It can be hard to reconcile how the Tennessee Titans could play their starters in the preseason while failing to get the better of backups on opposing teams.
Some of the more pessimistic and jaded Titans fans will see this as a sign of impending doom, but they conveniently forget that these same Titans held their own or won joint practices when both teams were playing their starters.
The Titans were working more on fundamentals and the operation as opposed to trying to get their best players in position to attack the offense or defense in a meaningful way. That is what the coaches meant when they kept talking about being vanilla on both sides of the ball.
Things won't be vanilla versus the New York Jets in Sunday's Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season. The following Titans will have a chance to prove that everyone's overreactions weren't warranted.
3 Tennessee Titans players who can bounce back from a lackluster preseason versus the New York Jets in Week 1
QB Cam Ward
Ward's preseason issues have been well documented to this point. He didn't throw any picks, but he didn't dominate against backups either. It also doesn't help that he looked rushed in the opening game versus the San Francisco 49ers, and that image has stuck with Titans fans.
In reality, Ward calmed down a lot in his second preseason outing, and in the three joint practices. He has been a mix of the volatile gunslinger and a young quarterback who is learning to take the checkdown when it is there, which should be what all Titans fans were hoping for in training camp.
When the real games start, he is going to be rewarded for taking the easy completions, and those plays will set up the bigger shot plays that fans want to see. With everything so close to the chest, fans have only gotten to see part of what Ward can be this season.
S Kevin Winston Jr.
In training camp practices, Winston has been so quick to thump receivers that it has led to multiple pauses in practice and pass-catchers getting up with a slight limp. Ultimately, no one got hurt, but those are the signs of someone who is playing with the right kind of timing, physicality, and violence for this defense.
Based on his college tape and some glimpses from 2025, don't be surprised if Winston becomes a big run-support player for Robert Saleh's defense. Also, his quick-twitch, wrecking-ball mentality could lead him to be a nice weapon as a blitzer if Coach Saleh wants to dial up some plays where he lines up in the box.
WR Carnell Tate
Everything about Tate's college production and training camp screams he is going to be a hit as a rookie, but he just never managed to put it together during a preseason game. Sure, he torched the Chicago Bears in their joint practice for multiple touchdowns, but people are quick to forget that when Will Levis misses a pass just out of his reach deep down the field.
Once Brian Daboll starts using the plays that are designed to put him in good positions, Tate is going to jump off the screen. If he doesn't, it will be because he is drawing so much attention from the defense that guys like Wan'Dale Robinson, Elic Ayomanor, and even Calvin Ridley are making plays against easier matchups.
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