Are the Tennessee Titans back to square one? Despite efforts to fix last season’s league-worst penalty issues, the team still lost 131 yards to penalties in Week 1. Moreover, as rookie QB Cam Ward struggled to live up to the hype, the Denver Broncos handed the Titans a 20-12 defeat. Amid this challenging start, head coach Brian Callahan even received advice from a former quarterback on how to navigate the pressure.

Speaking of the Week 1 matchup, FOX NFL analyst Mark Sanchez recounted a turnover when the team had a chance to take the lead in the game. However, two sacks destroyed the momentum for the team.

“But if I was coaching those guys, it might be one of those situations where you grab them by the face mask and say, “Hey, we’re inside the 30. We do not end this down or end this drive with anything less than three points.” I don’t care if you catch the ball and throw it in the stands three times. Doesn’t matter. We need the points,” Sanchez said on The Dan Patrick Show.

There were more such moments where coach Callahan might have felt the way Sanchez did. The rookie quarterback completed 12 of 28 passes for 112 yards while getting six sacks and a late fumble. However, it can’t be denied that Ward was up against one of the most formidable defenses. There were some bright moments for the QB, where he showed his impressive arm abilities and pinpoint accuracy in his throws. While there were mistakes, the coaches believe Ward was brilliant in handling them.

“There’s plays that are called when sometimes we’re getting a bad look. Cam did a great job getting us out of those bad looks,” offensive coordinator Nick Holz said as per ESPN.

So, it wasn’t all too bad for Ward. Apart from the players, coach Callahan has also come under scrutiny for one reason.

And it’s due to one misstep with the NFL rulebook as per a Titans’ YouTube page via NBC Sports. He failed to challenge a critical play and had a confusing explanation. Later, he admitted the mistake and took full responsibility, acknowledging that the challenge should have been made. “Ultimately, my interpretation of the rule was wrong. I’ll own it. We should’ve challenged the play. That’s pretty much all I can say about it is I’ll own the mistake. We should’ve challenged it and that’s where it stands.”

He also expressed his disappointment with the penalties. However, after a tough Week 1 showing, the Titans are now looking to address mistakes and find a clearer path ahead as they head to Week 2.

Brian Callahan is hopeful after the Week 1 loss

There were penalties and missed opportunities. “Sh—, A—,” Ward said when asked about the loss. However, the head coach is optimistic about the Titans’ chances to be better in the future. “I didn’t think that that was something that was going to show up the way it did today, for obvious reasons. There’s plenty of disappointment, but the encouraging part is that we found our way to be in this game for most of it and we’ve just got to find a way to play better when we need plays to be made,” he said.

Moreover, the coach was impressed with Ward’s performance, which showed that he is ready to take on more responsibility in the Titans’ offense. And Coach Callahan is gradually giving him the ability to do so. While he was disappointed by the sacks and even gave a warning, the coach believes that Ward’s “ability to operate at the line of scrimmage and manipulate the offense the way he sees fit,” will help him become a good player in the league. That’s a big promise, and perhaps this will motivate the team to put together a better performance in the next matchup.

But the Titans must clean up penalties and sharpen execution as they face the Los Angeles Rams in their home opener. This will be the chance for Callahan and his squad to secure the win.