TITANS SQUAD SHOW: TITANS WIN…FINALLY! Cam Ward LEADS game-winning drive, Jeff Simmons SHINES

TITANS SQUAD SHOW: TITANS WIN…FINALLY! Cam Ward LEADS game-winning drive, Jeff Simmons SHINES

I’m Julian Minson and finally the Tennessee Titans are on the board with a win. We’ll talk about it. And I’m Brad Hopkins and boy, there’s some this close to Halloween, some spookiness that was going on in that game. We’ll talk about it. Tighten up. It’s the Titan Squad. Everything Tennessee Titans every week covering all the big hits and gamechanging plays from the heart of music city the way only the Locked on Podcast Network can. Squad up. The Titan Squad Show starts now. Oh boy. Welcome to the Titan Squad Show. I’m Julia Menson along with Brad Hopkins, twotime Pro Bowler. Man, what a game. The Tennessee Titans get their first win of the season with the 22-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals. This episode is brought to you by Mazda. Like our players, we sweat every detail because when you make every move count, pulling off the unexpected is only the beginning. Stay tuned later for highlights in this week’s Moving the Game Forward. Mazda move and be moved. And talk about an unexpected second half by the Tennessee Titans. Oh boy. Be hoping to go right to you here. What is your initial reaction to to describe what today win was like for you? Well, first off, it’s my mom’s birthday today. Oh, happy birthday. Yeah. And and my mom being one of the biggest diehard Titans fans that there ever was. I mean, she was an Oiler fan before a Titan fan, obviously. and for the Titans to give her a W on her birthday is fantastic. So, job well done, Brian and company. Yeah. But, uh, the there was something in the air going on down there in Arizona, man. Because if you look at the very beginning of this game, I’m thinking, “Oh, God, here we go again.” And I’m sure everybody was saying the same thing, especially if you’re rooting for the success of this team, right? or even if you just want to see what has been bad for the first four weeks somehow get right and it didn’t seem like that was going to be the case. It looked like Arizona was a playoff team or something in the first couple of drives, right? Kyler Murray looked incredible. You know, the offense, I think they scored three touchdowns their first three possessions. Then they started screwing up. They started doing stuff that we have grown to be familiar with Titans football. it was going on in Arizona. So, whatever ju guu we had on us that was jacking us up, we somehow expelled it off of us and put it on to the Arizona Cardinals because there is no way that they should have lost that game. Especially with the lead that they had in the way that they did it, snake bitten, maybe that’s part for the course when you’re talking about a desert state, right? Because I mean, if you think about balls being snapped, hitting them in Kyle’s face, uh, giving up a touchdown for prematurely celebrating, and an interception that should have ended the ball game that turned into a touchdown with what, you know, I mean, so it’s funny, but I’m glad I had this smile on my face because it is the first win of the Titans 2025 season, and it couldn’t have been in a more dramatic fashion to I I mean the most Tennessee Titans experience ever for a victory, right, Behop? I went on my five o’clock show and I the the anchor and I were talking. I was like, “Oh, well, here we go again.” Same old story. And then no more than an hour, an hour and a half later, I’m here in the sports office as they’re winning this game and I am like pacing back and forth around the newsroom like I I didn’t know how to react to what I just saw. You and you mentioned it, the gifts that the Cardinals gave the Titans. I mean, there were so many chances that they could have put this game away and and they didn’t. You’re talking about the 2019 first pick, right, versus the 20125 first pick going headtohead. Both of them wearing the number one jerseys. And I honestly feel bad for Kyler Murray because he is going to get roasted tomorrow or even now for just the way the debacle that happened out there in Arizona. You know, you’re hosting a team that has yet to win a ball game. You’re two and two. And sure, maybe they’ve been the ball just didn’t bounce your way in some instances. You could have possibly even had a better record than that. Um had control of the ball game from the very beginning. But just for whatever reason, and we’ll get into that further. Um when they say this team didn’t quit on Brian Callahan, there couldn’t have been any more of a fact than that. Sure. I think that Legerius Sneed, even though he didn’t maybe have an effect on the running back releasing the ball before he got over the goal line, as we may have thought in the very beginning, cuz I think he did that before there was actually even contact, but the hustle right after you watch this dude just split the middle of the defense, go straight down the middle of the field for of whatever yard touchdown that was going to be. And for him to put that effort in, I think that that was synonymous with this team not quitting, you know, and that’s the thing, those are the things that get coaches fired. What gets a coach fired is when a team doesn’t respond to him. When a team basically has thrown in the towel, when a team’s basically saying, “Man, this sucks and I don’t have anything left for this whole situation.” That never was the case. Even when they were down 20 something to six. even when you know Joey Sly missed another field goal. We’ll get into that, too. Good night. But the point is, this team still had grit. This this team still had determination. It still had will. It wasn’t dead. And that was the only reason why they’re able to take care take advantage of the miscues that the Arizona Cardinals had today. You know, I can’t wait for the national pundits to talk about this tomorrow. you know, how the Arizona Cardinals gift wrapped us a game, but they’re not going to mention the the the just the fight and the resolve that this Titans team had, not having won a game, looking like the same team that we saw the first four weeks and just never quitting on each other and it paid off. You you talked about the snee play, funny enough, you know, whether he had an impact on that play or not. I mean, it’s the fact that he didn’t give up on the play a week after he was the one talking smack, saying who and then getting torched on arguably the biggest play of the game and then not wanting to answer questions about it after the game. And then Corey and I, um, my boss from News2 for those who, um, are listening, coworker, as he’s yelling there in the back, um, he was he he was he was talking, um, he was reviewing some of the tape on on some of the defensive stops and how Callahan was running out on the field, high-fiving and cheering his defense on, leading was something he couldn’t do when he was the play caller of this team and leading this team. That’s a great point and I will say