Cameron Ward Flexes Clutch Gene, Titans Win In Arizona 22-21

Glendale, AZ — Nothing is worse than being an 0-4 football team on the road in hostile territory. Despite what appeared to be an uphill battle, the Tennessee Titans came out on top of the Arizona Cardinals, 22-21.

 

Overview

The game started out rough for Tennessee, as the defense showed little to no energy. Arizona looked poised to run away with the game, taking a commanding 14-3 lead in the first quarter.

Tennessee didn’t fare much better in the second quarter, mustering only three more points. The Cardinals added another touchdown to push the lead to 21-6, sending Tennessee into halftime down 15 points and staring at yet another potential collapse.

In the second half, Cameron Ward turned the tables for Tennessee behind a valiant effort from the defense. Pressure was consistently generated by multiple defenders, frustrating Kyler Murray early and often. This gave the offense life and opportunities to close the gap.

Ward’s second-half performance was impressive. He went 16-of-23 (69.5%) for 207 yards and one interception. The aforementioned interception led to one of two Titans touchdowns.

He also had his NFL moment, leading an 11-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 29-yard Joey Slye field goal at the end of regulation.

Tennessee scored 16 unanswered points to close out the contest.

 

Positives

  • Cameron Ward’s Clutch Gene: Ward went 5-of-6 for 68 yards on the game-winning drive.
  • All Three Phases: Tennessee played a complete game across all three phases.
  • First Win: The Titans earned their first win since Week 12 of last season against the Houston Texans.
  • Return of Ridley: Calvin Ridley had a big day, totaling 131 yards on five receptions, including a key 38-yard grab in the fourth quarter.

 

Negatives

  • Slow Start: Tennessee’s sluggish start on both offense and defense put the game in jeopardy early.
  • Poor Play Calling: Bo Hardegree struggled to find a rhythm in the first half as the Titans managed only six points before halftime.
  • Drop, Drop, Drop: Tennessee continued to struggle with dropped passes — a lingering issue throughout the season with several coming in both halves of the game.

 

Tennessee will now turn its attention to Nevada as it prepares to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week Six. Both teams will enter the matchup with 1-4 records.

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