The Tennessee Titans’ first win of the season came bizarrely, and not without a bit of luck. In Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, a late fourth-quarter interception by rookie quarterback Cam Ward somehow turned into the game-winning touchdown.
Ward’s picked-off pass was fumbled by Arizona’s defense, and wide receiver Tyler Lockett scooped it up for a score, sealing Tennessee’s 22-21 comeback victory.
It was a much-needed boost for a Titans team that had opened the year 0-4, struggling to find rhythm under new head coach Brian Callahan and rookie quarterback Ward.
While Ward didn’t throw a touchdown, he completed 21 of 39 passes for 265 yards, leading the late rally. Tony Pollard added 67 yards and a score on the ground, while Calvin Ridley led all receivers with 131 yards.
Momentum from that comeback was supposed to carry into Week 6. But following Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, some players weren’t buying into the coach’s postgame optimism.
After the defeat, Callahan told reporters the team “felt good coming into the game.” However, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons offered a very different perspective. Speaking to Buck Reising of 104.5 The Zone (via NBC Sports), Simmons said the team’s preparation didn’t meet the standard of a winning organization.
“In this league, you have to learn how to stack wins,” Simmons said. “To be able to carry that momentum over — it started at practice. If I’m being honest, this was one of our worst weeks of practice. Came out flat Thursday and things like that — sometimes things carry over. In this league, you have to prove it every week and reprove it.”
Quarterback Cam Ward echoed Simmons’ frustration, saying the team “came out flat” during practice and played the same way against a Raiders squad that had lost four straight entering the matchup.
The comments suggest a disconnect between the coaching staff’s perception and the players’ reality, a potentially troubling sign for a 1-5 team trying to establish consistency.
Despite the loss, the Titans will aim to rebound in Week 7. With rookie offensive tackle JC Latham back from injury, Tennessee hopes to stabilize its offensive line and give Ward more time to operate. Still, as Simmons made clear, improvement will have to start long before Sunday.
