Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward MUST OUTPLAY Tyler Shough for Tennessee Titans to Defeat New Orleans Saints in Week 17

Episode Date: December 24, 2025

The Tennessee Titans are coming off their best win of the season and now host a red-hot New Orleans Saints team that has won four of their last six games. The story will be the quarterback battle as Cam Ward will look to repeat his best performance of the season against Tyler Shough, who has been playing fantastic football himself. Whichever young quarterback makes less mistakes will probably win this one. However, football is the ultimate team game and the offensive lines will have a tough task with veteran playmakers on the defensive lines of both squads. The battle in the trenches always decides the game in football and it will here as well, but outside, the Saints are certainly better suited to help their young passer. Finally, as with most games, the turnover battle will be key and the Saints defense is hot as of late in that regard. The Titans haven't lost the turnover battle in three weeks and will need to keep that up to succeed here.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!CarGurusShop the way you want with the tools, data, and unbiased deal ratings that make it easy.  Buy or sell your next car today at http://CarGurus.com.FanDuelIf you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit FanDuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cam Ward against Tyler Shuck, a battle of the two best rookie quarterbacks in the NFL this year. It's a Christmas crossover Thursday on the Locked-on Podcast Network. You are Locked-on NFL crossover, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Welcome in to a Christmas crossover Thursday edition of Locked on Titans, Locked on Saints. I am the host of Locked on Titans, Tyler Rowland here with the host of Locked on Saints, Ross Jackson. We got a great matchup ahead between the two best rookie quarterbacks in the NFL this year and two teams that I think desperately want to win this game. The Titans will host the Saints.

It's going to be a blast. We're going to talk big storylines. in this one. We're going to talk the matchups to watch. We're going to talk about which team wants to win this game more, and I think it might be the Tennessee Titans. Before we get into it, though, do want to let you know that today's episode, this

crossover Thursday, Christmas crossover Thursday, is presented by prize picks. Download the prize picks app today. Use the code locked on NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Ross, big storylines here. Okay?

The quarterbacks. Two rookies, and again, I said it at the front, and I believe it, the two best rookie quarterbacks in the NFL this year. Shador Sanders, tough environment, has had his struggles. Dylan Gabriel, get out of here. I'm not even hearing that. What are we doing there? Not even in a conversation.

Jackson Dart is something that everyone will point to. And Jackson Dart had his flash in the pan moments for certain, but we have seen him really come back down to Earth here recently as of late in that play style that he was winning with, very dangerous, led to a lot of injuries. I think when you look at the two rookie quarterbacks that have played grown-up football, that have played professional quarterback that can be translatable to the future. I think the two best rookie quarterbacks this year have been Cam Ward and Tyler Shook

and both of them are coming off really good games. Cam Ward had his best game of his career against the Kansas City Chiefs. I know Tyler Shook coming off a really good performance as well. We'll talk about both the quarterbacks, but the Saints have won four. of their last six. Shook is really spinning it. And me personally, I wasn't a believer in Tyler Shuck.

I wasn't. I'm gonna tell the people, tell the people how he's playing, man. I was sorry. I'm cracking up. Chuck, like shucking an oyster as opposed to Shook. It sounded like you were saying shook.

And I was like, don't be shook. I think I just have an accent. It's Tyler Shook. Yeah, yeah. All right, cool, go.

I just want to make sure. But like Shuck in an oyster. You know, it's perfect for here in New Orleans. No, he's been excellent, man. And look, I'm not trying to,

I'm not trying to start no stuff, you know, don't start no stuff, won't be no stuff. I think he's, I think he's the best rookie quarterback right now, man, and I think I think that that's true. But, but, but, but we'll dive into that here in a second. But to your point, like Cam Ward coming off of his best game 100% has a lot of momentum, Tyler Shuck coming off of his first 300-yard passing game of his career, career high for him at 308. That's big for here in New Orleans.

