NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A weekly look at what the Tennessee Titans must fix.

All sorts of circumstances have prevented the Titans from running the ball often early in games this season. As they prepare for the Cleveland Browns' visit to LP Field on Sunday, the team should examine its rushing offense.

The Titans have been falling behind, and they haven’t had the ball much. Per ESPN Stats & Information, they’ve run the ball just 19 times in the first quarters of their four games combined. Only Miami and Seattle have run fewer times in the first 15 minutes of games.

On those 19 runs, Tennessee has averaged 6 yards. But the Titans have not been able to force the issue.

No matter when in the game or when they’ve run, they’ve run well. They are fifth in the NFL at 5.03 yards per rush, but 20th with only 95 rush attempts.

“If you think you’re going to come out every week and take control of the game running the football, that doesn’t happen in the NFL," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “And if you can show me a team that does that every week, then that would be the first time I’ve seen that.”

I understand the circumstances that have led the Titans not to run enough early. But I think they need to be more deliberate with it, and they can be.

They’ve run more often in the third quarter, with 33 attempts (ranking second in the NFL).

My proposal for the Browns game: Pretend the first quarter is the third quarter and show a determination to run in order to control the game better. It should help them get away from the deadly low time of possession the Titans have had in losses to Dallas and at Indianapolis.

No, the Titans can’t control the game by running early every week. But with their line and backs, they are built to do it at least occasionally.