Whether it drives you crazy or not, the top priority for the Tennessee Titans in 2024 little to do with postseason competition. The primary focus is finding out whether or not they have a quarterback in Will Levis.
If the answer is no (where it's trending now), then head coach Brian Callahan needs to figure out what he wants in his next quarterback that Levis lacks. If the answer is yes, then what can be done to ensure Levis never endures another stretch as bad as his September was.
Having said that, the Titans come out of the bye week with a 1-3 record. That is bad, but the good news is that the AFC South is, once again, one of the worst divisions in the NFL. Here are the AFC South standings heading into Week 6:
1. Houston Texans (4-1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (2-3)
3. Titans (1-3)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
Let's put the Texans on the back burner for a minute and look at the three teams flailing below them.
The Titans and the Colts play in Nashville on Sunday, and a win for the Titans would push them up to second in the division.
Making smart decisions with the football could help the Titans pull out a victory. The Colts are also figuring out whether Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco will play quarterback on Sunday. You rarely want to see a team get their starting quarterback back, but the Colts are averaging 19.3 points per game when Richardson starts, compared to 30.5 points when Flacco starts.
Richardson leads the NFL with six interceptions in just three full games, and he is only completing 50.6% of his passes. Long story short, if Richardson plays, the Titans' odds of winning experience a dramatic increase.
A win is pivotal, and would start establishing the Titans as the biggest threat to the Texans in the AFC South. Despite sporting a solid 4-1 record, the Texans haven't been as dominant as many expected them to be.
Only two of their first five opponents have .500 or better records (Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills) and they got outscored 54-30 in those games despite managing to beat the Bills on a last-second 59-yard field goal.
On the season, the Texans have a -12 point differential, putting them third in the division behind the Colts and Titans despite having a better record. They also recently placed superstar wide receiver Nico Collins on IR.
It's a long season, and the Titans have a wide range of possible outcomes, but a win would at least put them in a position to make things more interesting in the AFC South. Otherwise, this division will be wrapped up by November and division games will be less interesting.