Broncos scouting report: How Denver matches up with Cam Ward, Titans in Week 1

Titans (3-14 in 2024) at Broncos (10-7 in 2024)

When: Sunday, 2:05 p.m.

Where: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium

TV/radio: FOX, 850 AM/94.1 FM

Broncos-Titans series: Denver’s 16-24-1 in 41 total regular-season meetings, but 10-8-1 at home. The Broncos have lost two in a row against Tennessee, their last coming Nov. 13, 2022, when a struggling Russell Wilson-led offense fell 17-10.

In the spotlight: No. 1 pick Cam Ward gets thrown to the wolves (and the Bloodhound)

For a while, local Texas quarterbacks coach Steve Van Meter couldn’t believe nobody was seeing what he was seeing with Cam Ward.

Van Meter would watch Ward extend simulated plays on the grass, flick a ball from a three-quarters arm angle, and think Patrick Mahomes. College recruiters across the country would see Ward give handoff after handoff in Columbia High’s Wing-T offense, and think — well, nothing. Ward exited high school as a zero-star recruit and began his college career at FCS program Incarnate Word.

Years later, from Washington State to Miami to now Tennessee, Ward’s self-assuredness buoyed his rise as the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft.

“The game seems like it’s just — everybody else is going 100 miles an hour,” Van Meter recalled, “and he’s just playing in a different lane.”

The rookie is now tabbed as the future of a struggling Titans franchise — and that demeanor remains. At Miami, Ward stood behind his offensive line and slung deep balls with the urgency of a strong-armed sloth. His greatest tool was his unflappability. Ward threw 17 touchdowns last year against the blitz, second-most of any quarterback in college football, according to Pro Football Focus.

He faces a Week 1 test unlike any he’s faced before, though, walking into a sea of frothing orange at Empower Field and lining up against a crowd of frothing pass-rushers Sunday.

“Don’t let ‘em kill you,” Ward responded this week when asked about the Broncos throwing pressure at him. “I mean, that’s really all you can do to handle pressure, no matter what blitz you call. The blitz still gotta get there.”

The Broncos led the league in sacks in 2024, and the pass-rush looks even deeper this fall. Zach Allen has the weight of a potential contract off his back. John Franklin-Myers has the weight of a potential contract on his back. Nik Bonitto looked the part of a self-proclaimed “bloodhound” in camp and preseason. And defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has all sorts of ways to unleash them on Ward in his NFL debut.

“You would go back and look at his college tape at Miami just to get a feel for not only arm strength, but how does he handle pressure, how does he handle his own?” head coach Sean Payton said this week. “We do a pretty in-depth study.”

Ward took 2.93 seconds to get the ball out last year at Miami, tied for 71st in CFB among 84 quarterbacks with at least 400 drop-backs. He won’t have such luxury on Sunday, even as the Titans added a couple of new offensive-line starters in free agency. Plenty, then, will be placed on the shoulders of Denver’s defensive playmakers — nickels Ja’Quan McMillian and Jahdae Barron, linebackers Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw (if healthy) — to limit quick-hits and yards after the catch.

Can Ward operate with his trademark coolness with a bunch of Broncos breathing down his neck? Do Tennessee receivers Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett and Elic Ayomanor have enough juice to separate from Joseph’s secondary? This is the battle Sunday.

“I’m surrounded by playmakers,” Ward said. “I just gotta do my job, put the ball in their hands, let them catch the ball, and they’re gonna do the rest.”

Who has the edge?

When Broncos run: Tennessee gave up the seventh-most rushing yards in the league last year and didn’t make any notable upgrades there in the offseason. The Titans did bring in former Bronco Cody Barton in free agency, who put together a solid 2024, but will also start second-year linebacker Cedric Gray next to him. Gray’s played 48 snaps of NFL football. A good chance for Denver’s revamped outside-zone attack to click. Edge: Broncos

When Broncos pass: This one’s closer than you might think. Tennessee gave up the second-fewest passing yards of any NFL team last season, and signed impact safety Xavier Woods in free agency from the Panthers. The key here is L’Jarius Sneed, who missed all but five games last year due to injury. When he was on the field last year, the Titans allowed just a 58% completion rate to opposing quarterbacks, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Sneed was limited in practice this week for Tennessee, though. Edge: Even

When Titans run: Tennessee has a steady weapon in lead back Tony Pollard, who ran for 1,079 yards last year on 260 carries after signing over from the Dallas Cowboys. Offseason signing Kevin Zeitler should help plenty, too, as the right guard helped ignite a dynamic Lions rushing attack last year in Detroit. Still, the Broncos return every key piece from a defensive line that gave up the second-fewest yards per carry to opposing teams in 2024. Edge: Broncos

When Titans pass: Rookie QB Cam Ward said this week it’s “going to be hard to stop 0,” in reference to Tennessee’s go-to wideout Calvin Ridley. The Broncos, however, happen to have a certain Defensive Player of the Year shadowing Ridley. Offseason signee Tyler Lockett did put up six catches for 77 yards in Week 1 against the Broncos and cornerback Riley Moss last year, but Denver’s secondary depth is far stronger than Tennessee’s stable of receivers. Edge: Broncos

Special teams: Broncos kicker Wil Lutz converted 91% of his field goals last year. Titans free-agent addition Joey Slye sat at 79% for New England last year. Simple, even if Denver rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw is a wild card. Edge: Broncos 

Coaching: Payton worked with Titans head coach Brian Callahan’s dad, Bill, in 1997. And Bill, who Payton called a “fantastic line coach,” is now his son’s offensive line coach in Tennessee. The younger Callahan is a fast riser who served as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator during their Super Bowl run in 2021, but has one year of NFL head-coaching experience to Payton’s 18. Edge: Broncos

Tale of the tape (2024 stats)

Click here to view chart in mobile.

By the numbers

4.2: Denver’s yards per carry on between-the-tackle runs this preseason, tied for seventh-best in the league.

50.5%: Cam Ward’s completion percentage when under pressure last year at Miami.

106: Tackles for Bronco-turned-Titan inside linebacker Cody Barton in 2024.

$82 million: The amount of money, over four years, that Tennessee paid former Pittsburgh Steelers LT Dan Moore in free agency to protect Ward’s blind side.

19: The number of QB pressures Nik Bonitto had in under three seconds last year, according to Next Gen Stats.

X-factors

Titans: WR Elic Ayomanor. The fourth-round rookie out of Stanford built enough chemistry with Ward in the preseason to earn a starting spot on Tennessee’s Week 1 depth chart, and could well face frequent reps against Moss on Sunday opposite the Surtain-Ridley matchup.

Broncos: P Jeremy Crawshaw. No more preseason reps — or intermittent punt periods — for the sixth-round rookie. Crawshaw had a largely rough preseason showing, and there’s a fairly substantial amount riding this season on his right leg. The Broncos don’t want to hand a couple of possessions to Tennessee because of short field position.

Post predictions

Parker Gabriel, Broncos beat writer: Broncos 28, Titans 13

A year ago, it made little sense to think Bo Nix would march into a hostile environment at Seattle and win his debut against a renowned defensive mind. The same applies to the Titans and No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward. Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is going to dial up all his favorite pressures and a bunch Ward’s never seen before just for good measure. Empower Field will be loud. Nix and company won’t have to be perfect, but they should have plenty of opportunities to make plays. Avoid turnovers, and this should be a nice, smooth start to the year.

Luca Evans, Broncos beat writer: Broncos 24, Titans 10

Poor Cam Ward. Look, the kid’s obviously fearless. He sat back behind his line at Miami, tossed bombs like they were Nerf footballs, and was a Heisman Trophy finalist because of it. The Titans have upgraded their offensive line since taking Ward No. 1 overall, and have a fleet of skill players that are pretty good, even if Calvin Ridley and Treylon Burks aren’t top-four NFL receivers. Counterpoint: Denver’s defense has been frothing for months now to get to the regular season, and Ward now faces the best pass-rushing unit in the league.

Troy Renck, columnist: Broncos 27, Titans 10

Cam Ward is going to learn quickly that the AFC is not the ACC. He has never seen a defense in his life like the one he will face on Sunday. The Broncos will overwhelm him with pressure and sticky coverage. Quarterbacks picked No. 1 overall in the common draft era are 4-14-1 when starting the season opener, per The Associated Press. Make it 4-15-1 as the defense delivers three takeaways and tight end Evan Engram becomes a new favorite target for Bo Nix.

Sean Keeler, columnist:  Broncos 25, Titans 17

The only thing worse than being a rookie QB in a road playoff game? Being a rookie QB on the road in Week 1. Over the last six years, rookie NFL starting quarterbacks are 0-10-1 in season-openers. Like Bo Nix a year ago, Cam Ward’s baptism by fire starts now. And there’s no hotter seat in the league for a newbie than to be stuck 5,280 feet above sea level with Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Zach Allen breathing down your neck.

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