Let's get one thing right, it is a new and exciting time for the Tennessee Titans.
A new coaching staff has taken over and the roster is dramatically different than it was in the recent past, and so far the changes look to be ones for the better.
We know the new regime is going to employ a more modern spread offense, and that they are truly making Will Levis and the pass attack the focal point. Of course, you cannot get too far ahead of yourself before a down has been played, but it is refreshing to see this team adapting to the times and giving their young quarterback every chance possible to succeed.
It all looks great, but at the same time, we cannot just expect the Titans to come out and be world-beaters from the start. They started from ground zero this offseason, and they may not be outright bad, but at the very least, looks like they will have a 2024 campaign highlighted by ups and downs.
Tennessee Titans current state and schedule could make them very streaky in 2024
When you look at what the Titans did this offseason, it is hard to not like what you saw. They made several quality moves including but not limited to acquiring a star wide receiver, another threat in the backfield, a top center, and two legitimate cornerbacks including L'Jarius Sneed.
They also came out of the draft with three potential day 1 starters, including a 1st round tackle, defensive tackle, and linebacker, and added more depth to their cornerback room. Most will look at the team on paper and say that if Will Levis takes the next step, they have a chance to be dangerous.
But if you are expecting the Titans to simply complete a 180 from where they were in 2023, you will be disappointed. With where this team was last year and the amount of moving parts they had this offseason, there will almost certainly be an adjustment or multiple for everyone involved.
Between the new coaching staff, young quarterback, virtually brand new offense, and an overall team that has still not filled every single hole, there is so much familiarity that needs to happen and has not yet. And even if Levis takes a step in his development, it is not like we should expect him to be a finished product after 2024.
Simply put, it is going to take time for everything to gel. Maybe if the Titans were flawless on paper, which they are far from, they would have a chance to be a legit threat in 2024, but with their imperfect roster and the whole team starting from scratch, there will be growing pains throughout the season.
You can also tell by looking at their schedule that they will go through a rough stretch or multiple throughout the year. And most likely, they will get one of them out of the way right at the beginning.
When you look at their first seven games, four of them are against playoff teams from 2023, three of whom made the divisional round or further. The three other teams in that stretch are the Chicago Bears who drafted Caleb Williams, the New York Jets who are getting Aaron Rodgers back, and the Indianapolis Colts who are getting Anthony Richardson back.
That stretch also includes a Week 5 bye, which will make the rest of the season that much more difficult and is something the Titans continue to get screwed on, but I will spare you any further rant on that subject.
Either way, if the Titans can come out of the first eight weeks of the season with a winning record, everybody within the organization and fanbase should be thrilled. And if they can, they might set themselves up with a really good chance at making the playoffs.
Their next six games present a very favorable stretch, and besides one game in Houston that will almost surely be a loss, the other five are very winnable. None of them are against playoff teams from 2023, and all of them will likely miss again this year.
Plus at the beginning of that stretch, they will be eight weeks into the season, which is enough time to have some familiarity and start playing better football as a result. Having those games on their schedule means that they could still find their way into a Wildcard spot if they start the season slow, as is expected.
The Titans will want to win as many of those games as possible because the end of their schedule presents a test that might be too difficult for them to overcome. Their final four games of the year are against the Cincinnati Bengals, which is a big game for a lot of reasons, but also road games at Indianapolis and Jacksonville, and a final game at home against the Texans.
It hardly matters the records of their opponents, when you have to face the Bengals, who the Titans have developed a rivalry with recently, then three straight divisional opponents, two of which are on the road, that is brutal.
Their best hope from those games is that the Texans will have clinched the AFC South or a spot that allows them to rest their starters because the Titans should lose that one if all things are equal.
But you can see how a team like the Titans could be streaky in 2024, as they start with a gauntlet of opponents, get an easier stretch when everyone has settled in, and then finish with a true measuring stick sequence of games.
And most experts are not even being that nice to the Titans, as the consensus seems to be that they will finish eerily similar to how they finished 2023. Even if you do not quite agree with that, it is hard to say that you are being realistic if you expect an absolute turnaround in 2024.
There will be some good, but most likely some bad which will require some soul searching and lessons to be learned, but guess what, that is ok! The Titans are starting from about as clean of a slate as you could imagine, and even if you do not see it in terms of tangible wins and losses, the most important thing is that progress is made throughout the season.
Titans fans can breathe easier knowing that unless Levis is a complete and unforeseen disaster in 2024, there will be no reason to panic about his performance. Everything about this season is about setting the tone for a new era, so everyone should just enjoy it knowing that the positives can be built on, while the negatives are things that can be learned from and not death sentences.