Cam Ward — Week 8: 304 Yards, Two TDs, No Picks

Cam Ward had his best game of the season against the Bengals: 26 of 40 for 304 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, sacked twice, plus 7 carries for 41 yards. The yards and the touchdown passes were both his most this season. Over 47 dropbacks he was worth +11.8 expected points added (EPA), what a play was worth given down, distance and field position: +0.25 per dropback. His completion percentage over expected (CPOE), how often he completed passes against what their difficulty predicted, was -1.0.

The drive that put Tennessee ahead came down 29-28 with 7:08 left. He converted third and 3 twice, to Daniel Bellinger for 14 and to Gunnar Helm for 25 to the Cincinnati 15, then on second and 10 threw short right to Wan'Dale Robinson for the touchdown, +2.7 EPA and 17.4 points of win probability, the estimate of each side's chance to win. He hit Helm for the two-point conversion and a 36-29 lead. He had already run in a two-pointer in the third, after Tony Pollard's 1-yard score.

The plays that went against him came with the ball in his hands. Down 14-13 early in the third, Boye Mafe sacked him and forced a fumble at his own 29, -6.3 EPA, and Cincinnati scored on the next snap. Tied 36-36 with 32 seconds left, third and 3 at the Cincinnati 45, Dexter Lawrence sacked him for 13 yards, -1.7 EPA and 13.6 points of win probability. In overtime, down 43-36, his fourth-and-3 throw for Elic Ayomanor at his own 35 fell incomplete. On the ground, his 6-yard scramble on fourth and 1 kept the opening drive alive, +2.7 EPA.

It was a turn from his first seven weeks. Through Week 7 he had -26.1 EPA on 233 dropbacks, -0.11 per dropback, a CPOE of -0.9, 4 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions.

Follow Cam Ward on Muffed, and every episode lands in your weekly email.

_Data via nflverse._