The Saints haven't had a 300-yard passer since 2023, and it was exactly two. the day, December 21st, 2023, December 21st, 2025. Those are the 300-yard passers. He's four of three as a starter over the course of his seven starts. And he has completely rejuvenated interest in the team. The hype of the fan base re-energized the team as a whole, as has head coach Kellyn Moore. Tyler Shuck has been handling his business here in New Orleans, even with a depleted unit around him. And he has been absolutely the guy at this point that has shut down all conversation about what the future at quarterback looks like Orleans. He's the guy going in 2026 without a doubt. I think that's the biggest thing. And the

Saints are going to have a high pick. You know, obviously in the backdrop of this game is that draft pick situation. And I think Saints fans, at least in my opinion, from what I've seen, their activity online and just what I read about the Saints, it seems like the fan base has moved far past the draft pick conversation. They're like, we're winning games. We want to win as much as possible. Tyler shook is a winner. You know, we're going to make it happen. Is that the accurate read, the Saints do not care about the draft pick anymore, right? No, I don't know. Draft picks aren't building blocks.

They're not guaranteed building blocks, right? Like, they're good assets that might land you a building block, but the best building block that you're going to have is building a winning culture and figuring out how to win. This is something that Cam Jordan talked about in his post-game presser with us after the Jets game, Saints, you know, 15-year defensive end, just became 17th on the list with 130 career sacks. Talked about how, like, he's actually a little bit,

upset that it took this long because going from a losing team to a winning team, you have to learn how to win. And then once you learn how to win, then all of a sudden, like as as that iteration of a team, then all of a sudden that becomes repeatable. And so that's where the saints are right now. Three in a row first time since 2023. They're on the verge of four in a row for the first time since 2020. This is a big opportunity for them. They've learned how to win. They want to keep it going. That's way more important to them as a building block, that culture than the draftics. Did you hear that Titans fans? Did you, did you hear? Did you hear that Titans fans. I do got to give credit where it's Oda, a Titans beat writer, Nick Suss,

put out a graph the other day of like draft pick value coming back. And the first overall pick is way high. But if you don't have the first overall pick, I mean, two to like 13 is pretty consistent in value. There is an argument to be made that if the first overall pick isn't a possibility, which for the Titans where they're at now after this win, it's probably not a possibility for them because of their strength of schedule picking three versus picking five versus picking six it really may not show historically to be that big of a difference and that's why I'm in a spot right now too Ross

where I've been very draft pick conscious is what I'll say over the years on this show throughout the last couple of seasons I've been draft pick conscious at the end of the season but this year coming out of the buy I said I actually don't mind if the Titans win a couple of games I don't mind if the Titans do well because what would matter and what I think is different this year for the Titans is there are players on this team that do actually matter now. Like there are players on this team that are important to the future

that we're all hoping for. Cam Ward, some of the rookie receivers who will talk about and weapons that they have. Jeffrey Simmons on defense being absolutely dominant. Like that's going to matter for when the Titans are good again. And that's why since the number one pick is kind of out of the window and the reason why the number one pick is out of the window is because Cam Ward has played well.

Cam Ward and the team overall played very well against the Browns. It was a complete game, a tough game against another bad team, but they played better in the second half against San Francisco. They absolutely wall up the Kansas City Chiefs. And I'm sorry, but the Tennessee Titans of the first six weeks of the season with Brian Callahan at head coach, they do not wall up even the Garner-Minchu or Chris Oladookin, you know, Kansas City Chiefs. Like, that's not going to happen.

Cam Ward has played so well in the young players and the important players have played more. well enough to where they've been more competitive. They've scored 20 points, you know, three out of the last four weeks and things like that. So I am okay with some wins because it means Cam Ward's playing well. And Cam Ward just played absolutely fantastic. And one thing that I think both quarterbacks have in common that's interesting is the playmaking. Like Tyler Shuck is moving around and making plays and, you know, all the things that he did do in

college. And you got to give him credit for doing in college. There are other things that were concerns about him, the injuries, the age, the pocket stability. I would say, but he's been making plays down the field using his legs too, right? Absolutely. Yeah, he's been somebody that's been able to extend plays and also go out there and run zone reads, read options, things like that, to where you actually design runs for him in the game that they won against Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tampa, a game where the Saints were heavily expected not to be able to go in and get a win. It was two rushing touchdowns by him, one on a

scramble, but another run a design read option that he took to the house up against Tampa, which is a pretty good run defense over there and a pretty good defense over there. They're passing defense is atrocious. But outside of that, like otherwise a pretty standardly good defense. And so it has very much been that. And his composure against pressure, which was a huge knock on him coming out of college. He had some ugly stuff on tape when facing pressure. Kellan Moore and him went into the lab and they came out. He's an entirely different dude under pressure now and does a very good job operating in that situation. Yeah, no, that that has been impressive, especially because it was something Tyler Shuck was a no for me because of that problem that he had.

