It was the first game in Music City this season, and Cam Ward walked into Nissan Stadium with high expectations. But he walked out frustrated after a 33-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The game itself was tough enough, but what really got to Ward was the turf. The face of the Titans made it clear he wasn’t happy with the way billionaire owner Amy Adams Strunk has kept the home field.

On one big play in the second quarter, Ward lost his footing on the synthetic surface. That slip turned into a sack, and worse, a game-changing fumble. In the post-game, he didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts. “We practice on grass. Why don’t we play on grass?” Ward asked. Clearly, he feels the turf is holding him back more than helping him.

What makes this sting more is that Nissan Stadium actually used to have a natural grass field. In 2023, the Titans ripped it out and installed synthetic turf. Amy Adams Strunk’s board explained the move at the time, blaming Nashville’s unpredictable weather for making grass tough to maintain year-round. Strunk, who took over controlling ownership in 2015, has a fortune valued at $2 billion according to Forbes. But despite the resources, Ward seems to think the team is cutting corners in the wrong place.

Meanwhile, the NFL itself is split down the middle when it comes to field surfaces. Half of the stadiums stick with grass, while the other half use turf. Yet turf has been controversial for years, with players openly saying it’s slicker and riskier. Now, with the Titans planning a new 60,000-seat stadium for 2027, the decision to use turf again probably isn’t going to sit well with Ward either. But then let’s not blame it all on the turf.

Cam Ward’s Titans hurt by penalties and sacks

The Titans can’t get out of their own way right now. Two weeks into the season, they’ve given up 11 sacks and racked up 23 penalties for 193 yards. That kind of sloppy play is killing them. Add in the fact that they’re now 0-2 and riding an eight-game losing streak dating back to last season, and you can see why Titans fans are frustrated.

Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has taken the brunt of it. The No. 1 pick is already feeling the physical price of mistakes around him. On Sunday, he got sacked five times. One of those sacks turned ugly, as he lost the ball while being stripped. That kind of play makes it tough for any quarterback to settle in, let alone a rookie still finding his rhythm.

“We just got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Ward, who went 19-of-33 for 175 yards and a touchdown. “My turnover, penalties cost us throughout the game both sides of the ball. We’ve just got to lock in.”

Yet even in the mess, Ward had a moment. The Titans piled up seven penalties in the first half, but he still made something happen. In the second quarter, he pulled off a desperate cross-field throw to rookie wideout Elic Ayomanor for his first career touchdown. That strike cut the Rams’ lead to 10-9, and for a minute, fans felt some hope.

But the hope didn’t last. The second half looked way too familiar for this team. The defense stayed on the field far too long and wore down. And the Rams moved the ball with ease, while the Titans’ offense stalled drive after drive. Now, the question is simple: how will Ward and company respond in Week 3?