that you know Bo Hardigree did a pretty good job as did the offensive line. What was one of the things that we talked about uh last week, you know, before yes or before today basically the last time you Tyler and I were on together, we were talking about we needed to see some improvement up front. Guess what? Two sacks. I’ll take it because some of those sacks were just, you know, Cam not having anywhere to go with the football and that’s a result of it. if coverage is what it is. He didn’t make a mistake and throw the ball, you know, in any sort of diff different direction. And the only interception he had on the game was at a tip ball at the line of scrimmage. So, it wasn’t like he was careless with the football. And it wasn’t like those guys didn’t give him ample enough time to make things happen. Sure, we did see some drops that, you know, could have continued drives and things of that nature, but we did see some big plays made by the big players, right? We saw Calvin Reley today. We saw Chungquo good night almighty. My boy was having a game, wasn’t he? Was basically under witness protection in the first half and then all of a sudden came to life in the second and started making plays. Yeah. That one where they had him kind of two defenders had him bottled up and kind of jked up field to the sidelines out of their shoes. Out of their shoes, man. I mean, no, out of shoes. Out of some draws, man. I tell there was some underwear laying. There’s some jocks laying out there on the field, you know. So, but just just the fact that we saw guys, you know, stepping up when they needed to step up. Jeffrey Simmons, big dog, had to eat today, man. Yeah. You know, there was, put this way, he had what, one or maybe two sacks. He could have had four or five sacks if he were able to get guys on the ground, but for the most part, he was disruptive. He was unblockable in a lot of instances. And you know, you got to say that those guys that had that have the voice in that locker room, they came to play and they did eventually. How how huge is just just for just the relief and and just the monkey off their back at least if it’s for a week. You know how distraught that locker room was after 0 and4 and is really dating back to last year. They ended up they ended up not being the the you know uh the extending that losing streak to 11 games which would have been the longest in Titans history. It stays at 10. Just for coach Callahan and and the talk around him potentially losing his job and and the players in the locker room Cam being frustrated. What does this do for a team moving forward again going into next week where the Raiders are it’s a very winnable game. That’s a very beatable team over there for sure. Well, the thing is for me, I mean, my family’s very cynical when it comes to the Titans because, you know, my brother, he loves the Titans cuz his brother played for him. My sister, you know, she doesn’t have any other team other than the one I played for as well. Um, but my brother’s never wanted to just be like, you know, all die hard Titans. It doesn’t matter whatever, blah, blah, blah. You know, if they lost, he like, so what? They lost. You know, no skin off my nose. We were all cheering. We were all cheering. We were excited in instances. We were like I mean cuz you know we’re all over at my mom’s house just my mom dad’s house just watching the game. And I was looking around at my entire family rooting like I felt like we were tailgating or something. You know what I mean? Even though we’re celebrating my mom’s birthday and just the feeling that I I know how I felt. You know what I’m saying? And I’m sitting in my parents living room. I wasn’t one of those guys in the locker room. I wasn’t one of those guys that’s about to board a flight to come back to Nashville feeling good about the second round of a three-game road trip, right? And it went your way. Especially in most instances, Julian, when it wasn’t going your way. So, you talk about a sense of relief. They didn’t want to come back to Nashville 0 and5 having to look themselves in the mirror and face those questions that are going to come that seem to be at this point monotonous. Why can’t this team win a ball game? Well, what they showed us today is that they can win a ball game. They are capable. Is everything fixed? Absolutely not. Could they play better? Most certainly. But they took advantage in most instances when a team was handing them the game, which to me says, “Hey, there’s life. There’s life. Don’t shovel dirt on them just yet.” Now, does this mean they’re getting into the playoffs? Does this mean Does this mean that, you know, they’re going to be picking in the 20s in the draft next year? No. But it does mean that this team can come together. They do believe in each other. And for the most part that there there was some inspiring play that I saw from the Titans on this Sunday. And that’s what that means to me. Yeah. The the resiliency is the is the big thing that that stands out to me is that even if they lost this game, they still competed. Like we talked about on our show earlier in the the week, the defense needing to play for four quarters, right? And they certainly did that today. We’ll talk about Jeff Simmons more a little bit later, but but you have that Cam Ward struggled at the start of this game and then those last two drives was dynamite clutch and then even Joey Sly missing the extra point, right? Which which could have made it a one-sore game instead of being a still a two-score game. Then he gets the opportunity to make the big kick there at the end at the end of the game. So the the resiliency I think is the biggest thing that they didn’t quit uh when when that was the easy way out. They could have easily just laid down and say, “Hey, we’re we’re 0 and five. We’ll get the RA we’ll have the Raiders next week.” Whatever. I I wasn’t paying attention. I wasn’t looking at the screen um before Sly came out to kick the game-winning field goal and they showed the one that he missed, you know, and I thought that that I thought that was the one. Not again. I thought I said I cuz I said, “Oh my god, I was so mad that I realized that they were just showing the clip from the first one you missed.” Right. Yeah. Now, when he kicked that field goal, Julian, what were you thinking as it was heading towards that right? Oh, I thought he shanked it again. Um I I I said that’s going to be the most Tennessee Titans way to lose. I I I I could not believe that. I mean, honestly, I held my I took a deep inhale when he kicked it off this I said like, “Oh my god, I can’t believe that they did all this stuff to get back into this ball game and then Sly misses the game-winning field goal.” But I mean, just by the hair of his chinny chin chin, that thing went inside the upright and I thought, “My god, this is this is such a stressful game.” Well, part of me was like, “Oh, maybe they should just go for the touchdown here because it’s in his it’s in Sly’s head. Five missed kicks in the last