The Titans got a much better version of Cam Ward at Saturday’s afternoon practice, and that mattered because the secondary was still giving up too much ground.
After an uneven preseason debut against the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee needed cleaner work from its passing game. Ward delivered it.
He connected with Elic Ayomanor over the middle for a catch-and-run against Cor'Dale Flott, then hit Ayomanor again when Alontae Taylor’s side broke down for a 73-yard touchdown. Ward finished the session with three total touchdowns, and two of them went to Ayomanor.
That was a welcome bounce-back after the Titans’ first preseason game, where the offense never quite found a rhythm and the defense’s back end looked vulnerable. Tennessee still won that game, but the passing numbers told the story: the Titans allowed 238 passing yards to San Francisco.
Flott was a particularly rough example of the problem. In the opener, he gave up six completions on six targets for 74 yards and also drew a pass interference penalty. That kind of line left a mark, and Saturday’s practice didn’t do much to ease the concern.
Even with the usual preseason caveat that one game and one practice don’t define a team, the pattern is starting to show itself. Ward’s sharp response hinted that the passing offense may simply have been slow out of the gate against San Francisco. At the same time, Robert Saleh’s secondary has now had its issues highlighted twice in a row.
There were still signs worth watching beyond Ward. Titans fans will be waiting to see if Carnell Tate can get going after the top-picked rookie was held without a catch last Thursday. And with the preseason now offering only small snapshots, it won’t be long before the games start telling the story more clearly than the practices do.
For now, the picture is pretty simple: Cam Ward and the offense have had a strong offseason aside from the rough preseason outing, while Tennessee’s secondary already has some catching up to do.
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Wide receiver remains one of the more interesting parts of that projection, with a new name now working into the mix as Tennessee sorts through the depth behind its established options. Elsewhere, the injury fallout from camp has already altered the conversation for a rookie defender, leaving the Titans to balance immediate roster needs with how much they can stash and develop as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]