The Tennessee Titans are 1-11 after Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and while the season has been rough, the spotlight remains firmly on rookie quarterback Cam Ward. His development is the biggest storyline in Nashville right now-and for good reason.
Ward showed real signs of growth in November, particularly in a strong Week 12 outing against the Seattle Seahawks. But in Week 13, the wheels came off-not just for Ward, but for the entire team.
Let’s be clear: Ward is improving. Since the midseason coaching change, the numbers show a noticeable uptick in his performance.
He’s looked more confident, more decisive, and more in command of the offense. That’s encouraging.
But the Titans’ problems go well beyond the quarterback position, and nowhere is that more evident than in the run game.
Yes, the Tennessee Titans-once known for their ground-and-pound identity-now boast one of the league’s most ineffective rushing attacks. That’s not just a philosophical shift; it’s a personnel problem. And it’s hurting Ward’s development.
In Weeks 11 and 12, Ward wasn’t just the quarterback-he was the team’s leading rusher, combining for 70 yards across those two games. That stat alone tells you everything you need to know about where the Titans are right now. Against Jacksonville, Tony Pollard led the team with just 60 rushing yards, but the game script got away from Tennessee so quickly that the run game was never really a factor.
The Titans’ backfield issues trace back to roster construction. When the team moved on from Derrick Henry, the plan was to pivot away from Mike Vrabel’s run-first system. Enter Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears-two backs with similar profiles: quick, shifty, and effective as pass catchers, but neither built to be a true workhorse.
On paper, the duo made sense as part of a modern, committee-style backfield. But in practice, it hasn’t worked.
Spears’ durability has been a lingering concern-he simply hasn’t been able to stay healthy long enough to share the load. That’s left Pollard to shoulder a heavier workload than he’s built for, and the results have been underwhelming.
Pollard, who was productive last season, has taken a clear step back in 2025. He’s averaging under 4.0 yards per carry for the first time in his career, and the burst that once made him dangerous just hasn’t been there. The writing’s on the wall-his time in Tennessee is likely coming to an end.
As for Spears, he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal, and unless something changes dramatically, an extension doesn’t seem likely. He’s shown flashes when healthy, but the inability to stay on the field makes it hard to justify building around him.
That leaves the Titans with a big question heading into 2026: Who’s going to run the ball?
One name to watch is Kalel Mullings, the rookie sixth-round pick who’s barely seen the field this season due to injuries. He’s been active for a few games but hasn’t logged a carry yet.
With the season all but lost, this is the time to see what the rookie can do. Mullings brings a different skill set-a more physical, between-the-tackles style that this offense sorely lacks.
If he flashes in the final few games, that could give Tennessee at least one internal option to consider moving forward.
If not, no harm done. The Titans didn’t spend significant draft capital on Mullings, and they’ll still need to address the position aggressively this offseason. Whether that’s through free agency, the draft, or both, something has to change.
The bottom line is this: The Titans’ current backfield isn’t built to support a young quarterback. And if Tennessee is serious about developing Cam Ward into a franchise cornerstone, they need to give him a reliable run game. That means finding backs who complement each other, stay healthy, and actually move the chains.
Ward is showing promise. But without a functional ground game to take the pressure off, that growth could stall. Fixing the backfield isn’t just a priority-it’s a necessity.