The Tennessee Titans are heading into Week 2 with a problem: they were not nearly sharp enough against the New York Jets, and now the Philadelphia Eagles are waiting. If Tennessee wants any chance of looking more functional, three names stand out as players who have to show a lot more.
Start with Cam Ward. The Titans quarterback finished Week 1 19-of-32 for 140 yards and a touchdown, but the box score only tells part of the story.
A big chunk of that production came when the game was already slipping away, with Ward piling up 55 passing yards and his lone touchdown late in the fourth quarter after the Jets had settled into a prevent look. The All-22 review was even less flattering.
The offensive line actually held up better than it looked on TV, and the receivers were finding separation, but Ward was hesitant, inefficient, sometimes off-target, and even abandoned clean pockets. The sophomore No. 1 overall quarterback has to keep improving every week.
Calvin Ridley is a different case. He does not really need to be “better” so much as he needs to be used properly.
In Week 1, he wasn’t targeted at all, even though he ran 25 routes on 26 passing-down snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. His route-participation rate sat at 96.2%.
Ridley still has enough left in the tank to threaten defenses with explosive plays, and the Titans need Ward and Brian Daboll to get him involved against the Eagles. That would also help ease the burden on Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson.
Then there’s Jermaine Johnson II. Tennessee acquired him in the T’Vondre Sweat deal with the Jets, and the fit was supposed to work because Johnson had already played for Saleh in East Rutherford.
Instead, Week 1 was a dud. PFF credited him with just one quarterback pressure against the Jets, and his 41.8 pass-rushing grade was rough.
He never really affected Geno Smith in the pocket, and that has to change fast. The matchup with Jalen Hurts will be a much bigger test.
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Titans Already Have One Early Trust Problem Fans Can Feel
The Titans opened the season with more familiar frustration, dropping their Week 1 game to the Jets and giving fans little reason to believe the recent downturn is over. Cam Wards first outing was uneven, as the rookie quarterback finished 19 of 32 for 140 yards with a touchdown that came mostly in garbage time, leaving Tennessee again searching for signs that the offense can offer something steady.
Anthony Hill Jr. was one of the few bright spots, showing up immediately on defense and leading the league with 16 tackles in Week 1. Even so, the larger concern remains the same one that followed the Titans through recent poor seasons: Brian Dabolls offense struggled to generate yards and points, and until that changes, every slow start is going to feel a lot bigger than one loss in September. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Win Suddenly Looks Even Bigger For Cam Ward's Rough Start
The Titans opened the season with a loss to the Jets, and the spotlight immediately shifted to Cam Wards first steps at quarterback. For a rookie, there is always some runway, but the early concern in Tennessee is whether Week 1 was just a rough debut or the start of a more difficult stretch against defenses that can force a young passer into mistakes.
Seth Walder of ESPN added another layer of intrigue by predicting Ward could be in line for at least three interceptions against the Eagles in Week 2, a bold call given how rarely Ward has been beaten up by turnovers in a single game. Philadelphias defense is the kind of unit that can turn one shaky outing into a bigger conversation fast, which is why Tennessees trip to face the Eagles suddenly feels even more consequential. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Need A Week 2 Response And These Playmakers Could Deliver
The Titans head into Week 2 looking for a cleaner answer after a rough opening stretch, and the matchup with the Eagles gives them a chance to find one in a few different spots. Dee Jay Dallas is expected back from concussion protocol, which could matter right away if Tennessee needs more help holding up against the run and keeping Philadelphia from controlling the game on the ground.
On the other side of the ball, Treylon Burks looms as a primary receiving option, while Jeffery Simmons remains the kind of interior force who can tilt a game if the pressure starts to land. Franklin-Myers also looks positioned for a better day if Tennessee can take advantage of an Eagles offensive line that has not been especially sharp, making this one of those early-season games where a few individual performances could shape the larger response. [Read more 🡒]