By MIKE ROBERTS
Coming off a bye week, the Tennessee Titans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday in Nashville. Tennessee looked impressive in its last game, which was a close loss on the road in Week 8 against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. Although the Titans lost the game 43-36, they played competitive football against a much-more talented team as they took the Bengals to overtime.
The 1-7 Titans remain in last place in the AFC South behind the Jaguars (6-2), Houston Texans (3-5) and the Indianapolis Colts (2-7).
After they already traded their best player, All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 29, the Titans made one more deal before the deadline, sending veteran safety Amani Hooker to the Buffalo Bills for a 2027 second-round pick. Losing their top two defenders will certainly make winning a lot tougher this season. Without further ado, here’s a Week 10 Titans preview.
Spotlighting Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars
The Jaguars have won five of their past six games and have a three-game lead in the AFC South. They improved their defense at the deadline by acquiring safety Jessie Bates III as well as defensive tackles Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis.
Jacksonville is considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year. The team is led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has emerged as an MVP candidate. Beyond Lawrence, the offense features talented playmakers like tight end Brenton Strange and wide receiver Parker Washington, complementing a solid defense.
The Jags are coming off a 33-10 Week 9 win over the Baltimore Ravens, who were without their top two quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley (both sidelined due to injury).
Lawrence could be in store for a huge performance against the Titans. Tennessee ranks 31st in the NFL in passing yards allowed (258.3). The secondary was already struggling and now it lacks its top player in Hooker. Burrow shredded the Titans’ defense, passing for 462 and an eye-popping five touchdowns. While he was intercepted three times, Hooker was responsible for all of those, and obviously, he’s not with the team anymore.
Has Ward Turned a Corner?
Titans quarterback Cam Ward looked great against Cincinnati, passing for a career-high 304 yards to go along with two touchdowns. The former Miami Hurricanes star and No. 1 overall draft pick also rushed for 41 yards. Despite the loss, it was nice to see Ward play like the franchise QB he was supposed to become when Tennessee made him the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Here’s a video of Ward’s highlights against the Bengals (via X):
https://x.com/nflperformances/status/2117029413069951060/video/1?a=UxzHHVgff4S2SNICesA&s=46
Ward could have another good game against Jacksonville on Sunday. The Jaguars rank 21st in the league in passing yards allowed per game (229.0). So, there’s an excellent opportunity for Ward to get a lot of downfield throws, as he did against Cincinnati. Ward has received a lot of criticism this season for not playing well. It’s time for him to have another top-notch performance and begin to prove he isn’t the bust that some fans and pundits believe he is.
Prediction
The Titans came close to defeating the Bengals, but close doesn’t count in the NFL standings. However, nearly knocking off Burrow and Co. on the road shows that the Titans can hang with better teams. Cincinnati is currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the top record (6-2) in the AFC North.
Yes, the Titans can beat the Jaguars, although it’s unlikely. While it may wind up being a close game, look for Jacksonville to come away with the victory.
Tennessee has struggled mightily this season when it comes to finishing games. It led 10-0 midway through the first quarter of the Bengals game. The week before that, the Titans were up 14-0 against the Cleveland Browns before losing the game due to a last-second field goal. It was just the fourth time in NFL history that a team has lost consecutive games after holding a first-quarter lead of at least 13 points.
Lawrence and the Jags will just be too much to handle.