Cam Ward Improves, but Titans Fall to Rams After Disappointing Second Half

Football is a game of two halves. 

The Tennessee Titans would have won if it were a one-half game. Unfortunately for them, the second half happened. 

After taking a 13-10 lead at the break, the Titans imploded in the second period and lost 33-19 to the LA Rams. 

Cam Ward and the Titans showed improvement, but not enough compared to last week. 

Ward played better than last week. He went 19/33 for 175 yards and a touchdown. But he also lost a fumble on a strip-sack by Byron Young in the fourth quarter. 

Ward established a connection with fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor that should excite Titans fans. Ayomanor had four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown, including his and Ward’s first TD in the NFL. 

And if you haven’t seen that TD, take a look. It’s worth seeing once or twice. 

As for the Rams, Puka Nacua had another big game with eight catches for 91 yards and a 45-yard rushing touchdown. Davante Adams had six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Matthew Stafford threw for almost 300 yards, two scores, and a pick. The Titans' defense had almost no effect on him or the Rams’ offense, especially in the second half.  

In the preview article, three keys to the game were mentioned. The Titans executed none of them, which is likely why they lost.

The Titans did not protect Cam Ward well. After giving up six sacks to the Broncos in week 1, the Rams got five sacks this week. 

As for limiting the penalties, the improvement was equally marginal. Last week the Titans had 13 penalties for over 100 yards. This time they had 10 penalties for 62 yards. 

The Titans also failed to make the Rams offense one-dimensional. Kyren Williams had only 66 yards on the ground, which sounds good, but Puka Nacua scored on a 45-yard rush. Also, backup running back Blake Corum had some key runs during the game. 

The Titans defense arguably took a step back in week 2. After forcing four turnovers against the Broncos and losing by eight, they only forced one turnover and lost by 14. 

The Titans also gave up more passing yards, more scrimmage yards, and allowed more plays to be run against them. 

While the defense seemingly took a step back, Cam Ward and the offense took a step forward. 

Ward had more passing yards, scored his first touchdown, and seemed to find a pair of reliable receivers in Ayomanor and Calvin Ridley. 

The Titans also ran more plays and had more passing, rushing, and scrimmage yards than they did in week 1. 

Joey Slye also continued his perfect start to the season. He has not missed a kick through the first two weeks. 

Player of the Game

Elic Ayomanor deserves this honor this week. 

He established himself as a player Cam Ward can rely on to make big plays. Not only did he catch Ward’s first touchdown pass, he also made a stellar one-handed catch during one of the Titans’ scoring drives. 

If he can build on this performance, he can be another helpful target for Cam Ward as he learns and grows through his rookie season. 

The Titans usually rely on their defense in tough moments but this time they couldn’t. That is cause for concern, but Cam Ward’s improvement is cause for excitement.