FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Quarterback Cameron Ward doesn't pull punches when he talks about the Tennessee Titans' offense, saying Wednesday that he believes it can be a top-10 unit in the NFL.
"I think we honestly have the ability to be a top-10 offense," Ward said after a joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. "It's on every guy in that huddle, including myself, bringing that right mindset every day."
Saying the offense can be among the league's best is a bold statement, considering last year's group finished 27th, averaging only 18.3 points per game. Ward himself called the Titans' offense "mid" after a bad practice last month.
Ward and the offense rebounded from a subpar Tuesday practice on Wednesday. The offense relied mostly on the short passing game to move the ball, but Ward's attempt to throw the ball away during a move-the-ball period didn't get out of bounds and was intercepted by Falcons cornerback Dee Alford, ending the day for the first-team offense.
Titans coach Brian Callahan said that because there will be ebbs and flows with a rookie quarterback, it's important to remain even-keeled throughout the process. Ward's confidence wasn't shaken, and he remains convinced his offense will excel this season.
"We all believe it," Ward said. "The whole receiver corps, I tell those guys they're the best. We've got to always have confidence in each other. At the end of the day, no matter what goes on, we've got to have that confidence that we will make the play."