The Tennessee Titans defeated the San Francisco 49ers 19-13 in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. Despite the victory, there were arguably more negative takeaways than positive ones. It was a reminder that the Titans are still a young, rebuilding team with a new coaching staff.
The Titans have another notable week of training camp coming up. They'll host the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks for a joint practice on Friday, August 21 ahead of their August 23 Week 2 preseason contest. Robert Saleh will be focused on improvement.
Before that, we've compiled five prevailing thoughts from the Titans' Week 1 preseason victory over the 49ers.
5 burning thoughts from the Tennessee Titans' preseason victory over the San Francisco 49ers
Cam Ward needs more time on task
Everyone was excited to see sophomore quarterback Cam Ward for the first time under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. The initial impression was disappointment, as Ward went 5-of-12 for 57 yards against the 49ers' second-team defense. He was occasionally erratic and inaccurate, including one near-nightmare result where he backtracked towards his endzone and was called for intentional grounding as his short-of-the-line-of-scrimmage throwaway nearly resulted in a fumble.
Ward is clearly still growing in Daboll's offense. His mechanics were sloppy and his process appeared to be unnecessarily sped up. Ward requires more reps and time on task before the regular season arrives.
Right guard position battle receives a major shake-up
The biggest position battle on the Titans' roster is occurring at right guard. It's the lone starting position up for grabs. After the preseason victory over the 49ers, rookie right guard Fernando Carmona has emerged as the leader in the clubhouse.
Carmona surprisingly received the start with the first-team offense and played well. The initial favorite was veteran Cordell Volson, who performed poorly after replacing Carmona. Sophomore Jackson Slater took all of his reps at left guard and has appeared to fall way behind in the competition.
Tyjae Spears looks explosive
We've heard how explosive running back Tyjae Spears has looked at training camp, with his momentum starting at OTAs. The former Tulane standout is entering a critical contract season. Spears successfully carried that momentum over to the first preseason game.
Spears rushed for 35 yards via four carries, averaging 8.8 yards per carry. The top-100 selection made the Titans' highlight reel play on offense, spinning out of a tackle for a self-generated 25-yard gain. The Titans need Spears to stay healthy.
Backup offensive lineman had a night to forget
Titans fans have been concerned about depth issues on the offensive line throughout camp. The debut preseason win over the 49ers proved those concerns correct. Multiple linemen put forth ugly showings.
Backup swing tackle Austin Deculus allowed two sacks and was credited with a pass-blocking grade of 19.0 from Pro Football Focus. Volson, after being overshadowed by Carmona at right guard, also gave up a sack. Mike Borgonzi has to sort through some issues here.
Titans need better from starting cornerbacks
One of the glaring takeaways was the disappointing performance from the Titans' new-look secondary. Starters like Cor'Dale Flott, Alontae Taylor, and Amani Hooker played against the 49ers' second-team offense. They somehow made quarterback Kurtis Rourke look like a high-level starter.
Flott was especially bad, allowing six catches on six targets for 75 yards. Taylor wasn't much better, earning a coverage grade of 48.4. The Titans invested over $100 million in Flott and Taylor in free agency, so the regular-season results need to drastically improve.
Add us as a preferred source on Google