The Tennessee Titans open their 2024 NFL season on the road at Soldier Field, where they will face the Chicago Bears. Head coach Brian Callahan grew up in Champaign, Illinois, and was an avid Bears fan. This game brings him home and starts off his head coaching career in familiar territory.
The Bears and Titans both had their own sets of struggles in 2023, each team making different adjustments to get where they are today. The Titans fired their head coach and brought in a new one, while the Bears traded their quarterback in favor of an untested rookie.
Considering all of the adjustments made by both teams, the Titans have three reasons for concern when facing the Bears this weekend.
The offense has only played three series together
The Titans’ starters played a whopping three series together against the New Orleans Saints in the final preseason game. They looked good, put points on the board, and moved the ball, but the group as a whole is largely untested. There are new faces along the line, new skill position players, and a new head coach, which means a whole new scheme. We’ll see just how much improvement there is on Sunday when the game actually means something.
Defensive depth is lacking
Six of the seven players on the Titans’ injured reserve list live on the defensive side of the ball. They are especially thin on the edge and in the secondary. Facing a rookie quarterback we’ve only seen in bits during the preseason, the defense could be a problem on Sunday if they tire out early or anyone gets injured.
Week 1 nerves
Everyone gets nervous, even professional athletes and coaches. Callahan has already said the butterflies are worse than he thought. This is his first ever head coaching position, so even though he’s been around the game and the league for many years, he now knows the outcome of the game falls directly on his shoulders. On top of that, the players are in a whole new scheme and have a ton of new faces around them. They are all nervous, and nerves can cause mistakes.
The Titans have reason to be concerned about Sunday’s game in Chicago. Still, part of being a professional athlete is showing the world that you can overcome and perform as expected. The Titans will aim to do just that.
