NASHVILLE – The Titans face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Here's a look at six things to watch in the contest:
Will the Offense Get on Track?
The Titans won a game last Sunday, but let's face it, it was another incomplete performance from the team's offense. Through six games, the Titans are ranked last in the NFL in total offense, averaging 236.3 yards per game, and 31st in the NFL in scoring offense, averaging 14 points per game. The team's third down percentage is just 34.78 percent, which is ranked 26th in the NFL, and the red zone percentage is 46.67 percent, which is ranked 29th in the league. All of this shows just how much the offense has struggled to get on track this season. So, can the unit snap out of it? Things won't be easy against the Browns, who are ranked 13th overall in total defense (yards allowed), and seventh in scoring, allowing just 20.3 points per game. The Titans have consistently said the issues here are more than one person. But if this team is really going to make strides, the offense is going to need to do more.
Cam Aims to Do More
Ward threw for just 102 yards last week, and he's averaging 166.3 pass yards per game in 2026. The Titans need to get it in gear earlier. Ward doesn't have a passing touchdown in the first three quarters of games this season, with all four of his touchdowns coming in the fourth. The finish to the Indianapolis game should provide some hope at least. The Titans scored on all five of their second half possessions in that game, and it marked the first time the team scored points on five consecutive offseason possessions since Week 7 against the Chiefs. The Titans need to be able to run the ball, which would help the passing game, and the offense needs more explosive plays, to open up the run game. Which one of these might come first?
Stymie Deshaun Watson All Game
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been his best when it's mattered most this season, with four game-winning drives. Watson, in fact, is one of just 10 quarterbacks since the 1970 merger to have a game-winning drive in each of their team's first four wins on the season. As an offense, the Browns haven't exactly lit it up, however – Cleveland is ranked 29th in total offense, and 28th in scoring offense. And while Watson's numbers aren't off the charts this season, he's been good against the Titans – in his career, he has a 120.4 rating, which is the highest against any opponent he has faced multiple times in his career. The Titans need to buck this trend on Sunday.
Keep Creating Turnovers
The Titans turned into a turnover-creating machine this past Sunday, and it helped change the game. Can they do it again on Sunday vs the Browns? The team's three takeaways (two interceptions, one fumble recovery) were more than the team had in weeks 1-5 combined. The Titans last had consecutive games with multiple takeaways in Weeks 14-15 of 2024. Watson has thrown just two interceptions on the season, by the way. The best way to fluster Watson, and to force him into mistakes, is by harassing him in the backfield. Enter Jeffery Simmons and Company, a group that totaled six sacks against the Colts.
Surging Rookies
The Titans have a pair of rookies worth watching each week. Receiver Carnell Tate has 29 catches for 344 receiving yards so far this season, so he needs 56 more receiving yards to reach 400 in his NFL career. If he reaches that mark this Sunday, at 21 years and 279 days old, he would become the second youngest player in Titans history to do so, trailing only Kenny Britt (21 years, 72 days). Rookie linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., meanwhile, has tallied 56 total tackles and three passes defensed this season. He is the fifth NFL player with 55-plus total tackles and 3-plus passes defensed through six career games over the last 30 years (2022 Devin Lloyd, 2014 C.J. Mosley, 2013 Kiko Alonso, 2003 Nick Barnett.
Can the Titans Win Two in a Row?
I hate to bring up this topic, but it will remain one until this streak ends. The Titans haven't won back-to-back games since November of 2022. After 12 wins since then, the Titans lost the following week. Last Sunday's win, the franchise's 13th since that streak began, gave the team another chance to quash things this Sunday. Will the 13th time be the charm? It sure needs to be. It's also about time the Titans started winning more games at home, too, because this is another stretch that's hard to stomach: The Titans have won just 2 of their last 20 home games since the start of the 2024 season. The Titans need to keep the positives vibes going.
