NASHVILLE — Nobody is more tired of moral victories than Tennessee Titans fans. Still, the question deserves an honest answer after Week 3. 

Did quarterback Cam Ward show signs of high-level NFL quarterback play in the second half of the Titans’ loss to the New York Giants?

The Titans had nothing going in the first half. Then Tennessee piled up 16 first downs in the second half alone. It came within one interception of taking the lead and, in all likelihood, closing out its first win of the regular season. That didn’t happen, so the result stands. However, what the tape showed about Ward’s progress still matters.

Like it or not, Ward’s improvement is the most important thing in Tennessee this season, no matter how long it takes.

Greg Cosell saw a different Cam Ward on the tape

Film analyst Greg Cosell went back through the second half and came away impressed with what he saw from Ward.

“They were marching up and down the field with a good mix of run and pass,” Cosell said in a recent episode of The Install with Greg Cosell. It was mostly a short passing game. Ward was extremely comfortable. He looks in command…Obviously he did miss the touchdown to (Carnell) Tate. We know that that’s the throw he has to make. I think that that’s somewhat of a continuing issue, just the ball placement. But in the second half overall, it was much, much better.”

That hasn’t been the dialogue around Ward this week.

Instead, the conversation has centered on an impotent first half and the late interception that killed the comeback. Incremental progress matters, though. The question for Ward is simple: Is he learning from his mistakes?

Against New York, he seemed to.

Ward and the coaching staff corrected what went wrong early, and he was dealing in the second half. All three of those possessions reached the red zone. The points didn’t follow the way they should have, but it was a step in the right direction.

Steps in the right direction don’t automatically lead to wins. Even so, this one put Tennessee within one score of a victory. The week before, the Titans were one defensive stop away from beating the Philadelphia Eagles at home.

Ward had the comfort and confidence to try to put the ball on receiver Elic Ayomanor at the end. He simply threw a bad pass. I think those are still explanations right now, not excuses. If it keeps happening, that line gets crossed.

Shea Tierney wants that version of Ward earlier and more often

Titans quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney addressed Ward’s footwork and his second-half comfort after Thursday’s practice.

“I think he’s got a good rhythm about him when he knows, all right, this is the concept,” Tierney said. “‘This is how many steps I’m taking. This is what I’m doing.’ He’s being very deliberate with it. Sometimes as the game gets going along, you need some reminders about that of just staying deliberate and doing those things that we worked on.”

Consistency is the whole ballgame.

Head coach Robert Saleh couldn’t believe I asked him whether Ward should be benched. Nobody is suggesting Ward sit against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. At some point, though, flat-footed throws behind clean protection and a decision that directly costs a game raise a fair question about accountability.

That speaks to the growing disconnect between a fan base that needs wins now and a coaching staff approaching this with the patience of a slow burn.

If the same questions linger at season’s end, Ward should have to earn the starting job against real competition.