Cam Ward threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns Sunday as the Tennessee Titans snapped an 11-game losing streak at home, dating back to last year, with a 26-9 victory over the injury-riddled Kansas City Chiefs.
Ward completed 21 of 28 passes in perhaps the most polished performance of his rookie season, helping Tennessee (3-12) gain 376 total yards and possess the ball for 38:01.
The Chiefs’ offense, already hamstrung with the likes of Patrick Mahomes (knee) and Rashee Rice (concussion) sitting out, took another blow when backup quarterback Gardner Minshew left early in the second quarter and didn’t return after sustaining a left knee injury.
Chris Oladokun, who was activated off the practice squad Saturday, threw his first NFL passes and went 11 of 16 for 111 yards. Minshew was 3 of 8 for 15 yards before departing.
Ward connected on a 24-yard pass to Elic Ayomanor to set up Tyjae Spears’ 4-yard touchdown run with 11:56 left for a two-touchdown lead. The score came four plays after the Titans took a field goal off the board when Kansas City (6-9) was flagged for a neutral-zone infraction to give them a first down.
Tennessee took a 2-0 lead when defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons tackled Kareem Hunt in the end zone for a safety at the 13:06 mark of the second quarter. Oladokun came in for Minshew and led a drive that culminated in Harrison Butker’s 54-yard field goal with 7:40 left for a 3-2 edge.
Ward put the Titans ahead for good with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo with 1:37 remaining and Butker added a 41-yard field goal six seconds before halftime to make it 9-6 Tennessee at intermission.
The Titans took a 10-point lead when Ward found Chimere Dike for a 1-yard strike with 10:32 left in the third quarter. Butker made it 16-9 with a 27-yard field goal at the 3-minute mark of the period.
Joey Slye capped the scoring by nailing a 27-yard field goal with 3:44 remaining in the game.
Tony Pollard rushed for 102 yards on 21 carries for Tennessee.
