The Arizona Cardinals take on the Tennessee Titans Sunday afternoon at State Farm Stadium. They kick of at 4:05 p.m. ET (1:05 p.m. Arizona time). The Cardinals are 2-2 but have lost their last two games, while the Titans are 0-4 and have the league’s worst offense, averaging less than 13 points a game.
It can be a trap game or a get-well game for the Cardinals.
To get ready for this Week 5 matchup, Titans Wire writer Serena Burks takes Cardinals fans “behind enemy lines” to find out more about the Titans.
What are the latest injury updates for RB Tyjae Spears and RT JC Latham?
Tyjae Spears was limited in practice this week, but he looks good on the field. They won’t decide on him until closer to game time, but he is eligible to be activated. They’ll want to see how his ankle looks after a few days of practice to evaluate swelling and pain, but if everything looks good, they may very well activate him for this game.
Latham is a whole different story. His hip injury doesn’t require surgery, just rest, and there is no timeline for his return. He hasn’t practiced since Week 1, and it’s unlikely he gets on the field this week. His loss is a huge part of why the offensive line is failing, and the Titans aren’t going to take any chances with him. Especially with how the season has started, there’s no need to rush him back. The offensive line is only part of the problem.
What do you think of QB Cam Ward’s play and recent comments?
I’m a huge Cam Ward fan. His story in general is very Michael Jordan-esque, someone who had to work incredibly hard to get to this level. He generally presents himself in a professional manner, and everyone within the organization raves about how he carries himself. His development has been hindered by a terrible offensive line and receivers who drop passes, but he’s improving each week and making better decisions in spite of the challenges.
His recent comments were fantastic, not because of what he said, but because it came from a guy who is normally very positive. He’s frustrated, and he could have said far worse things after the shutout loss, but he kept it relatively PG and still got his point across. Whether that has any impact on this game remains to be seen, but Ward has a bright future in the NFL.
What Titans players are worth starting in fantasy this week?
Man, that’s tough. I always believe in Tony Pollard; he’s reliable and healthy, but the Cardinals have a pretty stout run defense, so I’m on the fence. The Cardinals’ secondary, however, isn’t great this year, which would make me consider Calvin Ridley, Chig Okonkwo, and Elic Ayomanor. But don’t forget that all of them have dropped multiple passes this season. Okonkwo is the most reliable, followed by Ayomanor.
The defense is intriguing with the Cardinals’ injuries and Jeffery Simmons’ ability to plow through a line. Kyler Murray can be unpredictable, though, and with the third and fourth string running backs getting the carries this week, he will look to pass often. If the real L’Jarius Sneed shows up this week, Marvin Harrison Jr. might be in trouble, leaving everyone else to look for Trey McBride. It’s a little bit of a risk, but it’s one to think about.
What matchups are you most looking forward to watching?
I’m really interested to see how Ayomanor and Ridley do against the Cardinals’ secondary, especially if Will Johnson doesn’t play. Jeffery Simmons against Evan Brown, and Marvin Harrison vs. L’Jarius Sneed will be fun matchups, too.
What are your best bets for this game?
Another tough one. Both of these teams are unpredictable for different reasons. I think Marvin Harrison is an anytime touchdown scorer, Tony Pollard will be Under 84.5 combined rushing and receiving yards, and Elic Ayomanor will get over 36.5 yards receiving. On paper, that’s what I see, but we all know everything changes as soon as the first whistle blows!
Cardinals vs. Titans picks and predictions
Even if the Titans manage to keep it close in the first half, they will inevitably forget how to play by the fourth quarter. That’s when Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison will take over. Cardinals win and cover the spread, 24-15.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Titans vs. Cardinals: Injury updates, predictions