Yeah, that doesn't usually get better. It doesn't translate usually. He looks scared against the pressure, especially after the injuries. You were thinking maybe the injuries hurt and cause some of that mentality. You know, but he has really gotten over that. And boy, I can't wait for Cam Ward to get his Kellyn Moore or his quarterback, which is something that I talked about on yesterday show the coaching situation. But go ahead.

Yeah, you got to get that right guy there, man. that match matters, as we know. What's been like the biggest improvement for Cam Ward coming out of college that you've seen? I think coming up, well, I would say his operational ability and the ball security. Over the last six weeks since the buy, he's had two turnovers total, one interception and one fumble. He's controlled the ball. And I think he's adjusted to the speed of the game to limit the turnovers.

He had turnover problems in college. Like, he had a lot of fumbles in college, even though. the interceptions were down late in his career. The interceptions he did have were like insane. What are you doing mistakes? Sure. And he really hasn't done much of that for the back half of the season. I didn't think it would be cleaned up this quick.

And he really did clean it up pretty quickly. And same under pressure. He really struggled early on. Just against Kansas City this weekend, the third heaviest blitzing team in the NFL. He went nine for 13, 150 yards, a touchdown, zero interceptions against the Blitz was absolutely fantastic. An 89.9 grade led the Tennessee Titans on pro football focus. Like he absolutely bawled against the pressure.

And I think that is the next step for young quarterbacks is being able to do it with pressure in your face and not just have a clean pocket and make those plays out of structure. That's really when you start to decode the matrix. You could say, but with that in mind, what helps with that is have an offensive lineman that you can trust. And I think we can talk about the quarterbacks all we want. but the battle in the trenches, I think will be very, very important in this game and those are the matchups that we're going to discuss.

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All right, Ross, let's continue today's Christmas crossover Thursday edition of the Locked on Titans and Locked on Saints podcast. Thank you for making Locked on Titans and Locked on Saints. You're at first listen each and every day. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed, stay locked in with Locked on Titans and Locked on Saints. But with that being said, we move to the matchups after discussing the rookie quarterback storylines, which are obviously at the top of the mind in this matchup.

But everything else around those quarterbacks is so important when you have young quarterbacks like this, including the offensive line. both these offensive lines have had their ups and downs, but it seems like as of late, there's been some improvements on the offensive line. Is that the case in New Orleans? Or would you say that it's basically par for the course? And Tyler Shuck is really just carrying them along.

Yeah, it's a little shaky. You know, okay, we can look at the Jets game, for instance. The Saints just won 29 to 6. And it was the lowest pressure percentage that he's faced, that Tyler Shuck has faced so far. Exactly, right? Just 17%. However,

23 of his 49 passing attempts, they threw a lot in this game, which tells you that the offensive line is struggling in the run game, right? Well, yeah, we'll get there. Don't worry. Yeah, yeah. But 23 of those passing attempts were in under two and a half seconds. So, Kellan Moore and Tyler Shock are like, get the ball out, bud, get the ball out, just get the ball out quick. And that was a big part of the reason why that pressure percentage was down. The Saints have a backup at left guard and Dylan Raidens, who Tennessee Titans fans, very familiar with.

Titans legend. That's right. They have a backup at center. Luke Fortner, who's actually played quite well. Titans fans might be familiar with him from Jacksonville. And then they have a backup's backup right now at right card with William Sherman. Now, we'll see what happens. Maybe Caesar Ruiz is back. He's dealing with an ankle injury.

Maybe his backup, Awesome Richards is back. He's dealing with an ankle injury. Everybody got ankle injuries in New Orleans right now. And so that'll be a big thing to watch here throughout the week as practices continue. But it's been a little bit concerning. Both of these quarterback sacked right around 3.4 times per game in starts. The pressure percentages are about the same, but I feel like the sack percentage for New Orleans is a bit higher. Tyler Shuck's been sacked multiple times, and I think it's four consecutive games now.

