NFL13 Sept 20262 minute read

Titans Fans Boo as Coach Saleh's Debut Ends in Frustrating Loss

Tennessee suffered a 23-10 loss to the Jets in Robert Saleh's debut as head coach, while quarterback Cam Ward struggled to find his rhythm.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

A Rough Start for Robert Saleh

Robert Saleh's first game as head coach of the Tennessee Titans did not go as planned. The Titans suffered a 23-10 loss on Sunday to Saleh's former team, the New York Jets. Both teams finished last season with poor records of three wins and 14 losses, but the Jets looked much sharper in this opener.

The home crowd in Nashville quickly lost patience. Fans booed throughout the game, especially during four possessions where the Titans went three and out and had to punt. Saleh said he understood the frustration but promised to stay calm. He noted that he wants to watch the game tape and make rational decisions rather than screaming.

Cam Ward Struggles with Accuracy

A lot of the frustration centered on quarterback Cam Ward. He completed 19 of his 32 pass attempts for 140 yards and one touchdown. Ward struggled with accuracy, missing easy throws near the line of scrimmage to running back Tyjae Spears and wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson.

Ward also missed a potential big play to Carnell Tate across the middle on a third and three in the second quarter. The quarterback admitted he made mistakes. Ward said, "Those are some big plays that we could have had, but we still got a lot of things to clean up for sure."

The Titans offense, now featuring Brian Daboll working with Ward, only managed one touchdown in six preseason drives. On Sunday, they did not reach the end zone until late in the fourth quarter. Ward threw an 11 yard touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor on a slant, but the game was already out of reach. Ward addressed the booing fans after the game, saying they spend their money to see wins and the team wants to give them a good show.

What it means for the next game

Here is how our model projects the next matchups:

Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans (NFL, Sun, 20 Sep): Tennessee Titans win 30%, Philadelphia Eagles win 70%; projected score Tennessee Titans 18, Philadelphia Eagles 23. Our safest pick: Eagles to win.

Green Bay Packers at New York Jets (NFL, Sun, 20 Sep): New York Jets win 29%, Green Bay Packers win 71%; projected score New York Jets 18, Green Bay Packers 24. Our safest pick: Packers to win.