Incredible Turnaround Sets the Tone for Tennessee’s Season
The Tennessee Titans erased a multi-score deficit in a game that will be remembered for its chaotic finish and improbable momentum shifts. What started as a lopsided card left the Titans facing a daunting path, but a combination of quick defense, clutch quarterback play, and one of the wildest late-game sequences you’ll ever see culminated in a 22-21 victory that gave them their first win of the 2025 season.
Arizona took control early, and for much of the afternoon it appeared the Cardinals might run away with it. A key moment came in the fourth quarter when Cardinals running back Emari Demercado seemed to put Arizona up 28-6 with a long TD run. The ball, however, slipped from Demercado’s grasp just short of the goalline, and the Titans escaped the danger with a miraculous touchback—an opening door that Tennessee would soon push through.
On the ensuing drive, the moment that would define the game occurred when Titans quarterback Cam Ward faced pressure, and a tipped pass was intercepted by safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson. The play didn’t end there, though; Taylor-Demerson initially recovered and then fumbled into his own end zone. Titans wide receiver Tyler Lockett fell on the ball for a controversial and momentum-shifting touchdown, cutting the Cardinals’ lead to two with 4:39 remaining.
With the defense holding, the Titans got the ball back and marched into range for a late-game field goal. After the two-minute warning, Ward went to work, connecting on several plays to move Tennessee into Bulldog position for a 29-yard field goal by Joey Slye as time expired. The kick sailed through the uprights, and the Titans had completed one of the most improbable comebacks in recent memory.
The comeback didn’t rely solely on a single moment—it was a team effort keyed by Ward’s evolution as a second-half passer. After a shaky first half in which he completed just 6 of 15 passes for 58 yards, Ward settled in after the break, finishing 15-of-24 for 207 yards and a crucial late drive. A big factor in the resurgence was the connection with Calvin Ridley, who finished with five receptions for 131 yards. Ridley’s production provided a steadying target and helped Tennessee stretch the field when the pocket was cleaner in the second half.
Defensively, the Titans faced their own set of challenges but found spots of resistance when it mattered most. The late interception-and-touchback sequence transformed a potential blowout into a tight game, and the Titans did well to pressure a Cardinals offense that had shown flashes of efficiency earlier in the game. The miscue between Kyler Murray and center Hjalte Froholdt in the third quarter, resulting in a snap that bounced off Murray’s helmet, also played a role in Arizona’s offensive slowdown and the ensuing puntfest that followed. That stretch proved critical—the Titans’ defense bought Ward and the offense more opportunities to take advantage of Arizona’s vulnerabilities.
Looking Ahead: Scheduling and Momentum
Arizona will regroup as they prepare for a trip to Indianapolis to face the Colts, looking to minimize the on-field stumbles that compounded their late-game collapse. The Titans head to Las Vegas for a matchup with a Raiders squad trying to halt a slide that has affected their standings. If Tennessee can bottle the second-half confidence it found against the Cardinals and maintain cleaner ball security, the win could be a turning point for a season that had started with more questions than answers.
The victory also leaves the Jets as the only winless team at this stage, a reminder that in the NFL, a single moment can redefine a season. For Tennessee, the road from here is about sustaining the pace set in the second half, protecting the football, and continuing to lean on Ward’s renewed poise and Ridley’s big-play ability.
