Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST TANK v Jacksonville Jaguars, Draft Order Uncertainty & So Many Remaining Needs

Episode Date: December 23, 2024

The Tennessee Titans seemed like a team that needed to build momentum and organizational confidence down the stretch of the season, but the reality is at this point there is no chance of that happening and because of that the Titans need to TANK their last two games to ensure something positive comes from this wretched season. When you look at the draft order right now, the Titans are skating on thin ice and don't have room for an error in the form of a win over the Jaguars or Texans. Finally, when you look at all the needs on this team at key positions including quarterback it becomes clear just how vital it is to get as early of a pick as possible.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Hillsdale CollegeAll of Hillsdale’s courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever, and tune in wherever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions - or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/lockedon to enroll. There’s no cost, and it’s easy to get started.PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.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.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.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)

I admit, I've had a change of heart. The Tennessee Titans must tank! 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. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by PrizePix.

Go to prizepix.com slash locked on NFL. Use the code locked on NFL, all lowercase to win $50 instantly when you play $5. On today's episode, it is all about the Tennessee Titans tank. I'm going to explain to you why I've changed my mind on why the Titans should tank, talk about the path towards the top pick in the draft for the Titans, and talk about the many needs that make the Titans tank so, so important. Before we get into all of that, I do want to thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day.

Remember, Monday through Friday, even on Christmas, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. And speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there

tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. What you got to know when you tune in to the Locked on Titans podcast is I do not take days off. Speaking of every day, you're going to have a show on Christmas Eve. You're going to have a show on Christmas.

You're going to have a show the day after Christmas. Full regular schedule of the Locked on Titans podcast for you guys. That's my Christmas gift that I promise you every single year. But with that being said, again, the whole point of this episode in my mind is that I have changed my mind. I have come to terms with where the Titans are at. I've had a Christmas change of heart, you could say. So let me set this up because I think it's clear now

that the Tennessee Titans must tank. They cannot win these last two games. And if you asked me a month ago after the Houston Texans win, I would not have said the same thing. And here's the reality. First and foremost, I'm allowed to change my mind. I'm allowed to gather more information. I'm allowed to look at things differently. And quite frankly, if you don't do that as a human being, then I question your judgment, quite honestly, because, you know,

just because you didn't think it was going to rain, well, if it starts drizzling, probably smart to get the umbrella rather than foolishly and stubbornly act like it's not going to rain still. So a month ago after that Houston Texans win and going into the Houston Texans game, my thought process was this is different than last year. Last year in my mind, we had a lame duck coach in Mike Vrabel. I thought the Titans would fire Mike Vrabel going forward. I thought that was the right move to make. So I'm not worried about building momentum for next year or building the culture going

forward or anything like that. So last year at the end of the season, I was like, why would we care about any of that? There's going to be, you know, 50 new players on the team next year, probably have a new head coach who cares about the culture? Who cares about building momentum? We need to get the best draft pick possible. That's what we need to do. And then this year, I looked at it and I was like, okay, things are different.

We have a first-year head coach who is going to be back next year. We have a lot of young players on the team who will be on the team next year. This is the first year of a brand new regime, which does need to have the culture built and does need to have momentum built into next year. All those things are real for this team that weren't real for the Titans at the end of last season. So that was my basis for, yeah, I don't care if the Titans win the Texans game. Yeah, I want the Titans to win games down the stretch. Yeah, I want the Titans to look like a competent team at the end of the season because it was about

setting the culture and building the momentum and all of that. Well, I am to a point now where I don't think any of that is possible. You could tell me that the Titans win the last two games of the year. I'm not going to sit here and say, oh, well, that builds momentum for Brian Callahan. That makes me more confident that Brian Callahan and the team will turn things around next year. No. It's like the fake comeback in the game against Indianapolis. Just because they had a fake comeback at the end and made it look close doesn't change

all of the negative feelings that I felt about the start of that game when they got down 31-7. That's how I feel right now. I don't care if the Titans beat Jacksonville with Mac Jones. I don't care if the Titans beat the Houston Texans who are sitting their players because their seed in the playoffs is already set in stone. If Brian Callahan goes out there and wins those games with Mason Rudolph at quarterback,

that doesn't inspire more confidence in Brian Callahan. That doesn't build momentum for next year. It's too late for all that. The negative feelings that we feel about this season, about Brian Callahan, about the roster, about the way things have gone, those negative feelings cannot be impacted in any direction by what happens in these last two games. It is already at the bottom. You're telling me, oh, it could go lower.

