Titans’ Offense Stalls After Promising Start in Loss to Jaguars
For a brief moment, it looked like the Tennessee Titans had turned a corner. After a strong showing from rookie quarterback Cam Ward against Seattle, there was reason to believe the offense had found some rhythm.
Ward was sharp, confident, and in control in that game, throwing for 256 yards and a touchdown while adding another score on the ground. That performance had fans hoping it would carry over into the following week against Jacksonville.
And early on, it looked like it just might.
Tennessee opened the game with a crisp 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended in a field goal. The offense was balanced, efficient, and aggressive.
Tony Pollard ripped off three runs for 36 yards on that opening series, and Ward was in command. It was the kind of drive that sets a tone.
But whatever momentum the Titans had built evaporated quickly. After that opening possession, the offense managed just 118 total yards the rest of the way.
No touchdowns. No spark.
Just a whole lot of frustration in a 25-3 loss at home to the Jaguars.
So what happened?
Let’s start with the run game. Pollard looked explosive early, but Jacksonville clamped down in a hurry.
After those initial three carries, he was held to just 24 yards on his final seven attempts. The Jaguars adjusted - and the Titans didn’t.
Whether it was scheme, execution, or a bit of both, Tennessee couldn’t find a counterpunch. Right tackle J.C.
Latham was asked postgame what changed after the first drive, and his answer was telling.
“I am not the coordinator,” Latham said. “I just have trust and faith in the calls and I just try to execute what’s called to the best of my ability.”
That’s a lineman staying in his lane, but it also speaks to a larger issue: the Titans didn’t adapt. Jacksonville figured out what Tennessee wanted to do, and the offense never found a second gear.
Cam Ward, for his part, didn’t have the same mobility impact he showed against Seattle. The Jaguars clearly did their homework.
They kept their rush lanes disciplined, making sure the edges didn’t collapse too far upfield, and the interior stayed home. That meant fewer escape routes for Ward, who was forced to stay in the pocket more often than he’d like.
The result? More pressure, more sacks, more throwaways, and a whole lot of checkdowns.
And that brings us to the passing game. Against Seattle, Ward averaged 6.1 yards per attempt - not eye-popping, but efficient.
Against Jacksonville? Just 3.7.
That’s not going to cut it in today’s NFL. The Jaguars dared Ward to beat them underneath, and then rallied to the ball.
The Titans had no explosive plays to stretch the defense or soften up the coverage. Everything stayed short, and the chains rarely moved.
It wasn’t just a case of the Jaguars playing good defense - though they did - it was also about the Titans failing to adjust. The offense lacked creativity after the opening series.
There were no wrinkles, no misdirection, no tempo changes to throw Jacksonville off balance. Once the Jaguars settled in, they dictated the terms of engagement.
Now, Tennessee heads to Cleveland, where one of the league’s nastiest defenses awaits. The Titans had been showing signs of growth, especially with Ward starting to look more comfortable at the helm. But this loss was a step backward - not just in the final score, but in execution, adaptability, and confidence.
The good news? There’s still time for this young quarterback and this offense to find their footing.
But if they want to get back on track, it starts with learning from this one. Because against a defense like Cleveland’s, any hesitation or predictability will get exposed - quickly.