Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans PLAYOFFS POSSIBLE With 2026 Schedule & Robert Saleh REVENGE GAME in Week One

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans schedule won't be easy, but the playoffs are possible. I'll go game by game and give you my predictions 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 on today's show. to break down the Tennessee Titans 2026 schedule.

Starting point is 00:00:39 Again, it's not going to be easy, but I think the playoffs are 100% possible. I'm going to go game by game, give my thoughts, and give my record prediction on what I think the Tennessee Titans are going to do this year. I think it's a very

Starting point is 00:00:54 manageable beginning to the season. The middle stretch is where the Titans are really going to tell us who they are. And that ending stretch is going to tell us who the Titans can be next year. Now, I want to start with week one, Robert Sala's revenge. We get a revenge game right out of the gate with the New York Jets at home. And quite honestly, if you're looking at the schedule and how things line up,

Starting point is 00:01:17 the Titans have to find a way to win this game. They can't lose to the New York Jets at home. They finally get a home game. All of the revenge factors. We talk about Robert Sala against his former team, Jermaine Johnson, John Franklin Myers, Tony Adams, maybe Michael Carter as well. Then you think the other side, Jarvis Brownlee Jr.

Starting point is 00:01:40 Tavondry Sweat, there's so much revenge there. The Tennessee Titans have to win that football game. It would just be so terrible to start out with a loss to the Jets. It would be just the worst way to begin a season. So I am going to believe that the Tennessee Titans get the job done and win that game and start the season 1 and 0. And what a great feeling that will be. Now, I got to tell you, you get to week two, you play the Philadelphia Eagle,

Starting point is 00:02:04 that's very, very difficult. I think that's a tough game. Now, the Titans are at home. So back-to-back games at home, if you told me that, I'd be happy. But Philadelphia is a tested team. They may not be as good as they were when they won the Super Bowl,

Starting point is 00:02:18 but they're still very good. I would have a hard time telling you that the Tennessee Titans, we're going to win that game against the Eagles. But if the Titans surprise us this year and are a better team than we think, I think that game right there, going to 2 and O against the Eagles at home,

Starting point is 00:02:31 it would be a big proving ground game for the Titans to show. Hey, we're not just trying to get better this year. We're going for the playoffs. But I don't think that's the game where they get it. So I'm going to have them losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. We get to the New York Giants in week three. The Titans finally go on the road.

Starting point is 00:02:47 And again, I wanted to play the Giants early before they got comfortable, before they knew the systems. I have more faith in the Titans to be ready quicker than the Giants and their offensive coaches. I think Harbaugh is a very good coach, of course. But the offensive coaching staff in New York has me a little worried. It may take DART, may take that offense a little bit.

Starting point is 00:03:06 Malik neighbors. Just had a second surgery. Is he going to be good to go early in the season? There's a lot of questions there. I prefer to play New York early. I think the Tennessee Titans win that game against the Giants. I think they can beat them up up front. Give me the Titans moving to two and one. I mean, if the Titans are two and one after three weeks, we're going to be feeling very, very good.

Starting point is 00:03:25 But I will tell you, a rivalry game to finish off the first month of the season as tough for the Titans as they stay on the road and go to the Baltimore Ravens. And look, I don't know if I believe that the Ravens are going to be a great team this year. I don't know if I'm going to have the Ravens winning their division, if I'm quite honest with you. I'm going to look over the schedules. But right now, I do lean Cincinnati. I like what Cincinnati's done. And I trust Cincinnati at this point more than I trust Baltimore Ravens in their 29-year-old offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who came from Chicago. But man, it's Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. It's going to be.

Starting point is 00:04:01 tough. I'm going to have the Titans losing that game as well. But again, a rivalry game, you can't count the Titans out in that one, especially if they're coming in two and one, they're playing good football. I don't think Baltimore is so good this year and with the questionable coaching on the offensive side of the ball that they're just going to be a juggernaut. So maybe it's possible. But I'm going to have the Titans at two and two after the first four games of the year. And who would be angry? Who would be upset if the Titans went two and two to start the year? I know that I wouldn't be upset. You shouldn't be upset. And it would be manageable for the Titans, maybe to steal one of those games against the Eagles or the Ravens

Starting point is 00:04:35 if they have a down season. And maybe that losing to the Titans is a sign that they're having a down season. Now, I would tell you that week five is always going to be a tough game because it's the Houston, Texas. Now, it's in Tennessee. So that gives the Titans a better chance being at home, coming back home, but I'll be honest. One of my takes this year, I'm going to do Locked on NFL after this. I do the Locked-on NFL podcast. You can check it out there, but I think Houston's going to be really good this year. I just think everything's going to come together for Houston. I don't think Jacksonville is going to win as many games.

Starting point is 00:05:09 I don't think Indianapolis is going to win as many games. The Titans will be a little bit better, I think, but I don't think the division will be as good as it was last year, generally speaking. And I think the Texans really take advantage. I think the Texans are one of the top five teams in the NFL this year personally. I think they put it together. So I'm going to have the Titans, even though they're at home, I'm going to have them losing to the Houston Texans in that game.

