Titans Biggest Needs After Second Preseason Game

With Ridley and No. 2 receiver Tyler Lockett not playing on Friday, however, the Titans' lack of depth at the position was laid bare for all to see. Van Jefferson, the presumed No. 3 receiver, had a particularly bad drop on a perfect deep ball by Ward.

"That ball he threw that got dropped was an unbelievable throw," head coach Brian Callahan told reporters after the game.

Other Titans receivers, including James Proche and Xavier Restrepo, didn't do too much either. At least fourth-round rookie Elic Ayomanor had a solid showing with two receptions for 47 yards, including a 35-yard gain on Ward's first throw, but Tennessee's receiving corps simply didn't inspire much confidence on Friday.

On the other hand, the offensive line actually blocked fairly well. Not perfect, mind you, but well enough to get the job done.

The real issue was two back-breaking penalties on Ward's three drives. The first was a holding penalty that turned a second-and-3 into a second-and-13, while the second was a false start on a key third down.

"What I learned from this game is just not shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties," Ward said. "I think we had a chance to at least score on the three drives that I was out there, but we always had to overcome something."

With how much Tennessee's offensive line struggled last season, however, it's safe to assume there will be more issues than just penalties. J.C. Latham taking a step forward and Lloyd Cushenberry returning should help, but expectations should definitely be kept in check.

Obviously, the common thread here is that both position groups are Ward's main support. The Titans' main goal this season is seeing what they have in Ward and helping him develop into the franchise quarterback they think he can be, so if the supporting cast around him struggles, it could be a long year.