NASHVILLE – The Titans beat the Seahawks 19-16 in preseason game No.2 on Sunday night at Nissan Stadium.
Senior Writer and Editor Jim Wyatt takes a look at six things that stood out from the contest:
Cam's Night
Titans quarterback Cam Ward played three series and completed 8-of-12 passes for 69 yards. Just like the preseason opener against the 49ers, Ward led the Titans on a scoring drive on the team's first possession, albeit for a field goal this time. But the offense had two forgettable possessions after that opening drive. Ward had the football knocked out of his grasp (the ball went out of bounds) and he took another hit before leaving the game. As a unit, Ward and the offense proved improvement is still needed. "Missed opportunities on some plays," Ward said. "We just have to be better down the field as a whole."
Running Backs
Titans running back Tony Pollard busted off a nine-yard run on his first possession, and he also scooted loose for a 33-yard gain on a pass reception from Ward. Pollard had just three touches in the game, but he accumulated 45 yards before heading to the bench. The performance came just two days after Pollard had several nice runs in the joint practice against the Seahawks. Running back Julius Chestnut also busted off some nice runs on Sunday night, and he finished the game with 48 rushing yards on eight carries. Running back D'Ernest Johnson had the two-yard touchdown run to win it.
Shaky Defense
There's no denying the first team defense had a tough night. With starter Sam Darnold watching from the sideline, Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock connected with tight end Elijah Arroyo on the game's seventh play to make it 7-0 early. Seattle then scored on a 61-yard touchdown run by Jacardia Wright on their next possession. There were lapses on the back end, and in the middle of the defense. These plays came against Tennessee's starters. In two preseason games, the first-team defense hasn't looked real sharp, although coach Robert Saleh didn't seem overly concerned. He said the game provided some teaching moments that will help moving forward.
Cedric Gray and Anthony Williams Jr.
Linebacker Cedric Gray played more than any of the team's starters on defense. Gray showed some spunk early, with a nice tackle early and then another for a three-yard loss. Gray was credited with three solo tackles, and two assists, and a pass defensed, while playing less than a half. Gray was flagged for an unsportmanlike conduct penalty following one nice play, however, which put a damper on his otherwise solid night. Rookie Anthony Hill Jr. also had a nice night, recording a third quarter interception, a fourth-quarter quarterback pressure, and a team-high seven tackles. I can't leave rookie defensive back Derrick Canteen out of this category – he had the game-sealing INT in the end.
Penalties
Gray wasn't the only Titan penalized on Sunday night. He was far from it, in fact. The Titans were penalized 11 times for 100 yards in the game, and they came in all three phases – on offense, defense and on special teams. On a sloppy night, the Titans hurt themselves even more with penalties. "I'd be more concerned if the other team didn't have 14 of them," Saleh said of Seattle's penalties, which added up to 129 penalty yards. "I think the refs were working on their game, too."
Slye Guy
Kicker Joey Slye kept his hot streak going. Slye was a perfect 4-of-4 in the contest, making kicks of 33, 40, 43 and 55 yards. Slye was also a perfect 4-of-4 in the preseason opener vs San Francisco, and he's now a perfect 27-of-27 in his last five outings, counting games, and practices. Counting PATs, Slye has 26 points in two preseason games.
The Tennessee Titans take on the Seattle Seahawks in Preseason Week 2 at Nissan Stadium.
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Tennessee Titans/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Coral Scoles-Coburn/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
