Rapid reaction from the Tennessee Titans' ugly and rainy 12-7 road loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium:
Talking points
- First, it was awful. Then, it suddenly got a lot better. Then, it still wasn’t enough. That was Cam Ward’s afternoon. While it included a stirring comeback bid, it’ll be remembered for a bad decision and an interception in the end zone in the final seconds, preserving a victory for the Giants. They won despite failing to score a touchdown and being outgained by the Titans, 262 yards to 238. For the Titans, this loss was full of missed opportunities and subpar football, yet they had a chance at the end. Falling to 0-3 in such a fashion is going to sting.
- -In this odd matchup of former coaches for both teams, Dennard Wilson held on to get the win. With an assist from the wet weather, the Giants’ defensive coordinator (and former Titans DC) dominated his old team’s offense and Ward for much of the game. Offensively, the Titans barely did anything until late in the third quarter, when they advanced inside the Giants’ 10-yard line, only to turn it over on downs. The Titans finally scored with 5:35 remaining, but it wasn’t enough as the final drive ended with Ward’s interception. The Titans’ final four offensive possessions all advanced into Giants territory, yet only one resulted in points.
- It was just too little, too late from Ward. He finally got into a rhythm in the fourth quarter, leading a 91-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 4-yard TD pass to Wan’Dale Robinson. The Titans should’ve scored on the possession prior to the TD, but they instead turned it over on downs at the Giants’ 7-yard line. On fourth-and-5, Ward tossed a pass out of the back of the end zone, giving no one a chance to come down with it. And then . . . there was the game-ending interception.
- The Giants’ offense, coordinated by Matt Nagy (who missed out on the Titans’ head coaching job that went to Robert Saleh), wasn’t a polished operation with Jameis Winston stepping in for an injured Jaxson Dart. But they were able to run well enough to at least move the football and score points during the first three quarters, which built a hefty advantage in possession time.
- The sophomore slump is real for Chimere Dike, whose fumble on the opening kickoff made it two in three games and set a tone for this fiasco. The Titans know they have an All Pro-caliber return man, but how many more fumbles will it take to consider other options back there?
- Rookie right guard Fernando Carmona Jr. hurt his ankle on the Titans’ first offensive snap and didn’t return. Jackson Slater, who got passed by Carmona during the preseason, was tapped to replace him.
Where the game turned
The game was up for grabs until Ward threw it to the Giants’ Jevon Holland.
Key number
1 – First downs gained by the Titans in the first half. And it took nearly 29 minutes of football to get the one. The Titans went three-and-punt on their first five offensive possessions, gaining a grand total of 22 net yards.
What I liked
The Titans’ defense wasn’t spectacular, but it continued to fight to keep the Giants out of the end zone, forcing field goals and keeping the Titans in this game while their offense floundered.
What I didn’t like
The Titans need more from Ward. He was beaten by a rusty, out-of-form Winston. Sadly, struggles are becoming the norm for the former No. 1 overall
draft pick, with success as the exception.
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Too little, too late for Cam Ward and Titans in deflating loss to Giants | Estes