two weeks. Maybe they’re just better off trying to just punch it in the end zone. But well, think about it. Spiro and Adam Archeletta, the guys that were calling the game, they were talking about going for two versus going for one. And, you know, he said, “Hey, look, you you go for one, at least you’re within, you know, a score because eight points will get you tied up in the ball game. But if you miss or if you don’t make the extra if you don’t make the two-point conversion, now you don’t have any points.” And what do we end up doing? Not getting any points out of it anyway. So, you got to be kidding me, right? So, I’m not, you know, obviously there’s enough blame to go around if this team would have lost, but we’re not talking about a loss today. We’re talking about the things that it took for this team to stay afloat and just keep hope alive that, you know, things can happen, at least even better for the Titans in 2025. Indeed. Well, the Titans do get to win. We want to make sure to answer your questions. Keep the comments coming. Um, don’t know how many wins you can get in an NFL season, especially with the Titans this year. So, we want to answer any questions or even just read some comments that you guys have. Uh, we’re going to talk about Cam Ward’s performance in particular. Uh, how he showed some resolve and ended up getting that game-winning drive. That’s next on the Titan Squad Show. Keep it here. All right. This episode is brought to you by Square, your favorite neighborhood spots run on Square. There are certain businesses that make the neighborhood the neighborhood, and these are the places that become an extension of home. Whether it’s the sports bar dedicated to your team’s fan bases, um the the spot with the best wings in town for game day, or that beloved local food chain that’s been rooted in your community for years, these businesses are what bring people together. When neighborhood business thrives, the whole neighborhood thrives. Now, sports are something that brings neighborhoods together. Whether it’s gathering for game day rituals, celebrating with some food, or just being part of the fan base that calls you home, Square is a proud partner of more than 4 million neighborhood businesses around the world. You can go to square.com/go/lockdon NFL to learn more. But before you do, go support your favorite neighborhood spots. For example, some of them in Nashville include Waldo, Chicken, and Beer. You have Little Hats also right next door in Germantown. Those are just a few. You’ll be happy you did. Square. See you in the neighborhood. All right, BHOP. Uh TBS, some somebody commented by the name of TBS, no Owen 17 celebrating good times to come. So yeah, they will not be on. They’re also not the only winless team here. I mean, the the Jets lost again. So, um the Titans are a game up on them. Wanted to talk about Cam Ward’s day. 21 of 39, 265 yards. Had the interception. He threw an interception that happened to lead for a touchdown for the Titans. Again, inconceivable kind of play. Um but he showed some great resolve and we talked about it, teased it a little bit in the first half of the show, the first segment. How did you like or what did you like most about the way Cam kind of bounced back in his performance at the end of that game? Um, you know, this is a guy that’s in his first year in the league, right? Five games into his professional career. You couldn’t tell that by his poise when the game wasn’t going his way. You couldn’t tell. I mean, this guy was he never was down in the dumps. You didn’t see him throw a helmet. You didn’t see him, you know, just staring off into space because the moment was too big for him. He’s never been that dude. And that’s what you need. You know, when things are great, it’s easy. You know, character isn’t revealed when things are going your way. You know what I mean? Things character is revealed when when you’re in the middle of the suck and how you conduct yourself to change things. Cuz it’s easy to sit there and look around and wallow in the in the pity and the misery of things not going your way, right? But I think some of us want to get out of that. We want to try and solve what it is that’s actually the problem. And he’s always had that forward thinking. You know what I mean? There was one instance I did like the fact that Taj Spears came in uh he he took a direct hand a direct snap, you know, in a Wildcat formation. I like that that play calling. I just wish that Cam would use his legs more. You know what I mean? I think that he wants to establish himself as such a passer that he’s forgetting that you know what, you don’t have to just be avoiding tackles to show your leg capabilities. Get North and South, you know what I mean? It’s okay. You know, I mean, we’re not going to just think of you as just some running mobile quarterback. You know, I understand your your ability in the pocket. You I mean, for the most part, you you can be accurate. A couple of overthrows and some drops didn’t help, but for the most part, I wanted him to show that dual threat capability. And the only way you can do that is by, you know, getting gone sometimes, man. Get on the get on your horse, get going, cuz defenses will respect you more if they do think that at any instance this guy could take off. But right now, you know, I think Tyler brought it up in our last um show, the fight, the fact that the Titans are in 11 personnel, more than anybody else in the National Football League. Now, 11 personnel is just one tight end. One tight end, one back in the back field versus two tight ends sometimes. Now, we did see um Mr. Helm in the lineup, you know, he had a couple of key catches. I mean, just he he and Chig um being in the lineup was a good situation to see. You know what I mean? Now, let’s see him on the field at the same time. You know, let’s see. Let’s see. But, and there were instances when they were attempting to run the football and they put together a pretty consistent drive. It didn’t come culminate in points, but just the fact that they were on the field really mashing that front four in instances and getting some big big play potential. Now, Tony Pard only had 67 yards. I say only 67 yards, but you know, he only carried the ball 14 times as well. They had under 20 I think under 20 carries that were designed carries, correct? You know, involving the run game. So, you know, balancing out the offense to me just makes you less predictable in the pass game and it does open up all the other stuff when you’re able to effectively, you know, find those holes and stay in manageable down at distances, you know, but for for Cam, I love the way that he managed the game, you know, even when it wasn’t going his way. too too many times on this show, we’ve talked about at least more recently when the Titans struggles have been happening, how Cam is pressing and and seemed like he’s trying too hard to make the big play downfield and taking instead of taking of just what’s in front of him. And that’s what