NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With the Titans knocking on the end zone, facing a third-and-goal from the Rams’ 9 in their second game of the season, Cam Ward showed his supreme arm talent and confidence.
The No. 1 overall pick dropped back, surveying the field from right to left looking for an open receiver. Nothing was there. So then, with L.A. defensive end Tyler Davis bearing down on him, Ward rolled quickly to his right. Between the numbers and the sideline, he fired a pass back across his body to the opposite side of the end zone, hitting fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor in stride against tight coverage.
According to Next Gen Stats, the horizontal distance between Ward and Ayomanor from pass to catch (30.4 yards) was the longest on a touchdown pass on the run (eight-plus mph) since at least 2016.
In other words, the throw was absurd for anyone — let alone a rookie quarterback throwing his first NFL touchdown pass.
“It was an outstanding play by both Cam and Elic,” coach Brian Callahan said.
Just two games into the season, it’s looking like those are the kind of heroics that the Titans (0-2) will need from Ward to just be competitive, let alone be a playoff contender. Looking for their first win, the Titans host the division rival Colts (2-0) on Sunday.
Entering 2025, expectations for the Titans were collectively low across the NFL. Even Chad Brinker, the team’s president of football operations, acknowledged before training camp that the roster lacks star power. But the offensive line that the team believed would be at least competent has been massively disappointing so far. Among the 34 qualified quarterbacks across the league, Ward has faced the third-highest pressure rate (45.3%) and fourth-most pressures (34) through two weeks, per NGS. Since the 1970 merger, only four quarterbacks have been sacked more than Ward (11) through their first two career games, according to FOX Sports research.
In addition, Tennessee pass-catchers have already been credited with five drops this season, per Pro Football Focus, including two by leading receiver Calvin Ridley. Early on, Callahan’s playcalling and game management have been a constant point of contention. The defense isn’t providing much support, either: The pass rush has been virtually non-existent through two weeks, with just two sacks (T-30th), 20 pressures (T-25th) and a 26.0% pressure rate (27th), according to Next Gen Stats.
That all means that Ward may have to be great for the Titans to have a chance each week. And that’s exactly what the franchise wants to avoid for the developing rookie.
“I think Cam understands the magnitude of what he’s stepping into,” Brinker told me days before the season opener. “We wouldn’t have drafted him if we didn’t think he could handle it. But at the same time, we can’t just say, ‘Go do it. Work your magic.’ We have to support him.”
Cam Ward celebrates his first NFL touchdown pass, against the Rams in Week 2, with his teammates. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
‘He treats triumph and disaster basically the same’
Ward’s inexperience has shown through two games.
His confidence in his ability to extend plays hurt him in the opener against the Broncos, when he took back-to-back sacks early in the fourth quarter that knocked Tennessee out of field-goal range. He has acknowledged that he needs to get through his progression faster.
Of the 34 qualified quarterbacks, Ward ranks last in completion rate (50.8%) and yards per attempt (4.7), per NGS. He sits 32nd in EPA per dropback and passer rating. He’s 30th in completion rate over expected.
“I really don’t care about completion percentage. I want to score touchdowns,” said Ward, who has thrown for 287 yards and a touchdown with one lost fumble entering Week 3. “I want win football games.”
While the need for improvement is obvious, Ward has flashed as a potential franchise quarterback.
There’s his ability to make jaw-dropping plays, of course. The touchdown pass to Ayomanor was exhibit A. But he also seems to have a rare command presence. He joined the Titans “like it was his team,” according to Ridley. He was jawing back and forth with the Titans’ best player, three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, on the first day of mandatory minicamp as an unproven rookie.
“He doesn’t wait for the history of ‘OK, I have to make all these plays and I have to earn all of this clout at this place before I can be assertive.’ Nah, that comes before [for him],” Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson instructed me earlier this month. “It’s not at all times the case [with players]. Usually, by no means the case. However with him, he simply has a manner about him.
“Should you’re like that and also you by no means make a f—ing play, then you definitely’re a fraud,” he continued. “Now, what occurs is, after they put the ball down and snap it, he’s a dude. All of it works collectively in that sense.”
He’s even-keeled, too. That doesn’t change below strain.
Requested for a second that encapsulated who Ward is, Dawson pointed to Miami’s street sport towards Cal final yr, when the quarterback guided the Hurricanes again from a 25-point third-quarter deficit to win.
“[The Titans] might go 0-16, and he’s nonetheless going to play with the identical confidence each week, like they’re 16-0,” Dawson stated. “He treats triumph and catastrophe mainly the identical.”
It’s been well-documented that Ward will get to Titans headquarters round 5 a.m. each morning. He texts coaches “all night time” with questions and returns to the power the subsequent day with a listing of issues he desires to go over, in accordance with offensive coordinator Nick Holz.
Ward stated throughout coaching camp that he talks to “5 folks a day” exterior his teammates.
“He doesn’t have a variety of distractions that a variety of younger youngsters have at the moment,” Dawson stated. “Lots of youngsters have issues which might be pulling them away from the sport or pulling them away from success or pulling them away from time spent preparing. I imply, he’s a reasonably easy man when he leaves the constructing, which I feel is an enormous purpose for his success.”
Dawson added: “He’s not going to ever be distracted by bulls—. He isn’t.”
Final yr at Miami, Ward set program information for single-season passing yards and touchdowns and gained the Davey O’Brien Nationwide Quarterback Award. (Photograph by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
‘We simply want Cam to be Cam’
Coming into this season, the Titans have been very intentional of their plan for Ward, the quarterback they “envisioned,” in accordance with Brinker.
Properly conscious that it could be a long-term course of build up the roster, the Titans zeroed in on enhancing the offensive line this previous offseason. They signed Dan Moore Jr. to an $82 million deal to be their left sort out. J.C. Latham, the seventh general decide final yr, was moved from left to proper sort out, thought of his pure place. They signed veteran guard Kevin Zeitler to stabilize the inside offensive line. In veteran middle Lloyd Cushenberry, returning this season from a torn Achilles, the Titans knew they’d somebody who might take strain off Ward with the safety calls and different pre-snap issues.
Coming into 2025, Callahan’s expertise mentoring younger quarterbacks akin to Joe Burrow was held in excessive regard internally. The second-year head coach has drawn from his expertise teaching Burrow as a rookie. The Titans have included ideas that Ward was comfy with in school, and the offensive employees has studied schemes that different groups have put round rookie quarterbacks in recent times.
All of that has knowledgeable Nashville’s course of, with the purpose of serving to Ward play as quick as doable. Based on Holz, the Titans consider their offense goes to look “lots” completely different by the top of the season. That may include studying extra about Ward, and the remainder of the offense, all year long.
All that’s to say, Tennessee is acutely aware of placing an excessive amount of too early on the No. 1 decide’s shoulders.
“We simply want Cam to be Cam,” Brinker stated.
Early on, although, it seems he must be a lot extra.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a yr and a half. He lined the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to shifting to Tennessee. You may observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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