Might seem uninteresting on the surface, but this is one of my favorite plays from Ward’s week 8 performance.
One of my biggest gripes with Ward thus far had been the unnecessary creation of off-platform throws when out of structure, but here Ward does a great job of keeping… pic.twitter.com/on4KhiKbOv
— Drew Beatty (@IronCityFilm) October 29, 2025
The Tennessee Titans (1-7) return home to host the Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) in Week 9, with both teams trending in opposite directions.
The Chargers are coming off a massive 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings after a 38-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Titans are coming off their own loss to the Colts last week, 38-14.
Here are three reasons for optimism for the Titans.
West Coast travel troubles
A West Coast team traveling and playing at noon Central Standard Time is always at a disadvantage. Traveling teams always have to deal with tiring flights. But a West Coast team traveling this far east is especially tiring. This can make unprepared teams feel lethargic and drained. While superior teams can overcome this factor, this is something to motivate the Titans to punch the Chargers in the mouth with energy.
Ward’s improvement
With confidence, the improvement from Cam Ward since the Callahans have left has been quite a sight. He’s nowhere near perfect, but he has played with more confidence and control since the father-son duo’s departure. Where improvement is very noticeable are more frequent flashes of discipline in his footwork.
You can see the improvement notably in this play. He shows the necessary mobility, eye, foot discipline, and accuracy to complete a very tough throw under duress. Cam Ward making this sort of play before the Callahans were fired seems unfathomable.
Rousing rookies
Along with Ward, Chimere Dike and Gunnar Helm are two more appealing rookies, especially on this roster. Dike’s role has increased with Calvin Ridley’s injury absence. He has made himself the de facto number one wide receiver on this roster currently. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks 100 receiving yards in a game. He moves with fluidity, runs crisp routes, and possesses soft hands.
Helm, though with only three targets, had an impact day last week. He had a touchdown catch and caught Cam Ward’s best throw of the day on the team’s second touchdown drive. He has been a player who could use more targets; he displays crisp route running, good athletic ability, and sure hands.