NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It is more than just a game for the Titans in Denver Sunday, and more than an opener too. It is the first game of the Cameron Ward era in Tennessee, and the hopes of an entire fan base are resting on his shoulders.
The Titans drafted first overall after he finished his career with an NCAA record 158 touchdowns at Incarnate Word, Washington State and Miami.
Ward sounds prepared for the enormity of the moment.
“At the end of the day, it’s football. I’ve been doing it my whole life. So I know Coach (Brian) Callahan is going to put the ball in my hands, and I make sure the ball goes to the right people,” he said.
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The Broncos defense is the biggest test Ward could face in his first game. Denver led the NFL last season with 63 sacks while the Titans gave up an astronomical 52. The Titans did not just change at the quarterback position though, they also revamped their offensive line, signing Dan Moore to play left tackle so they could flip first round pick JC Latham to right tackle. They then paired Latham with 14-year veteran Kevin Zeitler, who they brought in to play left guard. That group has to be better, they have to give Ward a chance to process and to make plays or it will be a very long day.
NFL Sack Leaders
- Denver – 63
- Baltimore – 53
- Dallas – 52
- Houston – 49
At wide receiver, Brian Callahan has a challenging job ahead of him trying to get Calvin Ridley open against NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain. With Surtain locked on Ridley the Titans need Tyler Lockett and rookie Elic Ayomanor to step up make plays.
Defensively cornerback L’Jarius Sneed will be listed as questionable for the game but he is expected to play for the Titans after missing the entire preseason while he returned from knee surgery.
Callahan is adamant Sneed is ready to play an entire game.
“Yeah, I mean he’s done all the things required of him to be ready to roll. He’s in good shape, he’s probably not in 75 plays straight in altitude shape, but I don’t know how many guys are in Week 1 so we’re managing that as a team in general,” Callahan said.
If Sneed can help lock down Courtland Sutton and the Broncos other receivers it will give the Titans time to try to collapse the pocket around second year quarterback Bo Nix, who is coming in off an impressive rookie season that saw him throw for over 3,700 yards. Nix is also extremely mobile though. He rushed for over 400 yards, and Callahan says his legs are a problem.
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“It’s a huge test. He’s really, really good at it. He’s a really good runner. He’s made a ton of plays over his rookie season with his feet. And if you’re not disciplined in the rush, he’ll get out. He’ll find the lane and he’ll make yards, particularly in passing downs. Third down, he’s made lot of them with his feet. So yeah, we got to do a great job in the rush contain. We got to make sure that we’re balanced and that we don’t give up lanes,” Callahan said.
Bo Nix 2024 Stats
- Passing – 3,775 Yards
- Touchdowns – 29
- Interceptions – 12
- Rushing Yards – 430
- Rushing TD’s – 4
But for the Titans, this game really comes down to Ward. Is he the guy to lead this team back to contention? Can he live up to the hype of being the first overall pick? Can he complete the journey from zero star high school recruit to NFL winner in his first game? Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is certainly leery of what Ward can do.
“He’s trying to make big plays, and I think that’s part of… Some young quarterbacks try to not mess it up. He’s trying to make a big play, and that makes him dangerous. That makes him ultra dangerous, and he’s trying to put a dagger in you every single down. He can really move, moving left, moving right. He can throw the ball 60, 70 yards in the air, so it only takes one play for him to make a big play. How we rush this guy, how we contain him, stopping the run and trying to make him one dimensional is going to be key and putting some pressure on him. If he has free access,” Joseph said.
If the Titans can pull off a victory it would be the biggest upset of the weekend. They were the worst team in football last year while the Broncos went to the playoffs. Tennessee has been as a big as an +8.5 point underdog.