Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward would like more responsibility.
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Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward would like more responsibility.
It’s only been two games, but the Tennessee Titans might want to start expanding the responsibilities of rookie quarterback Cam Ward. The No. 1-overall draft pick this year has already shown competence (not a given for a rookie) while playing with below-average talent. That’s not to speak ill of anyone, it’s just the reality of playing on a team that won four games last year.
The Titans’ coaching staff has also been handling Ward with care and showing patience with his development.
“We keep getting stuck on the fringe,” head coach Brian Callahan said. “We’ve had some sacks there, some backward plays, just haven’t gotten enough cracks at it. I don’t think so.
“We’re also being mindful that the two fronts that we’ve just played were trying to keep some semblance of protection there. And if you drop back every play against those fronts, that’s going to make a for a long day. It’s hard enough as it is already. So I would say, no, probably not at the moment. But as he keeps getting more comfortable and we keep learning to protect better we can keep trying to push the envelope.”
Callahan is right. On one hand, he’d love to open up the playbook and let Cam be Cam, but at the same time you don’t want to give him too much and watch him get destroyed.
Cam Ward would love to have more on his plate
Ward was 19-33 passing for 175 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Titans are 0-2, which isn’t surprising in the least, so should they take off Cam’s straitjacket (thanks, Jalen)?
“Well, I think I’m capable of a lot. Coach (Brian) Callahan, he’s gave me a lot of authority. So, I want more of it. And that’s the relationship that me and him are just building every day,” Ward said.
Ward has confidence in Callahan as a play caller and wants his coach to give him even more to handle.
“He’s already called two games for me. I want him to call a lot more games for me. He’s one of the coaches who’s going to do his best for his players, get his players in the right situation, in the run game, pass game, and we just continue to grow. I think that’s biggest thing.”
Callahan would like to see Cam Ward minimize the mistakes
Ward’s numbers haven’t been stellar through two games, he’s completed just 50.8% of his passes for 287 yards and one touchdown for a 69.5 passer rating. Those numbers wouldn’t be good for one game let alone two. But, it’s important to note that he hasn’t thrown an interception yet (super duper important), but he does have a pair of fumbles.
“I think he gets better every time he walks on the field and that’s really good to see,” Callahan said Monday. “The biggest thing for him is the ball security portion. Just trying to keep two hands on the ball moving to the pocket. That’s a thing that all young quarterbacks got to get used to. There’s arms and bodies and people all raking at that ball at a really high rate and we got to do a better job securing it in the pocket, but there’s a lot of really great things from camp. Some of the throws, the location, some of those balls to Elic (Ayomanor) down the sideline, there was some really, really good stuff from the game that I’m incredibly encouraged by.
“Again, you stack another week of practice and another game, and you like to see it continue to get better, and I think we will.”
What do you think? Should the Titans take the straitjacket off of Ward?