The Tennessee Titans were on the Week 9 bye. Everyone is excited to watch Cam Ward play football again after his Week 8 breakout versus the Cincinnati Bengals. The Week 10 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars will be difficult and is now more complicated following their trade for Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III.
Ward was excellent against the Bengals. The sophomore No. 1 overall selection was accurate, decisive, and aggressive with ideal ball placement. Ward threw for 300+ yards for the first time
in his career, and also had two touchdown passes (to Chimere Dike and Wan’Dale Robinson) for the first time this season.
Ward completed 26/40 attempts for 304 yards, the aforementioned two TDs, and zero interceptions (and a lost fumble). Here’s another fact we hadn’t seen mentioned. In addition to Ward enjoying his first-ever 300-yard throwing performance, his 26 completions tied his second-most in a single game (he was 28/42 versus the Seattle Seahawks last season). The 65% completion percentage versus the Bengals tied his previous season-high (vs. the Eagles) from earlier this year.
Ward is now tasked with building on that performance versus the Jaguars. This Anthony Campanile-coached unit is playing elite football. The Jaguars rank second in points per game allowed (15.1) and fifth in rushing (89.3). If there’s an area they’ve struggled, it’s against the pass, where they rank 22nd in yards allowed (229/game).
Hence the trade for Bates. The three-time Pro Bowl safety is among the most consistent ballhawks in the league. Bates has one interception this year, bringing his career total to 28 INTs. He ranks third among active NFL defenders in interceptions, behind just Harrison Smith and Titans legend Kevin Byard.
Bates has two career interceptions versus the Titans, including one in the painful 2021 postseason defeat. He’ll now play against the Titans twice in the coming weeks following his trade to Jacksonville from the Atlanta Falcons. Ward will have to navigate this challenge while attempting to continue improving.
