Tennessee Titans @ Las Vegas Raiders
Final Score: Raiders 20, Titans 10
Writer: Jason Wolf
Not exactly the matchup of the week, the Titans and Raiders pretty much delivered on expectations in this game, giving us plenty of ugly football featuring subpar QB play as well as inefficient offense and brutal offensive line play from Tennessee. Geno Smith got away with some poor decisions, Cam Ward faced pressure consistently all game, and the two teams combined for three touchdowns and four turnovers. However, the pass rush for the Raiders was the difference on the day as they got to Ward for 6 sacks and countless pressures, making for a long day at the office for Ward, who was without his WR1 Calvin Ridley after he left the game due to injury in the first half.
Two Up
- Tyjae Spears – Spears’ numbers from this game don’t pop off the screen, but it is clear that he brings an element to the offense that is desperately missing. The Raiders’ front seven is underrated and did a good job limiting Tony Pollard and the Titans’ run game, but Spears looked much more dangerous with the ball in his hands. As he gets healthier and fully up to game speed, his usage will only increase, especially with the Titans expected to play from behind in nearly (if not) every game. Now with Ridley looking likely to miss some time, that is one less pass catcher to compete with for targets.
- Michael Mayer – Before Brock Bowers, the Raiders drafted Mayer with high hopes of him becoming a focal part of the offense. With Bowers missing this contest, Mayer took full advantage, bringing in 5 of 7 targets for 50 yards and a score. As long as Bowers is week-to-week, expect Mayer to clean up a significant chunk of Bowers’ passing game usage.
Two Down
- Elic Ayomanor –Even with Ridley exiting the game early after receiving only one target, Ayomanor only saw 5 targets, good for third on the team on a day where they were playing from behind all game and without their highest-paid WR. Surely Ayomanor is the most talented WR on the team at this point, but he was invisible most of the game, failing to catch a pass through the first three quarters.
- Jakobi Meyers – Coming into the season, most believed that Meyers would be the clear WR1 on a team that lacked high-end pass-catching talent outside of Bowers. However, through 6 weeks, it’s clear now that is not the case as Tre Tucker seems to have the eye of Smith, much to the dismay of Meyers and his supporters.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Cam Ward: 26/38, 222 Yards, TD, INT, 2 Fumbles (2 Lost)
Cam Ward did not have a great game by any means, but boy, was he set up to fail from the beginning. Awful protection from the offensive line, combined with coaching malpractice, doomed Ward’s performance from the start. The real concern for Ward is the big picture and whether he can recoup his development and progression as a player despite the coaching and team around him. After last week’s shocking win over the Cardinals, where Ward flourished in a hurry-up, tempo offense while trying (and somehow succeeding) to mount a furious comeback, coach Callahan promised that the offense would use more tempo moving forward, as it might help Ward get into a rhythm. Well… that was a lie as the Titans came out conservative and flat. Their first drive featured three consecutive Tony Pollard runs, which resulted in a 3 & out, and their second drive was not much better as they opened it up by calling two straight screen plays at/behind the LOS. Only when it was 3rd & long was Cam allowed to look downfield, and he delivered, hitting Calvin Ridley with a beautifully zipped ball in the intermediate part of the field for 18 yards and the first down. However, after the first down, the Titans only moved backward, losing a yard on a Pollard carry, followed by a holding penalty, which was followed up with a sack due to his OL Kevin Zeitler getting badly beaten. This was typical of the whole game as Ward was sacked 6 times and pressured seemingly 100 more times.
Notes
- When Ward was given the time to go through his progressions and keep his eyes downfield, he usually delivered with accuracy, hitting his guys in stride in the middle part of the field, which is something that not every starting QB does with regularity. The zip on his intermediate-deep ball is impressive and shows off his well-above-average arm talent.
- Ward does look fleet-footed and somewhat panicky when pressure is approaching, but it’s not fair at all to blame him, as he is RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE out there.
