NASHVILLE — Rookie quarterback Cam Ward’s poor performance was not the sole reason the Tennessee Titans (0-4) were shut out by a struggling Houston Texans (1-3) team, 26-0. What’s evident from the first month of the 2025 No. 1 overall pick’s career is that Ward doesn’t have enough help.

Desperate to get Tennessee its first win, the young passer is pressing.

Cam Ward is drowning in a bad Titans offense

Ward completed 10 of his 26 pass attempts in Houston for 108 yards with a tip-drill interception.

“I think it would be hard to put a regression tag on four starts,” coach Brian Callahan said. “I think he’s learning every time he goes out there. I thought there were some really incredible moments over the second half of the Indy game — the amount of things he saw, how he responded to them, the management of it, knowing where the answers are, understanding how to protect himself, understanding where the ball needs to go. I think there are definitely things he’s got to keep improving.

“There’s always the timing and accuracy portion of the passing game tied in with the footwork — all things we continue to work on. It’s hard to play quarterback in the NFL, and he’s had to learn some tough lessons. But he’s also incredibly willing and passionate about doing things the right way. He’s understanding what it takes to play NFL quarterback. And again, through four games, he’s seen a lot — the schemes, the rushers, the defensive styles. All very different, all very good, and he’s only going to get better every time he sees those things.”

Context is important when talking about Ward’s worst start to date.

Starting right tackle JC Latham has been out since Week 1 with a hip strain. Against the Texans, Ward was also without receiver Calvin Ridley for stretches as the veteran battled an in-game injury. Even when Ridley has been on the field, drops have plagued the Titans’ offense.

With only 10 receptions on 23 targets, the 30-year-old wideout has the eighth-worst drop rate (23.1%) among qualified receivers.

Ward hasn’t had the easiest schedule to begin his career, either. Tennessee has faced three of the top 10 defenses in sack percentage this season (DEN, LAR, HST) while dealing with offensive line attrition. The rookie — known in college for extending plays — has contributed to his own pressure, holding the ball with the seventh-slowest time to throw (2.96 seconds) among qualified passers this year.

Fearing regression or the development of bad habits is natural, given what Ward is up against.

“Everything,” said Ward when asked postgame about what’s going wrong with the Titans offense. “From interception to penalty to an incompletion by me, a bad ball. Once we passed the 50, we’re just not extending the drive. So we are keeping a buck right now, we ass. We’re 0-4. At this point, we have nothing to lose. We dropped a quarter of our games and we’ve yet to do anything yet. We have to lock in, especially myself. Offensive line from the defensive line from the special teams to all three phases, we have to play together. We have not played together this year yet and that’s just something that we want to preach about it every day, every day, we got to do better, and we’re doing that, but it has to show up on Sundays. It hasn’t showed up yet, but it’s got to show up next week.”

Tennessee travels to the Arizona Cardinals (2-2) in Week 5.

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.