I think what was most impressive on those last couple drives is it was very simple. You you know right over the middle kind of where he lived in training camp in the preseason to a conqu to Gunner and then it opened up the big play for Ridley downfield you know um h how much as far as like him showing some growth in a moment like that. You mentioned the poise, but also, you know, being patient, I guess, with the game plan of what was what the defense was giving him. Yeah. I mean, that’s what quarterbacks have to do. I mean, you can have all these wonderful plays in your head and you can see how things go because in pra it worked in practice and whatever, but the good quarterbacks take what the defense gives them. And what we mean when they say that is sometimes the defense might dictate, you know, the play calling because they’re in certain coverages, because they’re in certain looks, they’re in certain uh fronts, right? But I think that when you start looking at just how Cam would look at the situation itself and say, “Hey, you know what? Um, I need to either check out of that or this needs to work. We need to go a different direction, you know, in this.” He managed those situations very well. And he also didn’t create those turnovers that sometimes defenses can bait you in bait you into. You know what I mean? So I think ultimately we saw a guy that, you know, was still under not under duress, but managing what he could and trying to get the ball out of his hands to create opportunities for the offense. It didn’t always look pretty and it didn’t always go his way, but yet we didn’t see him make those customary mistakes. Now, remember those come one time when he was extending the play kind of moving backwards and ultimately realized that, hey, look, rather than try and sling this thing into a place that I shouldn’t. I’m gonna throw it out of bounds. Just throw it away. Yeah. There were a couple of times though when he did throw it in there and I’m thinking, “Oh my god, dude, that was close.” You know what I mean? Uh, you know, I know you’re trying to connect with Calvin Ridley, etc., etc. And sure, we’d love to see the explosive play, but you know, just be easy, bro. Be easy. And it it did work out in the end. Jeff Simmons said this or last week that the best players need to play better and he was backing it up this this season so far. Um, you talked about Sneed earlier, but Calvin Ridley, I mean, five for 131. How nice is that for a guy who’s been trying to get going, has had the drop issues, was wearing those specialty dead eyee goggles at practice to try to get his mind right, try to get his game right, and then he ends up going five for 131 and and creating honestly two of the bigger explosive plays downfield. There was the third and 10 that Ward hit Ridley on earlier in the game. And then there was the one down the sideline or the game-winning drive. Like just just how big is that for somebody like Calvin Ridley who is this team’s number one receiver? It it was it was big because if you think about it, the expectation um him being who he is as one of the more established receivers, they expect that expect that big play potential, right? Yeah. And we saw that today. We saw him catch the back end of the ball. We saw him in traffic making things happen. Um, there were a couple of things that I’m sure that he wish he could have taken back. You know, he was targeted 10 times, but only caught five of them, which meant that he had five either, you know, drops or or, you know, the ball wasn’t placed exactly where it could be to make him allow him to to be able to make The opportunities were there. The opportunities were there is what you’re saying. But I’ll take 131 yards. I’ll take that all day long. You know what I’m saying? He’ll take it, too. Guaranteed. And Cha Conqu, think about that. Four receptions for 48 yards. I mean, when he was basically not involved at anything in the first half and you know what they did with Chig that was that was what what he does best is his versatility, right? Just let him trust him to make a play and let him go like that screen pass that they had for him. Just trust him to make a play, let let him go. And that’s what Cam did mostly in the second half was trusting his teammates to make a play. You got to put them in positions to to make a play and that’s what he did. Exactly. And I think that him doing that is it’s it it was so beneficial for the squad. And I just like how even both sides of the ball were were rooting for each other. You know what I mean? On that legious snee, you know, we wouldn’t didn’t knock the ball out of his hand, but he still Halloween spook. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe he did that in the end and made him drop it. You know, I don’t know. So do something. But guess who was the biggest advocate for that? Calvin. Calvin like, you know, let’s let’s go. You know what I mean? So, and Jeffrey Simmons always after every drive that they’re on there just, you know, on the sidelines making sure that his boys stayed in the game, stayed connected because it’s easy to lose focus when you’re down like that. You know what I mean? And when you hadn’t scored a touchdown, it’s easy to lose focus. But it wasn’t the player, the coaches. I’m sure the coaches were saying some things about staying in the ball game and and even like in the comments, Callie’s enthusiasm was contagious. You know what I mean? just his excitement and even sometimes his frustration, you know, when when Big Jeff’s getting held and like, “Dude, that’s twice. What’s up?” You know what I mean? You helling at the ref. Yep. Exactly. So, just it was inspiring for the guys. They inspired each other, which I like that circle the wagons mentality that they have because at the end of the day when it seemed like they were outnumbered, they were, you know, just outgunned, any all that stuff, they found a way to win. I mean, it wasn’t pretty by any stretch. And I agree with some of the comments. It was kind of an ugly way especially you know that offense could have done better earlier on but you know Cam Ward 21 of 39 for 265 yards only one pick that was tipped at the line scribbles like you mentioned and two sacks I’ll take that. Yeah, I’ll take that. I mean Kyler Murray only had 220 yards and he had I mean less attempts and he but he had oh the bigger thing three sacks. They were getting after him. They were I mean especially in that second quarter they were starting to apply the pressure and when you see a team getting after a quarterback like that it makes all the difference. That was the biggest difference from the first quarter to the second quarter. In the first quarter they weren’t getting any pressure. You know what I mean? In the first quarter they were making big plays. So whether it was a dig, whether it was an out, whether it was a go, a seam route, whatever it seemed like they were connecting on everything, which is the reason why they had three touchdowns in the first three possessions. But then