The Tennessee Titans (0-1) host the Los Angeles Rams (1-0) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, this Sunday in Week 2 action.

As part of the early slate of games, the Titans benefit from the 12:00 p.m. CDT kickoff. For the Rams, their internal body clocks think it’s 10:00 a.m., not a time when they’re typically doing football activities. Still, these are professional athletes who know how to prepare for games, so it’s not a huge factor, but it could still factor in, nonetheless.

The Titans and Rams have met just 14 times, with the Rams leading the series 8-6. The Titans won their last meeting in 2021 and have won three of the last five meetings between the two teams. Still, it won’t be an easy task this year.

Let’s take a look at the biggest storylines leading up to this Week 2 matchup.

Titans’ offense vs. Rams’ defense

Last week, the Titans’ offense struggled to find cohesion and make plays. Dropped passes, penalties, and poor quarterback protection all contributed to the Titans’ inability to reach the red zone. The Rams, in contrast, held the Houston Texans to just nine points, sacked C.J. Stroud three times, and caused major disruptions for the Texans.

If the Titans want any shot at winning this game, they have to play better on offense. The quarterback protection is the first place it starts, because if Cam Ward doesn’t have time to get the ball out, nothing anyone else does matters. Dan Moore Jr. and J.C. Latham have to play better this week. Calvin Ridley and Chig Okonkwo can’t afford to drop passes. Tony Pollard needs a lane to run through so he can establish the ground game.

The bottom line for the offense is that they simply have to play better. Unforced errors will kill a team, regardless of who they are playing, and the Titans can’t afford these mistakes against a team that has made the playoffs (including a Super Bowl victory) six times in the last 10 seasons.

Jeffery Simmons vs. Rams’ interior offensive line

Three of the Rams’ offensive linemen did not practice on Wednesday with ankle injuries: LG Steve Avila, RG Kevin Dotson, and RT Rob Havenstein. Simmons has to consider these injuries on Sunday and attack each of these players at the line of scrimmage. His size, speed, and agility should allow him to get off blocks and get pressure on Matthew Stafford.

Simmons also has to keep his emotions in check and avoid unnecessary penalties this week as his unnecessary roughness call at the end of the Broncos’ game on Sunday crushed any hope that the Titans had to put together a late run. With injuries to three of the Rams’ five starting offensive linemen, Simmons needs to focus his efforts on breaking through that line and slowing down the Rams’ offense.

Cam Ward’s first start at home

The rookie quarterback got his indoctrination into the NFL with a tough road game in his NFL debut. This week, he will make his debut at Nissan Stadium, playing in his first career home game with the Titans. The crowd will be behind him, the environment will be friendly, and the field is familiar. That doesn’t equal automatic success, but it should help quell any nerves he might have. How he performs in this game could provide insight into how this season might go.

Titans’ offensive struggles

Last week, Cam Ward was pressured on 50% of his dropbacks. That absolutely cannot happen again. Multiple receivers dropped multiple passes against the Broncos, passes that hit their hands or their chest. That cannot happen again. Brian Callahan not challenging a reception that could have changed the course of the game for simply not knowing the rule is unacceptable. The Rams are a very good football team, but they aren’t perfect. They have some weaknesses that the Titans can exploit, specifically in the secondary, but in order to do that, the Titans’ offense has to be on point. Otherwise, this game is lost before it begins.

Titans’ secondary vs. Puka Nacua

The Titans’ secondary was a bright spot for the team in their loss to the Broncos. Roger McCreary and Xavier Woods each nabbed an interception, and the defensive front recovered two fumbles. Getting those turnovers is a staple of a Dennard Wilson defense, something that was notably missing last year.

Against the Rams this week, they will face Puka Nacua and Davonte Adams. Nacua has already cemented himself as Matthew Stafford’s go-to receiver, and Adams is new to the team this year. While Adams still demands coverage, Nacua is the real threat. He caught 10 passes for 130 yards against the Texans, although Davis Allen is responsible for the one receiving touchdown by the Rams. But Nacua is responsible for the explosive plays that get the Rams down the field and into the red-zone, and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the end zone.

With L’Jarius Sneed still banged up and Jarvis Brownlee’s propensity to commit penalties, this will be the toughest matchup of the day for the Titans.