The Tennessee Titans are still trying to sort out who they are, but one thing is already clear: the ex-Giants on the roster are part of the conversation. And after a near-upset of the Eagles, there’s at least a little reason to wonder whether this group is finally trending in the right direction.
Brian Daboll’s arrival has been a major piece of that discussion. Jimmy Morris of Music City Miracles called the move “huge” for Robert Saleh, and said the pairing with Cam Ward was especially intriguing after reports that Saleh wanted to trade up for Ward in the 2025 draft. Daboll got praise for how he called the game against Philadelphia, with one exception, and Morris said the offense is going to lean on the run game for now while Ward’s ceiling remains unknown.
That uncertainty starts with Ward himself. Morris pointed to two problem areas: Ward’s habit of leaving a clean pocket and his footwork when he throws.
The pocket issue, he said, is tied partly to the line’s struggles last season, when Ward spent most of the year running for his life. But through two games, the line has been better, and a lot of the pressure has been self-inflicted.
The footwork issue is even more stubborn. Ward has not been setting his feet consistently, which is leading to inaccurate throws, and Morris said that was supposed to be a major offseason point of emphasis.
He hasn’t seen improvement yet, but believes Daboll can coach him through it.
As for the four former Giants who signed with Tennessee, each has carved out a different early role.
Austin Schlottman has been “solid so far,” with his knowledge of the system and the offensive line coach giving him an edge.
Wan’Dale Robinson has not gotten loose yet, managing only 6 catches for 47 yards in the first two games. Morris said some of that traces back to Ward’s struggles, and the Titans need to find more ways to feature him.
Daniel Bellinger has made his mark in the run game, where he has done a good job blocking. He has just 1 catch for 7 yards, but that was never really the point of bringing him in.
Cor’Dale Flott has had a rougher start. Morris said he was terrible in the preseason and missed last week’s game with a quad injury. Tennessee expects him back this week, and needs him because the secondary has not been good.
If the Titans could take one player off the current Giants roster, Morris didn’t hesitate to narrow it to Malik Nabers or Brian Burns. He ultimately went with Burns, saying Tennessee finally has a solid receiver room and still badly needs an impact edge rusher. Pairing Burns with Jeffery Simmons, he said, would give the Titans one of the league’s best pass rushes and help cover for the issues in the secondary.
The difference between the ugly loss to the Jets and the near-miss against the Eagles, Morris said, came down to two things: two forced turnovers and a more balanced offense. He also acknowledged the bigger picture, saying the Titans haven’t sustained any kind of success in about 4 years, but that last week’s game plan, especially on offense, offers some hope they’re starting to move the right way.
Against the underdog tag on Sunday, Tennessee’s path to a win is pretty direct. The Titans need the run game to work and need Jameis Winston to cough up a couple turnovers, because this offense needs a short field or two to score enough points.
The flip side is just as clear. If Winston connects on a couple of early big plays, Tennessee could be forced into a pass-heavy approach, and that, Morris said, is not the formula for success right now.
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