Only the Tennessee Titans stand in the Los Angeles Rams’ way of a perfect 2-0 start to the 2025 season. And even though Tennessee is 0-1 after getting shut down by the Denver Broncos in Week 1, they’re not a team the Rams can look past.

The Titans boast a stout defense at all three levels, as well as an offense that could be better than expected once Cam Ward gets comfortable. This is a game the Rams should win but they’ve lost to much worse opponents before.

Here are the Rams’ five biggest causes for concern in Week 2.

Jeffery Simmons Wrecking the Game

The last time these teams met, Simmons dominated against the Rams. He recorded nine pressures and three sacks, forcing Matthew Stafford into a pick-six on a while throw from his own goal line.

Simmons was outstanding in the opener against the Broncos, too, finishing with four tackles, one sack, four quarterback hits and a forced fumble. He had seven pressures in the game, as well, consistently disrupting Bo Nix and Denver’s offense.

Stafford isn’t exactly mobile so if he gets pressure up the middle from Simmons, he could struggle to avoid the Pro Bowl defensive tackle. Stafford has to be smart with the ball and keep it out of harm’s way when he sees Simmons coming at him like a freight train.

Titans’ Tight Coverage

The Titans allowed Nix to throw for only 176 yards on 40 attempts last week, intercepting him twice and breaking up five passes in the loss. As a team, the Titans had a coverage grade of 77.6, which was the second best in the NFL behind only the Cardinals. Two cornerbacks, Roger McCreary and L’Jarius Sneed had coverage grades of 83 or better, allowing a combined four receptions on eight targets for 24 yards with one interception and a pass breakup.

This isn’t anything Puka Nacua and Davante Adams can’t handle, but it will be a challenge for them to get open this week after facing another good Texans secondary in Week 1.

Cam Ward’s Playmaking Ability

Ward surprisingly didn’t have a single rush attempt in the Titans’ loss to Denver last week but he was sacked six times, which shows how well the Broncos bottled him up. That’s not an indication of the type of player he is because Ward is usually at his best when escaping the pocket and making plays with his legs, whether it’s scrambling for first downs or extending the play to allow his receivers to get open.

The Rams are typically great at containing mobile quarterbacks, having faced Kyler Murray twice a year in the division, but Ward is still someone who can capitalize on undisciplined rushes and a failure to set the edge.

Rams’ Offensive Line

The Rams faced a good defensive front in Week 1 and struggled on the offensive line, earning the lowest pass-blocking grade of any team in the NFL, according to PFF. Stafford still managed to have a great game but the pass protection will need to be better moving forward.

To make matters worse, Steve Avila is likely out with an ankle injury and though Kevin Dotson will play, he was limited in practice this week. Against an outstanding interior defensive line, the Rams will have their hands full this weekend.

Long Road Trip Before an Early Kickoff

The Rams won’t quite be on the East Coast this weekend but they’re still traveling all the way to Nashville for an early 1 p.m. ET game on the road. Those contests are never easy for a West Coast team like the Rams, especially coming off a physical game against Houston where several players got injured.

The Rams are an impressive 16-8 in road games that start at 1 p.m. ET, so they’ll be prepared for the Titans like they always are in games like this. But there are some factors working against Los Angeles in this one.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ 5 biggest causes for concern vs. Titans

Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect