Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans CAN WIN GAMES in Final Stretch of 2025 & Cam Ward's 2nd Half Expectations

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

The Tennessee Titans exit the bye week needing desperately to turn things around in the second half of the season and they should have multiple opportunities to do that with five out of eight at home and some beatable opponents on the ticket. However, you could question whether winning would be what is best for the Titans considering the draft position, but the Titans young players need to feel some wins and play better football. A lot of that will be on Cam Ward and Ward must play better football in the second half. He doesn't have much help, but it would be nice to see Ward have one breakout performance at some point. Finally, on the defensive side of the ball, we may finally get a long stretch of Jeffery Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat on the field together and determining the future of that pairing will be critical to the offseason. 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 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterhelpThis episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at https://BetterHelp.com/lockedon. RipplingGet Rippling FREE for 6 months. Terms and conditions apply. See site for details: https://app.rippling.com/legal/promoterms Supply HouseJoin the free TradeMaster program today and score serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices, and a dedicated support line. Visit https://SupplyHouse.com to sign up for free and use promo code SHNFL5 for 5% off your first order.PelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com.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.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.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.

I know the Tennessee Titans need the best draft pick possible, but I think they win a couple of games down the stretch, and I'm not going to be mad about it. I'll explain why on today's edition of Locked on Titans. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network. I am your host, Tyler Rowland Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast is brought to you by Fandall. Right now, new customers can bet just $5, and if your bet wins,

you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app on today's show. I'm going to get you guys ready for the second half of the season. We're going to go through the Tennessee Titans schedule. I'm going to tell you about all the opportunities I think the Titans have to win games. The games I do think that the Tennessee Titans are going to win, and why I don't think that it's a bad thing that the Titans win some games down the stretch also. I'm going to give you my expectations for Cam Ward and the rest of the offense

and talk about what I want to see from the defense with the second half of the season ready to go. Before we dive into all of it, I do want to thank you for making Locked on Titans, your first listen each and every day. Remember Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round. Always for free. Make sure you get subscribe, stay subscribed. It's your team every day.

Here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Speaking of Every Day, shout it to my Everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, you need to be one. But with that being said again, the Tennessee Titans have eight games remaining here. They sit at 1 and 8.

And quite honestly, not trying to give myself credit because I wish that I were wrong. But if you go back and you look at my preseason predictions and going game by game, through the schedule, I thought the Titans would be 1 and 8 going into their buy. This is exactly where I thought the Tennessee Titans would be. Now, if you also go back to that, I said I thought that the Tennessee Titans would end the season strong, that they would be a competitive football team

down the stretch of the year. They would find a way to win some football games. They would play better football and get us excited for 2026. I don't know that that's going to happen now. I don't think this team has that in them. I don't think they're capable of that. They're not capable of getting four wins to get the five wins on the season

in their final eight games. I just don't see that as possible. But here's what I will tell you. I think the Tennessee Titans win a couple of games. I think at least five of their remaining eight games, they have at least a shot to win them. I'll explain why. But I just want to say this.

I know that the Tennessee Titans need the best draft pick possible. I know getting the number one pick in the draft could result in a trade down for the Titans with multiple first round picks. It could set the Titans up. I get all that and I want to see that happen. I want that to happen. I want the Titans to get the number one pick. I want them to get a trade down that sets up the franchise's rebuild for years to come. I'm on board for all of that.

However, if the Titans win some games, that means that Cam Ward played well. that means that the young players on this team that are going to get more opportunities that we're going to talk about throughout the episode that means that they played well and I think that while it's very, very important for the Titans to get draft capital opportunity this year that is absolutely important

I think what's actually more important is the development of Cam Mort I think that's what's most important at this point now last year and the year before that to me were different circumstances, different situations, 2020 as well, different circumstances, different situations. The Titans weren't trying to build up at that point in time as well.