It is already at the bottom. The confidence in Brian Callahan to do his job, the confidence in this team going forward is already at the bottom. job. The confidence in this team going forward is already at the bottom. So in my mind, a month ago, I naive, naivishly, I don't know if that's a word, but I was naivety, now I'm searching. I was naive. Let's just go the simple route, okay? I was naive to think that this team could build positive momentum, that Brian Callahan could have this team play well at the end of the season to build that towards next year. But there is no chance that that can happen now.

Again, nothing that happens in the last two weeks of the season against what I expect to be a sitting JV version of the Texans and then, of course, the crappy Jacksonville Jaguars wins against those teams teams inspire no additional confidence and build no additional momentum going into the year, next year. So that has changed my mind. And you look at what the Titans need on this team. You look at the situation that they're in in terms of their draft pick

and all the other teams around them, which we're all getting ready to talk about on today's episode. I'm sorry, but there is no way in the world that momentum or confidence can gain enough in the last two weeks for it to mean more than getting as high of a draft pick as possible. If those are the two things on the Libra scale, high draft pick, confidence and momentum for next season,

if those are the two things we're weighing, the draft pick is far more important. Because we are at a point with this loss to the Colts and the loss to the Jaguars and the loss to the Bills and the loss to the Lions and the early season losses to the Jets and the Packers and the loss to the Jaguars and the loss to the Bills and the loss to the Lions and the early season losses to the Jets and the Packers and the Bears. There's no way that two wins against the Jags and the Texans

can erase those feelings at this point for me. So yeah, I've changed my mind. Yes, I've had a change of heart. The Tennessee Titans must tank. They cannot win these last two games. It would be incredibly detrimental to the future of the

franchise, and I'm going to go through every team around the Titans in the draft order and explain exactly why. Before I do, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Look, the NFL playoffs are almost here. Even though the Titans aren't in, I'm still excited. But it's not too late to get in on the regular season action

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tank or not after seeing the last three weeks of football that the Titans have put out on the field. There is no additional confidence or momentum going into next season at this point. So you might as well lose and get the top draft pick. And boy, the Titans are on thin ice with that draft pick,

which makes it so, so important that they lose. I'm going to go through where the Titans are at in their tank job. Plus, talk about why it's so important to tank when you look at the needs that this team has on the roster. Do want to thank you again, though, for making Locked on Titans your first listen. Happy holidays. Merry Christmas Eve. Really appreciate you guys tuning in with me

all year long and being everydayers here to the Locked on Titans podcast. But with that being said, we will start at the top. Alright. Right now, the Tennessee Titans have the fourth pick in the NFL draft. Right now, they have the fourth pick in the NFL draft.

Right now, they have the fourth pick. So who's in front of them? The New York Giants, 2-13. They play the Colts next, and then they play at Philadelphia. Now, they'll probably lose to the Colts because the Colts are trying to win games, but Philly could sit all their players in the final week of the season. Now, we just saw Kenny Pickett almost beat the Washington Commanders. I think the JV Eagles probably still beat the New York Giants,

but there is a chance that the Giants win against Philadelphia in Week 18 because they're sitting their players, and here is what's critical. I've seen a lot of confusion on this. People saying the Titans lost to the Jaguars. How are the Jaguars ahead of the Titans? Draft pick order does not care about head-to-head. That's the playoffs, all right? What draft pick order cares about is strength of schedule. And the weaker strength of schedule you have, the lower number and strength of schedule you have, the higher you will be. Okay?

So the New York Giants currently have a 555 strength of schedule. The teams that they have played have gone over 500, 555. All right? So if the Titans and the Giants were to have the same record, the Titans would be above the Giants were to have the same record, the Titans would be above the Giants. So it would be helpful for the Giants to win one of those final two games. Again, I think the most realistic version is Philadelphia.

But now we get into teams that have the same record as the Titans. Look, the Giants are 2-13. If they're smart, they will secure the No. 1 pick. If they just lose their games like they're going to be favored to, then they will get the number one pick, and that's exactly what they need. So I think they'll do everything they can to not win those last two games. But then we come to the New England Patriots, who are

3-12, just like the Titans. They play the Los Angeles Chargers next, and they finish with a home game against the Buffalo Bills, and it's the same exact thing as the Philadelphia Eagles against the Giants in week one. New England has to play Buffalo. That's not great.

But Buffalo is probably going to be secure in the No. 2 seed in the AFC and will most likely sit a lot of their starters, which gives New England, who has been playing better football lately and has a really good young quarterback in Drake May, gives them a real chance to upset Buffalo in the last week of the season. And New England's strength of schedule is 463. The Titans is 512. So for the Titans to get ahead of New England,

they need New England to win an additional game. New England has to have a better record than the Titans for the Titans to be above them. But again, the Giants win against JV Philly in Week 18. Buffalo, the Patriots win against JV Buffalo in Week 18. The Titans lose out. The Titans could have the number one pick or would have the number one pick confirmed.

That's what has to happen. If the Titans lose both their next two games and the Giants and the Patriots win one more, the Titans would have the No. 1 pick. That's what has to happen. And anything the Tennessee Titans can do to make that happen, they need to. You go next. Pick No. 3 is Jacksonville. And again, I explain. The Titans lost to Jacksonville, but Jacksonville's strength of schedule is 480.

Titans 512. So Jacksonville is always going to have the advantage over the Titans if their records are the same. That is why this game is so important this weekend. The Titans go to Jacksonville. They cannot win the game. I think that they will win the game. Personally, I think the Titans do

win the game. But if they were smart, they would do everything they can to avoid winning that football game. They cannot afford to beat Jacksonville. If they beat Jacksonville, they're probably picking 9th, 8th, Jacksonville. They're probably picking ninth,

eighth, probably ninth, realistically. And we'll get into why. Like, the difference in winning this game is the third pick in the draft or the ninth pick in the draft is the difference in winning this game with Jacksonville.

That's how dangerous this situation is. You go forward, the Titans right there at the fourth pick, 3-12. They play Jacksonville. They play Houston. They have a 5-12 strength of schedule. Then you go to Cleveland, who's 3-12. They go, or they play Miami, and then they're at Baltimore. Baltimore is going to be fighting for seating with the Steelers to win that division and get a home playoff game the whole season. So Cleveland doesn't get the, oh, this team's not going to play their starters. No, Cleveland's going to lose both those games. And Cleveland has a 532 strength of schedule,

which is higher than the Titans. But again, if the Titans beat Jacksonville this weekend, then Cleveland's going to jump them. And what does Cleveland want? A quarterback. So it doesn't give the Titans beat Jacksonville this weekend, then Cleveland's going to jump them. And what does Cleveland want? A quarterback. So it doesn't give the Titans the ability to trade down for a quarterback-needy team. And if the Titans want a quarterback themselves,

they're not going to have the opportunity to do that. Then you have Las Vegas, who's 3-12. They play at New Orleans. Maybe they win that game. They've been playing better football. And then they play against the Chargers. They're not winning that game. And their strength of schedule is 542.

So, the Titans would still be ahead of the Raiders if they tie in record. But if the Titans beat the Jags and go above, they drop below the Raiders too. Then you get to the teams with four wins on the season. Carolina, 4-11. 4-98 strength of schedule.

That's worse than the Titans. So if the Titans were to win the game against Jacksonville, and Carolina loses against Tampa Bay this week, then Carolina jumps the Titans. Better pick, young quarterback playing well, good momentum at the end of the season, and still a better pick than the Titans. They get their cake and eat it too.

And then you have the Jets who are 4-11. They play at Buffalo this week. Buffalo needs the win. They're still in the number one seed. It's week 18 where they could sit people. And then they play Miami who's going to play hard at the end. Jets lose both those games. Titans win one of their games.

Jets have a 5-0-2 strength of schedule. Leap over the Titans. So the Titans would drop all the way down to No. 9 if they were to win this game and everything else kind of holds. So it's pretty clear here how important this game against Jacksonville is. The Titans must lose. They cannot here how important this game against Jacksonville is. The Titans must lose. They cannot afford to win this game. It would just destroy the value of their pick for a trade down.

It would destroy their ability to get a young quarterback if they like one of the two, Cam Ward or Shadur Sanders. It just puts the franchise in such a worse position going forward. They simply cannot afford it. And that's why with the loss of the ability to gain confidence and gain momentum, and then the detriment that winning the game could do, the Titans have to tank.

And when you look at the roster and all the needs that they have, it becomes even more apparent. Today's episode is brought to you by PrizePix. If you love watching the game, maybe not the Titans games, but, you know, football in general, you're going to love PrizePix. The easiest and most exciting

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Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to rocketmoney.com slash locked on today. That's rocketmoney.com slash locked on rocketmoney.com slash locked on. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Thank you all so much for tuning in, not only today, but all season long. Shout out to my everydayers out there. Again, I'm going to have an episode for you on Christmas. I'm going to have an episode for you the day after.

