The Tennessee Titans disappointed on offense in Week 1. After an entire offseason of hype and promises, the Titans delivered an offensive performance this fanbase has unfortunately become accustomed to. Among the shortcomings, sophomore quarterback Cam Ward and rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate did not connect enough versus the New York Jets.
The Titans are now tasked with fielding a more effective offense in Week 2 versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Brian Daboll's to-do list includes getting Tate more involved. Tate showed plenty of promise despite the missed opportunities.
Tate registered four receptions, tying for the team-lead with 38 receiving yards. The fourth overall rookie was a victim of the Titans producing fewer than 200 yards of offense. Let's grade Tate's debut.
Titans need to get rookie WR Carnell Tate more involved in Week 2
In a recent article by Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about every first-round rookie following Week 1. Tate graded out admirably given the struggles on offense. Here is a snippet of what the site had to say about the former Ohio State star:
"Tate reeled in four passes for a total of 38 yards in the Titans’ lackluster loss to the Jets. Just one of Tate’s four receptions resulted in a first down. Three of Tate’s four receptions came on out routes, which makes sense considering he is generally regarded as a perimeter weapon. He should be able to produce on a more consistent basis if Ward isn’t under duress as often in future weeks."
Tate was targeted by Ward on six occasions. The two missed opportunities were deep-developing routes. Ward was totally inaccurate on one of them, and the other could have been the result of miscommunication, as the quarterback discussed wanting to see Tate flatten out that route more during his postgame presser.
However, the point remains that Tate flashed legitimate promise throughout his NFL debut. Tate played 44 snaps on offense, leading all Titans wideouts in participation. He should continue seeing a big workload in Week 2.
Carnell Tate's role will continue expanding in Titans offense
Coach Daboll needs to continue peppering Tate with targets. Repetition and building chemistry is how Ward and his new go-to playmaker start capitalizing. Tate needs to be a focus point as Daboll puts together his gameplan for the upcoming Eagles matchup.
Tate created 3.6 yards of separation on his six targets, according to Next Gen Stats. That's well above the league-average mark of 2.99 yards. Getting open wasn't the issue for Tate. Ward must target him with increased conviction.
There are certainly going to be inconsistencies for Tate and this growing Titans offense moving forward, as evidenced in Week 1. Ultimately, it’s crystal clear that Tate is already the most promising playmaker on this offense.
Overall, it was a muted debut for Tate due to the offense's passing struggles. We should expect Daboll to make his involvement a point of emphasis moving forward. If Ward wants to enjoy a competent sophomore campaign, he needs to improve his chemistry with Tate immediately.
Carnell Tate Week 1 Grade: C+
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