Tennessee Titans playoff scenarios: Fan rooting guide for Week 17
Here’s a guide for Tennessee Titans fans to follow in Week 17 with a chance at the playoffs on the line.
The Tennessee Titans are in a “win and in” situation in Week 17.
Tennessee owns the sixth and final seed in the AFC going into Sunday. If the Titans can beat the Houston Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium, they’ll be playing football in January, no matter what happens with the teams behind them.
However, there is a way the Titans’ chances of beating the Texans can potentially be helped prior to the 3:25 p.m. CST kickoff, as Houston could choose to rest its starters based on the result of a noon CST game.
We’re going to go over how that can happen, as well as which teams Titans fans need to root for just in case Tennessee doesn’t get it done against Houston.
Chargers at Chiefs (noon CST)
Who to root for: Chiefs
The only opportunity the Texans have to improve their playoff seeding is if they finish with the same record as the Chiefs, who currently own the No. 3 seed and are a game up on Houston. The Chiefs also have a shot at the No. 2 seed with a win and Patriots loss, so that gives them even more to play for.
Thanks to the Titans-Texans game being moved to a later time slot, the Texans will know their situation before kickoff.
If the Chiefs beat the Chargers, they’ll lock up the No. 3 seed no matter what the Texans do, which means Houston would have nothing to play for and could rest its starters.
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien has already said his team will play to win with its starters, but that could change once he knows the result of the Chiefs-Chargers game. Obviously, the Texans resting their starters will make Tennessee’s job much easier.
#Titans should expect/prepare to face #Texans starters despite Houston likely ending up with the 4th seed regardless of a win or loss. Bill O'Brien says 'every game they go into they play to win.' Still a chance starters other than Will Fuller don't play if KC beats the Chargers.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 23, 2019
If the Titans lose…
Steelers at Ravens (3:25 p.m. CST)
Who to root for: Ravens
If the Titans lose on Sunday, they’re going to need some help to still make the playoffs.
Pittsburgh sits in the No. 7 spot right now, but with both the Steelers and Titans owning an 8-7 record, a Steelers win and Titans loss would put Pittsburgh in.
A Steelers loss would be one of the first steps to the Titans getting in, but the Steelers will get a helper in their Week 17 contest, as the Ravens plan to rest their starters, including star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Should both teams finish 8-8, Tennessee would get the edge based on strength of victory over Pittsburgh, although that could change if there’s a three-way tie for the final wild card spot with the Colts.
Colts at Jaguars (3:25 p.m. CST)
Who to root for: Jaguars
That’s right, if the Titans find themselves losing to the Texans, the Titans will need some help from the Jaguars. Now, the Colts cannot make the playoffs in any way, but they can play spoilers on the Titans.
If the Colts win and finish at 8-8 along with Tennessee and Pittsburgh, a three-way tiebreaker would knock the Titans out and put the Steelers in. A four-way tie that includes the Raiders would put Oakland in.
The result of the Raiders game isn’t important for Tennessee, though. They just need the Colts and Steelers to lose in order to advance at 8-8. Tennessee owns the tiebreaker over the Raiders if they’re the third team in a three-way tie with the Steelers.