NFL Week 2 Game Preview and Predictions: Rams vs Titans

NFL Week 2 Game Preview and Predictions: Rams vs Titans

Let’s bring in Evan Washburn who goes from emptying the notebook to giving us his thoughts as he has game prep for Rams and Titans on CBS with Ian Eagle and JJ Watt. Evan, as you prepare for this game, obviously just heard from Ryan Callahan about his top overall pick there in Cam Ward, what excites you the most about seeing Cam Ward this week and what are your expectations about seeing him on the field? Well, Tommy, I’m really excited just to spend time with him away from the field because everybody’s talked about his mentality, his approach, his work ethic, and having him describe his experience as a pro and his journey to get to this point. I think that was really all on display actually on the field in that loss to the Broncos because as Brian Callahan laid out, that required an immense amount of mental toughness to go along with the physical side as well. He was beat up in that game. his offensive line did not protect him well. Six sacks, that’s somewhat expected when you go up against that Broncos front and the defense as a whole that will be probably be a top five unit in the league this year. The environment in Denver is challenging and and watching that game back, Tommy, there was no point where visually he showed the wear and tear of week one, game one as a rookie with everybody watching was actually the opposite. he was making plays down the stretch to put his team in position to really pull off what would be a pretty surprising upset against the Broncos in week one. All that said, there’s plenty that he’s going to need to do better. And as you know, there’s often a big leap made by teams, but really young players from week one to week two. He has that out of the way Sunday. While it won’t be a walk in the park against a Rams defense that you and I are going to get to that’s really talented, it will be in the friendly confines of his home venue, won’t have to deal with crowd noise as much. So, all those things, I think, line up for him to have a much better performance in week two. But, they have to protect him and they got to catch balls when they’re in their hands for Cam Ward to do the things necessary to lead the Titans to wins. Yeah, it was already tough for them to go on a road, go up against a playoff team, as you mentioned, that is talented like the Broncos. Then there’s those self-inflicted wounds for the Titans. 13 penalties for 131 against Denver. Certainly, that’s going to be a a point of emphasis for this team, you think, this week? No doubt, Tommy. The margin for in the NFL for all 32 teams is extremely small, but it’s even smaller when you’re a group that I think, especially offensively, we can say right now is in transition and in development. You cannot beat yourselves. They are almost had more penalty yards than they had total yards of offense. 13 of them. And some of them are under their control. And I think that’s what Brian Callahan laid out in in his comments this week about look, we know we’re going to get penalized, but they’re the ones that you can control and the things you have to do pre and postnap to make sure you’re both disciplined in your your technique, but also your mental approach to the game. This is a team last year that was fourth in the league in most penalties. And that’s not what they wanted. There was a point of emphasis over the course of training camp where they were tracking everything from both on field offfield to try and get these players in the mindset of I have to play clean. A clean brand of football will put us in a position to win games late, which is what they were trying to do there in Denver. But again, I think after having that performance in week one is a real wakeup call when it comes to penalties, but also being outside of a really hostile and challenging environment should help them a bit. But it’s got to be cut in half if not below that number for this team to compete with LA on Sunday. And if we will get to the LA defense as you referenced in just a second, but that Tennessee defense looked pretty strong in week one, picking off Bon Knicks twice, causing a couple of turnovers here. What stood out to you about their opener and how they can bring that in here to week two? I really like this defense. I think Dinard Wilson, their defensive coordinator, is an absolute gem of a coordinator and could be and should be in contention to be a head coach. He’s done it going back to his time in Baltimore and now in Tennessee. This group gets after people. They take the ball away. They’re physical. They’re violent in all the positive ways. And that said, they need to be better. Some of the penalties that we just talked about fell in their secondary. Javarus Brownley most specifically with a uh a few PIs that has to be cleaned up because those are those hidden yardages that just kill you. But I think with Jeffrey Simmons as kind of the anchor of this group and as you laid out their ability to take the ball away. I think as Cam Ward and this offense find their sea legs, they can lean on a defense that held the Broncos in check for much of that game. Same question but other side now with LA that Rams victory over the Texans 14 to9 Evan much led by that defense and this is something Tommy that even as a guy who’s trying to cover the league as best I can I know you’re in this world as well I look at this defense and and it’s still a group of names I know Verse is a guy who burst on the scene last year and Fisk is a is a high round pick their front Byron Young are kind of emerging known commodities but their whole inside linebacker group, all undrafted guys. Their secondaries littered with late round picks and undrafted guys. And they were the reason they won that Houston game. They held Houston out of the end zone. The second half was a shut out. The Texans didn’t even get past the Rams 15 yd line. And then you’ve got Nate Landman, who we’re going to get to a little bit later. He’s a great story with that punch out late. And I think Stafford, Puka, Nakua, and Devonte Adams, Kron Williams, they’re the headliners for good reason. I think if the Rams are going to make a real Super Bowl run, the offense is going to probably be the driving force. But I walked away from that game thinking, “This defense is a group that will be and should be a top 10 unit if they can stay healthy and play with that level of intensity and cohesion throughout this season.” They were impressive and it’s a lot of guys that I think we don’t know that well that I think