- Ward’s interception, though deflected by a Raiders defender upon release, was a bad decision to begin with. After being given some time to throw and no one clearly open, Ward danced around in the pocket before throwing the ball too late as pressure arrived. My criticism of Ward on this play is one that I’ve been thinking about for a few weeks: that he needs to use his legs more often to keep the defense honest. He was never going to be a dual-threat QB; he can pick up some yards scrambling, but he is not doing a good job of that so far in the NFL. He had plenty of space to leave the pocket and take off running for a positive play instead of forcing the ball to a somewhat covered receiver.
- Ward’s first fumble was bad, but the protection was worse on top of questionable play calling, which is unfortunately a theme with this offense. We can argue about the call of going shotgun + empty backfield on 3rd & 7 backed up close to your goal-line with that offensive line, but Ward had a completely untouched free runner in his face before he even finished his 5-step drop.
- Ward’s second fumble, which came at the end of the game, was comical, much like the Titans’ protection of their #1 overall pick. Though, to be fair, there is no one else to blame for this fumble, which is one of the worst QB fumbles of the year. He literally just dropped the ball. Being able to hold the ball is kind of an important aspect of being a quarterback. The term “ball security” comes to mind when he well, failed to keep the ball secure.
- Ward shows the desire to throw the ball in the middle of the field, which is a trait that not all starting QBs display even years into their career. There are many glimpses of the QB that Ward could turn into, but it is so difficult to see sometimes due to the internal sabotage that is going on from his own offensive line, coaching, and front office.
- Ward is almost regressing in front of our eyes, game to game. He shows flashes, but between the offensive line letting him get hit constantly, the playcalling doing him no favors, and the team having a major lack of offensive talent around him, the environment is not conducive to helping a young QB grow through the ups and downs of a rookie QB year. As a fan of Cam Ward, I am scared that his development is seriously being hindered almost to the point of no return. It’s premature to say that through 6 weeks, but if something doesn’t change, it will go from premature to true all too quickly.
- While most of the blame for his sacks belongs to the OL, Ward does need to do a better job of making quick decisions. Either get rid of the ball earlier or take off for a couple of yards. Ward is still doing things that he could get away with in college but not in the NFL, such as moving backward in the pocket for too long while waiting for a receiver to get open.
Running Back
Tony Pollard: 10 Carries, 34 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards
There couldn’t be a worse fit for Pollard’s running style than the Titans’ sieve of an offensive line. The run blocking is unquestionably better than the pass protection, but that is really not saying much when I can say with certainty that the Titans have bottom-three pass protection, and they’re not number 3. Pollard looked every bit of a plodder in this one, as most of his carries went for just one or two yards. His longest carry of the day was through a well-blocked hole, which he took to the second level for a 17-yard gain. Other than that, he gained a whopping 17 yards on his other 9 carries, good for almost 2.0 YPC. Pollard is not a huge threat catching passes out of the backfield, but he does have sure enough hands where he can stay on the field for 3rd down to keep the defense honest. However, Tyjae Spears is getting healthier, and his specialty is playing more of the dynamic pass-catching RB anyway, so Pollard will almost certainly lose more 3rd down work moving forward. On paper, the rushing split (10:5) between Pollard and Spears might indicate a changing of the guard for carries, but it had more to do with negative game script than Spears assuming main ball-carrier duties. This was Pollard’s worst game of the season by far, but moving forward, the game scripts will be assumed to be negative for the majority of the season. If I were the Titans, I would look into shipping Pollard out to one of the several RB-needy teams out there for some much-needed draft capital because they are going nowhere this year and will need to hit big in the draft next year to stand a chance of competing at all.