And we knew halfway through the season that Will Levis was not the quarterback of the future, was not going to be the starting quarterback next year. So it's not about Will Levis's development. We already knew the answer by pretty much this time last year, right around this time last year where Levis really started falling off in that Bengals game and that commander's game. But nonetheless,

I think that with the amount of young players on this team who are actually building blocks for the future, that will be contributing out there, that we're going to discuss like Cam Ward, like the young receivers, like the young guys on defense. I think if the Titans win,

one, two games, play a little bit better football down the backstretch of the season. and a little bit more competitive in their games. I think that is a good thing going forward. And here's the crux of it. I personally don't think that the Titans winning a game or two will actually prevent them from getting the number one overall pick.

They're already a game ahead of everybody. So if the Saints win a game, if the Browns beat the Titans, for example, the Titans play the Saints as well. Like, I just think that there are going to be, opportunities for other teams to win games. And I think the Titans win two games in their final eight, and that doesn't prevent them from getting the number one overall pick.

They went 3 and 14 last year and got the number one overall pick. Odds are that three wins is going to get you the number one pick. And some of these teams that are also in the running for the number one pick, like the Browns, like the Jets, like the Saints potentially, depending on how Tyler Shuck plays at the end of the season. Even, you know, team down there like the Miami Dolphins, the loss, well, not the Rams, but they have the Falcons pick, you know what I mean, and the Falcons have three wins right now. So many of these teams need quarterbacks that if the Titans get the second pick or the third pick

or whatever, third pick is a little more risky, I admit. But the odds are still high that they can get a trade down for a quarterback, even if they get the second pick. So I think that while I want the Titans to have the number one draft pick, What if Cam Ward comes out Those 300 yards, four touchdowns Has a breakout performance against The Jacksonville Jaguars in a couple of weeks Like you can't sit here and tell me

That that's a bad thing for the Titans future We have to weigh the draft picks But we also against that have to weigh The growth of the young players And in previous seasons I didn't think that the growth of the young players Was as vital as it is this year Which is why my thoughts on tanking

and they have to lose and blah. It's just a little bit different. And quite honestly, the Titans don't have to tank at this point. They're just a terrible football team and we'll probably lose anyway. But they play the Texans at home this week. And I don't think the Titans are going to win the game. But the Texans will probably have Davis Mills out there.

Maybe that'll give the Titans a chance. All right? And the Titans are coming off a by. They've played Houston before. Houston just got done playing in some physical games. Maybe the Titans can pull it off. at least a chance to win this week. All right?

They have no chance to beat Seattle the week after that, even at home. I don't care. Seattle was a juggernaut. They are going to dominate the Titans. No chance there. But then they play another home game, their third home game in a row against Jacksonville. I know that Jacksonville is better than the Titans.

Absolutely Jacksonville is better. But you're telling me the Titans can't beat the Jags. I don't care how good or bad a Titans or Jags team is when those two teams play. anybody can win. The Titans can absolutely win that game. So out of the next three games, all three at home, I think two of them, the Titans have a chance to win. Then they're on the road against the Cleveland Browns.

That's going to be a tough matchup because Miles Garrett might just have 10 sacks by himself in that game. But the Titans can beat the Browns, whether they have Dylan Gabriel or Shadur Sanders in. It don't matter to me. The Titans could win that game conceivably. Then they're on the road at the 49ers. They're not winning that.

They're home for the Kansas City Chiefs. not winning that. But again, what if the Titans were competitive in the Chiefs game? I think that would be exciting. I think that would be optimistic going forward. Then the Titans have the Saints at home. Now, depending on what the records are going into that game, I understand if people are screaming, but Cam Ward could win that game. The Titans could beat the Saints at home. I don't think that that's insane. And then they play the Jags on the road in Week 18.

And again, I told you, anytime the Titans and Jags play, any team can win because those two teams are just constantly down in the mud with each other. They're ugly cousins. All right. So I think the Titans have five winnable games. I think they'll win two of those games. And again, I'm not going to be mad about it because I think this year more than any of the previous years,

the growth and confidence of the rookies is very important to what the Titans do going forward in the future. Let me know how many games you think the Titans win. Let me know if you totally disagree with me on wanting to win a couple of games down the stretch. But with that being said, let's zoom in a little bit and talk about what my expectations are for Cam Ward in the offense in the second half of the season.

