The Tennessee Titans fell to the Baltimore Ravens 24-18 in Week 4, and the final score makes the game look closer than it really was.

Tennessee is now 0-4. Yet this is the first winners and losers article of the season that splits evenly with six of each, which might seem strange for a team that hasn’t won a game.

But against the Ravens, the Titans improved several areas that fans have been asking them to fix, especially in the first half. They also regressed in other areas and repeated some of the same frustrating habits. So it ended up feeling like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, only to crash full speed into the iceberg anyway. Here are six winners and six losers from the Titans’ Week 4 loss:

Winner: The fast start

For the first time this season, the Titans played a first half like a team with some juice! They came out swinging instead of sleepwalking. Tennessee still fell into a hole before halftime, but that came from three turnovers (one interception, one fumble, and one turnover on downs), not the clunky execution that sank the first three games. The offense actually drove the ball well. It was a welcome change seeing them start with some fire.

Loser: Finishing strong

This was the worst second half of the year for Tennessee, and I’m including the Week 1 loss to the Jets. The Titans faced backup quarterback Tyler Huntley after Lamar Jackson went down at halftime, and the Ravens kept piling up penalties. It was a golden opportunity!

Instead, Tennessee settled for a field goal on its first drive and then went three-and-out on three straight possessions for a combined -1 yards. By the final drive, Baltimore was in full prevent defense and it was too little, too late.

Winner: Offensive adjustments

I liked the way Brian Daboll opened this game from a playcalling standpoint with up-tempo quick game, creative calls, and an established run game. On Thursday, I asked him whether getting to the quick game earlier was as simple a fix as it seemed, since it had worked well for the Titans once they finally got to it. His answer was pure coach-speak in that moment.. What he clearly meant to say in that moment was “yeah we’re gonna do that”, because that’s exactly what Tennessee did. With some nice success!

Loser: Trust in Cam Ward

Daboll will catch heat for the fourth-down call inside the 5-yard line, an overdesigned and overthought wildcat shotgun snap to Tony Pollard. That was Pollard’s fourth straight carry inside the 10 on that drive. To be fair, I understand some wariness after Week 3… but the issue went beyond one drive. Outside of the quick game, Ward got too few chances to do “real” QB things while the game was still in hand. The training wheels tell me a lot about what this staff thinks of him right now, and it’s fair to ask whether that limits him.

Winner: Robert Saleh’s game management

You may not care about this one in the grand scheme of this one loss, but you should if you think Saleh is the coach of the future in Tennessee. Last week I wrote that I couldn’t find the method to his madness through three games, and his decisions felt contradictory at times.

This week, he was sharp. He never hesitated to go for touchdowns on fourth down inside the 10-yard line early, and he correctly went for two when the Titans were down two touchdowns late. I understood his decision making in Week 4, and that’s a good sign if he’s the long-term guy.

Loser: The turnover battle

Three turnovers is three too many against a team like the Ravens.

Tate fumbled on a punch from behind after the best throw of Ward’s season, costing Tennessee at least a field goal before halftime, and Baltimore then drilled a 64-yard field goal of its own. That was a 6 point swing.

The failed wildcat play cost the Titans a chance to tie it 14-14, and Baltimore answered with a 95-yard touchdown drive to go up 21-7. That was a 14 point swing.

Meanwhile, the opening-drive interception goes on Ward’s stat sheet, but Pollard tossed the ball right to a defender after Ward’s flip. That one is on the running back.

All-told, it’s what cost them the game. They aren’t nearly good enough right now to overcome that level of mistake-making against a good football team.

Winner: Carnell Tate

This was his breakout game, without a shadow of a doubt. Tate was more productive than the other eight Titans players in the receiving game combined! He caught nine of his 12 targets for 145 yards, averaging 16.1 yards per reception with a long of 33. He also added 44 yards after the catch, which isn’t even supposed to be his strength! He looked every bit the part of a top-5 pick in this one.

Loser: Goal line execution

For two weeks in a row, the Titans have gotten inside the 5-yard line and come away empty handed. I like the aggression, and I don’t want them to start kicking field goals in those spots. But they keep losing on the handful of money plays that decide NFL games, and that will result in more losses until they bat a stronger average on those downs.

Winner: All-Pro returner Chimere Dike

Dike’s season started rough because of ball security issues, questionable decisions, and what looked like pressing. Against Baltimore, he looked much more like the weapon in the return game we saw last season. More of that version of Chim, please!

Loser: The secondary

Tennessee paid too much for its starting outside cornerbacks, invested in young players at safety and slot cornerback, and gave Amani Hooker a third contract for them to collectively play this gettable. Lamar Jackson was playing with his hair on fire in the first half, but this group simply has to be better as the season goes on.

Winner: The offensive line

The Titans started a third-string right guard and still dominated in the first half, especially on the ground. This group is playing better than the sum of its parts, and that’s a credit to offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, who whipped this unit into shape quickly. That said, it also means Cam Ward has to be better when he’s getting this kind of protection. But shout out the big hogs for playing this well early on.

Loser: Cam Ward’s ball placement

Ward wasn’t terrible, but ball placement is my biggest concern with him right now. His completion percentage has improved on paper, yet I think his placement has regressed from his rookie year. Part of it is pocket management and part of it is footwork, but it boils down to accuracy at every level of the field. Look for more on this from me this week, because it must improve if Ward is going to be the guy beyond this season.