The Tennessee Titans opened their practice to fans at Nissan Stadium, and what the crowd witnessed was perhaps rookie quarterback Cam Ward’s most impressive performance yet in training camp.

“(The fans) give it more energy and excitement,” wide receiver Calvin Ridley said. “We want the city to know that we want to be good. They’ll come. We’re not doing what we did last year. We’re taking a step forward.”

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The Titans finished 3-14 last season and players haven’t forgotten.

“It’s very personal,” Ridley said. “We hear everything, see everything. We’ve got a bad taste in out mouth from last year. Nobody wants to suck, definitely not us, definitely not me.”

Ward showcased his deep-ball accuracy by finding Ridley multiple times downfield and connecting with Bryce Oliver for a 30-yard gain along the left sideline.

“He spins it well, so it’s easy to catch. It looks like it’s coming out fast and it is coming out fast,” receiver Elic Ayomanor said.

Ward looked at home in his new surroundings, with fans in two-toned blue cheering him on from the stands. A big reason why he’s comfortable is because of who he’s throwing the ball to.

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“We’re putting in the work,” Ridley said. “The kid’s good. I’ve got to be good. We sit and we study together and that’s why it looks like that.”

There’s a confidence about Ward. For a rookie quarterback expected to start the opener on Sept. 10 at the Denver Broncos, that’s not easy.

But that’s just who Ward is.

“That’s Cam,” receiver Chimere Dike said. “It’s his demeanor. He doesn’t get shaken. He just goes out there competes every down and makes great plays.”

With the first week of training camp over, the Titans have more work to get better and prepare for a season that is creeping up on them.

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“I think there’s a lot of good things we did as an offense that we can keep building on,” Dike said.

And at the center of it all is No. 1, both in the draft and on the jersey.

He’s the one fans are watching. Ward is the point guard of the team, but the rest of his teammates also have to do their jobs to make Ward’s role easier.

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They know it, too.

“We know he’s good,” Ridley said. “He was the first pick. Now it’s time to do what we do.”

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cam Ward, Titans receivers show confidence after 1 week of training camp