New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, all that stuff. Five days a week, all year round here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Also, five days a week, all year round with no holidays on Locked on NFL. So make sure you make Locked on NFL your second listen, especially as we get close to the playoffs. You're going to stay updated on all your NFL news even after the Titans season is mercifully over. But I've talked about why I've changed my mind on what the Titans direction should be here the last finish to the season. I talked about where the Titans are at in terms of the tank and who's ahead of them

and what they have to be hoping for. hoping for. But now I want to kind of... It was what the Titans should do, how they should do it, and now I want to go into why they should do it. Look at this roster, folks. They desperately need blue chip players.

And again, one thing that you are going to hear me say all draft season long from now until April is that this draft class does not have a ton of first round talent. A lot of scouts in the industry are saying that this draft class only has about nine first round talents. Maybe nine or ten guys have a first round grade. It's so, so important to have as high of a pick as possible look at the needs quarterback the Titans don't have a quarterback

they don't have one scary scary place to be so if you want a quarterback in the draft then you need them to tank because the Titans certainly can't afford to trade a bunch of picks and go up for these two quarterbacks. They're not that level of prospect. If it comes to you and it's there, then sure, take a chance.

But you can't trade multiple first-round picks to go up for Ward or Sanders. They're not that level of prospect. So you need a QB. Not only that, but you still need a right tackle. Desperately. And I don't think that Kelvin Banks is a certified offensive tackle at the NFL level. He could be a guy who slides into guard.

He's only 6'4". But maybe the Titans see him as a tackle. And he's going to go top 10. And then you have edge, which is really where I want the Titans to be in this draft. I'm not going to freak out if they go after one of the quarterbacks because if you believe in them, you need them. Go ahead and do it. I'm not going to say that that is my preferred route to take

to go draft a quarterback in this draft class. Well, the first two. Anything after that, I'm like, whatever. What a waste. But I personally, if I had my way, the Titans would get an edge. Abdul Carter from Penn State is like my top, top, top prospect. My number one prospect is Abdul Carter. Penn State, edge rusher.

There's Mikel Williams from Georgia, who's a guy that people like a lot. I don't think that James Pierce Jr. from Tennessee is quite in the top 10 conversation at this point. But, hey, he's an option. And then you get the wide receiver. Luther Burden, if you want to play Travis Hunter at wide receiver. Teteroa McMillan, my guy out of Arizona, who I've cooled on, if I'm honest with you. A lot of my opinions on players will change between now and

the draft so um which is what happens with everyone because people change their big boards and do additional research and get additional information and all that I can't wait to see T-Max 40-yard dash need that to be in the four fives we cook but again there's three wide receivers right there very good players. I'd take them in the back end of the top ten. A trade as well. If the Titans get the first or the second pick and they don't like one of these quarterbacks, they can trade down.

Say they trade with the Giants or they trade with the Raiders and they can still get a top four, top six pick and also get a first round pick next year with a team that's probably not going to be good next year either because they have a rookie quarterback. That would be so perfect. And then you get to the secondary needs on this team. The Titans need more interior offensive line. Lloyd Cushenberry tours Achilles. Dylan Radins is a free agent. The offensive line could still be a major issue

if they don't attack it properly. You look at inside linebacker. The linebacker play against the Colts was a true disaster. Like the Titans have a bunch of terrible or young linebackers. Kenneth Murray, Jerome Baker, Luke Gifford, terrible. James Williams, Cedric Gray, Otis

Reese, young, not very good right now. And then the Titans are going to need a safety. Quandre Diggs had a major injury. He was already in his 30s. Amani Hooker's been a good player this year, but how long? He looked bad in run defense.

He's slowing down a little bit as he gets closer to 30. Like, there are so many needs on this team. You need as high of draft picks as possible, not only in the first round, but in every round. So, again, we talked about what the Titans should do, and that's tank. How they should do it and lose their last two games and move up as far as they can.

And why? Because the roster is so destitute. So that's why all of those things combined is why I've changed my mind on what the Titans should do here at the end of the season. But with that being said, tomorrow, I'm going to do a little veteran quarterback conversation. Some veteran quarterbacks that could come to the Titans, and I'll talk about which I prefer and why

and what it would look like if the Titans got them. So don't miss that. That's going to be out on Christmas morning. Or if you're on YouTube, it's going to be out on Christmas Eve. So I hope you guys enjoy that again. Five days a week, all year round. Never take a break. If you guys could throw me a five-star review on Apple Podcasts

for the hard work as my Christmas gift, I would definitely appreciate that. But with that being said, that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans. you