The flaws in coaching and weaknesses on the roster were glaring in the Tennessee Titans' Week 1 loss to the Denver Broncos. However, despite questionable play-calling and an unfortunate outcome, fans did not have to look hard to find reasons for optimism. After all, the Broncos were a playoff team last year and a trendy pick this year to dethrone the Chiefs in the AFC West, and Tennessee gave them all they could handle.
Here, we will dive into the three biggest reasons why 2025 will only get better in Nashville.
Cam Ward looked the part
Honestly, Cam Ward's first performance in meaningful NFL football could be reasons one through three on this list. A lackluster stat line (12-28 for 112 yards with no TDs or INTs) doesn't tell the story of how well the rookie played. Ward looked as calm, comfortable, and confident going against one of the better defenses in the league, in a notoriously difficult place to play.
Ward regularly made the correct adjustments, reads, and plays, even if the results did not always pan out.
Had it not been for a number of drops (and one particular catch that should have been challenged), Ward's stats would have more accurately reflected his play. Perhaps the score would have as well.
One need only watch the final drive of the game to get a sense of what could be in Nashville. Down eight points with under a minute to go, Ward threw an incomplete back-shoulder pass to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor (another bright spot for the future, and a chemistry that will improve over time). On second down, he threw a perfect pass 15 yards over the middle, only for it to hit Calvin Ridley in the hands and fall incomplete. Third down saw another catchable pass to Chig Okonkwo fall incomplete. On the last-gasp fourth down, the right side of the offensive line let a free rusher bring Ward down.
A franchise quarterback is the single most important element for success in the NFL, and through a small sample size, confidence must be growing that number 1 is the guy.
Dennard Wilson's defense came ready to play
The Titans defense was one of the few bright spots from last year, but there was reason to wonder if they would be as successful in 2025. Through one game, Dennard Wilson's unit actually looks even better.
Many believe Sean Payton has found his modern Drew Brees in second-year quarterback Bo Nix, but he looked anything but Brees-esque in Week 1. Nix went 25-of-40, with one TD and two INTs, losing a fumble on a Jeffery Simmons strip-sack. Simmons looked as fresh and fierce as ever, and his running mate T'Vondre Sweat was a monster against the run.
Rookie edge rusher Femi Oladejo also looked much better than he had in preseason, as he continues to grow in his new position and with his new team. Outside of Roger McCreary, the secondary will remain a concern until L'Jarius Sneed can reliably stay on the field. However, the front seven could develop into one of the more dominant units in the AFC.
The offensive line needs to continue gelling
Given how this unit has performed for the last few seasons, fans should have a pretty low bar for improvement. And improvement is exactly what we saw. New left tackle Dan Moore struggled at times, but he was often left one-on-one against the most underrated pass rusher in the league in Nik Bonitto.
For three quarters, Ward had a much cleaner pocket than Ryan Tannehill or Will Levis had over the previous two seasons. Ward also showed the sort of pocket presence and mobility that Levis never had. When right tackle J.C. Latham left late with a hip injury, the protection dramatically decreased. Fans will need to keep an eye on Latham's status and hope the injury does not linger.
Honorable Mentions
Special teams looks dramatically better this year. Ayomanor and Chimere Dike both look likely to develop into reliable starters sooner rather than later. Gunnar Helm will also provide another high-quality target at tight end in the near future. If the young players continue to develop, the coach learns from his mistakes, and the penalties (ugh) can be decreased, this team can definitely surprise people.