Colts quarterback Daniel Jones landed on the team’s injury report for the first time this season on Wednesday.
An ankle injury is given as the reason for Jones’s presence on the list. He was listed as a full participant, so it does not appear it will impact his availability for the Titans unless his participation level drops in the coming days.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen (rest), linebacker Jayden Carlies (ribs), wide receiver Ashton Dulin (hamstring), offensive tackle Jalen Travis (ankle), and cornerback Charvarius Ward (rest) did not practice on Wednesday.
Wide receiver Josh Downs (rest, hamstring), guard Matt Goncalves (concussion evaluation), running back Jonathan Taylor (rest), and defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau (concussion evaluation) were limited participants. Tight end Will Mallory (thumb) and wide receiver Darius Slayton (knee) were full participants.
Cam Ward has been in the league for one full season and five games.
To this point, there’s been a lot of losing.
Ward — who has started every game since being selected as No. 1 overall last year — now carries a 3-19 record after Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Texans. While Tennessee started the game with a field goal, the team failed to score on its last eight possessions.
The results prompted a question at the end of Ward’s postgame press conference: Have you gotten used to losing?
“No, I’m not a loser,” Ward said. “The record may say that we are that right now. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to go through some stuff to try to get wins. And, I mean, we attack this each and every day. But I mean, for that, no.
“If you’re able to look at everybody in our locker room’s track record, we’ve all won games at a high level. And we’re looking forward to doing that in the long run.”
And Ward isn’t shying away from the responsibility that comes with being a No. 1 overall pick and a starting quarterback.
“I just try to continue to do my job,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, I have a lot of stuff to continue to get better at. I think that’s going to put us in positions to win games, the more I can do my job the right way. But everybody in the building knows, it’s going to take all 11 of us on offense to get things how we want it. But I know as far as my job, there’s still a lot of stuff that I need to clean up. I have to continue to motivate my guys the way they need to be motivated. I have to continue to lead my style. And I think if we keep doing that, if we keep on making progress forward, like I know we can, the wins will eventually come.
“I love the criticism. I love everything that comes with the quarterback territory,” Ward added. “At the end of the day, it’s the best position in the world. Stuff goes the right way, you take all the credit. Stuff goes the wrong way, you take all the blame. I know I’m capable at this position. I have the right guys around me to uplift me and myself uplift them. And we’re going to eventually put it together.”
The Titans drove for a field goal to open Sunday’s home game against the Texans, but any hope that was a sign of good things to come came crashing down over the rest of the afternoon.
Tennessee punted four times and turned the ball over twice before failing on two fourth downs in the fourth quarter of a 26-3 loss that dropped them to 0-5 on the season. They ended the game with 187 yards and quarterback Cam Ward was 23-of-36 for 170 yards while being sacked four times.
The Titans now rank dead last in points scored and offensive yards, which led to a question for head coach Robert Saleh at his postgame press conference about whether the team needs to consider benching the quarterback in hopes of sparking better offensive results. Saleh said it is not on the team’s radar.
“Cam’s our starting quarterback,” Saleh said. “We’re going to give him every opportunity to be successful this year. We’re going to continue working with him, grinding with him and trying to help him get better.”
There haven’t been many signs that Ward is getting better and Sunday’s performance suggests things may actually be moving in the other direction, but any changes made to improve the offensive output aren’t going to start under center.
The Texans looked more like the Texans in the second half of Sunday’s game.
Houston outscored the Titans 14-0 in the second half and outgained the home team 137 to 96 yards, and Will Anderson Jr. had three sacks. Anderson also made four tackles.
The Texans won easily 26-3 for their first win. They are 1-4. The Titans remained winless at 0-5.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked field goals of 45, 35, 26 and 53 yards in the first half before C.J. Stroud scored on a 2-yard run and Jaylin Noel caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Stroud.
Stroud finished 26-of-34 for 261 yards and a touchdown. Xavier Hutchinson made four catches for 65 yards.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward was 23-of-36 for 170 yards and an interception, and Tyjae Spears lost a fumble. Wan’Dale Robinson caught six passes for 53 yards.
Ward took four sacks and was hit seven times.
The Texans and Titans are a combined 0-8. They are playing like it.
The teams combined for five field goals, with Houston taking a 12-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked field goals of 45, 35, 26 and 53 yards as the Texans went 0-for-2 in the red zone. Titans kicker Joey Slye had a 30-yard field goal after Tennessee stalled in the red zone.
Cam Ward threw an interception and Tyjae Spears lost a fumble, giving Houston short fields. The Texans’ scoring drives covered 49, 18, 34 and 34 yards.
Ward was 8-of-17 for 62 yards, and Tony Pollard has seven carries for 32 yards.
The Texans outgained the Titans 192 to 91 yards, with C.J. Stroud going 16-of-20 for 161 yards. Nico Collins has three catches for 45 yards.
Houston is again struggling to run the ball, with 31 rushing yards.
