The Tennessee Titans fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17, giving the Jags a sweep of the Titans in 2024. The Titans’ record is now 3-13, and they are the third-worst team in the entire NFL.
After the loss, Brian Callahan said he’s going to play both Mason Rudolph and Will Levis in Week 18, which rarely works out in the NFL. Look at Pittsburgh with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Any time they bring Fields in for a specific play, it throws off the offense. Why? Because he’s not Wilson and doesn’t play like Wilson and the rest of the team is used to Wilson being under center. The same will apply to Rudolph and Levis.
The Titans host the Houston Texans in the final week of the regular season. They defeated the Texans in Week 12 on the road and will look to sweep them and end the season with a win. The Texans don’t want to be swept, so even though they’ve already clinched their playoff berth, you can be sure they’ll do everything in their power to come away with a win.
As we enter Week 18, here’s a look at where the Titans place in a multitude of power rankings.
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 32 (31)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Brian Callahan of the Tennessee Titans looks on during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on December 29, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Coach Brian Callahan, please sum up this season: “There’s no joy in this process. There’s no fun in this. It’s terrible. I feel it every day I walk into work.” How do you really feel, boss?
Barry Werner, List Wire: 31 (30)
Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images
NFL Nation, ESPN: 29 (NC)
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
Westbrook-Ikhine emerged as a legitimate touchdown threat for the Titans after not getting any targets through the first four games. His career-high nine receiving touchdowns is tied for the fifth most in the NFL. The fifth-year receiver signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Titans before last season. He will be an unrestricted free agent and should warrant interest on the open market. Calvin Ridley will be the only proven receiver Tennessee has under contract this coming offseason.
Alex Kennedy, Pro Football Network: 30 (27)
Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images
Alex Kennedy, Pro Football Network:
The Titans have now lost five straight games (and 10 of their last 12). Tennessee made a quarterback change from Will Levis to Mason Rudolph before Week 16, but struggles under center have continued.
The Titans’ Week 17 loss might be their worst of the season, as the Jaguars defeated them 20-13. However, this loss is great news for Tennessee’s 2025 NFL Draft pick.
If the season ended today, the Titans would have the No. 2 pick — with a 23.5% chance of picking No. 1 overall. With this loss, perhaps the Titans will have a chance to land their quarterback of the future early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: 30 (28)
Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News:
The Titans are playing out the string with Mason Rudolph and have lost some offensive identity along the way. They need to be more streamlined under Brian Callahan regardless of the QB.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: 32 (31)
Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images
The only good news for the Titans is they are in position for the No. 2 pick of the draft after the Giants’ win on Sunday vs. the Colts. Maybe they can take a quarterback to give them some hope. It’s a team that went 0-5 in December, with two losses to the Jaguars, and should have little to no optimism going into the offseason.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: 31 (NC)
Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images
Diante Lee, The Ringer: 29 (NC)
Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images
The AFC South was a special house of horrors this season, but no team was as hard to watch on a weekly basis as the Titans. Quarterback Mason Rudolph could’ve started the entire season instead of Will Levis, and they still would have landed in this place, near the very bottom of the NFL. The Titans need an upgrade at nearly every premium position. General manager Ran Carthon has some long nights ahead of him trying to sort out where to go from here.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: 31 (30)
Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images
It’s never fun losing twice to a four-win team in the same season, and Tennessee has managed just one home victory all year: an overtime triumph over the lowly Patriots. The Titans are now heading into an offseason where it’s unclear what direction they’ll go in at quarterback. Everything is seemingly on the table, with the team in line for a feasibly high enough draft slot to secure a rookie signal-caller. Or perhaps Tennessee will go the veteran route for a quicker fix. Whether Will Levis or Mason Rudolph, an impending free agent, are part of that mix remains to be seen. Neither has thrived in Brian Callahan’s offense, and it would be tough to sell either as anything more than a bridge option or a No. 2 for next season. There’s a lot to fix here outside of QB, but getting that spot right is a crucial first step.