Tyjae Spears: 5 Carries, 31 Yards | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 19 Yards
Tyjae Spears received half the carries that backfield mate Pollard did, which, in a vacuum, would be highly encouraging for Spears’ fantasy prospects, but this was more of an anomaly than a sign of things to come. Spears’ usage will definitely increase moving forward, but the early down carries are still Pollard’s. Spears was the more effective runner on the day, though, as he averaged a shocking 6.0 YPC on his five carries. Some of the efficiency can be credited to Spears, but I attribute his success in limited rushing work to the nature of him being on the field, making the Titans a less predictable offense. When Spears is in, the offense could be running anything, whereas when Pollard is back there, it is much more likely that he would be receiving a carry out of the backfield as opposed to running a receiving route. Spears also looked healthy when carrying the ball. You could see he is comfortable planting his legs and changing directions a dime, displaying some much-needed shiftiness out of the backfield, a trait that is missing from Tennessee’s other skill players. Spears was on the field for more snaps than Pollard, out-snapping him 59% to 41%. Again, not something I would expect to be in the game plan, but something that could happen more often as the Titans will be playing from behind throughout most of the year.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Calvin Ridley: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 18 Yards | 1 injury (left in the first half)
Calvin Ridley was the recipient of Ward’s first target past the line of scrimmage, and he beat his man on the way to his 18-yard reception. However, he left the game right after with an apparent hamstring injury and was seen on the sidelines shortly after. He did not come back into the game, opening up targets for other receivers on the team. Before his injury, Ridley wasn’t quite receiving a true WR1 workload, but his absence opens up targets for other, lower-paid receivers.
Elic Ayomanor: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 27 Yards
After Calvin Ridley left the game, I thought to myself, “this should be an Ayomanor breakout game.” Boy, was I wrong. Ayomanor was invisible 90% of the game, as he didn’t register a catch until the fourth quarter, where he came down with 3 receptions for 27 yards. Though he was targeted before that, I was sitting there thinking “where is Ayomanor?” way too often during the first three quarters. The season is essentially lost, the Titans are down their highest-paid WR, and they aren’t scheming their hyped-up rookie WR even though they desperately need someone to step up. Reason number 100 why I am sitting there during the game, questioning the coaching staff and offensive play-calling. It is amateur hour in Tennessee as the coaching and scheming are doing absolutely nothing to help their young guys get positive reps and develop on the field. It’s hard to properly evaluate a young player like Ayomanor when he doesn’t get the appropriate chances to prove himself between offensive scheming and poor pass protection.
Van Jefferson: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 75 Yards
Coming into this game, I didn’t even have Van Jefferson on my list of players who are likely to record a stat on the box score. While some (me) might have thought that Elic Ayomanor or Tyler Lockett might have stepped up in the absence of Ridley, it was actually Jefferson who showed the strongest connection with Cam Ward. Beating his defender a few times, the experienced WR was able to connect with Ward for a couple of receptions of 20+ yards down the field. Not to discredit Jefferson, but if your #1 receiving option in 2025 is Van Jefferson and your #2 is an unpolished rookie followed by the #3 being the ghost of Tyler Lockett, the WR situation is not pretty. As of now, if Ridley is set to miss time, then I suppose Jefferson is the de facto #1 here, which, as Ridley before he went down displayed, is not necessarily a profitable role. Watching the game, I am constantly begging the Titans’ offense to do something different, like some slants or maybe some play action, and they just seemingly refuse to. The one time they actually ran play-action and let Cam out of the pocket, he hit Van Jefferson for a chunk gain, and you are just left wondering why they don’t do that more. Maybe they see the success of that play and the experienced route-running of Jefferson and draw up some more plays like that for next week. Wouldn’t get my hopes up, though.
Chig Okonkwo: 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 46 Yards
Chig Okonkwo probably had the best game out of the Titans’ pass catchers, but that isn’t really saying much. He was efficient with his targets, as he came down with all 6 of his targets for 6 catches and 46 yards. Okonkwo had a clutch 20-yard reception on a 4th down, which kept a desperate Titans drive alive. Okonkwo might (probably) be the most dangerous pass-catching weapon on the team, which is quite an indictment on the state of the 2025 Titans offense. Chig has always looked good with the ball in his hands; it has just historically been a matter of getting the ball in his hands with open space in front of him. I will say, while Okonkwo clearly possesses skills as a pass catcher, he leaves much to be desired with the other aspects of being a TE, namely, pass blocking. This was most evident on one of Maxx Crosby‘s sacks, where he blew right by Okonkwo with Chig doing no more than playing patty cake with him as he passed him by on his way to Cam Ward. Okonkwo was in a position to lay a decent chip block but couldn’t come through, leaving Ward open to a Maxx sack, just one of 6 sacks on the day.