things started heating up. You know what I mean? Kyler started then looking at that pass rush and they started to become discombobulated and that was the difference. You know when you got big Jeff and they moved Jeff all around too. She was on the outside on the inside. He was all over the place. So everybody got their fair share of what this cat was was coming up. You know we we’ll talk about the defense here in a second. Zack Carpenter has something that I I didn’t see this but he said did you guys see Cam dap up the kicker and the holder after the game? He’s the first one to give a guy appreciation a true leader. And that and that goes back to the cheering for each other, leadership kind of stuff that you’re talking about there that that the defense is rooting for the special teams and the offense and every facet of the game is rooting for each other. Yeah. And that’s that’s that’s all you want. See what happens when a team is really broken. Uh when it’s divided, it’s easy to point fingers. Yeah. Let me say that again and I hope you understand what I’m talking about. When things are divided, it’s easy to point fingers. I’m just going to leave it at that because it’s easy when things aren’t, you know. Yeah. I hope you understand where I’m going with that. Oh yeah. No, 100%. When things are divided, it’s easy to point fingers and say who’s at fault, who’s to blame, whatever else. But when you start coming together and start playing for one another or in some instances doing for one another, then that whole fingerpointing, that whole divide goes away because at the end of the day, they need each other. We need each other. Hope you follow me. Yeah, be hop with some bars there for you here after a Titans win. Okay, we’re going to talk about the defense and Jeff Simmons and dive into that unit a little bit more coming up next here on the Titan Squad Show. Don’t go anywhere. All right, this episode is brought to you by Mazda’s Moving the Game Forward. For those who believe it’s not just about playing the game, it’s about redefining it. There are moments that do more than put points on the board. They move crowds, move culture, and keep the game moving forward. Now, this week’s moment that moved the game forward is how about that game-winning drive from Cam Ward leading the Titans down the field, showing some resolve leading to the Joey Slide game-winning field goal for their first win of the season. That is moving the game forward. Now, when you follow what moves you, the unexpected is only the beginning. And just like there’s more to every highlight, there’s more to every Mazda vehicle. Mazda, move and be moved. All right, BHOP. Um, again, Jeff Simmons credited with a sack and a half and then a tackle for loss. Again, the best players need to play better. He said it. He’s been backing it up. Is this some of the best football you’ve seen Jeff Simmons play of his career? Because there was a comment that we had in there that said, “Man, I thought Jeff peaked um a few years back. It was from Zack Carpenter.” He’s like, “I’m so glad I was wrong because he’s a different beast this year. The weight loss is certainly showing up on the field.” Yeah, it’s I think that I I think that he got used to the idea of forehands being on him at all times because that’s just the way you got to block Jeffrey Simmons. You got to have a couple guys do it, right? Not only is he used to being double teamed, but now he has the motor to keep going and fighting through the double team. And I guarantee you weight loss has a lot to do with that because I remember being 346 pounds my first couple of years in the league, right? and not having the stamina to play at the same level for four quarters, it makes a difference because fatigue makes cowards of us all, man. And when you start getting tired, technique, focus, all that goes out the window. But what we’re seeing is a tenacious Jeff Simmons. I mean, he’s going to fight that double team. You’re not put this way, if you don’t block him for a full four or five seconds, however long it takes, you’re you’re going to have a problem. You know, cuz my man is coming. Now, there were some instances, I’m sure, when it seemed like the quarterback was Kylo was just in his grasp and then boom, you know, he falls down. That was I remember that was earlier in the game. Yeah. But what did he do? Got back up and start the pursuit. That’s the difference. And sure, he was sucking when he got to the sideline, but guess what? That’s a big body. That’s a lot of muscle running around chasing people. You know what I mean? Especially like Kyler Murray. But the fact that he’s been able to fight through those things and get himself in the type of condition physically and mentally to deal with 60 minutes of football, you’re definitely seeing a guy that in his seventh year is um he’s setting a good example to say the least. And we talked about that when we were talking about expectations going into the year for the Titans to have at least some success. They needed a huge year from Jeffrey Simmons. eight, nine, 10, what, whatever, however many sacks or numbers that you were going to put on it. But it also gets the other guys involved. Sebastian Joseph Day gets a sack. Ardan Key had half a sack today, too. So, how how much when a player is playing like Jeff Simmons is and he is also the leader of your team, how much does that everybody just follows and raises their level of play, too? Because that’s also important. It’s not just Jeff getting just empty calories and stats for himself. No, but 100%. Um, that that’s the thing. Um, you know, when you have a family, you your big brother kind of sets the tone a little bit. You know what I mean? Very very rarely do you see the little brother leading the whole the big brother. It just it just don’t work that way. It’s kind of weird. Put it this way. If the little brother’s leading the big brother, you’re going to have either he’s an exceptional little brother or or you got a a lunkhead for an older brother. You know what I mean? Something’s something’s going on there. You know what I mean? But they set the example, right? They set the tone. And when you got a bunch of big brothers that are making plays, when you got a big bunch of big brothers that are showing you the commitment, you know what I’m saying? That are leading the charge, you have, put it this way, my big brothers coming into the National Football League were guys named Mike Munchack, Bruce Matthews, Warren Moon. Those were my big brothers. I have a picture right here in our office of you next to Bruce Matthews right here. I could I they they set the tone and when you see them flying around making plays and doing this stuff, there was no option. Yeah, there was no option. This is the way you do it, young fella. And if you can’t do it this way, then you you you just got no business here. So, at the end of the day, they teach you and show you just what it takes to be able to get the job done. So, that’s everything. I hate sounding like LeBron