LAS VEGAS – The Titans lost 20-10 to the Raiders on Sunday here at Allegiant Stadium.
Here's a look at six things that stood out from the contest:
JC Latham: "I Let the Team Down"
Right tackle JC Latham returned to action on Sunday after missing the previous four games with a hip injury. His assignment right out of the gate was a difficult one – Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Things didn't go well for Latham, as Crosby was credited with two sacks and three quarterback hits. After the game, Latham held himself accountable. "He finished stronger than I did," Latham said of Crosby. "It is extremely difficult. You want to be an anchor for this team, a player that the team can depend on and I let the team down today. I didn't do what I was supposed to do today to give the team the best chance to succeed."
Cam's Struggles
Quarterback Cam Ward was hoping to continue his momentum from last week's fourth quarter in Arizona. It didn't happen. Ward threw a touchdown pass late, but his day will mostly be remembered for his three turnovers. Ward finished the day 26-of-38 passes for 222 yards with an interception. Ward also lost two fumbles on the day. "Real disappointed, just as an offense, especially myself," Ward said after the game. "Any time you have three turnovers you are not going to have a chance to win the game. … I know I can't let it happen, but we have to keep going. At the end of the day, there's no excuses out there for us. We just have to be better, and I have to be better."
Simmons Impact
Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons had another impactful game, finishing with six tackles, a sack, two tackles for a loss, and two quarterback hits. It was the third straight game that saw Simmons record a sack. Simmons is the first Titan player since Brian Orakpo in 2016 to post at least 4 ½ sacks and 8 tackles for a loss in the team's first six games of a season. He's the NFL's first defensive tackle to accomplish that feat since Geno Atkins in 2016 with the Bengals. Simmons expressed some frustration after the contest, not just with how the team played on Sunday, but how it practiced during the week. "It started at practice," Simmons said. "Being honest, this was probably one of our worst weeks of practice. We came out flat Thursday, and … sometimes things carry over. In this league, you have to prove it every week, and keep proving it. We didn't do that. Today was bad football. … It is on us as captains, leaders of the team, to make sure the guys have the right mindset no matter if it's the start of the football game, or a practice. Us as leaders, as captains, maybe we have to do a little bit more."
Costly Reversal
With the Titans trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, it looked like the Titans had taken the lead on a defensive play. That's when edge rusher Jihad Ward hit Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, knocking the ball out of his hands. Titans linebacker Cody Barton scooped up the loose football and raced 43 yards for an apparent touchdown, and lead. But after review, the officials reversed the call and ruled it to be an incomplete pass. Instead of the Titans taking a 7-3 lead, the game remained 3-0. Then it became 10-0, and eventually 17-0. "I couldn't see the replay very well," Barton said. "It would have been big. That would have been big momentum-wise, and score-wise."
DMR Touchdown
On this day, there weren't many highlights for the Titans on offense. Receiver Van Jefferson led the team with 75 receiving yards (on four catches), and tight end Chig Okonkwo led the team with six catches (for 46 yards). The only touchdown of the game came late, on a one-yard touchdown pass from Ward to tight end David Martin-Robinson. The touchdown, which took place with 3:03 left in the game, cut the lead to 20-10. Someone with the Titans retrieved the football for Martin-Robinson, so he got to keep it as a souvenir. "Cam threw it out there, and I was able to go get it," Martin-Robinson said of the catch. "(The football) is in my bag."
Entire Offense
Ward tried to shoulder a big chunk of the blame after his three-turnover game on Sunday. Ward threw an interception (the ball was tipped), and he lost the football on a few fumbles when he got sloppy with his ball security. Ward admitted this. But let's face it, the problems on offense weren't all on him. Ward was sacked five times in the contest, and it seemed like he was under constant pressure. The Titans were a paltry 3-of-13 on third down, and long down and distance situations added to the pressure. Coach Brian Callahan recognized the effort from the defense, while expressing his concern about a lack of scoring. It's why the Titans lost. "We didn't play well on offense, really in any way, shape or form," Callahan said. "It's disappointing we can't find a way to play better offensively."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6 at Allegiant Stadium.
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Beau Brune/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders compete at Allegiant Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
