Carnell Tate's Rookie Roller Coaster Is the Titans' Real Story Heading Into Indy

Titans fans have spent too much of this season arguing about Cam Ward. Meanwhile the kid catching the ball has been living every rookie's nightmare and dream in the same month.

Our Take: Carnell Tate is already the brightest thing on this offense, and Sunday in Indianapolis is about whether the staff can get him involved again after a quiet Week 5.

Per Titans.com's Jim Wyatt, Tate leads all rookies with 23 receptions and ranks second with 273 receiving yards. That's not a participation trophy. He dropped nine catches for 145 yards on the Ravens in Week 4, then came back with one catch for six yards against Houston. Asked Wednesday how he's handling the ups and downs, Tate kept it simple: "I am just focused on what I can control. As long as you do you 1/11th, and each person does their 1/11th, we can go out there and win games."

That's the right voice for a 0-5 team that just needs one clean Sunday. Wyatt also notes Tony Pollard and John Franklin-Myers got rest days, Amani Hooker is limited coming off a concussion, and Joshua Williams is practicing in the IR return window. The roster is patched together. The one constant who has produced is Tate.

What we want to see in Indy: early targets to Tate, Pollard and Tyjae Spears getting touches in space, and enough clean pockets that Ward isn't forced into hero ball. Do that, and the conversation finally moves off the quarterback and onto a rookie who is already producing.

Titan Up.

Sources: [Titans Quick Hits, Wednesday of Colts week](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/quick-hits-on-the-titans-from-wednesday-of-colts-week-x8513)