NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ The Browns are experiencing an unwelcome blast from the past.
After falling 28-26 to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Nissan Stadium, the Browns are 0-6 for the first time since the expansion season of 1999, when they started 0-7 en route to a record of 2-14.
The Browns have lost their past nine games and 16 of their last 17 dating back to the 2015 season. They haven't won since Dec. 13.
The team's youth and injuries have combined to put it in this predicament.
The Browns are the first NFL team to have 18 rookies on their 53-man roster since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17 of the 2010 season.
And they had eight injured starters who didn't face the Titans, including cornerback Joe Haden, who sat out with a groin injury after being listed as questionable entering the weekend. Fifteen key contributors have missed or will miss multiple games this season.
The Titans (3-3) are far from a powerhouse, though, and they let the Browns hang around for most of the game. In the end, the Titans prevailed for just the third time in their past 19 home games.
The Titans extended their lead to 21-13 when running back DeMarco Murray finished a seven-play, 70-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 9:33 left in the third quarter. A few plays earlier, Browns rookie safety Derrick Kindred surrendered a 43-yard pass from quarterback Marcus Mariota to wide receiver Rishard Matthews.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Browns cornerback Tramon Williams intercepted a pass from Mariota with 14:45 left as outside linebacker Corey Lemonier applied pressure.
The Browns took possession at their 40 but wasted the takeaway. On third-and-15 from Cleveland's 35, rookie quarterback Cody Kessler threw a pass over the middle for a would-be first down, but rookie wide receiver Ricardo Louis dropped it.
The Titans capitalized with a 12-play, 80-yard march to virtually seal the outcome. Tight end Anthony Fasano beat inside linebacker Chris Kirksey and caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Mariota, putting the Browns in a 28-13 hole with 6:43 remaining.
The Browns fired back with a 13-play, 75-yard drive capped by Kessler's 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrelle Pryor with 2:07 left.
Trailing 28-19, coach Hue Jackson elected to go for two points when an extra-point kick would have made it a one-possession game. The two-point conversion failed when Kessler scrambled and threw an incomplete pass intended for Louis.
The Browns recovered the ensuing onside kick at their 38 with 2:05 remaining and they produced a nine-play, 62-yard scoring drive. Running back Duke Johnson finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run. The extra-point kick trimmed the Browns' deficit to 28-26 with 27 seconds remaining, and Jackson was haunted by his decision to go for two points after the previous touchdown.
The Titans recovered the ensuing onside kick with 25 seconds left to secure the win.
Despite the loss, Kessler was impressive in his fourth consecutive start. He completed 26-of-41 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His passer rating was 105.3.
The Browns trailed 14-13 at halftime after Kessler and Pryor connected for a 7-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left in the second quarter. Titans kicker Ryan Succop missed a 58-yard field goal wide right with no time left in first half.
There was frightening news for the Browns in the first half, though.
Starting safety Jordan Poyer was taken to a local hospital to be further evaluated for a concussion and to have an injury to his abdomen examined as well. He had been evaluated for a concussion at the stadium.
Poyer absorbed a devastating hit to his chest and face mask from Titans running back Antonio Andrews while running down the field on punt coverage with 6:33 left in the second quarter. The blindside block drew a personal foul. Poyer was down on the field for several minutes before he walked to the sideline with medical personnel. Then he was carted off from the sideline.
After the hit occurred, the Titans went three-and-out.
The Browns took control at their 6-yard line, and Kessler orchestrated a nine-play, 94-yard scoring drive. The big spark came when he scrambled on second-and-5 from the Browns' 22-yard line and lofted a pass to Louis for a 42-yard gain on a catch-and-run.
On second-and-6 at the Titans' 7, Kessler threw the 7-yard touchdown pass into double coverage and to Pryor in the back of the end zone. Pryor gained position against cornerback Brice McCain just before the ball arrived, and safety Rashad Johnson nearly tipped the pass as he cut in front of Pryor.
The Titans struck right away with a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive during their first possession. On third-and-goal, Matthews beat cornerback Jamar Taylor and caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mariota to give the Titans a 7-0 lead with 10:37 left in the first quarter.
The Browns countered by trimming their deficit to 7-3 on Parkey's successful 45-yard field goal with 8:47 left in the first quarter. Kessler and tight end Gary Barnidge connected for a 43-yard gain on the offense's first play, but the drive stalled a few plays later when Kessler's pass to Pryor on third-and-5 from the Titans' 27 was off target.
After the Titans went three-and-out, the Browns marched to the Titans' 22 with the help of a 39-yard pass interference penalty cornerback Jason McCourty drew as he guarded Duke Johnson on a go route. But on third-and-1 from the 22, defensive lineman Karl Klug blew through the Browns offensive line and tackled running back Isaiah Crowell for a 5-yard loss. The Browns then settled for Parkey's 37-yard field goal and a 7-6 deficit with 2:08 left in the opening quarter.
The Titans offense awakened again early in the second quarter. Kindred let wide receiver Kendall Wright run by him on a deep post route, then Wright made a diving catch and slid to the 1. A split-second later, Kindred hit Wright and knocked him into the end zone to complete the 48-yard touchdown, and the Titans seized a 14-6 lead with 11:51 left in the second quarter.