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That's BetterHelphelp.com slash locked on because taking the step towards support might be. just leave you wondering, why didn't I do this sooner? Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Taking a look at where I think the Titans go from here with the rest of their schedule. And now I want to dive into some expectations for the offense, for the defense, individual players as well. Before we do, thanks again for making Locked-on Titans. You are at first listening.

Thank you again for making the Locked-on Podcast Network the number one sports podcast network. But obviously, I just want to take a broad look at the offense. And if you checked out the Titans Squad show that I do with Julian and Titans legend, Brad Hopkins. If you guys aren't checking that out, you absolutely should. it's in your feeds, it's on YouTube, you can watch it all the same just like you do this. I talked about some things I need to see from the offense. And number one, number one for me is more first down passing. And when I say that, I don't mean that the Titans need to be super exotic.

And I don't mean that the Titans need to line up in five wide and the Titans need to be in shotgun, nonstop. No, I actually think the opposite. I think what the Tennessee Titans need to do is they need to go to a heavy approach with multiple tight ends Cam Ward under center but they need to play action pass more on first down

right out of the gate they need to play action more on first down they must out of heavy personnel I would go way more under center and look it's not just play action on first down down for passing. Let's do some quick timing passing. But from under center, not from shotgun. Let's do it out of heavy personnel, like 12 personnel, 13 personnel, 21 personnel, 22 personnel. Let's do it with two tight ends, two running backs, three tight ends. Let's do it in

those scenarios. Get more base defenses on the field, more linebackers on the field that Chica Conquell and Gunner Helm can take advantage of for easy sit-down opportunities. The Titans need to be more heavy in their personnel and their formations, but they need to throw on early downs more. They are not throwing on early downs enough. And they are running too much on second and 10. You can't be so predictable. They have to be better on third downs.

That is actually the key going forward. The Titans have had so many third and long situations that it makes it nearly impossible to convert when you have the issues that the Titans have. And that's why they have a 28% third down conversion rate, which is the worst in the NFL. It's because all of their third downs are longer. But I would say start sooner. We look at the third down percentage and we say, oh, the Titans are terrible on third down. But the reality is the Titans are terrible on first and second down before they're terrible on third down,

and that's why third downs are so hard. It's not the end, it's the beginning. I need more production on early downs. And the Titans have to buck some of their statistical trends like their run rate on first down, their run rate on second and long. The use of shotgun, 13 or 11 personnel with three wide receivers out there.

The Titans have to buck some of these trends and if you look deeper at NFL trends, teams that are under center teams that shotgun rate is low teams that first down run rate is low because they pass on early downs and they're not in shotgun a ton those are the teams

most consistently that are having success in the NFL on offense right now six of the seven top seven offenses are not in the top 12 and shotgun rate and early down run rate. Which tells you that the good offenses in the NFL, the top offenses in the NFL, are not doing a ton of shotgun, and they're not running the ball a ton on first down. There you have it.

The Titans are one of the bad teams in that conversation. The Titans are one of the teams that are dumb, that don't get it, that are doing too much shotgun, that are running too often, obvious run situations, especially when the Titans don't have the personnel. And I talked about, again, I talked about this on the squad show, but every single week when you watch the tape,

it looks like the Titans are being outsmarted. The defense makes adjustments, makes alignment changes, makes shifts and motions on defense that are clearly showing that they know what's coming from the Titans. And it makes it easy to stop their run game. And when you can't run the ball, you get third and longs. It's that simple. So the Titans need to take some of the dumb trends that they are a part of

and flip them and do what the smart teams are doing. Now, for Cam Ward specifically, ball control. We can't have, and it's not just the turnovers. It's not just not fumbling in the pocket and not just dropping the ball on the ground. for me with Cam Ward it's also about getting off your passes

not there have been three or four maybe five passes where Cam Ward has thrown it and he's just babbled the ball in his hand while he's throwing it and the pass comes out wonky and it's five ten yards short of the receiver it's happened multiple times