Gunnar Helm: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 15 Yards
Chimere Dike: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 8 Yards
Tyler Lockett: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 0 Yards
What was viewed by some people to be a solid offseason acquisition, Tyler Lockett was supposed to bring a veteran presence to the offense and give Cam Ward an experienced target on the field. However, Lockett has been an afterthought in the offense and was completely invisible in this one. He came down with only one of his three targets, good for a whopping zero yards on a day where Calvin Ridley left the game in the first half due to injury.
David Martin-Robinson: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 1 Yard, TD
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
Geno Smith: 17/23, 174 Yrds, TD, INT | 4 Carries, -3 Yards
My main takeaway from Geno Smith‘s performance in this game is that, wow, he is lucky he was playing one of the only teams in the NFL that is worse than the Raiders. Due to the inability of the Titans to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes, Smith was able to get away with generally poor QB play. His INT was ill-advised and an overall terrible decision to unnecessarily throw into a crowded area, and he got away with another poor decision as a fumble that was recovered and taken for a touchdown by the defense was called back upon review. Geno held on to the ball way too long and was hit in the pocket, dropping the ball and almost directly leading to a Titans’ defensive score. Geno has clearly regressed, and it is clear as day. The Raiders are aware of this as well, and that is apparent as they came out with an incredibly conservative game plan. Almost like he was a rookie QB who needed protecting, the OC was dialing up nothing but passes in front of the sticks and quick hitters to limit the liability of Geno cutting loose and making ill-advised throws downfield. Geno was seemingly on board; at least as his completion percentage was solid in this game, but his overall play was completely unimpressive. Geno did do a good job of staying patient and reading the field on his TD throw to Michael Mayer, as well as doing a good job of zipping the ball to Mayer in good timing so he went in to the endzone untouched. It wasn’t flashy, but Geno did his job and read the field nicely. During the game, I couldn’t help but think that there was an interesting juxtaposition of strengths and weaknesses, as the Raiders’ team was constantly setting up Geno for success, which he rarely capitalized on such opportunities, often letting his team down. However, Cam Ward looked great when given decent protection and okay play-calling while his team and offensive line are seemingly constantly imploding around him. I am fairly certain that if you switched the QBs, Geno would have stats that looked more like Ward’s, and Ward would have better stats and would look better on the eye test than Geno has all year.
Running Back
Ashton Jeanty: 23 Carries, 75 Yards, TD | 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
Jeanty is a true 3-down workhorse RB. A dying breed these days, nearly extinct. Watching Jeanty in this one took me back to the days of Tomlinson, Westbrook, and Priest Holmes. Las Vegas had multiple drives that were sustained entirely on the back of their star RB. Particularly, the Raiders’ opening drive of the second half was a thing of beauty. An Ashton Jeanty masterclass. The drive soaked up eight minutes of game clock and took 14 plays, with Jeanty touching the rock on 9! of them, including two carries inside the 10-yard line. Jeanty literally carried the offense on his back as he almost singlehandedly methodically marched them down the field for the TD scoring drive. That drive right there says everything you need to know about why the Raiders took Jeanty with a top 6 pick in the NFL Draft. Though Jeanty’s numbers in this game do not pop off the box score, he was as impressive as ever. He was consistently breaking arm tackles and making the first guy miss, even when there weren’t many well-blocked holes to run through. Jeanty has such a great blend of speed + power with the ball in his hands. He is so difficult for one guy to bring down, and that was on full display in this game, as he can beat defenders to the edge and is nearly impossible to tackle from behind due to his lower body/core strength. A few weeks ago, he said he was “still getting used to the speed of the NFL.” Well, he clearly looked up to speed in this one, putting the offense on his back and marching them down the field for a score on more than one occasion. Something I notice about Jeanty’s strength and ability to evade being tackled is how he maintains his upright posture with the ball. Before he receives the ball and with the ball in his hands, Jeanty maintains a flat back and bent knees (a box-like posture), which allows him to keep all his power + balance as well as maintain the ability to change directions on a dime. His ability to cut while maintaining his balance is reminiscent of Barry Sanders. Of course, he is not as shifty, but for Jeanty to have characteristics of Sanders while possessing a more powerful frame is just one reason why the kid is truly special. The efficiency and YPC weren’t necessarily there in this game, and that’s partly due to the predictability of the offense. When you give the ball to your RB for 25-30 touches, the defense is going to start to know where the ball is going. The Raiders need to do a better job of mixing up Jeanty’s looks to both maximize his talents in space and keep his body fresh for the long run.
