NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) 鈥 The Tennessee Titans have allowed 11 sacks through two games and been flagged 23 times for 193 yards.
In other words, they continue being their own worst enemy with an 0-2 start.
Cam Ward, the , is paying the physical price of those mistakes. He was sacked five times and stripped of the ball on one Sunday as the Titans to the Los Angeles Rams.
鈥淲e just got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot,” Ward said. “My turnover, penalties cost us throughout the game both sides of the ball. We’ve just got to lock in.鈥
The Titans piled up four penalties in the seven plays after the opening kickoff and finished with 10 for 62 yards 鈥 not counting two that were declined. That’s after being flagged 13 times for 131 yards in their
鈥淚t鈥檚 not complicated in my opinion,鈥 left guard Peter Skoronski said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 have them, especially pre-snap with the false starts. We can鈥檛 do it. We鈥檝e got to be disciplined. There鈥檚 not tricks or anything to not having them. We鈥檝e just got to be disciplined and don鈥檛 do that. It鈥檚 pretty simple.鈥
Coach Brian Callahan spent the trying to get his Titans to stop hurting themselves with the penalties they can control. Through two games, they remain a problem he said they have to get fixed.
鈥淛ust things that are frustrating, very frustrating to be in that spot,鈥 Callahan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously something that we had a problem with last year. It was a problem before. It鈥檚 still a problem, and we鈥檙e trying like hell to get it fixed. So far, we haven鈥檛 been successful doing that.鈥
The Titans had a couple of false starts by right tackle John Ojukwu, starting in place of JC Latham. Veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler was flagged for being an ineligible receiver downfield on the second offensive play, wiping out a first down catch by Chimere Dike.
A defensive offside. A holding penalty on a kickoff return.
The costliest penalty came on a late flag for a blindside block by linebacker Cedric Gray, which wiped out a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown by Dike.
鈥淚 guess they said that I led with my shoulder,鈥 Gray said. 鈥淚 thought I led with my hands, but I just have to eat it, have to be a little bit smarter in that situation next time.鈥
The sacks are more dangerous to a franchise trying to rebuild with a rookie quarterback. The Titans gave up six sacks to the NFL’s top pass rushing team in the opener, and they nearly matched that Sunday. It didn’t help that was out with a strained hip.
Ward showed signs of growth, scrambling away from a pass rusher, throwing back to the left to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor for in the second quarter. Ward also took what he could get under pressure, scrambling up the middle to give Joey Slye a better distance to kick.
The rookie’s one fumble turned into a touchdown when the Titans trailed only 20-16 early in the fourth quarter.
Ayomanor, who said the ball for his TD would go to Ward, said the quarterback’s consistent personality helps the rookie and the rest of the Titans.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 going to make a bad play,鈥 Ayomanor said. 鈥淏ut the thing that鈥檚 very unique about Cam is he makes a bad play and that鈥檚 it, he has a very short-term memory.鈥
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