James and that FanDuel commercial or whatever it is with him and Kevin Hart. Hey, what? You know the Kevin Dyson one? He goes, “What does a play like that do for the locker room? It’s everything, man.” And he just sat there. But it’s true. He’s like, “That’s really that’s all you’re gonna say? Everything.” Everything say, “Where’s Shaq at?” You know what I’m saying? Exactly. The point is they they the ones that kind of give you the example of of what to do and how to do it. Um, I wanted to talk about this defense as a whole, too, holding the Cardinals scoreless in the second half. We know the point discrepancy that this team has had going into that fourth quarter and how how bad the fourth quarters have been and part of that is not on the defense. Part of that is also the offense not moving the chains and the defense kind of getting gassed at the end of the games. But but today they dug deep and when they needed to get big stops they did. How how much will that defense I guess how much does that propel them after this performance for hey we could we can get big time stops in a close game even if our offense is struggling most of the way. Yeah that that’s the thing the thing is getting off the field. Okay. And it takes every single one of those dudes, all 11, to make that happen. Because if you apply pressure, but the quarterback can get rid of the ball because he’s got open receivers, that’s a problem. When you have guys blanketed, but you got no pressure and the quarterback has all day to eventually find somebody, that’s a problem. When you can’t tackle guys and get off the field and stop first downs from continuing to happen, that’s a problem. So, it takes all of those things to make it work and to make a defense effective. You got to have dudes that are flying around in the back end in the secondary making plays. You got to have guys that are chasing the hell out of the damn quarterback and you got to got to have guys that when they have an opportunity to get a guy on the ground, they get his butt on the ground. and you get off on third down and you and you celebrate with your boys and you get ready for another situation to where you have to get that offense get that ball back to your offense. That’s the way this thing is designed. You see? So, when you have play when you have the complete balance and the complete uh uh chemistry of a defense that’s playing well together, they’ve got great run fits. They applying great pressure. you know, they’re taking away the receiver, the quarterback’s best option as far as receivers, making him look elsewhere, making him hold on to the football. That’s ultimately what you want them to do. And when you can do that, they feel great about themselves because they know as a unit that they got it done. Another big key to victory here, Marvin Harrison, in the first half, it looked like he and Kyler Murray were getting on track with each other because they haven’t been through this point in the season. He had 79 yards in that first half, only ended up with 98. Um that’s when you talk about Legious Sneed um stepping up too, that’s another big big step in the right direction um for him this game. Not just the play where he was chasing down the ball carrier and he dropped it, you know, before crossing the goal line, but the the the defense and shutting down some of the the Cardinals best pass options with Marvin Harrison. McBride was held to 41 yards as well. Um that was huge for this team. Yeah, I mean Marvin Harrison’s been under the gun himself for a few weeks now, you know what I mean? So, the fact that he caught that ball in double coverage at the one yard line, I thought, sweet guy, this dude would have the game, you know, of his life seemingly and then of course him making plays over the middle, making catches, continuing first downs. I thought he he would get on track playing us, right? Then he kind of went away. You know what I mean? They maybe it was schematically Dinar Wilson and company taking him away as an option or maybe it was just the fact that Kyler Murray was now holding on to the football trying to find other options to go to and just couldn’t get it going. You know what I mean? So, and oh, you know who else was frustrated? Mr. McBride. They’re all do everything tied in. He was ticked off. Remember at halftime you watch him walking off the field, he shaking his head cuz he wasn’t that involved. He wants to c make those big catches and those big plays and do this to his Arizona Cardinal fan base. Yes, give me my love. Give me my flowers. I’m out here doing it. Yeah, it wasn’t the case, you know, because it seemed like whatever they’re used to doing, the Titans made second half adjustments, recognized that and took those options away and made them just less functional than they were to start the game. Um, another guy who had a huge game, Cedric Gray, 12 tackles again today. He’s had what is that make it 70 29 tackles the last two weeks. I mean how you know for somebody where going into the offseason it was neck andneck between he and James Williams and and for for where that competition was to where this guy is now. I mean the dude’s violent. He’s an animal out there. He tackles with force. I mean what are you seeing out of Cedric Gray in the middle of that defense there? Well first off he shouldn’t have held Michael Carter up on that one play. Hey, you are you’re in war, man. This ain’t no you dapping them up. Get get out of here. Yeah, I’m being funny. But hey, listen. The Titans need a sideline a sideline guy and that’s him. At least he’s one of them. You know what I’m saying? He is a sideline to sideline dude that’s making plays, flying around. And you’re right. When he like he boy, when he comes, he comes with with some intention. And there’s nothing put this way. ball carriers will recognize that and they’ll respect that, you know what I mean? Because they’ll know they’re about to get smacked. And you want guys like that that play ferocious with that kind of tenacity and I think that he sets a good example for that, you know, for a player that just got here basically. You know what I mean? So, you know, I just want I I want to see more of it. You want to see consistency. It’s one thing for him to, you know, make those kind of plays and kind of establish himself as a guy that uh, you know, can can be a guy that can do things. What was he a fourth round pick last year? Yes. You know what I mean? So, he’s still a relatively young guy, but is setting the tone for players around him to know, hey, look, I can trust this dude because when he’s in open field or he’s in a sniff of the of the ball carrier, he’s going to get him on the ground. And I think that you can respect that. We we knew that they were going to have to have guys go sideline to sideline too because Kyler Murray obviously with his feet only four carries, 25 yards, had the one 12 yard run, but outside of that, he didn’t really do much damage on that front end. He could have considering, you know, um the Titans troubles