we’re going to know more about over the course of the next few months. You’ll be able to deliver that on the sidelines during the broadcast hopefully. And since you mentioned Nate Lamman there, why is he your player to watch before we get to this LA offense? Well, I I think Tommy, it’s a position inside linebacker that has changed a lot over the last few years as they’ve moved to spread offenses and there’s not as many of those guys out on the field. Their value is somewhat diminished. And we know about the Roan, Smiths, and some of those big names. But Nate Landman’s one of those great stories. He’s in his fourth season in the NFL, undrafted out of Colorado. was born in Zimbabwe. His dad was a professional rugby player and he gets into the league, grinds his way onto the Falcons, 53man roster, and plays some. He’s a starter. He’s in and out of their special teams. Signs a one-year deal. Kind of one of those prove it deals here in LA. And he’s a captain. He’s NFC defensive player of the week. He had 10 tackles in a gorgeous punch out. And everybody’s talking about just his mindset, his mentality, what he brings to this defense and what he brought in week one. And he’s one of those guys on a team again that I could have picked a Puka Nakua or a Kiran or a Stafford or Devonte. I think I’m most excited to watch and learn more about Nate Landman. And I will mention the last name Land Man, which is actually pronounced Landman I’m learning for him just makes me think of our guy Billy Bob and a Paramount Plus show. Great synergy here that I couldn’t get enough of and can’t wait for season two here in November. No doubt part of the P+ package that we have here at Paramount Plus and CBS Sports. Let’s get them a deal. Let’s get a cameo next season maybe for Taylor Sheridan and his crew and maybe he can deliver that peanut punch that he had in week one to your point that was uh effective in that win over the Texans. So let’s get to the offense now with LA. A lot of the conversation Evan entering this first game all summer was the health of Matthew Stafford who by the way in this game against the Texans 60,000 yards become the 10th quarterback in NFL history to do it. But the questions surrounding his back, stories about epidurals and everything like that. Um, what have you been learning about the Super Bowl winning quarterback here as he gets ready for another year? Well, he’s just building towards what is a legendary story in and NFL career that, yeah, is rooted in the statistics and the results and finally getting that Super Bowl, but I think it’s really going to be built off of toughness. I mean, his his reel, if you will, of him playing with that shoulder injury in Detroit and making that throw late, that’s I mean, gone viral times over and now he’s playing through a clear back condition, disc injury, whatever you want to call it, and showing no ill effects in week one and not really wanting to talk about it. And he never wants to make it about his health. And I’m sure we’ll learn so much more when he’s done playing, but I was impressed with his performance in week one. Statistically, it was there. I imagine he will get better as long as he can stay healthy and he’s still building chemistry with Devonte Adams. He has it with Puka and you saw that in the the results in terms of 10 catches, 130 plus for for Puka. But this is a group as an offense with Stafford under center as they’re constituted here in 2025 that didn’t get a lot of training camp reps together because he was absent from much of that with the back injury. So, you have to imagine these first few weeks, Tommy, are going to be an extension in real time for this this Rams offense. And even Shawn McVey calling plays for this version of the Rams offense. But he he’s one of the legends in the game right now. And it was cool and exciting to see him be able to get through a game, show no ill effects, and you just hope that hope that’s the case most notably for us on Sunday, but moving forward throughout this season. Rams fans are hoping Matthew Stafford can stay healthy. Would love to see Puka Nakua as well. You mentioned the combination. You throw in a Dvonte Adams and a Kairen Williams on that offensive side. For Puka specifically, if he has all those things around him and the quarterback to sling it around. What’s the outlook here for Puka? You think? I think we’re looking Tommy at a first team allp pro season and and I watched that game against Houston for Puka and he’s doing everything Cooper Cup did in his triple crown season, but he’s also taking some real shots. And one of the images of that game is early when he gets hit in the helmet and the helmet slides down and there’s blood gushing down, he’s got to go into the locker room to get stitched up, but also get checked for a concussion. And remember, he’s a guy who missed a bunch of games last year with that knee. Five games he was on IR. It was never really himself afterwards. And this is one of the things we we’re curious or I’m most curious about talking to Shawn McY. How do you make sure you get Puka Nakua through a season while not taking away from what makes him special, which is his ability to make plays over the middle and his physical approach to the game? Because if he can stay in there for 17 games and then into the playoffs, I I think we’re looking Tommy at at a really special season because he’s in year three contract season. important to note, but it’s clear the game slowed down and he has all of Matthew Stafford’s trust and he will throw to Nua in areas of the field that you really have to trust a guy that he’s going to make the play. So, a special player. excited to see him in person for the first time in in in a couple years here, but also interested to see how they navigate this season with Puka to keep him healthy and and try and get him to the finish line because they’re going to need him if they’re going to try and meet their expectations, which is is trying to get back to the Super Bowl. You bring up some really good points and maybe next week we can see and hear from you about the year-to-year jump that you’ve seen from Puka Nakua here. You mentioned that year three bump. That’s certainly big uh in the NFL. Evan, certainly appreciate it. have a good call this weekend on CBS. Again, once again, the slate heavy AFC East headto-head in the early window grouped into the same block of games as Evans. NFL and CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus.

Evan Washburn joins CBS Sports HQ to preview Rams-Titans in Week 2.

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