Category: Titans Wire Features

Tennessee Titans: The NFL’s biggest dumpster fire in 2025

Are the Titans the NFL’s biggest dumpster fire?

The Tennessee Titans made another huge personnel move on Tuesday, firing general manager Ran Carthon after just two seasons.

Previous general manager Jon Robinson was fired at the end of 2022 and former head coach Mike Vrabel was fired almost exactly one year ago. So, it’s safe to say the Titans’ organization has been shaken up quite a bit over the last three years.

The firing of Carthon was not completely surprising. When a team finishes with a 3-14 record and earns the top pick in the draft, it’s unsurprising to see people lose their jobs. However, it was quickly reported that first-year head coach Brian Callahan was safe. So, why Carthon and not Callahan?

Did Carthon deserve to be fired?

GM Ran Carthon of the Tennessee Titans. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

Carthon was at the helm for two drafts with the Titans. Thirteen players were selected in those two drafts, and the results have been mixed.

Arguably, the biggest reason for Carthon’s firing is Will Levis’ poor play. Carthon selected Levis in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, and the team hoped the quarterback would lift them out of purgatory.

Instead, the Levis experiment has gone as poorly as possible, and now the team is looking for a new signal-caller again. One has to imagine that Carthon would still have a job if Levis panned out.

The 2024 class has produced better results. T’Vondre Sweat and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. were arguably two of the best players on the roster as rookies, and Carthon should get credit for that. However, when your team is this bad, a couple of hits can’t make up the difference.

Did Carthon deserve all the blame, though, for the terrible season? Absolutely not. The team failed to improve as the season went on and actually looked worse. Callahan failed to develop the players on the roster at all, which can’t be blamed on the GM.

It would have made more sense if Callahan and Carthon had both been fired. I could understand keeping both or getting rid of both. Canning Carthon and keeping Callahan seems like setting up the former GM as the scapegoat, which leads me to my next point.

Will anybody even want this GM job?

Owner Amy Adams Strunk of the Tennessee Titans. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Football is one big fraternity. People talk, and owners and franchises get reputations placed upon them. Football people will see the turmoil that’s embroiled this franchise, and some will likely not want to touch this job with a ten-foot pole.

Carthon was fired after just two seasons, which is almost unheard of for a general manager. Why would a general manager want to take a job if he knows he may not even get to see it through? An NFL team and a vision cannot be firmly established in just two seasons.

Making matters worse is that both Robinson and Carthon received extensions one season before their firing. This means being in Amy Adams Strunk’s good graces one day doesn’t guarantee long-term job security. Who would be comfortable with that?

Amy Adams Strunk has made the Titans a laughingstock

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Amy Adams Strunk became the controlling owner of the Tennessee Titans in March 2015. Since then, the team has a 78-86 record. The Titans have made the playoffs just four times in that span and haven’t been since the 2021 season.

Since 2022, the team has received the most publicity for the following things:

  • Trading away two future Hall of Fame wide receivers (AJ Brown and DeAndre Hopkins)
  • Firing two general managers in just over two years
  • Firing Mike Vrabel
  • Letting Derrick Henry leave in free agency
  • Earning the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft
  • Building a massive new stadium when the current stadium already gets taken over by opposing fans

That’s pretty much it. Not a lot for Titans’ fans to smile about of late, and it’s hard to see much getting better. The worst part is that the team EXPECTED to be good in 2024. You don’t spend a quarter of a billion dollars in free agency if you expect to finish with the worst record in football.

This is a directionless franchise. And the worst part? The owner won’t even talk to the media unless she absolutely has to. Carthon was also excellent at avoiding the media, only holding four press conferences during his entire tenure.

Move over, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and New York Giants. The Tennessee Titans are the newest and biggest dumpster fire.

Titans vs. Texans: NFL experts make Week 18 picks

See who experts around the league are taking in a Week 18 matchup between the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans.

The Tennessee Titans (3-13) will host the Houston Texans (9-7) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday afternoon.

Opening the week, the Titans were listed as 4-point home favorites but that line has dwindled a bit and is now +1.5 for the Texans as of this writing.