with maybe some running quarterbacks at times. Yeah, I’m gonna say this. Matt Miller, he hit it on the head in our comments. He said the problem is it’s not uh replicatable. Replicable. Yeah. Yeah. what you said, but so much flukiness in in this game. And he’s right. Yeah. Because had the had the Arizona Cardinals not given them opportunities to take advantage of those flukiness, the craziness that was going on, the Titans wouldn’t have won the football game. So, it did take a whole bunch of Arizona screw-ups to make it happen. But a bad team doesn’t do that. A bad team doesn’t take advantage of the miscues that the other team puts out there. Somehow, a bad team will continue to flounder and continue to find ways to lose. this team didn’t. You know what I’m saying? So, I’m not going to say they’re a good team. I’m not going to say they’re certainly not going to say they’re a great team, but they’re not a bad team. Now, what they are, we don’t know yet because this has been one game. It’s the first game that they won, right? A lot of young players, too. Now, you go out there and you slap Pete Carol’s boys in the mouth in Las Vegas now, we might be raising some eyebrows. You know what I’m saying? But if you fall back into that same dysfunction that happened the first four weeks and start finding ways to shoot yourself in the foot and find ways to lose ball games, then we’re going to say, you know what, it’s one of those um Dennis Green things. We are exactly who they think we are, you know, and those things, you know, and we let him off the hook, the whole deal. And that’s just, you know, we’ll find out the character and the resolve of this team once they put this win in the rearview because guess what, guys? It’s over. You won the ball game. It’s over. celebrate on the plane ride back because it’s a long plane ride. You know what I’m saying? Have yourself some libations when you get back to the crib, you know, then relax. I’m sure you probably have a victory Monday. You don’t have to come in, you know, and then get yourself ready to go to work again because you got to do it again. That’s the thing. You got to do it again. And we’re in the very beginning of the season, fellas. This isn’t like we, you know, are or landing this plane. This thing barely took off. We’re barely through the first quarter of the season. and they need to start playing with some consistency to give people a reason to come out and root for them. Absolutely. Take wins how you can get it. Make sure to keep those comments coming because we’re going to answer your questions in the next segment of the show. Uh I’ve already seen a couple comments and questions for Be Hop here on the Titan Squad Show. Don’t go anywhere. All right, the NFL season is here and FanDuel has an offer that you don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get 300 in bonus bets if you win. That’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. It makes watching football even more exciting when you’ve got a little something riding on the action. That’s for sure. So, what are you waiting for? Visit fanuel.com to download the FanDuel app today and get started. All right, BH Hop going to answer some questions and then talk about also what the Titans how they can build off of this and what you’re looking for um after a win now going into the week. What the attitude is you want to see. So, first Zack Carter says you we talked about this a little bit, but how about the O line? They played great. Gave Cam time um to make the comeback. As you mentioned earlier in the show, Behop two sacks only. You know, that’s backto-back weeks where the sack numbers are down. And so that is a small win in of itself for this team, too, that was struggling to start the year. Got to give them their props. Got to give them their flowers. We’ve been killing them all year and rightfully so, but they played well today. Let’s just say that. They played very well today. They gave Cam well than enough time, more than enough time to make it happen. Um there were only there were that that one where um where uh Dan Moore was late off the ball, you know, and it caused the sack on the fourth down. Yeah, that was the the protection bust you were talking about. Yeah. Yeah. That was so weird cuz was the ball snapped too early because it seemed a lot of people weren’t ready for that. You know what I mean? So that was the only real miscue that I saw and Spears was lined up on the other side is what you were talking about. Exactly. Exactly. Because I was thinking at first, you know, were they squeezing for an interior threat and left the end guy on the line of scrimmage for the running back, which would have been Tai to kind of cross over Cam’s face and then get to the left side. Or was that an instance where Dan was going to be on an island, right, just blocking one-on-one whoever number five was, I can’t remember what his name was, and that would have been an easy pickup. But for the most part, you know, I didn’t see miscues. I didn’t see them, you know, mishandling stunts and all kinds of craziness. I didn’t see a bunch of dudes at camp speed at all time. He wasn’t running under duress. He just, you know, not a bunch of pre-nap stuff either. Yeah. So, they were crisp. They played well, you know. So, I got to give them their props just because of how much we’ve actually give them a lot of the criticism for how this offense has been dysfunctional. They got it done today. So for Dan Moore, for Peter Scransky, for Lloyd Kusheenberry, um for um Uda on the right side, I mean for all those d for for you guys. Hey, man. For u uh uh Zitler, Zeitler, uh job well done. You did enough to allow this team an opportunity, you know, to get back into this ball game and to make it respectable until ultimately you got your very first win. So, you’re right about that. I can’t remember who it was that put the question up there, but good job. Yeah, that was Zack Carpenter. He’s had a couple really good comments today. This one comes in from Jim Packer. What do you think about trading Simmons now, B Hob? Don’t get me wrong, I love him, but he’s playing defensive player of the year ball right now where you can get a first and some other picks for him. Value is only going to go up right now. Um, I mean, Jeff is playing some of the best ball. I mean, Cali said in the post game right now, it’s defensive player of the year kind of stuff. Yeah, I I get it. I get it. I’m just not one of those guys that wants to see my best players go someplace else and a leader too. I’m just I’m not that dude. You know what I mean? Because to me, there’s a nucleus that needs to be held together. You know, there’s guys that understand, hey, look, this is my locker room. I played 13 seasons for the Titans. 