ATLANTA (AP) — Kendell Brooks scored on a 53-yard interception return and rookie quarterback Cameron Ward had mixed results as the Tennessee Titans beat the Atlanta Falcons 23-20 in a preseason game Friday night.
Joey Slye's 23-yard field goal with 9:03 remaining gave Tennessee (1-1) the lead.
Falcons backup quarterback Emory Jones was stopped on a fourth-down run near the Tennessee 20 with 2:57 remaining. Jones was shaken up on the hit by linebacker Amari Burney and cornerback Jemari Harris. Jones walked off the field with assistance.
Ward played three series and completed 2 of 7 passes for 42 yards. Ward's highlight was a 35-yard completion to Elic Ayomanor on the Titans' opening series. Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, had another long pass dropped by Van Jefferson.
“I'm very encouraged,” Titans coach Brian Callahan said about Ward's performance. “That ball that was dropped was an incredible throw. ... He's shown all the things we need to see from an operations standpoint.”
Callahan hinted during the week Ward would play two series but said he added the third series because the play count was still low.
Ward said the extra snaps were “real good for me ... game-time reps instead of practice.”
The teams traded third-quarter touchdowns. Jemar Jefferson's 16-yard scoring run, which capped a 13-play drive, gave the Titans a 20-13 lead. Easton Stick, who played the first three quarters for Atlanta, threw a 52-yard scoring pass to Chris Blair to tie the game.
Brandon Allen, who played behind Ward, threw a 25-yard scoring pass to tight end Gunnar Helm late in the first half.
Nathan Carter produced the Falcons' first touchdown with a 43-yard run in the third quarter. Younghoe Koo kicked field goals of 42 and 36 yards for Atlanta (0-2).
Among the Titans held out on offense were RB Tony Pollard, WRs Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett, RG Kevin Zeitler. Center Lloyd Cushenberry, who passed his physical Monday as he continues his return from an Achilles tendon injury, participated in pregame drills but did not play.
Atlanta's top two quarterbacks, starter Michael Penix Jr. and backup Kirk Cousins, sat out for the second straight preseason game after receiving the bulk of the snaps in team drills in two joint practices against the Titans this week. RB Bijan Robinson and WRs Drake London and Ray-Ray McCloud also were spectators.
Falcons rookie edge rusher Jalon Walker was held out after playing last week in a 17-10 loss to Detroit.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Walker “tweaked a groin” late in Wednesday's practice with the Titans. “We look forward to getting him back next week,” Morris said.
The game completed a string of nine nights away from home for the Titans, who had a joint practice at Tampa Bay last week before their 29-7 loss to the Buccaneers.
“I think we accomplished a lot of connectivity, guys handing around together,” Ward said. “... We showed tonight we can overcome adversity.”
Trevor Siemian, who was signed Monday, took over at quarterback for Tennessee in the fourth quarter and led the drive capped by Slye's go-ahead field goal.
Siemian spent much of 2024 on the Titans’ practice squad. He replaced Tim Boyle, who was released after completing only 4 of 13 passes for 24 yards with two interceptions against the Buccaneers.
Stick, competing for Atlanta’s No. 3 quarterback job, completed 15 of 25 passes for 145 yards with one touchdown and the one interception returned for a touchdown by Brooks. Allen completed 11 of 14 passes for 119 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Titans: Following two road games, the Titans host Minnesota next Friday night.
Falcons: Visit Dallas next Friday night in their third preseason game.
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