball across the middle of the field intended for Gage Larvadain, but it was a dreadful decision. Titans S Xavier Woods picked it off with ease, and ran the ball back 35 yards to Cleveland’s 38 yard line.

Just like that, Cam Ward and company were set up with perfect field position to at least tie the game, if not take the lead. And in very non-2025 Titans fashion, they chose to take the lead and did it swiftly. This was a two-play drive that belonged to Tony Pollard, who got them to 2nd and 4 on a 6 yard scamper, first. Then, he broke his second home run play of the game.

Coming into Sunday, many in Titans spheres were wondering aloud if Pollard had lost a step (or three) this season. His season-long run was 21 yards, and his game didn’t have any explosiveness to it. Then in Week 14, he ran for 21+ twice, with both carries reaching the end zone. And this second one, which went for 32 yards, completely swung the game. Three plays earlier, before the interception, the Titans had a 29% win probability. After this touchdown run, their odds increased to 65% and never looked back.

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