The Titans get much-needed boost in an ugly season ending their 7-game skid

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans came to work Monday with a different feel.

“The vibes are good all around in the building and in the locker room for sure,” rookie cornerback Marcus Harris said.

Ending a seven-game skid will do that.

The Titans improved to 2-11 with a 31-29 win at Cleveland on Sunday, which hurt their prospects of picking No. 1 overall again in April but was good for the spirits of coaches and players in a season marked by defeats and the firing of a head coach. Cornerback Xavier Woods, who got his second interception of the season in Cleveland, said these Titans have been through a lot.

“So just getting a win, build some more confidence, and hopefully it will roll over as we get another win, it rolls over into the new year and into the next season,” Woods said. "But this year we just want to get a win.”

Tennessee has five rookie starters and 11 playing in all. Three other starters are in their second NFL seasons, and three third-year Titans are playing key roles as well.

It hasn't been easy with 10 opponents so far this season currently in playoff contention. The Titans are 1-2 against teams with losing records like themselves.

Learning how to win matters.

“It’s just big for everybody, big for the young players for them to really understand it doesn’t matter how you win, you just got to find a way to win and the game’s never over, so you just got to keep playing,” interim coach Mike McCoy said. “It’s a great example. Just keep fighting, keep fighting and win the game.”

For the first time this season, everything mostly worked. The defense forced two turnovers and two sacks and had a season-high 13 quarterback pressures. Special teams blocked a punt for the first time since Tim Shaw against Pittsburgh on Oct. 11, 2012 and also recovered a fumble on a 2-point conversion attempt. The offense turned those takeaways into 17 points.

The offense had a season-high 184 yards rushing for its best total in nearly a year and gave up only one sack. That's the best protection rookie Cam Ward has had all season, and he helped himself shaking off a would-be sack by Grant Delpit to throw away the ball.

Protecting a lead. The Titans, who don't have much experience in that this season, led 31-17 in the fourth quarter.

Then the defense gave up consecutive TD drives. The offense settled for a field goal after the blocked punt, then went three-and-out with a chance to run out the clock with the Browns trailing 31-23. That gave the ball back to Cleveland with 2:43 left to set up a finish that shouldn't have been that close.

Tony Pollard not only ran for a career-high 161 yards, he also had two touchdowns. The veteran also averaged 6.4 yards per carry for his best game this season.

Joey Slye. New NFL rules made kickoffs more tricky this season. Timing matters. Right after the Titans opened up a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter, Slye put the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. With the extra yardage, the Browns scored a touchdown four plays later.

LT Dan Moore Jr. returned after missing 10 snaps with a neck injury. Both center Lloyd Cushenberry (foot) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (Achilles tendon) have missed two straight games.

54 — Consecutive games since the Titans strung together back-to-back wins. Tennessee beat Denver on Nov. 23, 2022, then won at Green Bay on Nov. 17. Since then, the Titans are 11-42 overall.

The schedule doesn't help the Titans' bid to stack wins. They visit San Francisco (9-4) with the 49ers trying to improve their wild-card spot in the NFC.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) fights off a tackle attempt by Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit (9) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike (17) celebrates with teammates after catching a touchdown pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Tennessee Titans linebacker James Williams Sr. (52) blocks a punt attempt by Cleveland Browns' Corey Bojorquez (13) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)

PRAGUE (AP) — Populist billionaire Andrej Babiš was sworn in Tuesday as the Czech Republic's new prime minister, following October’s parliamentary election, as the next government is expected to steer the country away from supporting Ukraine and reject European Union policies on issues like the environment.

Babiš, previously prime minister from 2017-2021, promised Czechs that he will fight for their interests "at home and anywhere in the world” and will do his utmost for the Czech Republic to become “the best place for life on earth.”

President Petr Pavel had asked him to form a government after his ANO, or YES, movement won big in the October ballot and agreed to form a majority coalition government with two small political groups, the Freedom and Direct Democracy anti-migrant party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves.

The parties have agreed to create a 16-member Cabinet, with ANO holding eight posts and the prime minister's office. The Motorists would have four and the Freedom party three. Pavel will appoint the entire Cabinet on Monday, his office said.

The new partnership makes up 108 seats in the 200-seat lower house of parliament, relegating the four center-right parties of the pro-Western government led by previous Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the opposition.

The new coalition is set to follow Hungary and Slovakia and shift the Czech Republic away from supporting Ukraine in Russia's nearly four-year war. Coalition members are also critical of the EU, rejecting policies particularly on environment and migration.

“An old ally has returned,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said of Babiš. Orbán is widely considered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest partner among EU leaders. “Welcome back on board Andrej!”

Babiš, 71, still faces fraud charges in a case involving EU subsidies, and the new parliament will have to lift his official immunity for a court to issue a verdict.

After he lost the 2021 parliamentary election, he was beaten by Pavel, a retired army general, in a vote for the largely ceremonial post of president.

Babiš was appointed as prime minister after he met a condition set by Pavel and publicly announced that he would get rid of his major businesses to avoid a conflict of interest that could arise from his private dealings and his political status.

Babiš owns around 200 companies under the Agrofert conglomerate. He said an independent trustee will be in charge of Agrofert in a trust fund, while it will be under control of an independent protector until he dies. His descendants will inherit it.

Babiš also owns a network of clinics and labs, while his close ally from ANO is a candidate for the hew health minister.

Leader of ANO political movement Andrej Babis addresses the media after being sworn in as the country's new prime minister at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Leader of ANO political movement Andrej Babis addresses the media after being sworn in as the country's new prime minister at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Leader of ANO political movement Andrej Babis, left, toasts with Czech Republic's President Petr Pavel after being sworn in as the country's new prime minister at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Leader of ANO political movement Andrej Babisn holds a glass of champagne after being sworn in as the country's new prime minister at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Leader of ANO political movement Andrej Babis, left, is sworn in as the country's new prime minister by Czech Republic's President Petr Pavel at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Leader of ANO political movement Andrej Babis, left, is sworn in as the country's new prime minister by Czech Republic's President Petr Pavel at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Leader of ANO 2011 political movement Andrej Babis arrives to be sworn in as the country's new prime minister at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)