Cam Ward delivered his best performances in the Titans' overtime loss to Cincinnati. With nine games left in Year Two, Tennessee needs to find out how much more he can handle.

By PAUL KUHARSKY

CINCINNATI – We saw the best of Cam Ward in his 25th game, and it came out of a high-volume game where the Titans' defense made it so the team had to stand in against Joe Burrow and try to match him.

And for a good while, Tennessee did.

Ward hit on 26 of 40 attempts for 304 yards with two touchdowns, a lost fumble and a 104.6 passer rating. His decision-making as a passer was the best we’ve seen. But his two sacks were costly, producing a lost fumble and taking away a chance at a winning field goal at the end of regulation.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) runs against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cam Ward looks downfield vs. the Bengals / ASSOCIATED PRESS

He was not close to the reason the Titans lost 43-36 in overtime to the Bengals at Paycor Stadium.

I don’t think Ward is very good. But he showed me a new ceiling.

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Paul Kuharsky has covered the Tennessee Titans since 1996, first for The Tennessean, then ESPN.com and now independently at PaulKuharsky.com. He served on the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee for 11 years and is the longest-tenured Titans beat reporter in the franchise's history.