Let’s take a look at who some of the experts and insiders around the league are taking in the Week 18 matchup:

Expert Pick Score (if applicable)
Dan Graziano (ESPN) Texans N/A
Matt Bowen (ESPN) Titans N/A
Seth Wickersham (ESPN) Texans N/A
Pete Prisco (CBS) Titans 20-17
John Breech (CBS) Texans 23-20
Jordan Dajani (CBS) Titans 20-16
Nate Davis (USA TODAY) Texans 23-16
Lorenzo Reyes (USA TODAY) Texans 19-14
Bill Bender (Sporting News) Texans  24-21
Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Texans  20-17

Although the Texans are likely to rest the majority (if not all) of their starters on Sunday, most of the above panel believes they will still walk away with an upset victory over the Titans. The only universal theme is that all expect a one-score game.

Other experts and analysts from around the league are similarly split with 70 percent picking the Texans to win, per NFL Pickwatch.

Fans are less optimistic with just 15 percent predicting a Titans victory to end the season.

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Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 18

The Tennessee Titans close the 2024 season against the Houston Texans on Sunday and here are three reasons to be optimistic they can win

The Tennessee Titans are coming off a disappointing 20-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars where once again the offense failed to support the defensive effort. This has been a consistent theme throughout the season no matter who is playing quarterback and it has cost the Titans dearly. 

This week, the 3-13 Titans will take on the Houston Texans in an AFC South battle. The Texans are coming off a Christmas Day loss against the Baltimore Ravens and would like to get back on track prior to the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how the Texans approach this week with nothing on the line. 

Some Titans fans are hoping for a loss to secure draft positioning, while others despise that attitude. For those hoping for a victory, there are some reasons for optimism heading into Week 18, and here are three of them.

Passing defense

The Titans rank second in the league in passing defense and are inside the top five in all major categories against the pass. The Texans may rest quarterback C.J. Stroud and go with Davis Mills. If the Titans’ secondary can hold up against wide receiver Nico Collins, it’s possible they can force Mills (or Shroud) into some mistakes, giving the Titans a chance. 

Titans rushing attack

Head coach Brian Callahan has already stated that both Will Levis and Mason Rudolph will play against the Texans. With that uncertainty and the return of Tony Pollard, the team can rely on the running game to carry the load in what should be a low-scoring affair. Pollard missed last week and will be looking to close out the season on a high note. He could have a solid afternoon and lead the Titans to victory. 

It’s a divisional matchup

Games within a division are different and are almost always closer than they should be when looking solely at the statistics or the standings. This AFC South battle should be no different. The talent differential between these two teams is not as wide as their records may indicate, and the Titans already beat them once in 2024. Plus, the Texans could rest players in preparation for the Wild Card round. The Titans always want to beat the Texans (for ownership) and will be motivated to get the sweep.

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Titans vs. Texans: 3 causes for concern in Week 18

The Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans to close out the 2024 season and there are three causes for concern for the Titans.

The Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans in their final game of the 2024 season this Sunday at Nissan stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The game kicks off at 12:00 p.m. CDT, and it’s unlikely to look like the same game as their Week 12 meeting.

The Texans clinched the AFC South and a playoff berth, so their postseason endeavors are already set. Houston has not said they will be resting players this week, necessarily, but reps may be limited given that they do not have to win this game.

The Titans have lost their last five in a row and eight of their last 10. It hasn’t mattered which quarterback plays, but this week we’ll get to see them both play apparently. It’s been a long season of disappointment for the Titans.

Heading into Week 18, there are three causes for concern.

Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images

Quarterback controversy

Okay, it’s not so much a controversy as there isn’t a set quarterback. First, it was Will Levis, then he got hurt and Mason Rudolph filled in. Then Levis came back but was benched after throwing three interceptions in a game and Rudolph took over. But Rudolph couldn’t get the job done either and now Brian Callahan says both quarterbacks will play on Sunday.

Switching between quarterbacks isn’t an easy task and definitely contributed to the Titans’ inability to find any rhythm this season. But playing them both in the same game isn’t really the answer either.

