RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Tennessee Titans pulled out a hard-fought, 19-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers and had some ups and downs throughout the matchup.
Playing without John Franklin-Myers, Kalel Mullings, Jacob Martin, and Jackie Marshall, the Titans got contributions from all levels. However, there were some areas that clearly needed work, specifically in the secondary, where they struggled to contain the 49ers' reserves.
Cam Ward and the starting offense looked efficient on their first drive, especially in the running game early, where Tony Pollard punched in the Titans' first touchdown, but regressed throughout the first half and will need to clean things up before the season starts against the New York Jets
As always in an uneven game, here are some studs and duds from the first preseason game of 2026.
Stud: K Joey Slye
Slye was tremendous in his return to San Francisco, cutting through the swirling winds and leading the Titans to victory. After a solid game, Slye appears to have corrected whatever issue had plagued him in the early portion of training camp. Slye connected on multiple field goals (35, 55, 53, 58) and made his only extra point to help lead the Titans to victory. The Titans had been trying out kickers, but maybe they should now turn their attention to other positions.
Dud: CB Cor’Dale Flott
Flott struggled in coverage, was often targeted by the 49ers offense, and gave up too many plays. Yes, he finished with five tackles (four solo), but was also called for a critical penalty that eventually led to a score.
Stud: DE Femi Oladejo
Oladejo saw his first on-field action since breaking his leg midway through his rookie season, and looked strong. While he still did not record a sack, he was living in the backfield and was a wall against the run. He finished this one with four total tackles (two solo), and looks like a perfect fit in Robert Saleh’s defense.
Dud: CB Alontae Taylor
The Titans’ second high-priced cornerback addition struggled early and was targeted often on the 49ers' first drive, and like his running mate Flott, was also called for a critical holding penalty that kept a drive alive. He appeared to settle down and finished with one solo tackle, but
Stud: RG Fernando Carmona
Usually this isn’t a spot that is filled by an offensive lineman, but in this case it’s justified. Carmona started at the right guard position and played well in his NFL debut. Interestingly enough, he has taken the majority of first-team snaps since the Titans’ Blue & White scrimmage, and it would appear that he has the inside track at the starting right guard position.
Dud: QB Cam Ward
Ward looked good on his first drive, but struggled on the two subsequent drives. Not only was he inaccurate (5-of-12 for 57 yards), he held the ball too long and had a critical (but lucky) intentional grounding penalty that looked like something out of the Will Levis highlight reel. If the Titans want to improve from the 3-14 record in 2025, Ward must play better.
Studly Dud: RB Tyjae Spears
Spears' final stat line of four carries for 35 yards looks solid, but the majority of those yards came on a single carry (25 yards). On top of that, his one reception for four yards did not match the passing-game production seen throughout camp to this point. He did make an impact, but it could have been better.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Studs and duds from Tennessee Titans' 19-13 victory over the 49ers
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