NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans are 0-2. A question persists about how they could have gone about winning Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Tennessee was very much in it down to the final minutes before falling 24-20.

The Robert Saleh chose to navigate those late-game moments have garnered scrutiny. It also says something significant about where he believes quarterback Cam Ward is right now. Two straight home games to open the season. Two straight losses.

Two opportunities squandered.

Conservatism cost the Titans, or did it protect them?

The Jets loss in Week 1 was the more resounding defeat. The Eagles loss stings more because the game was in hand. Tennessee did a strong job limiting Philadelphia’s rushing attack to 89 yards after surrendering 152 to the Jets the week prior.

Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger and was unavailable for a good portion of the game. The Titans made it one-dimensional on the Eagles, then couldn’t beat quarterback Jalen Hurts when it mattered most.

The critical moments pile up quickly.

At the end of the first half, Saleh opted to kick a field goal rather than push for a touchdown, unwilling to give the Eagles sufficient time to march down the field and answer. Then, on first-and-goal from the 9-yard line, Ward rolled out and got sacked after offensive tackle JC Latham lost his assignment to Jalen Carter.

The Titans got backed up, and in a game where they were tied, they settled for a field goal to take a 20-17 lead.

The Eagles marched down the field and threw a game-winning touchdown pass with roughly nine seconds remaining. Hurts threw two interceptions in the game and still beat them. That is the part that burns.

Saleh explains his philosophy, and it points directly at Ward

I asked Saleh about the conservative approach at Monday’s press conference. Even though he didn’t mention Ward by name, the implication was obvious.

“I’m big on feel for game,” said Saleh. “If we’re rolling and we feel good about where we’re at, like, you’re going to feel me be a hell of a lot more aggressive. If we feel like the defense is playing really well, you’re going to feel me lean into the defense. It’s felt like we’re doing a really nice job and all up to that point felt like we were doing a really nice job, felt like we could lean on the defense.

“There was no point in putting the ball in harm’s way. But, but the most important thing was to come away with points in both those situations and whether it was end of half or end of game. It is not necessarily philosophical rather than just trying to feel the game.”

Translation: they wanted to win the game on defense, or at least felt more capable of doing so. Either way, they didn’t put the ball in quarterback Cam Ward’s hands.

Ward is the furthest away of the 2025 quarterback class right now

Do I agree with that call?

In retrospect, even though I was critical of it in real time, I don’t think it was the wrong decision. I think you hope Cam becomes the kind of player where that choice is obvious. I know this feels like insult to injury, but it has to be said.

Of the three quarterbacks drafted in the 2025 class who have become starters, Ward is the furthest away from being his team’s definitive answer at the most important position today. Jaxson Dart went in the first round and has flashed way more often than not. Tyler Shough went in the second round and has already led an incredible effort, throwing for 400 yards on the road and bringing his team within one point of beating Detroit in Detroit before getting a quality win over the Baltimore Ravens. Ward is the No. 1 overall pick, and he is the lesser player of those three right now.

That doesn’t mean it will be the case forever. It is simply a realistic assessment.

The deeper concern is what happens if this becomes a continued state of being. If Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll keep calling games conservatively because they don’t believe Ward is ready, two questions emerge: Are you being too conservative as a coaching staff? Or do you not trust the player drafted No. 1 overall to play the most important position in the game’s most critical moments?

Two data points are in the book. We’ll learn more about Saleh, Ward, and what this thing is going to look like each and every week.