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The ground game

This goes for both sides of the ball. On offense, the Titans look to have Tony Pollard back this weekend, which is good news since Tyjae Spears is still in concussion protocol. In the absence of Spears and if Pollard goes down or can’t play, the Titans are left with Julius Chestnut, who hasn’t seen much field time this year save on special teams. In their last meeting, Pollard rushed for 119 yards, but that doesn’t mean that Chestnut would have the same success if called upon.

On the other side of the ball, the Titans’ defense held the Texans to 40 yards on the ground in their last meeting. But the Titans’ interior has fallen apart over the last few weeks. If Joe Mixon has limited reps, Dameon Pierce will take every opportunity he can to run the ball down the Titans’ throats.

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Momentum

The Texans have already secured their playoff spot, but after losing their last two games, they really need to build some momentum in the final week of the regular season. What better way to do that than to defeat a division rival on their home field after they did it to you earlier in the year?

Houston needs to end the season with a win, which is why they may not limit the reps of their starters until they have a solid lead. They aren’t playing for pride; the Texans need a mood shift to prepare them for Wild Card Weekend. And the Titans make for a perfect punching bag.

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Titans vs. Texans: 5 things to know ahead of Week 18

The Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans on Sunday in Nashville and here are five things fans should know about the Week 18 game.

The Tennessee Titans disaster of a 2024 season will mercifully come to an end on Sunday. The team will welcome the Texans into town to close the season.

Per BetMGM, the Texans are 1-point favorites and the over/under is set at 38.5 points. The Titans enter the contest with a 3-13 record while the Texans are 9-7.

While it may seem like there’s not much for the Titans to play for here, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Now, let’s go over five things to know ahead of this Week 18 game.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Draft position implications are huge

The Tennessee Titans could be on the verge of earning their highest draft pick since at least 2015. If the Titans lose and the Patriots win against the Bills, the Titans would own the No. 1 pick.

However, if the Titans stumble into a win, the team could fall all the way down to the No. 7 pick depending on what else happens in the league. Therefore, this game could end up being franchise-altering for the Titans.

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Texans already clinched the AFC South

The Houston Texans have already clinched the AFC South. That has more to do with the rest of the division being horrible than it does with the Texans being great, but still.

This means the Texans don’t have much to play for. Sure, they’d love to beat the Titans and get revenge, but that’s not worth risking injury ahead of the playoffs. Regardless of what happens here, the Texans are champions of the AFC South.

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Titans could potentially sweep the Texans

The Titans surprisingly took down the Texans in Houston last month. The team has not won a game since then while the Texans are 2-2 since.

Considering the Texans have already clinched the AFC South, the team may decide to rest its starters. This means the Titans have a decent shot of beating the Texans again, sweeping the season series with their bitter rivals.

Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Titans busting out the Oiler throwbacks

The Titans will wear the Houston Oilers throwback uniforms for the first time in 2024 in Week 18. The team debuted the modernized throwbacks last season but will only wear them once in 2024.

The Titans played the Texans in Houston last season wearing these throwbacks and lost. There’s no love lost between these teams and it’s no coincidence that the Titans chose this game to wear them.

Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images

Titans could go 1-5 in AFC South games

The Titans are on the precipice of going 1-5 in AFC South games in 2024. This is a pitiful showing for Brian Callahan in his first season at the helm.

Losing divisional games is a surefire way to put you in the bad graces of fans. The Titans got swept by the Jaguars and the Colts this season, and that’s just unacceptable.

In this case, however, Titans’ fans might rather go 1-5 in the division than sweep the Texans and get a worse draft pick.

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If you’re in the yellow, you’ll get Titans vs. Texans on TV

NFL Week 18 television maps are out and if you’re in yellow, you’ll get the Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans on your local CBS station.

The Tennessee Titans (3-13) are preparing to host the Houston Texans (3-12) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee for a Week 18 matchup.

The Titans are coming off an ugly 20-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, their fifth straight, while the Texans have dropped back-to-back games, most recently to the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-2.

Those in the yellow region of the TV map will get the game on the local CBS channel.

Getting the call for this game will be Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), Jay Feely (analyst), Ross Tucker (analyst), and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline).

Information courtesy 506Sports.

