Carnell Tate’s rookie year has reached the point where the Tennessee Titans almost can’t afford to notice the mistakes.
Yes, he has had a few drops. Yes, he has two fumbles. But the bigger story is how much he has already taken over this passing game, and how much worse this offense would look without him.
The Titans had their best offensive outing of the season in Week 7, and if they had finished the job from the one-yard line, the conversation around the team heading into Week 8 might have sounded very different. Instead, another loss brought another round of criticism. Tate, though, is one of the few players who deserves more credit than he’s getting.
Since Tennessee made him a focal point in the passing game, Tate has been piling up production at a ridiculous clip. He leads all rookies in both receptions and receiving yards, and in October alone he has outpaced almost the entire rookie class.
Rookie receiving numbers this year:
- Carnell Tate: 34 receptions, 413 yards
- Denzel Boston: 20 receptions, 372 yards
- KC Concepcion: 30 receptions, 315 yards
- Carnell Tate in the month of October: 21 receptions, 290 yards
That kind of output matters even more because Cam Ward has only thrown for 1,179 yards this season. Tate is responsible for 35% of Ward’s passing production, a massive share for any receiver, let alone a rookie.
His fingerprints are all over the Titans’ scoring drives, too. Tennessee has put together 10 touchdown drives this season, and seven of them included a Tate catch somewhere along the way.
Two others came on short fields of 25 and 10 yards after turnovers created by the defense. The only longer scoring drive without Tate involved came against the Philadelphia Eagles back in Week 2.
Tate is now on pace for a little more than 1,000 yards. Since 2020, only 10 rookies have cleared that mark, a group that includes Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, and Tetairoa McMillan.
If Tate keeps this up, the Titans may have found the kind of receiver they’ve been searching for since A.J. Brown left.
In Other News...
Titans Sent A Clear Message About Jeffery Simmons After His Trade
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Solomon Thomas spoke about Simmons impact on the team and the gesture that followed his trade, underscoring how much respect he had earned inside the building. For a defense trying to move forward without one of its defining voices, the tribute said plenty about the standard Simmons left behind and the void the Titans now have to fill. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Trade Drama Just Took A Wild Jeffery Simmons Turn
Trade chatter around Jeffery Simmons took an unusual turn when Giants coach John Harbaugh confirmed he reached out directly to Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk about a possible deal. The move came after New York reportedly was not getting anywhere through Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi, which pushed Harbaugh to try a different route as the sides explored whether there was any real traction on the defensive tackle.
Harbaugh also made clear he has no interest in following any unwritten etiquette that might keep coaches from picking up the phone on matters like this, saying he would make similar calls again if needed. For Tennessee, it adds another layer to a situation already worth watching, since Simmons remains the kind of player who can alter a defense and draw interest even when the usual front-office path is not producing movement. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Rebuild Just Put Jacob Martin At The Center Of A Debate
Jacob Martins best game of the season came in a loss that only sharpened the bigger conversation around the Titans direction. In the overtime defeat to Cincinnati, the edge rusher piled up three sacks and nine quarterback pressures, the kind of disruptive night that stands out even on a team sitting at 1-7 and deep in a rebuilding stretch.
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, Martin has suddenly become one of the more interesting names on Tennessees roster. The Titans have already shown a willingness to move pieces as they sort through the future, and a productive pass rusher on a struggling team naturally draws attention, even if no deal has been confirmed. [Read more 🡒]