Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans offense started off well against the San Francisco 49ers' defensive reserves in the opening preseason game on Aug. 13 in Santa Clara. But they didn't finish well. Ward led a 11-play, 95-yard touchdown drive capped by a Tony Pollard 5-yard TD run. From there, Tennessee's No. 1 offense stalled out in its own territory and punted the ball twice. The Titans starting offense played for three series across 21 plays. Ward finished 5-of-12 for 57 yards passing and a carry for two yards. A few plays will stick out for Ward on film. TITANS-49ERS LIVE UPDATES: Tennessee Titans vs 49ers preseason live updates, stats, analysis, what we're seeing First, Ward's first completion of the day was an 18-yard catch and run by Calvin Ridley on a timing route across the middle. The 2025 No. 1 overall pick laid it out in stride for Ridley, who raced across the line of gain.
Rid picking up the 1st down 📺 NFL Network pic.twitter.com/9LZltVLyF1 — Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 14, 2026 That was a positive. The next two notable plays were less so. Ward nearly turned the ball over at his own goal line on the next drive, trying to avoid pressure and backing up to the end zone deep in Titans territory. The Titans starting QB just got the ball away as he fell to the turf, but was penalized for intentional grounding which all but ended the series.
On the next series, Ward nearly threw a third-down interception while targeting Carnell Tate. San Francisco 49ers DB Ashtyn Davis made a play on the ball before it fell incomplete. The Ward-Tate connection will have to wait for another game, as the Titans' first-round pick did not record a catch. Preseason only has so much meaning and importance, and the Titans' No. 1 offense had ups and downs against the 49ers reserves. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cam Ward, Titans offense have a lot to work on after uneven preseason debut