The Tennessee Titans are staring at a tough Week 4 test against the Baltimore Ravens, and if they’re going to have any shot at pulling off an upset, three veteran names have to raise their level fast.
Start with Cam Ward. The sophomore No. 1 overall pick has shown flashes, including a clean 8-of-8 passing drive against the New York Giants in Week 2 that ended with a touchdown.
But the bigger story from that game was the pair of red-zone mistakes that wiped out 14 points in a five-point loss. Ward’s start count is now up to 21, and while the Titans aren’t about to give up on a top pick this early, they need to see real progress soon.
The fanbase is already starting to turn.
Up front, Jermaine Johnson II hasn’t given Tennessee nearly enough. The offseason deal that sent T’Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets for Johnson is looking worse by the week, especially with Sweat making an immediate impact in East Rutherford.
Johnson, meanwhile, still hasn’t recorded his first sack as a Titan. The advanced numbers from Pro Football Focus paint an even harsher picture, labeling him Tennessee’s least efficient pass rusher.
That’s not the kind of production you want when Lamar Jackson and that Ravens offensive line are coming to town.
Then there’s Alontae Taylor, who needs to be better at corner. PFF says Taylor has given up 13 catches on 15 targets for 116 yards, which works out to an 86.7% completion rate against him.
He’s still searching for his first interception and first pass breakup, too. On film, he’s been serviceable, but the Titans need more from a corner making $19 million per year.
And with Zay Flowers rolling through the first three weeks, Taylor is likely to see that matchup on Sunday.
In Other News...
Titans Suddenly Have A Lineup Problem They Can't Afford In Baltimore
The Titans head into their Week 4 trip to Baltimore with more uncertainty than they probably wanted this early in the season, as injuries have put parts of the lineup in flux. Tyjae Spears and Garrett Dellinger are among the players listed as questionable, and Robert Saleh has already acknowledged that availability is still very much up in the air as the week moves on.
For a Tennessee team trying to stabilize its rotation and settle on the best mix up front, the timing is not ideal. Baltimore has a way of exposing any soft spots, so the Titans may have to adjust their starting group if the injury report breaks the wrong way, and the last thing they can afford is another last-minute scramble before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Walk Into Baltimore Facing A Derrick Henry Problem Again
Baltimore brings the old problem right back onto Tennessees schedule, with Derrick Henry set to face the Titans after moving on from the franchise following the 2023 season. Since joining the Ravens, Henry has been piling up the kind of rushing production that once made him the centerpiece of the Titans offense, and now Tennessee has to deal with him from the other sideline.
For Robert Salehs group, the challenge is familiar even if the uniform is different: find a way to slow a runner who still forces defenses to commit extra attention while Tennessee keeps pushing forward with Cam Wards development. The Titans task gets tougher up front, too, with two injured offensive linemen now on injured reserve, leaving less margin for error in a matchup already shaped by one of the leagues most familiar headaches. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Keep Finding Painful New Ways To Waste Their Chances
The Titans are already in a familiar and uncomfortable place after four weeks, and the latest loss to Baltimore only added to the growing list of small failures that have turned into big problems. Tennessee had chances to keep itself in the game, but the afternoon kept tilting the wrong way, from special teams mistakes to a late interception that undercut any hope of a rally. Former Titan Derrick Henry also found the end zone, another painful reminder that even the good moments have a way of slipping out of reach.
What makes the slide harder to watch is how many different phases have taken turns letting Tennessee down. The offense faded badly in the second half, while Brian Dabolls decisions were part of the broader conversation around how the game unraveled. Even Carnell Tate, who turned in a notable performance, was part of the story in a way the Titans could not afford after a costly fumble, and the result left them still searching for their first win. [Read more 🡒]