I want to see Cam Ward hold the football better control the ball better I literally mean that in the sense of control the ball better in your hands, literally. That is the number one thing for me. Because that is a thing right there. The ball control issues,

that's something that will sink Cam Ward's career. We can get over taking sacks. We can get better at being more consistent in your reads. We can do all that if we're Cam Ward. But the ball control issue, if he has stupid turnovers and just can't handle the football, that will kill his career. That will kill his career.

So I need that to be better and more consistent the rest of the way. I want to say this too. Can I have a big game? Like I mentioned in the previous, can we get a 300-yard, 3 touchdown? Cam Ward was cooking out there. The Titans scored 20 plus points on offense.

Even if they lose. Like imagine if the Titans lost to the cheese 31 to 21, but Cam Ward looked better than Pat Mahomes in the game. Can we just get one of the, those. We haven't had one yet. It's been half a season and we haven't had a Cam Ward breakout game where we can be like that game is what it should look like. We've had moments. We've had flashes. We've had drives. We've had individual throws. But we have yet to have the

Cam Ward game. And I need it, man. This isn't me as talking about the foot. This is me as a Titans fan. Be honest. We need it. We haven't had it and we need it. So, I want that. Now, let me say this. A lot of people say Cam needs to run more. I tried to tell you guys before he was drafted. I continue to say it. I hear it all the time. Cam needs to run more. Cam is not a runner. You don't look at C.J. Stroud and say he needs to run more. You don't look at Joe Burrow and say he needs to run more. You don't look at, you know, Baker Mayfield and say, he needs to run more. Like, that's just not, if you think Cam Ward is a runner, he's slow, he's not going to outrun defenders.

It's not that big of an advantage for him to actually run the ball. And like, I've had people say they need to do design runs for him. You guys, that's not who Cam Ward is as a player. What are we talking about here? So that's my expectations for Cam Ward going forward. That's what I'm looking for. Let me know what you're looking for. I do want to also mention this.

Obviously, the rookie wide receivers, the rookie weapons, helm, D.K. I.O. Want to see them continue to progress. That's key. But I really want to see Lloyd Cushenberry and J.C. Latham on the offensive line play better. That's what I want to see. They need to play better. Or I'm going to be worried about the offensive line as we get into the all season.

I know people are like, I'm already worried about the offensive line. I think the offensive line can gel and play better down the back half. But that means that Cush and Latham must play better than they did in the first half of the season. And at running back, Calell Mullings, the rookie running back out of Michigan, seventh round pick, has been on IR all year. He was activated to practice this week, and I think he's going to return. We need to see whether Calell Mullings can actually be a factor for the Titans at running back for next year's team. because like I told you before the season,

like I told you during the season, like I'm telling you now, Tony Pollard will not be on this team next year. So do they have something, Callow Mullings? Can he actually take short yardage carries? Can he actually be that guy with Tadier Spears? Or are they going to need, you know, to focus more heavily on running back

than I'm certain they're hoping to? I want to see Calell Mullings and Tadier Spears work together in the backfield and see what they're capable of. But with that being said, we move to the defensive side of the ball. Let me know what you're looking for on offense in the second half of the season down below or hit me up on Twitter at Ticktack Titans.

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sports betting partner of the NBA. Titans fans, let's continue and cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, getting you ready to go for the second half of the season we went through the Titans schedule, talked about their wins, why I'm okay with some wins, talked about my expectations, and what I'm looking for on the offensive side of the ball. Now we've got to move to the defensive side of the ball, but I do want to thank you for making Locked-on Titans your first listening.