Raheem Mostert: 5 Carries, -4 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Tre Tucker: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 70 Yards
Coming into the season, Tre Tucker was mostly thought of as a classic burner-type WR. Your downfield threat who will make the occasional splash play and is not expected to give you much between the sticks or the middle areas of the field. However, while he has made his fair share of splash plays this young season, this game was a display of his capabilities to be more than that. His efficiency was particularly impressive, as you would not expect a WR of his size and stature to come down with all of his targets, but he did, going 5 for 5 for 70 yards. His most impressive play on the day came on a 3rd & 7 where Tucker beat the DB in man coverage on a comeback route for the first down but then he shed the attempted tackle and flashed his signature speed, gaining an extra 30 yards. It wasn’t just him burning his DB down the field, but the extra effort and toughness it took to break the tackle that made the big play happen. Geno Smith and Tucker are showing some real chemistry together, and Tucker is taking a leap this year, becoming the true WR1 for the Raiders. He continues to improve and show development in his game, a rare bright spot in the Raiders’ last couple of drafts.
Michael Mayer: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 50 Yards, TD
Most predicted that Jakobi Meyers would be the big beneficiary of Brock Bowers’ absence as they both possess similar chain-moving, man-beating capabilities in the short-intermediate game. But it was previously heralded, highly-drafted TE Michael Mayer who made the most of his opportunities, hauling in five of his seven targets for 50 yards and the lone receiving TD of the day for the Raiders. Mayer was hard to keep in front of and was displaying why he is a mismatch for most LBs to cover, beating his defenders off the back of solid route running and his natural athleticism. His TE was great film room material as he picked up the pass rusher, perfectly stopping him from getting to Geno, and then leaked out to the end zone wide open, securing the ball for the TD. Mayer displayed great pass pro recognition, did his job, and was rewarded with the easy TD. As long as Bowers is off the field, look to Mayer to deliver some useful real-life and fantasy performances.
Jakobi Meyers: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 39 Yards
Set up for another successful day against a putrid defense, Jakobi Meyers was once again disappointingly somewhat of an afterthought. Though he did come through with his usual reliable hands and efficiency, catching all four of his targets for 39 yards, Meyers’ final line was underwhelming, as has been his impact this season. Coming into the year, I assumed Meyers would comfortably be the WR1, in line for a 1,000-yard season as somewhat of a floor. For whatever reason, Geno Smith isn’t looking his way that often, and Tre Tucker has solidly taken over as the WR1. With Jeanty being the focal point of the offense and Brock Bowers being the most dangerous pass-catching weapon on the field (when he’s healthy), there isn’t much meat on the bone left for Meyers. Give credit to Jakobi for staying positive and showing good body language while his personal stats suffer, but I would consider him to be a mid-season trade candidate, especially as the Raiders will rack up losses as they don’t get to play the Titans every week.
Ian Thomas: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards