rewrite this title Titans’ Cam Ward shows why he can be franchise-changer as long he gets help

If you simply looked at the box score from the Tennessee Titans’ preseason game on Friday night, it would be easy to conclude that rookie quarterback Cam Ward struggled. He finished the night 2-of-7 for 42 yards and a 52.1 passer rating in his one quarter of work against the Atlanta Falcons.

Not exactly great numbers, especially for a No. 1 overall pick.

But sometimes, numbers in small sample sizes do not always tell the story. That is especially true in preseason football. This is also one of those times.

While Ward was not quite as sharp as he was in his preseason debut, and while he did have some rocky moments, he also showed why the Titans took him with the top pick in the draft and are building their franchise around him for the foreseeable future. There were some impressive throws and moments, and flashes of brilliance that show the type of player he can become.

As long as he gets some help.

That is the big takeaway from Friday’s game.

While he showed a strong chemistry with veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley in the preseason opener, Ridley did not play on Friday, forcing Ward to look elsewhere among his wide receiver group. It did not always go well.

The night got off to a good start when he connected with Elic Ayomanor on the first pass of the game for 35 yards.