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Gimme Him: One player Titans would steal from Texans

The Tennessee Titans have a major hole on their roster and this Houston Texans player would be a great way fill that void.

Coming off another loss, the Tennessee Titans (3-13) will close out their disappointing 2024 campaign at home against the Houston Texans in AFC South action.

That, of course, provides those of us here at Titans Wire the opportunity to hypothetically steal from the Texans’ roster in search of depth and/or talent upgrades.

The Titans have talent at multiple positions, but could still use an influx of talent on all levels, and the Texans offer a variety of players that could improve the roster.

In the first match-up, we stole offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. While he would be the choice again because the Titans’ offensive line is a mess, we will be heading in a different direction this week.

Heading into this Week 18 battle, the offensive line remains the most glaring need on the roster. Sure, some will say quarterback or dynamic edge rusher, and others would say wide receiver, but the holes in the line cause a ripple effect for the entire offense. The Texans have options at almost all of those positions, thus making this exercise the most interesting of the season.

The Titans also must address the quarterback position. Neither Will Levis nor Mason Rudolph have proven that they can consistently lead the offense. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud would be a solid pick-up. However, his sophomore campaign has not been quite as dynamic as his rookie season and there are some questions. While bringing him onto the Titans would make sense, a larger sample size is needed before a true evaluation can be made.

Defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Daneille Hunter and tight end Dalton Schultz are also potential targets, but one player on their roster could make a larger impact: Wide receiver Nico Collins.

Collins is a tremendous receiver and a complete game-changer, who would instantly be the Titans’ top option. A size-speed player, his ability to both stretch the field and consistently make contested catches would be an asset at every level of the passing game. The Titans have Calvin Ridley, but the other options in the receiving corps are average at best, giving defenses the ability to focus on Ridley with bracket coverage and limiting his impact.

By adding a player like Collins, the Titans could threaten teams both horizontally and vertically, while giving head coach Brian Callahan a dynamic threat to build around. That is something no other receiver on the roster can do.

What are your thoughts, Titans fans? Would you pick Nico Collins or steal an entirely different player from the Houston Texans?

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Titans vs. Jaguars: Best photos from Week 17

The best photos from a Week 17 game between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars — a game Tennessee lost, 20-13.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from a Week 17 game between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars — a game the Titans lost, 20-13.

Jaguars sweep Titans, 20-13: Here’s how X reacted

The Jacksonville Jaguars slid by the Tennessee Titans 20-13 and swept the season series. Here’s how fans on X reacted.

The Tennessee Titans fell once again on Sunday, losing 20-13 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans’ defense put up a strong effort, but the offense again struggled to get anything going.

The Titans now fall to 3-13 on the season and sit at the bottom of the AFC South standings.

This is a snapshot of how fans on X reacted to the defeat.

 

Titans vs. Jaguars Player of the Game: RB Tyjae Spears

The Tennessee Titans fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-13, in Week 17 and Tyjae Spears is our Player of the Game.

The Tennessee Titans fell to AFC South division rival Jacksonville Jaguars 20-13 in the teams’ second meeting in four weeks. In the first meeting, the Titans had control of the game for three quarters before blowing it in the fourth quarter. This week, they didn’t wait to let the Jaguars come back and win. Instead, they let the Jaguars control the entire game.

On their first possession of the game, the Jaguars drove down the field and kicked a field goal. They scored their first touchdown before the first quarter ended and led the game 10-0. The Titans would kick a field goal before the half, but they never recovered.

One of the few bright spots for the Titans today was Tyjae Spears, who left the game with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter. Despite leaving the game with an injury, Spears was the most productive skill player for the Titans on Sunday and earned himself Player of the Game honors.

Spears has begun to show the league what he can do on the ground versus his ability to catch the ball as a running back. Against the Jaguars, Spears stepped in for an injured Tony Pollard and carried the ball 20 times for 95 yards, an average of 4.8 yards per carry, and he caught three passes on four targets for eight yards, totaling over 100 yards in offensive production.

The Titans’ 2024 season has been incredibly disappointing, but there are still things to look forward to in 2025. Having both Spears and Pollard on the roster is one of them.