One Way or Another Week 4 will be a Turning Point for the Tennessee Titans
By Will Lomas
Nothing is decided after three games, but Tennessee Titans fans are right to be very concerned about the 2023 season.
This team has been disappointing on both offense and defense since the start of the season which is hard considering the low bar that fans had for the offense and the amount of talent on the defense.
Through three games the Tennessee Titans offense has been hot (L.A. Chargers) and cold (New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns), but with no real sustainable element. The running game has been anemic and the passing game has survived off of big throws down the field from Ryan Tannehill to Treylon Burks and Chris Moore.
On the other side, the Titans are a middle-of-the-pack defense in points allowed, and yards per play, with their only above-average stats being sacks (T-9th with 10) and TFLs (T-3 with 20). This was supposed to be the strength of the Tennessee Titans, and while it is, it just isn't as strong as everyone thought it could be.
While the season is long, the outlook isn't promising for teams that take too long to figure out what works.
Last season, every team that made the playoffs started the season with a 2-2 record or better after Week 4. The Tennessee Titans are one of ten teams that need a win this weekend to realistically keep themselves in the hunt for a postseason spot.
Now, most fans are under the impression that if the Titans just survive this dificult six-game stretch to open the season, they can make a run after the bye week. While that certainly could happen, those fans might be operating with some outdated data.
The Tennessee Titans will face adversity all season long
Entering the season, an opening stretch against the New Orleans Saints, L.A. Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens, it seemed like a 3-3 start would be the best realistic scenario. That was good news for Tennessee Titans fans because the back half of the schedule looked much easier on paper.
Unfortunately, teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins look harder than they seemed a few months ago. Sure, after the bye in Week 7 the Tennessee Titans still have five games against the rest of the AFC South, but given how the team has played in those matchups recently, none of those are givens anymore.
It still feels fair to pencil in wins against the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans at home, and the Indianapolis Colts at home, but if the Tennessee Titans don't get better in a hurry, the rest of those games are going to turn into fist fights (if the Titans are lucky).
Mike Vrabel will never admit that this team needs a rebuild which is part of why the Tennessee Titans are in the tough spot they are in now. Trading up to draft another backup quarterback instead of sticking and picking and ending up with more help on the offensive line or wide receiver seems like a mistake for a team in win-now mode.
However, if they really are going to push for a playoff spot, then they need to find a way to win against the Cincinnati Bengals at home.
Joe Burrow can't move and their offense is averaging just 0.3 more points per game than the Tennessee Titans right now. If Mike Vrabel can't find a way to win that game with a healthy roster and his back against the wall, it is going to be time to start evaluating what this team really is and whether they have the right vision going forward.