Cam Ward’s first NFL start left Titans fans split down the middle, flashes of brilliance from the rookie quarterback, but a box score that looked every bit like a rough debut. But according to Delanie Walker, Ward might not be the one who needs to step up, but the cast around him.

In a recent appearance on Up & Adams, Walker shed some light on Cam Ward and the offense around him. “The leadership. He didn’t play like a rookie… I feel like he made the throws he needed to make… But we also need the receivers, tight ends, and running backs to make those catches. Sometimes you gotta bail your quarterback out. And I think for his debut, he did a real good job.”

Yes, Ward didn’t exactly light up the box scores, but he showed a lot of promise. Ward’s debut came in a 20–12 Week 1 loss at Denver, a sloppy opener where the Titans mustered only 133 yards of offense. He went 12-of-28 for 112 yards, took six sacks, and the team converted just 2-of-14 on third down. Hard numbers to look past.

But it’s also the stuff that doesn’t come in the stat sheets. Like Walker said, the leadership is almost unseen when it comes to the rookies. He was dictating plays, stepping up, and showing polish. And when a former tight end comes out and says the supporting cast has to raise its game, you know it’s not just talk.

The Titans‘ catch production was underwhelming, to say the least. Calvin Ridley led the way with 13 targets but only came down with 4 catches for 27 yards. Chig Okonkwo added 3 for 19 on 4 looks, rookie Elic Ayomanor managed 2 for 13 on 7 targets, and the backs chipped in a little but not much.

Those lopsided target-to-catch numbers and the minimal yardage simply underscore the point Walker is trying to make. Ward’s passes had about a 10.7% drop rate in that game. That’s way above league average. It basically turned “on-target throws” into wasted plays.

Think of that late Ridley drop that could’ve set up a tying drive. We might be seeing a generational talent here if the offense around him steps up. And as if you think Walker was overly positive about Ward’s debut, Dan Orlovsky took it to another level.

Dan Orlovsky was blown away by Cam Ward

Yes, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky perceived Cam Ward’s debut a little differently. As he pointed out to Pat McAfee, he was “blown away” by what he saw from Cam Ward against the Broncos. Even Titans fans didn’t take it that far. “I was blown away with his tape. I thought his tape looked awesome,” he said.

Yes, there were some shortcomings, but he reminded the fans that he’s just a rookie. With the responsibility he has taken on, the people seem to forget that at times. “Yes, there are times, like Cam, you can’t get that sack that takes them out of field goals. He did that in college; he’s got to learn from that, he will, would be my expectation,” he added.

But then again, he made the same point that Delanie Walker was trying to make. The offense around him needs to back him up. “They win the game if they don’t have like eight drops,” Orlovsky remarked. And yes, they probably do. A cruel blend of penalties, disappointing O-line display, and those drops took away a clear-cut chance at victory for the Titans.

But of course, there’s a silver lining. Ward has nowhere to go but up. The same goes for the offensive line. It now falls upon Brian Callahan to structure the OL in a way that gets the most out of Ward. And that structure should aid his development. Because the ceiling is really high, and even the analysts are getting on the hype train.