One ESPN analyst doesn't expect Cam Ward to rebound from a shaky start this weekend. The Tennessee Titans quarterback began his second season by going 19-of-32 for 140 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 loss to the New York Jets. ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder predicted an even worse outcome for Ward this Sunday, forecasting at least three interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Ward is coming off a rough start to the season, as the Titans ranked third in pass rate over expected, per NFL Next Gen Stats," Walder noted. "Tennessee is also likely to be trailing in this game, and the Eagles certainly have the defensive talent to take the ball away. That's a lot of opportunity to make mistakes." That outcome would represent a career nadir for Ward, who has never thrown multiple interceptions in an NFL game.
Although his 80.2 quarterback rating as a rookie left much to be desired, Ward only yielded seven picks in 17 games. He didn't turn the ball over on Sunday, but Ward also didn't create a single passing play of at least 15 yards. Titans head coach Robert Saleh didn't blame his young quarterback for the 23-10 loss.
"I thought he did a lot of good things in the game early that showed the progress that he's been making," Saleh said of Ward, per ESPN's Turron Davenport. "He had a rough game, but it's not all on him. There were opportunities where we've got to be better for him as a staff; his teammates have got to be better for him, and then obviously he's got to be better for his teammates with regards to delivering a football." Ward will look to prove Walder wrong when the Titans play the Eagles this Sunday at 1 p.m.
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