The Tennessee Titans come into this game after having done something the team hadn’t done since 2018: suffer a three-game losing streak.
Things have been especially bad the last two weeks, as the Titans have been blown out in each of those contests, including in Week 14 against a Jacksonville Jaguars team the Titans normally dominate.
While both losses were terrible in their own right, the Jaguars one hit a bit harder, not only because the Titans were expected to win, but also because it came in the wake of the team unexpectedly firing its general manager.
Thanks to a comfortable lead in the AFC South, this game isn’t exactly a must win for Tennessee, but it is if this team wants to get the positive vibes going again and halt any talk of a late-season collapse.
As we do every week, here’s a look at some burning questions for the Titans ahead of their matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Will key players return from injury?
We’ve seen what this defense looks like in three games without Denico Autry, and we hate what we’ve seen.
In his three-game absence, the Titans have just three sacks as a whole, and no surprise two of those games were two of the worst defensive performances Tennessee has had this season.
On a side note: Autry’s agent should be taking notes for future negotiations with the Titans.
Making matters worse in Week 14, the Titans were also without David Long and Kristian Fulton, with Long going on injured reserve before the game.
This is a team that leans on its defense thanks to a struggling, inconsistent offense, so two key players like Fulton and Autry returning are vital to getting back on track against a talented offense like the Chargers’.
On offense, Treylon Burks is the biggest name to watch after sitting out last week with a concussion. Tennessee’s offense moved the ball a bit better than expected without Burks last week, but it still couldn’t finish, and as we’ve seen more often than not, the unit is far worse off when he isn’t playing.
Will Titans make changes to O-line?
The Titans’ offensive line as a whole has been bad this season in both pass protection and run-blocking, but the left side has struggled the most in the former area.
Dennis Daley is currently public enemy No. 1 among Titans fans as far as the offensive line is concerned, as he’s given up a league-high 11 sacks and has been the worst starting left tackle in the NFL in 2022.
But Aaron Brewer shouldn’t be far behind. In fact, the third-year pro has a lower PFF pass protection grade than Daley (44.2) with a 40.8. He also posted a worse pass protection grade than Daley this past Sunday.
In Week 14, Daley gave up a team-high two sacks and was tied for the team lead in pressures with four. While Brewer didn’t allow a sack, he was the other o-lineman to tally four pressures.
Not only do the Titans have a struggling left tackle, their entire left side is not playing well. However, this coaching staff seems intent on staying the course instead of giving Le’Raven Clark, Dillon Radunz, or anyone else on the roster a crack at either position.
Hopefully that changes this week.
Can Titans win the turnover battle?
On top of the pass-rush failing them, the Titans also haven’t been able to force a single turnover in three games. Making that issue more glaring in Week 14 was the fact that Tennessee committed four of its own.
The Titans aren’t good enough to overcome one turnover, let alone multiple. Taking it a step further, Tennessee can’t be losing the turnover battle altogether and expect to win often.
The Titans have to do a better job of taking care of the football and creating takeaways. Getting Autry back in the pass-rush would be of great benefit to the latter.
Can Titans right the ship?
Right now, it feels like the sky is falling in Nashville, and not just because of the slew of injuries the team is dealing with.
The Titans have lost three in a row, two by blowout fashion, and one of those blowout losses came in the wake of the team unexpectedly firing its general manager. The other blowout loss came via A.J. Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles, which speaks for itself.
In the process, the Titans have allowed the Jaguars and Colts to hang around in the division, albeit by a thread. Tennessee is still very much in command, but a collapse feels a lot more possible than it did even a few weeks ago.
Now, Tennessee has to travel across the country to take on a good Chargers team that is coming off an impressive win over the Miami Dolphins. This scenario couldn’t be worse for Mike Vrabel and Co.
A win over the Chargers wouldn’t change the Titans’ overall outlook as far as them being a true contender, but it would be a great way to at least stop the bleeding for now and take another step toward winning the division.
However, it’s hard to envision this team accomplishing that after how awful it has been the last three weeks, and against teams with a winning record in general, something the Titans sport a 1-5 mark with.
