First overall pick Cam Ward got his first taste of game action in Saturday’s game against the Buccaneers and the Titans quarterback handled two offensive possessions before leaving the game.
After a quick three and out in the first quarter, Ward led the Titans on an 11-play touchdown drive. Ward hooked up with wide receiver Calvin Ridley three times for 50 yards early in the drive and finished his day 5-of-8 for 67 yards, which earned him praise from head coach Brian Callahan on Sunday along with a reminder that there is a lot more room for the rookie to grow.
“Cam certainly hasn’t arrived yet,” Callahan said, via the team’s website. “We have a lot of things we’re still working on. I thought it was a good start for him, encouraging. It was productive, but there’s a couple of things we’re going to keep grinding on. Still working on getting the ball out fast, still working on the timing of it. . . . There’s plenty of things we’re still working on with Cam.”
No one would expect a rookie to be a finished product, so Ward would seem to be right where he’s supposed to be at this point in the calendar. The key will be continuing to show growth over the course of a season that may not feature much winning as the Titans try to build a winner around a quarterback they believe can lead them for years to come.
