Titans' youth movement shows glimpses of promise but no wins in 0-2 start

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans' youth movement means their rebuilding project is a mix of flashes of promise and frustrating missteps.

That's why they are 0-2.

The Titans have been good enough to lead both games against Denver and the Los Angeles Rams — both playoff teams last January.

Yet their own mistakes have proved costly, and the latest 33-19 loss to the Rams means Tennessee is stuck in an eight-game skid going back to last season.

That isn't helping coach Brian Callahan's odds of keeping his job through his second season, and now AFC South rival Indianapolis (2-0) visits Sunday to conclude a two-game home stand.

"We got to find a way to go win a game,” Callahan said Monday.

The offense has managed to score all of one touchdown to start this season. Joey Slye has been their best offensive option, making all eight field goals.

The Titans took a 13-10 lead into halftime against the Rams only for several players to say they came out flat for the second half. They were outgained 133-40 in the third quarter, and Tennessee has been outscored 20-3 in the fourth quarter through two games.

“We’ve got to do a better job at finishing,” defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said.

The Titans' rookie class. Yes, Tennessee is starting quarterback Cam Ward and also wide receiver Elic Ayomanor. They're getting contributions from several others as well.

Chimere Dike, their first pick in the fourth round, has been big on special teams with a 71-yard kickoff return in the opener. Only a late flag for a blindside block wiped out his 57-yard punt return for a TD against the Rams. Tight end Gunnar Helm has three catches, and five draft picks played.

“I just think we have to do it at a faster rate,” Ward said of the Titans trying to win games. “We’ve got to continue to have more urgency every day. We’ve got to get better every day. It is all a process. It’s all about patience. But at some point, it just comes to you just got to go take it.”

The offense. Yes, Slye has been automatic so far joining Brandon Aubrey (2024), John Kasay (1996) and Nick Lowery (1985) as the only NFL players to make four field goals in each of the first two games of a season since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970.

Yes, the Titans have played a pair of playoff teams from last season to start 2025. Winning NFL games usually requires touchdowns scored regularly.

Ward capped a 56-yard drive with his first touchdown pass. That's the longest drive the Titans have managed offensively this season.

Ayomanor. The Titans' second selection in the fourth round out of Stanford has started the first two games, and he showed why against the Rams. He made an amazing one-handed catch down the sideline to give the Titans first-and-goal.

Then he ran left across the end zone with Ward scrambling and caught the first NFL touchdown for both rookies.

Ayomanor led the Titans with 56 yards receiving, catching four of six balls thrown to him. He is averaging 11 1/2 yards a catch.

Callahan. Pick either Brian or his dad Bill. The head coach calling offensive plays is not getting the results that matter most. His dad is the offensive line guru whose NFL experience was expected to help the offensive line better protect the quarterback.

The Titans have allowed more sacks (11) through the first two games of 2025 than they did to start last season (seven) with Will Levis as quarterback.

The head coach said the sacks are on the offense as a whole: “The number in and of itself is concerning.”

RT JC Latham missed his first NFL game with a strained hip that kept him out against the Rams. Veteran RG Kevin Zeitler missed the last 14 snaps with an injured elbow.

11. That's how many sacks the Titans have allowed trying to protect the No. 1 overall draft pick with an offensive line revamped specifically to help Ward grow as a rookie. That ties him with four others sacked 11 times through his first two career games.

It's not the most ever, but Ward is close. David Carr and David Norrie (15), David Klingler (14) and Archie Manning (13) were sacked more to start their careers.

The Titans desperately need a win Sunday against the Colts before hitting the road again for a three-game road swing.

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Tennessee Titans place kicker Joey Slye, right, celebrates a field goal with guard Blake Hance during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan speaks during a news conference after the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Titans in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) catches a pass for a touchdown as Los Angeles Rams cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (1) and safety Kam Curl (3) defend during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward passes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

BANGKOK (AP) — Cambodia reported that Thailand hit a site in the country's northwest with an airstrike on Saturday, even as the two countries held talks to try to put an end to renewed combat that erupted in early December just months after a ceasefire ended a previous round of border fighting.

Cambodia’s Defense Ministry said that Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop four bombs on Saturday morning on a target in Serei Saophoan in the northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey.

On Friday, Cambodia said that a similar airstrike dropped 40 bombs on a target in Chok Chey village in the same province. There were no reports of casualties from that raid, but the ministry said that houses and infrastructure in the Chok Chey target area were destroyed.

Thailand’s military confirmed the Friday attack, saying that a joint army-air force operation was conducted to protect Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, which borders Banteay Meanchey and where the two nations have overlapping territorial claims.

Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai, a spokesperson for Thailand’s air force, said at a press briefing on Friday that the operation took place after days of monitoring by the Thai military determined that civilians had been evacuated from the target area.

Long-standing competing claims of territory along the border are the root of tensions that broke into open combat in late July. Mediation by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, backed up by pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, led the two sides to agree to a shaky ceasefire after five days of fighting.

Each side describes its current military actions as being taken in self-defense, and blames the other for breaching the ceasefire.

“If Cambodia is not sincere about a ceasefire, peace will not be possible, and Thailand will have no choice but to proceed with full-scale military operations to defend its sovereignty,” said the air force's Jackkrit.

Meanwhile on Friday, military officials from both nations held a third day of working-level talks of their already established General Border Committee at a checkpoint between Cambodia’s Pailin province and Thailand’s Chanthaburi province.

The committee meeting is expected to conclude later Saturday, when Thai and Cambodian defense ministers are anticipated to join and formalize an agreement.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday that Thailand expected Cambodia to agree to a 72-hour ceasefire, and if it was successfully implemented, Thailand would consider repatriating Cambodian prisoners of war, a major demand.

Thailand has lost 26 soldiers and one civilian as a direct result of the combat since Dec. 7, according to officials. Thailand has also reported 44 civilian deaths from collateral effects of the situation. Cambodia hasn't issued an official figure on military casualties, but says that 30 civilians have been killed and 90 injured.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from affected areas on both sides of the border.

Trump spoke by phone with the Thai and Cambodian prime ministers on Dec. 12 and claimed on social media that they had agreed to revive their ceasefire. Anutin denied such an agreement and fighting continued.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed in a call this week to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet that Washington is prepared “to facilitate discussions to ensure peace and stability” between Cambodia and Thailand, the U.S. State Department said.

Amid the fighting, Thai media this week have highlighted the rescue of five malnourished wild animals — a male lion, a lioness, a sun bear and two Asiatic black bears — from a casino allegedly serving as a Cambodian military stronghold that was captured on Sunday by Thai marines.

The animals were sedated and transported to wildlife breeding centers in Thailand, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation told The Associated Press on Friday. Arriving at their new homes by Christmas, the lioness was named “Merry” and the lion “Christmas” to celebrate their rescue.

AP writer Sopheng Cheang contributed to this report from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a lioness found in Trat Province in eastern Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a rescued lion in a wildlife breeding center in Ratchaburi, Thailand, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a sedated bear found in Trat Province in eastern Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2025.(Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a rescued lioness in a wildlife breeding center in Ratchaburi, Thailand, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting convenes Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to resume ceasefire talks after deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. (Thai MFA via AP)