And so I'm not super sold on the protection up front, especially against Arden Key and against Jihad Ward and against Jeffrey. I mean, there's, I mean, you know, having a having that defensive line in Tennessee, that's not something I'm super looking forward to for New Orleans. Well, that's the interesting thing, because coming in the season, the Titans pass rush, in my opinion, was expected to be terrible. Like pretty much everybody in the fan base, you look at the talent that they had there, Arden Key, you know, Femiola Dejo is a converted linebacker from college. And they had Draymond Jones in there. Yeah, he contributes. You're right. It makes a difference.

The edge group really was just really bad. You're thinking how much can Jeffrey Simmons and Tavondre sweat, Sebastian Joseph Day, on the Antilles. actually get things done with the lack of edge presence. But DeNard Wilson, to his credit, defensive coordinator for the Titans has really done a great job of getting pressure packages together. The Titans are in the top half of the NFL in Sacks. They're not a team that super struggles to get pressure

like they did early in the season. He's really adjusted and found ways to be creative with the twists and the stunts and different blitzes with different guys and dropping here and there. Like, he's really done everything that he possibly can to help the Titans get pressure. and a guy like Jahad Ward, who the Titans got off the scrap heap, you know, he's been really solid this year for the role that he's been in.

And they need to bring him back. Now, they need some top-level edge rushers. But regardless, the Titans, where you would think, oh, this team isn't really that worrisome. If the offensive line is struggling and there are backups, and see, I just love Kelvin Banks and Tulsa Fulaga, and that has me blinded, I guess. I just like what they've done as young players.

I know some ups and downs, but I like them. So maybe I'm blinded. But if the interior is the struggle, that is prime for the Titans. to take advantage. And if the Titans can get pressure with Jeffrey Simmons, he, in my opinion, he's the best interior defensive linemen in the entire NFL this year.

I don't think it's a hundred percent, not even close. So that could be a disaster. And if that's the case, I think that could upset the apple car, even if Tyler Shuck is playing good football. Yeah, absolutely. And look,

that interior pressure is the worst kind of pressure. There's very little between point A and point B in that situation, just a body. and sometimes those bodies are, you know, they're pretty easy to move past sometimes. And so, yeah, that's got to be a big part of what we're watching in this game. And so it's going to be up to, yes, the offensive line for holding up, but it's going to be up to the game plan. Kellyn Moore, Tyler Shuck, they got to know what they're walking into here

and understand that they need to get back to getting the ball out quickly, just like they've done, just like they did here recently. Well, that's something to consider. And I think we've hit multiple game plan points in here. If folks are paying attention, where you talked about the run game of Tyler Shuck and I want to get into, you know, the next area of that where the Saints have struggled in the run game. I was a little shocked at the way that they've done it. So getting Tyler Shuck involved in the run game and I think maybe even some Taysom Hill packages to

you to get him maybe a little bit involved to help the run game could be something that the Titans need to plan for and expect that quarterback package where it's 11 on 11. I think that's something they got to be ready for. And then you're talking about that getting the ball out quick because the run game hasn't been there. So the quick passing game has to function. as the run game, it seems. I was looking through the numbers just prepping for the conversation and for the matchup. And I mean, their last, you know, five games, 79, 81,

there's a 139 against the bucks, but then 80. That was Tyler Shuck. That was a Tyler Shuck game right there where he ran for probably half of that. Yeah, and that, that is worrisome because the Titans have struggled under DeNard Wilson with mobile quarterbacks who really look to attack in the run game. I think that's something that they have historically had trouble with over the last, you know, year and 16. games or whatever. So that could be a problem. But why it's the offensive line struggles,

they just cannot move people around? It's that. I think early on, too, there were some things in the system and the approach and the play design that didn't make a lot of sense as well. And so I think there's some of that. But then also, like, they're on their fourth and fifth running backs now. Alvin Camara is out with injury. We'll see if he comes back this weekend. I wouldn't hang a hat on it. It's pun intended with a Santa hat there. Kendrae Miller tore his ACL in week seven up against the bears and then Devin Neal's out for the rest of the season with the hamstring injury, the young rookie out of Kansas. And so you're dealing with you got to Audric Estime, who look, is a big time between the tackles

downhill guy. Like he'll bully some dudes. He'll do that. But, you know, he's got to get him involved now when he was a guy that joined partway for the season. And then Evan Hull, who averaged 0.6 yards per carry last week. And so really outside of that, you're looking at Tassum Hill being a guy that's going to get some backfield work in addition to potentially running a bit at quarterback. I had Evan Hall in my fantasy lineup. It's dark. I'm in the loser's bracket.

