Browns safety Poyer still in hospital with lacerated kidney

They haven’t won since December 13. It will be followed by a quick turnaround Thursday night game against Jacksonville, a team trying to escape the AFC South basement. He spent the first six weeks of the 2016 season on the Browns’ practice squad.

Despite that, the Cleveland Browns were able to respond. The Titans have had six sacks in each of their past two games and now have 18 tied with Arizona for fourth in the National Football League behind Denver (21), Buffalo (20) and Minnesota (19). In the end, the Titans prevailed for just the third time in their past 19 home games. Mariota topped that with a 48-yard pass to Kendall Wright in the second quarter. The baby Browns are taking baby steps.

If Kaepernick is hurt to the point where he can’t play next season, he would collect $7.5 million tax-free – a similar total to what he would have received under his previous contract with the injury clause.

Tennessee Titans tight end Anthony Fasano (80) scores a touchdown on a 15-yard pass reception ahead …

Let’s all agree not to trust Hue Jackson when it comes time to decide whether to go for two points late in a game. Special teams was once again in the spotlight after allowing the Browns to recover an onside kick and they defense was fooled on the ensuing drive by a screen play. Mariota passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Browns coach defended his decision to go for 2 so early.

Parker’s second onside attempt was recovered by Andre Johnson and the game was over.

Cody Kessler put together a gritty and impressive performance in the loss. Beckham racked up 222 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore.

There was frightening news for the Browns in the first half, though. McCown practiced last week but did not play, and Jackson doesn’t know if he’ll be ready this week for the Bengals. He had been evaluated for a concussion at the stadium.

He was injured on a vicious blindside hit by Titans running back Antonio Andrews while covering a punt in the second quarter.

Andrews received a personal foul and will be fined by the NFL.

The hit left Poyer bent over on the grass for a few minutes before he walked to the sideline. It’s necessarily coincidence that Mariota has also thrown for three scores in both games as well, finishing with his two highest passer ratings of the season.

But Titans second year quarterback Marcus Mariota countered with arguably his best game of the young season.

Mariota started the game with a 41-yard run on the Titans first play on offense. A two-point conversion failed, making it a three-possession game for the Browns.

MURRAY ON THE RUN: Tennessee’s DeMarco Murray looks like the running back who won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2014.

The Titans defense did everything they needed to in order to keep the Browns’ rookie quarterback Kessler rattled all day as the youngster found himself on the ground more plays than not as the Titans front seven relentlessly pressured him.