After months of waiting, the Tennessee Titans open their season with No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback. The Titans drew a tough opponent to open, traveling to Denver to face the Broncos. Here are the four keys for the Titans:
First down
Keep Cam Ward upright. No matter the outcome of the game, the biggest thing for the Titans this season is to see quarterback Cam Ward grow and develop into what they hope will be a franchise quarterback. The first step in that is keeping him safe in the pocket and giving him time to throw, something that won’t be easy against the Broncos’ tough front seven.
Second down
Run the football effectively. Winning in Denver with the crowd and the altitude is never an easy chore. The Titans will need to make Ward’s life easier in his debut by running the ball effectively with a revamped offensive line and making good use of Tony Pollard. With Tyjae Spears out at least the first month of the season, Pollard will likely get most of the carries. He needs to make them count.
Third down
Show that the defense is improved. The pass rush has been a major question for the Titans all of training camp. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson needs to have some tricks up his sleeve with blitzes and exotic calls. Also, the Titans defensive front, which should be a strength, could be an issue as well Sunday because T’Vondre Sweat will be making his way back after missing time having his tonsils removed.
Fourth down
No egregious special teams errors. Last year, the Titans were atrocious for most of the season on special teams. It started immediately with a blocked punt return for a touchdown in the season opener in Chicago. The team hired John Fassel to fix special teams, but there could be some nervous moments with a new returner (rookie Chimere Dike), a new kicker (Joey Slye) and a new punter (veteran Johnny Hekker).
Sun., Sept. 7 | 4:05 p.m.
Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
TV: WTVC Radio: WGOW 102.3 FM