No one cares, but I know. I actually do know intimately about the Saints running back situation. Sadly, I am aware of the struggles that they're having there. But that leads me to where I think the Titans could really have the advantage here. And the Titans offensive line is playing well. Like the Titans offensive line has played much better. Things are starting to gel the way that we thought they would early in the season, just based on the guys that they have. Dan Moore has played better football as of late. J.C. Latham, their young, right tackle has been playing really good football as of late. Peter Skoronsky is one of the most underrated players in the entire NFL at left guard.

He is incredible. Cushingberry has struggled at center coming off in Achilles. Kevin Zitler's had his ups and downs at right guard as an older player, but they're really starting to come together. They've played great as of late, and they have run the ball for over 100 yards, three straight games, 400 yards in the last three weeks, like they are just really turning out in the run game, given Cam Ward time. The sacks have gone way down. I think Cam Ward deserves credit for the sacks going down there as well. But I think that's an area where the Titans could take

advantage. How's the pass rush looking for the Saints right now to go against the Titans offensive line? The pass rush is not a big time pressure percentage pass rush, but they're a big time pressure to sack conversion rate pass rush. They're one of the best teams in the NFL when it comes to that. They love to kind of dial up some additional pressure, whether it's blitzing or, you know, simulated pressure where you think it's coming from here, but then it comes from here, like all those pieces to where they're still only sending four, but they're sending different styles. But we've also seen this team win by only sending four. And Brandon Staley telling guys like Chase Young, hey, it's on you. Like, it's on the four of you to go out there and get pressure.

So they vary it up quite a bit. But that pass rush has been impactful. And as we've seen in games like last week where the Saints had eight sacks up against the New York Jets who had actually done a pretty okay job in protection. I wouldn't say good, but a pretty okay job in protection that like they're a they're a momentum based defense. When they get one, the snowball effect starts to roll for them. And that's fair, but Brady Cook's pressure to sack rate is like 100%. That dude just crumbles under pressure. But yeah, but credit where it's due, I mean, Chase Young has looked better as of late, like he looks healthy and the kind of guy that you thought. he could be early on.

Obviously, Cam Jordan is a good player. Eight and a half on the season is year 15, man. Like, wild. He's dominant. But anyway, just the last thing that I do want to point out here, though, is another big advantage for New Orleans. And it's the skill position players. Yeah.

Because there is no Chris Olave on the Tennessee Titans. And I like the Titans, young tight end, Gunner Helm. Chickicah is a pretty good receiving tight end, I guess you could say. But Juan Johnson is a very good player. You know what I mean? It was very impactful with Tyler Shucks. So like, where is that they trade Rashid Shaheed? What's the status of the skill position players?

What's the health look like for them going into this matchup? Yeah, I mean, for the past catchers in particular, it's all about Chris Oliva and Joanne Johnson going into this game. The other guy that has been super impactful for them was Devon Velae, who they got via a trade at the beginning of the season. He's out. Yeah, he's been out for the rest of the year now with a shoulder injury. but he was cooking with Tyler Shuck,

particularly an attack in the middle of the field. Chris Olbe, though, coming off of 148 receiving yard game, two touchdowns in that game that was a career high for him, just balled out completely. Man, insane, which we have not seen here in New Orleans for years. So it was good to see. And so, or at least on a consistent basis. And so I think that's got to be where this passing production comes from.

It's going to go through those guys. They have some young role players, Mason Tipton, Kevin Austin, Jr., Dante Pettis. like they still have some of those other players out there, but this passing game is very much going to be all about Chris Olive and Joanne Johnson. And what they did a very good job of last week is that everyone knew that, but they were still able to make it happen.

I think that's what they're going to have to do against Tennessee again. I mean, that's the game. Hey, these are our best players. These are the plays we like to run. These are our concepts. Come get it. You know, what's your plan for it. That's going to be the game.

