The Tennessee Titans are 0-3, and the list of things going right is short. But after Week 3, two rookie first-round picks gave the team something to hang onto.
Carnell Tate and Keldric Faulk both turned in their best games of the season against the New York Giants, and each flashed the traits that made Tennessee believe they were worth the investment.
Tate finished with a team-high six catches for 58 yards, both career highs for the fourth overall pick. He saw nine targets, and it looks like a double-digit target game could be coming soon. Even with the numbers capped by the offense around him, Tate was consistently getting free and beating coverage as a route runner.
There was a bigger play sitting on the field for him, too. Cam Ward missed Tate in the end zone on a wide-open route on 3rd-and-goal, and Ward also had other missed chances on tape, including on the game-losing interception. Still, Tate’s separation and timing stood out throughout the game.
Faulk also hit a personal milestone, logging his first career sack. The 31st overall selection worked a stunt with Jacob Martin, looped outside, and used his length to get the better of Giants Pro Bowl tackle Andrew Thomas. It was the kind of glimpse into his upside the Titans were hoping to see when they traded up for him.
Concerns had already started to build around both of Mike Borgonzi’s first-round picks, especially with Tate stuck in one of the NFL’s lowest-scoring offenses. But Sunday looked like a step forward for the rookie wideout, even if the box score doesn’t fully capture it.
And for Faulk, the sack mattered. Tennessee needs more pass-rush help from places other than Jeffery Simmons, and if Faulk keeps trending up, he could start earning more snaps and chip away at the roles held by Martin and Jermaine Johnson.
In Other News...
Titans Pressure Around Cam Ward Is Starting To Feel Different
The Titans are still trying to sort out their offense around Cam Ward, and for now the message from inside the building is patience. ESPN reported the team is giving the rookie quarterback more time to grow, even as questions continue to build about how quickly the offense can start looking like a unit that can carry its own weight.
For Tennessee, the bigger issue is not just Wards development but the pressure around him, which has to start feeling different if the season is going to turn. The Titans know there is time for improvement, but they also know how quickly that time can shrink if the offense keeps lagging behind the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Should Worry About What Experts See In Cam Ward
Cam Wards rookie season has already put him under the microscope, and the latest breakdown from Matt Hasselbeck and five other NFL quarterback experts only sharpens the focus. The group dug into Wards footwork and came away with the same basic concern: the foundation is not yet consistent enough, and that can show up in the accuracy issues that have followed him around at times.
The encouraging part for Tennessee is that Ward believes his lower-body mechanics are better now than they were last year, which suggests he is aware of the problem and working through it. The less comforting detail is what the experts noticed over the course of games, when his footwork can start clean and then slip as things wear on, raising the question of whether it is bad habit, the effect of too many hits, or both. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Head To Baltimore With Pressure Mounting On Cam Ward
The Titans head into Baltimore in Week 4 with more than just a road matchup hanging over them. Robert Saleh is still searching for his first win as head coach, Derrick Henry is set to face his former team for the first time since 2024, and Tennessee is also dealing with some backfield uncertainty as Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears work through ankle issues. Against a Ravens pass defense that ranks 17th in the NFL, there should be chances for the Titans to move the ball if the offense can find any rhythm.
Much of the pressure, though, is landing on Cam Ward after a slow start to the season. Tennessee does not need him to carry the whole load, but it does need cleaner play and more consistent production as the team tries to steady itself early in the year. With the head coach still chasing a first victory and the backfield situation unsettled, this trip could say a lot about where the Titans are headed next. [Read more 🡒]