Sports

Titans will reportedly simplify offense for struggling rookie QB Cam Ward after firing Brian Callahan

The Tennessee Titans will go back to the basics after firing head coach Brian Callahan. With Callahan out, interim head coach Mike McCoy will simplify the team's offense for quarterback Cam Ward, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

The move comes with Ward struggling to find his footing in the NFL. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft hasn't gotten off to a strong start through in his first six games in the league. Ward has completed just 55% of his passes, with three touchdowns against four interceptions. He's also taken a league-high 25 sacks. 

While Ward's production has been disappointing, he hasn't had an uber-talented supporting cast around him. Calvin Ridley ranks third on the team in catches and has yet to score a touchdown this season. He entered the year as the team's No. 1 receiver. 

The rushing attack has also struggled. Tony Pollard doesn't have a 100-yard rushing day yet. He's come close once, gaining 92 yards in Week 2, but has been held under 70 rushing yards in every other contest. The team got Tyjae Spears back in Week 6, and it's possible his big-play ability will lift the rushing game. 

Callahan was tasked with getting Ward to play like a No. 1 overall pick entering the season. But with the offense sputtering, the Titans decided to fire Callahan after just 23 games. He went 4-19 in those games.

With Callahan out, the team tabbed McCoy to take over the rest of the way. McCoy jumps into the role with four years of head-coaching experience. He put up a 27-37 record with the Los Angeles Chargers from 2013-16. 

McCoy, a former offensive coordinator, saw his offenses struggle once promoted into the Chargers' head-coaching job. The team ranked in the upper half of the league in points scored in two of McCoy's four years with the team. Its best performance came in 2016, when the team ranked ninth in points scored. The Chargers went just 5-11 that season, leading to McCoy's firing.

After a lengthy head-coaching hiatus, McCoy will return to the role against the New England Patriots in Week 7. While the matchup didn't look too difficult early in the year, the Patriots have found their stride lately and have won three straight games entering Week 7.

Rams score on opening drive thanks to fourth-down conversion, questionable roughness call

Rams coach Sean McVay is following the analytics. Or maybe he just has no faith in his kicker.

Either way, McVay kept the Rams' offense on the field on a fourth-and-3 in field goal range on the opening drive today against the Jaguars in London, and it paid off: The Rams picked up the first down, and then marched down the field for a touchdown.

McVay may have been trusting the analytics models that generally recommend aggressiveness on fourth downs — or may have been concerned about his kicker, Joshua Karty, who has been struggling this season.

They were also helped by a highly questionable unnecessary roughness call on the Jaguars, on a hit that didn't seem to deserve a flag.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, playing without top receiver Puka Nacua, completed 7 of 9 passes for 45 yards and finished the drive with a touchdown pass to Konata Mumpfield.

The Jaguars' offense went three-and-out on each of its first two drives. They're going to need to get things going to keep up with the Rams.

Rams-Jaguars features rare London game between teams with winning records

The NFL began playing regular-season games in London eighteen years ago. Today's return to Wembley Stadium will be No. 42 in England.

And the contest between the 4-2 Rams and 4-2 Jaguars is only the second between two teams with winning records at the time the game is played.

The first happened three years ago, when the 3-1 Giants faced the 3-1 Packers. The Giants, perhaps spurred by a unique battle cry from the Brits, prevailed.

But it's not as if the NFL deliberately schedules games between teams that the locals would describe as wankers. It's just how the schedule plays out.

This year, both the Rams and Jaguars have gotten off to a good start. One will get to 5-2. And the game will be played in a steady rain on a surface that at times has been slippery when dry.

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