You know what it is. And that's what I'm worried about because the Titan secondary is decimated right now. They're playing guys that they picked up. this week like Keem-on Hall literally they picked him up this week and he started at slot corner like they're on their set

like Amani Hookers out there but they're on like their seventh and eighth safeties of the year and the Saints can't run the ball but they can throw it and if they get going and get hot against the Titan secondary that's going to be tough for the Titans to slow down but with that in mind we do need to talk about the keys

to victory in this game and like with most Tennessee Titans games the turnover battle will be imperative. All right, folks, let's cap off today's cross-over Thursday edition of Locked-on Titans, Locked-on Saints. Thank you for making us your first listen each and every day, and thank you for making the Locked-on Podcast Network,

the number one sports podcast network. We talked about the storylines in this game with the two rookie quarterbacks playing good football, into this matchup. We talked about all the skill positions, the trenches, everything you need to know matchup-wise outside of that. Now we've got to talk about what will ultimately decide this game. And of course, Ross, as I always come back to in most matchups, when you have a bad football team like the Tennessee Titans,

the ultimate equalizer is the turnover battle. And when you look at the turnovers for the New Orleans Saints, it has been a little bit up and down. but over the last three games they haven't lost the turnover battle they've won it twice and tied it once so that's three straight wins I don't think that that's a coincidence

and for the Tennessee Titans it's all about the turnovers because if they turn it over they don't have enough on offense to kind of get enough points so I think this turnover battle and like I said Cam Ward been very good with the turnovers as of late the Titans have been handling themselves not losing turnover battles

I think it's going to be both teams have obvious weaknesses and it's going to be too easy to beat them if turnover's happened. I really think this game is more about which team makes the least amount of mistakes and that'll be shown in the turnover battle. Big time. I completely agree with you.

Both of these teams over the last three games averaging 0.7 in the positive when it comes to turnover margin, that's a winning turnover margin. That's how you win football games. I don't have a ton to add. I'll go to the kind of my next thing, but, like, I completely agree with you that the turnover battle is obviously huge here.

Similar and connected to that, I'm curiously which these teams starts fastest because the, like you mentioned, the Titans don't have a ton of firepower over in the office side, although I really like Elyu Manor. I love the receiver over there. I can't wait to see how he grows. I know he's got some growing to do. Can't wait to see how he grows, but I know that there's some, you know, point scoring issues for both of these teams and everything in terms of inconsistencies, but, but, but, but, but, but,

But if you're able to get a faster start than the other team, whichever team does that, I don't know which of these teams has a better opportunity to close a gap and come from behind to get a win. We've seen the Saints do it, but I don't know if it's a part of their DNA completely just yet. So I think a fast start in addition to that turnover battle massive in this game. No, I think you're 100% right because, I mean, the Titans did it in Arizona back in week five. they had that crazy comeback, which really, I mean, Arizona choked that game away. They dropped the ball at the one yard line and Cam throws a pick that's fumbled into the end zone 10 yards. The Titans jump on it and score, you know, like that was a nonsense comeback.

And if you take that out, which I hate doing that, yeah, take out the good plays and they weren't any good. Well, duh, you know. They don't score points. They won't win. Yeah, I know. Right. Take away his 70-yard touchdown run and he didn't have a good day. Like, well, you know, he did have that.

So if you take away that Arizona thing, though, the Titans haven't won a lot of games, period. And they haven't come back, obviously. Like, they get down, they don't come back. And they were winning in Cleveland and were able to hold off the Browns at the very, very end. They didn't close very well. So, like, we have not seen the Tennessee Titans come back. And they won last week at home.

This is going to be in Tennessee for the first time in 400 plus days. They haven't won a home game in over 400 days. So it's not like this team is awesome at home. some home field advantage like it might be like the crowd last week was more chiefs fans it's not an exaggeration it was primarily chiefs fans saints fans i don't know that it'll be all saints fans but yeah it's not that far away to where saints fans won't be represented so i don't think the titans will have some crazy home field advantage or anything like that but at the end of the day i think the titans are going to desperately want to win this game and ross i got to tell you

i'm at a point where i want to win this game too I want Cam Ward to be better than Tyler Shuck I want him to outplay him I you know and I think Tyler Shuck has a lot more help in the receiving department I think having a Chris Olive having a Jawan Johnson I think that's a big having a Kellyn Moore

