Carnell Tate is not the problem for the Tennessee Titans and their 0-5 start. I want to say that right away. But at the same time, Tate didn’t do enough to help try to drag the Titans into the end zone to make the 26-3 loss to the Houston Texans less embarrassing. 

The Titans rookie wide receiver exploded onto the scene in Week 4’s game at Baltimore with 9 catches on 12 targets for 145 yards. In Week 5’s loss, Tate only had 1 catch for 6 yards on 5 targets. 

Quarterback Cam Ward is not playing good quarterback right now, to say the absolute least. Tate has been open at times this season and hasn’t gotten the football because of it. But when Ward did give Tate two shots down the field against Houston, Tate didn’t win either of them.

Two contested situations Carnell Tate needs to grow from vs Texans

With less than 40 seconds to go in the first half and with the ball on the Titans 46 yard line, Ward threw it deep to Tate in the end zone. It was underthrown. Two Texans defenders were on Tate’s hip, but he still had a chance. In my opinion, the fourth overall pick in the draft has to find a way to catch that football for his quarterback. He has to be stronger there. Don’t get me wrong, it would have been a spectacular 54 yard touchdown catch if he hauled it in… but shouldn’t that be the expectation? 

In the Titans only possession of the third quarter Ward looked for Tate down the right sideline, and couldn’t connect. There looked to be contact from the defender, but Tate fell backward toward the sideline as the ball sailed by him upfield. It was a similar end to the deep ball before half. Incomplete. 3rd down, Titans. 

Tate has to go up through the defender to attack the ball in the air instead of letting it come to him. That’s the biggest learning lesson he can take away from Sunday. 

What happens if he does that on either play? One of two things. He catches it, or he creates enough contact to make the referee throw a flag.

He got interfered with on the second play. It should have been pass interference, but it went uncalled. But you have to fight through the contact so it becomes obvious to the officials. Tate didn’t do that well enough either time.

Those were two chances to create a desperately needed explosive play, whether through a catch or a pass-interference penalty. Neither outcome was guaranteed. But Tennessee needed Tate to give himself a better chance at one of them.

I really like Carnell Tate and I think he has the skillset at the position to play a long time at a high level in this league. Yes, the deep ball was double covered and slightly underthrown. I don’t care. Go get it. 

In fact, an underthrown deep ball can be an advantage for the receiver. The defender has his head turned toward you, and you have every right to that football in the air. Undershooting deep balls is a schematic strategy at times in the NFL. Tate isn’t using that advantage yet.

Last week’s performance put Carnell Tate in an elite club with 145 or more yards in an NFL game before turning 22 years old. He’s going to be really damn good. But, like too many things on this team, it will take time. 

I believe Tate will take less time than most, and that he can be a big part of the offensive solution very soon.