October will be a crucial month for the Tennessee Titans
By Zac Oakes
The Tennessee Titans started the month of October with a win, and this month figures to be a crucial one for the 2022 Titans campaign.
The Titans started the month with a win over the division rival Indianapolis Colts, continuing a recent string of success against the AFC South foe, but after an 0-2 start, the Titans need to take advantage of the October schedule to place themselves into the best possible position heading into the final weeks.
In fact, the Titans’ next three games, which will round out the month, are viewed as the easiest three-game stretch in the league based on win-loss record.
Bucs' next three opponents (Falcons, Steelers, Panthers) are a combined 4-8 -- only team with an easier next three is the Titans, whose next three are 2-8-2. Toughest next three? Jets and Steelers, whose next three opponents are both 8-4.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 4, 2022
On Sunday, the Tennessee Titans will head east to take on the Washington Commanders who enter at 1-3 and have struggled offensively over the last two weeks, combining for 18 points in back-to-back losses against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.
That’s followed by a bye week before the Titans host the Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1) before going on the road on Oct. 30 for a matchup against the Houston Texans (0-3-1).
Obviously, nothing is given in the NFL, and any of these three teams could defeat the Titans even though they should be favored in all three, but this three-game stretch in October gives the Titans a great opportunity to improve to 5-2 while gaining an early AFC South advantage.
Succeeding in that stretch of games is also important because the Titans face a tough November slate. Everyone’s eyes immediately go to the trip to take on the Kansas City Chiefs, but don’t sleep on a home game against the frustrated Denver Broncos. On top of that, the Titans get to go on everyone’s favorite road trip with an away game against the Green Bay Packers the following Thursday.
As if that wasn’t enough, they have the joy of welcoming the Cincinnati Bengals back to Nashville, and everyone in the city is still having nightmares about that game.
The key to surviving that November stretch is to build up confidence in October by stacking wins. The energy around the team seems much different than it did just two weeks ago when they were sitting at 0-2.
If the Tennessee Titans can continue to improve and figure out what this version of the team can be, then it would give them their best chance at completely turning around a season that was in peril just eight days into the season.