While no one was expecting the Tennessee Titans to light the world on fire in Cam Ward's first season in the NFL, the fact that they have been as disorganized as they have been is a very concerning development for second-year head coach Brian Callahan.
Callahan has won three games in charge of the Titans, only one of which came with a margin of victory greater than five points. Callahan has been so poor that he is getting close to approaching the infamous 3-20 mark that former coach Ken Whisenhunt amassed in Tennessee, and ownership might not put up with him for very long.
CBS Sports ranked Callahan third on their most recent hot seat power rankings. The only two coaches viewed to be in more peril than him are Miami's Mike McDaniel (who is overseeing a team that is leaking coolant right now) and New York's much-maligned Brian Daboll.
Titans HC Brian Callahan third on CBS hot seat power rankings
The one encouraging non-Ward trend for the Titans so far has been Dennard Wilson's defense. Wilson had an efficient playoff offense in Denver looking totally discombobulated, and he managed to keep Matthew Stafford in check until the Los Angeles Rams' superior wide receiver talent won the day. On offense, things are bleak.
Ward is going through his normal rookie ups and downs. However, the poor offensive line play has been a genuine shock considering how much money and draft capital was invested in the position. With the running game fizzling and the wide receiver room looking as bad as advertised, Callahan's inability to get his side of the ball right is concerning.
The Titans' next game comes against a white-hot division rival in the Indianapolis Colts before three straight road games against the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders. If Callahan loses all of those games (Tennessee will assuredly be an underdog in all of them), he will match Whisenhunt's record.
Ward's rookie year growing pains likely mean that Tennessee will be in for another year of limping to the finish. With two seasons at the bottom of a very winnable division under his resume and the offense floundering, Callahan isn't making the best impression.