I think that's a major advantage for Tyler Shuck in my opinion but at the end of the day Cam Ward was the number one overall pick Tyler Shuck was the number 40 overall pick like the expectations for Cam Ward are that he can elevate his team higher that's why he got drafted so much higher right you know what I mean that is the reality

So I want to see Cam Ward go out there and win the freaking game. Like, that's what I want to see. And I'm sure Saints fans feel the same, as we talked about earlier, about Tyler Shuck. So like, turnovers are a key to victory. You know, we talked about all the different things. I think special teams will matter a lot. The Titans have the Pro Bowl special teams returners. Charlie Smith, baby.

There you go. Like, but ultimately, I really do think that whichever quarterback plays better in this game is going to, going to win the game. Like the Saints are going to get some pressure. The Titan or the Saints, the Saints won't be able to run the ball. The Saints will probably get a little more pressure on Cam Ward, but like it's all going to balance out. One of these young quarterbacks is going to have to step up and be the guy that we hope they are. Yep. And I think the defenses that are lining up across from them are going to be a big part of telling that story about which the quarterbacks came out successfully, right? The Saints over the course of the last five

weeks, right? No, sorry, six weeks, but five games for them because they had a bye week since then, but since week 10, they're the top ranked number one total defense in the league. And they're the number two scoring defense in the league. And with all due respect, you might say, well, not you, but people might say, oh, well, the Saints, you know, schedule really lightened up after they played the Rams in week nine. Sure, let's not pretend like the Tennessee Titans nor the Senior Orleans Saints are world beaters here, right? Yes. We're talking about same class conversation right now right so i think that's going to end up being a big big piece of this as well i'm look i'm taking the saints to win this game i think they're going to win their fourth

in a row for the first time since 2020 there's a lot that hinges on this in terms of dude crime goes down in new orleans when the saints win okay like everything matters here when it comes to the saints and i think they want to keep that going i think kellen more tyler shuck and this new on Saints team. They've gotten the taste of winning now. And I think it's the reason why the Saints might want it more because they've experienced it. They've been building this streak. They have a lot of momentum going into the offseason. And I think they want to keep it going. Well, I think Saints fans certainly to motivated. Right. The teams are motivated. I would tell you, Saints fans certainly want this more than Titans fans. There are definitely Titans fans out there still

committed to the tank. And I totally respect it. But I think these games, like you mentioned in our first segment to bring it full circle, these games matter. And set. The culture matters and all of that. I think this would be if Cammore can out duel another rookie quarterback and a team in a similar situation. Like you said, the Saints' last six games are Carolina, Atlanta, Miami, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and the Jets. But the Titans are a team that's worse than most of those teams are equal, at least to some of those teams. So it's not like the Saints can't do what they've been doing against the Titans,

so I think you're 100% right in that realm. I honestly do think that the Saints find a way to pull this out late. They have more winning experience, even if they get down early. think that they could still come back and win it. I think the Titans have a good showing. They're going to be able to run the football, I think, and the Saints aren't going to be able to run the football, and that'll keep it close throughout.

But I do think the Saints have the playmakers and the better coaching on the offensive side that will ultimately get them more points than the Titans. So I see it similarly with the Saints pulling it off. Yeah, and I think the defense for New Orleans is a big thing. I discredited the Saints ability to close the gap. But really, the way that that defense has performed in second halves, you could see it in terms of. the opportunity being there. So I shouldn't shortchange them as much in that category.

It's just that when you have four wins or you have three wins, you don't get a lot of examples of, yeah, they came from behind and won a game. You know what I mean? And so, but I think the defense could be a big factor too. But this should be a really fun way, man. I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's going to be, I don't think this is going to be a boring game by any stretch of the imagination. No, I think we're going to have some fireworks. It's going to be an interesting one to watch. I think there will be some point scored in this one. But with that being said, that is going to do it for today's crossover Thursday edition of Locked on Titans, Locked on Saints. I am the host of Locked on Titans, Tyler Rowland, for the co-host, the host,

the co-host of this crossover, Ross Jackson, Locked on Saints. Have a happy holidays, have a Merry Christmas, whatever it is you celebrate. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you tomorrow.