NASHVILLE – The Titans ended the 2025 calendar year on a sour note.
The chance to win back-to-back games for the first time since the 2022 season went up in smoke in the second half here on Sunday as the Saints rallied for a 34-26 win.
The home finale provided plenty of fireworks, but it ended in disappointment.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward completed 21-of-40 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns in the contest.
Running back Tony Pollard ran for 85 yards on 18 carries.
But the Titans surrendered 423 yards on defense, when the Saints surged ahead and the held on.
With the loss, the Titans dropped to 3-13.
The Titans led for most of the contest, but let the lead slip away in the fourth quarter.
The Titans took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on back-to-back field goals by kicker Joey Slye, from 50 and 38 yards.
Then came a big play by the Titans, courtesy of Ward and tight end Chig Okonkwo.
On a fourth-and-two from the New Orleans 43, Ward found a wide open Okonkwo, and the tight end did the rest. After catching the ball, Okonkwo raced downfield, and after shoving off would-be tackler Kool-Aid McKinstry at the 12-yard line, he raced into the end zone for a touchdown.
Okonkwo danced, and the Titans had a 13-0 lead at the 12:57 mark of the second quarter.
The Saints made it 13-3 on a 56-yard field goal by kicker Charlie Smyth with 5:53 left in the first half.
Then came a big play from the Saints, courtesy of defensive end Chase Young. With Ward already under pressure in the pocket, Young came up from behind and took the ball away from Ward and raced 33 yards for a touchdown to make it 13-10 at the 3:51 mark of the second quarter.
But Ward and the Titans got off the mat, as Ward connected with Elic Ayomanor for a seven-yard touchdown with 13 seconds left before halftime to make to 20-10 Titans at the break.
The Saints came out firing to start the second half, however, and quarterback Tyler Shough cut the lead to 20-17 on a 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Chris Olave.
Another Slye field goal, this one from 28 yards, made it 23-17 Titans with 7:20 left in the third quarter.
After Smyth and the Saints answered back with a 57-yard field goal to make it 23-20 late in the third, Slye responded with a 58-yard field goal of his own to make it 26-20 with 12:50 left.
After trailing all game, the Saints took their first lead of the game on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Shough to Kevin Austin Jr. to make it 27-26 with 6:22 left.
The Saints extended the lead to 34-26 with 3:44 left on a 31-yard touchdown run by Audric Estime.
The Titans had two opportunities with the football in the closing minutes, but couldn’t find any late-game magic.
The Titans will wrap up the 2025 season next weekend at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