189 games I started for them, and never once did I think about leaving. Hell, I never got to free agency, you know, because I always got my contracts done a year before they were set to expire. And the reason why I say that is because this is my this that’s this is my team. That’s why I’m still sitting here talking about the Titans right now after being retired from the game since 2006. This is my home. You know what I’m saying? I’m not one of those dudes that wants to bounce around and and all this other stuff, you know? So, I would imagine that those guys in that locker room have a love and respect for one another that make them want to continue to fight for each other, you know, versus being a hired gun and getting all these other draft. Now, I understand getting draft equity and developing that draft equity. That’s Jeffrey Simmons. You see what I’m saying? So, keep what you got. You know, let it continue to make plays for you. You’re going to get better because you’re going to have more draft picks. just pick the right ones and continue to show the same kind of development that you put in Jeffrey Simmons and it’ll all pay off. I don’t I’m not one of those guys that prescribes to going ahead and see if I can’t get so much more for, you know, a guy that we know is playing very well because at the end of the day, I can’t watch AJ Brown get another touch, get another Super Bowl. I can’t watch Derrick Henry Henry almost run for another rushing title. I can’t watch Jeffrey Simmons all of a sudden go to the flipping Eagles or someplace else and and get 20 sacks in a season. I don’t want to see that. I don’t want to see that. Yeah. Where would this defense be without Jeffrey Simmons? That’s that’s question there. Okay. Good question. There there’s Zack Carpenter again. Do you think Cam’s throw to Ridley on that final drive was his best throw of the season? It’s up there with that TD throw to Alec. It was a pretty darn good throw. He also had the one that we talked about earlier to Cam, which was Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Calvin’s coming across, you know, and like I said, caught the back end of that ball, you know, on a deep route on a um it wasn’t a post, but it was a deep route he threw. And then the one where he was getting hit as he threw to um to uh uh Helm, right? And just I understand the it was about Calvin Ridley, but I’m just talking about the Yes. inaccuracy in in some instances where Cam has really put the ball where it needed to be and allow his playmakers to make a play. So, we saw that on a couple of instances. We did see a a seemingly a more concerted effort to engage Calvin Ridley from a Cam Ward standpoint, right? But at the end of the day, when the defense recognizes that you’re going to keep going to this guy and they’re going to make you to, you know, find other options, you got to be quick about it. You know what I’m saying? Because you don’t have a whole bunch of time, not taking shots at the old line, just saying nobody has time in the pocket, you know what I mean, to sit there and throw the football like that. Nobody’s just sitting back there needing knitting blankets and stuff. You know what I mean? You got get that damn ball out of your hands. So, find what the defense is basically taking what the defense gives you, right? And if they’re not giving you Calvin really, you need to find that another guy. But there’s nothing wrong with finding Calvin really and getting the ball to him because he’s probably your most effective receiver when he does make those kind of catches. And it goes back to what we talked about earlier, that throw down the field on that final drive doesn’t happen without some of the underneath stuff, too. the simple stuff that Cam Ward has to also be okay with at times. Sometimes it’s okay to be in second and five or third and three rather than oh we’re in second and 10 or third and 10. Don’t make a bad situation worse also is kind of what you’re saying too. Exactly. That’s 100% the case. Um here is another one from Focus one. The the comments keep coming in. We love answering your questions guys. Focus one. How about we sign Jeff Simmons to a three to five year contract bump trading him. I Jeff’s demonstrating right now. I This is Jeff’s team. Period. He plays like this is his team. He has a respect and a rapport with the guys that says he’s the leader. He has taken on that role. Not saying that Jeffrey Simmons wouldn’t be just as effective someplace else, but he plays hard for the guys around him. And I love that about him. You know what I’m saying? Just having dudes like that in the locker room is a complete necessity. Having guys that own the locker room is so necessary for them to be successful. You can’t have a bunch of dudes that just are just now new to the building. I don’t care how many years you’ve been in the league and are still trying to develop a rapport and chemistry and cohesion with the guys around them. You got to have dudes that are already in there that know exactly where to go and exactly how to set the standard. Jeff’s one of them. Behop. want to end on this. You got the Raiders next week, which is very winnable game, right? Then then you have a chance to get right right before Mike Vrabel comes into town. Um, and a little bit of a revenge game there. What do you want to see from this team this week leading up to that that next game after a win? Because th this is what this is the first time this group in particular now has to handle a win. and they’ve had nothing but losses through this four few four weeks of the season. One thing that wins like this give the Titans is confidence. And confidence it’s it’s so necessary for a team to be successful. To know in their minds that they can make things happen, that they can do seemingly the unaccomplishable when people are rooting against you. to have the confidence to know who you are and make things happen. That is the difference. So hopefully what they take from this game is to say we can do it despite all else. We can do it. If you take that confidence on the road again and you start showing that team that’s across the line of scrimmage from you that, hey, look, we’re not down on ourselves. This isn’t a lost season for us. We came to play and we have confident players that can lead the charge and show us exactly how to get it done. That’s what I want to see them take out to Las Vegas next week. And we’ll see if the Titans can do just that. We wanted to thank you guys for joining us here on the Titans Squad Show. A little postgame with Be Hop and myself. We love your hear all your comments and questions. Keep those coming every show. We are twice a week, Tuesdays and on game days here on the Titan Squad Show. wherever you get your podcasts and here on YouTube live like I mentioned twice a week Titans get the win 22 to21 over the Arizona Cardinals and man feels good to say that after the start to the season we’ve had but for now I’m Julia Minel and that’s Brad Hopkins uh we’ll see you guys later this

Finally! The Tennessee Titans end their ten-game losing streak by defeating the Arizona Cardinals, 22-21. Cam Ward’s game-winning drive led to Joey Slye’s field goal to seal it. We discuss a wild one in Arizona.

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