Thank you for making the Locked-on podcast network, the number one sports podcast network. We can't thank you enough, quite honestly. But with that being said, on defense, I want to see Tevonre Sweat and Big Jeff finally back together. We got it last year at times, but Sweat was a rookie. Jeff missed a couple of games. Now we get into the second season. Devandre Sweat misses a bunch of time in the off season,

misses a bunch of time in training camp, then gets back, then immediately gets hurt. Jeffrey Simmons is tearing it up without him, and then as soon as Sweat is about ready to come back, Jeffrey Simmons immediately gets hurt. Unbelievable. Since Sweat was drafted, we have talked about the potential of these two wrecking balls in the middle of the defense. and we wanted to see them grow together.

We wanted to see them play together. And with Devandre Sweat having an okay season and Jeffrey Simmons having a great season, is it too much to ask to want to see those guys on the field together? And Jeffrey Simmons had an Instagram post, crazy world that we're living in, but it's news, where he said he's ready to get back out on the field. He posted a picture of him, blah, blah, blah,

ready to get back out on the field, haven't played in three weeks. He sounded like, the post sounded like, Big Jeff was going to come back this week, was going to return and play this week. I need it like blood. And I need to see what Jeff and sweat will look like together.

And not only that, but I want to see what Cedric Gray looks like behind both those guys. Cedric Gray is third, fourth in the NFL and tackles right now. He's got like 90. I want to see Cedric Gray continue to blossom in the second half of the season continue to attack downhill with ferocity. I want to see Cedric Gray, but I want to see him behind those two mountains. That's when he's going to be at his best.

That's when it's going to be easiest for him to fly around and make plays and be all over the field. Because he doesn't have to have blocks on top of him because the double teams can't get off because they're too busy dealing with Jeff and sweat. That is the combination that I want to see. So I want to see Cedric Gray, but I want to see him behind Devondre Sweat and Jeffrey Simmons

and see what that duo can finally do when they're both healthy and they're both playing well. That's what I'm looking forward to on the defensive side of the ball. And quite honestly, staying in the front seven, I want to get Femi back on the field. Like, I want to get Femi old day Joe back on the field. And I know that, you know, it's a broken leg. So everybody is like, oh, you know, going on IR, he probably won't be back.

All right. And he went on IR before the game against the Patriots. So quick math, four weeks, week 11, he is eligible to come back. And like at this point with what the Titans have on the edge or what I should say, what the Titans don't have on the edge, on the edge, Dremont Jones is gone. Is Arden Key going to be back healthy?

Who knows? You have Jihad Ward, but they've been playing Jalen Harrell. I want to see Femmy back on the field to get those snaps because I know a lot of you guys have already given up on Femiola Dejo, but I have it, and he needs to develop, and he needs reps, and he needs opportunities.

And if you recall, and if you recall, Femio dejo had his best game of the season. When he got hurt, like he was playing well. The game needed to slow down for him so we could use his gifts and use his athleticism and use his strength. And it felt like it had finally started to slow down just a little bit. So I really, really, really, really, really need Femiola Dejo

to get back out on the field. No doubt about it. That's one thing that I'm looking for. And my expectation is that he does come back and play some snaps. Finally, in the back end, it's going to be Kevin Winston time, folks. He's gotten opportunities here in recent weeks. Now that Quadrae Diggs is going in the defensive back at slot quarterback, I need to see more from him as well.

So those two guys in the defensive backfield, those are going to be two dudes that we need to know what the expectations for them should be next year. So we set that baseline now. That's what I'm looking for. And then, of course, let's keep seeing. Chim D.K. Returner. Like, I think, I think D.K. is going to return another kick this year. I think he's got another return in it. To solidify himself as the all pro returner in the NFL as a rookie. Bones Fossel, Titan Special Teams Coordinator, even said,

I didn't think he was this good based on what I saw on the tape from Florida. But he is, he has Blossom. So let's see some more Chim D.K. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. Crossover Thursday tomorrow with my guy, John Hickman from Lockdown, Texans, make sure that you guys. Tune in for that. I am your host, Tyler Rowan and Dix.