The Tennessee Titans pulled out a hard-fought victory in their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in their preseason opener, but all didn’t go as planned.
The Titans got uneven production from their starters, specifically quarterback Cam Ward and cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott. But it’s early, and the entire team is getting used to a new coaching staff and new schemes; not to mention the fact that there was zero game planning involved.
This raised a huge question in the days that followed: should fans worry about Ward? Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports took a look and believes that would be an overreaction.
The Titans have a Cam Ward problemOverreaction or reality: Overreaction
All eyes are on Cam Ward as he enters a pivotal
Year 2 in Tennessee. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft is looking to rebound from a so-so rookie season, but admittedly didn't put his best foot forward in righting the ship in the Titans' preseason opener. Against the 49ers, Ward completed just 5 of 12 for 57 yards over the course of three possessions. Accuracy issues reared their head in this matchup, which probably has people in Nashville a bit tense as they move forward with the preseason.
While Ward didn't have the most encouraging night, we're still a ways away from pressing the panic button. The Miami product, who started to come on down the stretch last season, is working in an entirely new system after Tennessee cleaned house and brought in a new coaching staff, headlined by head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. There will be growing pains as he finds his way in this new offense, and that's what the preseason is for.
If Ward doesn't make the necessary corrections and these struggles bleed into the regular season, then serious conversations will need to be had. Until then, however, this is just a second-year quarterback going through the lumps of learning a new offense in August.
Yes, Ward struggled in the preseason debut, but bounced back with one of his best practices on Saturday. This week, he will again have a chance to show some growth against the defending Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks, in both a joint practice and preseason game. It will be interesting to see how that plays out, and whether or not he shows some growth.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Should Titans fans worry about Cam Ward's preseason performance?
