Why Carnell Tate Finally Broke Through Against the Bears in Practice

After two quiet preseason games and another empty joint practice, the rookie caught seven passes and two touchdowns as Tennessee repeatedly put him in favorable situations outside the numbers.

By BRADEN GALL, special correspondent

After going without a catch on five targets in his first two career NFL preseason games, Titans rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate became the focal point of the offense in Thursday’s joint practice with the Bears.

Tate, who also failed to make a catch against Seattle in practice last week, caught seven passes on 12 targets, including two touchdowns across seven periods. The stat line should’ve included two additional catches (and one more touchdown) had Cam Ward not overthrown the wide-open receiver on two separate occasions.

Did the Bears secondary present a specific opportunity? Did Robert Saleh want to focus on getting his rookie the football after two slow weeks? Did Ward force-feed his No. 1 pass catcher?

“He was open,” Cam Ward said matter-of-factly after a sweltering practice when asked why Tate was so productive.

Ward is correct. Tate was open. All day. But it seemed clear the Titans were putting their shiny new offensive weapon in good positions to succeed.

Tate was open in the red zone, outside the numbers, on scramble drills, and down the seam. Ward found him in all four situations but Tate was at his best on out-breaking routes where he can use his strengths to his advantage.

Tate can be a contested-catch, back-shoulder savage at his best using his body to create leverage and a passing window. It was clear the Titans wanted to get him the ball in this way.

Of his seven catches, five happened outside the numbers on out-breakers.

On his first goal-line touchdown, the corner rolled up tight in press coverage and Tate effortlessly tossed him to the ground and scored easily. On his second, Ward found Tate breaking to the front pylon.

Even the biggest yards-after-catch play of Tate’s training camp came on Thursday on a well-timed short out route. Tate was able to pluck a Ward pass from the grasp of a closing defender, turn upfield and pick up extra yards.

Clearly, the second-year quarterback is developing a chemistry and trust with his first-year wideout.

“We have to continue to have the same mindset; we have to continue to make plays,” Ward said about his relationship with Tate.

“It’s about trusting each other each and every down. We are continuously building that connection where he can always trust me and I can always trust him.”

 

It was an important and productive day for the young passing game duo. But it wasn’t without mistakes or lessons.

Tate’s lone error came in the first goal-line session. Ward forced him the football on an in-breaking route at the goal line between three defenders. It wasn’t a smart decision from Ward but Tate short-armed the pass as he anticipated the contact.

Physicality and strength inside the numbers is something Tate will need to develop and it’s something that he’s been focusing on in practice.

“[I need] to play a little bit more chippy,” Tate said. “I have to hold my route as straight as possible and not get pushed around.”

How the Titans deploy their new weapon will be key. At least to start his career, Tate will need to be put into the right situations to find success. Clearly, the Titans did that on Thursday by targeting their rookie outside the numbers.

“He had a pretty good day and showed why he was the [No. 4] pick,” Ward said.

Cam Ward recovers from a slow start

Ward finished the day 19-of-30 passing with three touchdowns, one interception and a number of missed open receivers. But most of those mistakes were early.

Ward started the day 1-of-5 passing in the red zone drill -- the first of the joint team periods -- and missed both Tate and Calvin Ridley wide open for touchdowns. It took until the final play of two red zone periods for the Titans' first team offense to find paydirt.

But it would improve dramatically from there. Ward finished 18-of-25 with three touchdowns, including a two-minute drive that was capped by a Chimere Dike touchdown reception (yes, on an outbreaking route).

The Ward that fans have seen in two preseason games has not been the Ward Seattle and Chicago have seen in practice. Tennessee took more shots on Thursday than it had in either of the previous two joint practices, completing throws down the field to Tate, Dike, Gunnar Helm (one-handed), Tony Pollard (largest gain of the day) and Elic Ayomanor.

Ward still missed some open receivers on occasion and threw one interception on a bad overthrow to Helm over the middle. But, on the whole, it was a solid day for Ward and the No. 1 offense after a slow start.

When pressed about the differences between joint practice and preseason games, both Robert Saleh and Ward downplayed the games and highlighted the practices.

Saleh refused to say it out loud, but it was clear what he was trying to avoid saying after practice: Preseason games don’t matter.

Ward had no such issues.

“In practice, we are doing more real football stuff than we do in a preseason game that doesn’t matter,” he said. “There’s a lot of stuff that we don’t want to put on tape.”

Expect more work on timing, formations, pre-snap checks and fundamentals in the final preseason tune-up of the season on Saturday night at Nissan Stadium.

Wan’Dale Robinson checked for a concussion

Robert Saleh only needed one word while addressing reporters after practice to describe a questionable hit on wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson.

“Cheap.” 

On the field, the rest of the Titans coaching staff was using far harsher language. (Find specifics which break team policy about quoting language used in practice elsewhere. No one will get shit for it, but I would. -- PK.)

However colorful the verbiage, it was clear the Titans didn’t like the hit Robinson took to the head near the end of practice.

In the final two-minute drill of the day, Ward led Robinson over the middle of the field and Bears safety Xavier Woods de-cleated the diminutive slot receiver. Robinson lay on the ground for a few moments while the benches cleared. 

Robinson slowly made his way to the locker room while the two teams sorted out their differences. According to Saleh, Robinson is being checked for a concussion and a timetable for his return is unknown.

Thursday’s practice had more juice than last week against Seattle as minor skirmishes cropped up throughout the day and trash talk was prevalent. But this hit was different. 

It was a dangerous, unnecessary hit that drew a penalty and the ire of the entire Titans organization.

Ward was quick to blame himself for putting his wideout in that situation. He led Robinson too far into coverage and that is a play the young quarterback has to be aware of moving forward. 

To his credit, Ward owned it.