Starting point is 00:05:31 So that would mean that the Titans are two and three through their first five games. Then they play the Indianapolis Colts on the road. And I'm going to have them losing that one too. I wanted to play the Colts early in the year, but the Colts are a tough team. They always play the Titans well. Go to Indianapolis. I just think it's a tough environment. And with it being week six, I wanted to play the Colts

Starting point is 00:05:57 earlier in the season. Danny Dimes coming back from injury. They've lost some pieces on offense, maybe some new pieces on the offensive line. But by week six, I think Indianapolis will be in a fine place. It'll be a tough game. And this is a swing game, in my opinion. If the Titans win this game,

Starting point is 00:06:14 see, I don't feel the same of, yeah, maybe they beat Philadelphia, maybe they beat Baltimore, maybe they beat Houston, but they could sweep Indianapolis this year. I think that's more realistic than some of those other teams. And that would be, so if they could sweep Indianapolis,

Starting point is 00:06:27 here and go to three and three on the season, that would be tremendous. But I am going to have them losing that game in Indianapolis, but completely manageable for six weeks. They could come out of that first six weeks, four and two, three and three. And even if they're two and four, like I'm projecting that they're going to be, two and four, well, we had three wins in back-to-back years, the last two seasons, getting two wins in the first six weeks. You know, you can't be mad about that.

Starting point is 00:06:54 And then they come to week seven at home again. the Cleveland Browns, and obviously, in my opinion, that's a must-win game. You cannot lose to this Browns. They're going to be tanking. They're going to have a way worse quarterback. They are a worst team. You cannot lose to the Cleveland Browns at home. You can't.

Starting point is 00:07:11 So when the Titans win that game, now they're three and four in the first seven weeks. If the Titans are three and four and through seven weeks have already matched their win total from the previous two seasons, we are going to be a happy group. And at three and four, you can't sit here and tell me that the Titans don't have a chance at the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:07:30 Like, they are absolutely in a spot to make the playoffs. And then they go on the road and play the Bengals. And again, like I told you with the Texans, the Bengals for me are a team that I'm high on this year. I think the Bengals are going to be good this year. I do. I think they're going to win their division.

Starting point is 00:07:51 That's how I feel. Now, training camp's going to happen and there can be injuries and trades and changes. and a lot of stuff. So you can't hold me to any of these initial predictions. But right now I'm telling you, I think the Bengals are going to be good. I think they're going to be 12 and 5.

Starting point is 00:08:04 So I think that's going to be one of those games where the Titans defense is truly challenged. I do trust the Titans offense right now a little bit more than I trust the Bengals defense. But can the Titans defense be an elite defense that holds down the Bengals offense with T. Higgins, Jamar Chase, all of that. That's going to be difficult.

Starting point is 00:08:22 So I'm going to have the Titans losing a close one. against the Cincinnati Bengals, which means they go to their buy, they go into the buy week at 3 and 5. I think if the Titans went into the buy week at 3 and 5, we should all be very happy about how the beginning of the season went. And again, beat Indianapolis, beat Cincinnati, beat Baltimore. You win one of those games and now you're 4 and 4, you're 500, and if it were to be Houston, if it were to be Indianapolis,

Starting point is 00:08:52 you're still in the division race. So I think at first glance, I was like, wow, that's a brutal start to the schedule. You got Philly, you got Baltimore, you got Houston, you play Indianapolis. But realistically, the first eight weeks of the year are very manageable for the Titans. They absolutely can come out of that stretch, three and five, four, and four. I think that would be an absolute home run for the Tennessee Titans. And then you get into the biweek, and yes, the by week being in week nine, I prefer 10 and later, but at least it isn't super early.

Starting point is 00:09:25 So I think this second half of the season is where the Titans are really going to prove who they are. Do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by Fanduel. The NBA playoffs are here and every possession matters if you're looking to get even closer to the action. FanDil has a great offer to get you started. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get $150 and bonus bets if your first bet wins. that's right, turn five bucks into 150 and bonus bets just for getting started. I like using Fandul during the playoffs because everything I need is right there in one place. You can check stats, trends, matchups before making your picks,

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Starting point is 00:10:30 That's Fandle.com to get started, Fandle. Play your game. Fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Again, breaking down the schedule for the Tennessee Titans. I have the Titans going three and five through the first eight games of the year. They're going to beat the Jets in week one, lose to Philly in week two, beat the Giants in week three, lose to Baltimore and Houston and four and five respectively, lose to the Colts in week six, then beat the Browns and lose to the Bengals.

Starting point is 00:11:16 Again, three wins, five losses heading into the biweek. And listen, the buy week being at week nine, I prefer a later buy week. I do like when the by week is a little bit later on in the season, help you get that final break before you make that push. At week nine, it's right in the middle. You know, nine and ten is right in the middle. 10 would be the earliest, but not. isn't an outright disaster.

Starting point is 00:11:38 Again, I, like, for me, I can handle nine, I can take nine, I can live with nine, and I'm not going to be angry about it. I would have preferred 10, 11, that's better, but I did call this when we did our ideal schedule prediction that the Titans would have their buy week

Starting point is 00:11:57 and then come out of that playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now, I wanted the Titans buy to be week 10, and then the Jags game to be week 11, but the buy week is at week nine, and then they come out with a home game against, Jacksonville. And to me, again, the second half of the season, the second half of the season is, who are you really going to be? Because you don't get a Jets, a Giants, a Browns. You don't get that.

Starting point is 00:12:22 You don't get a home game against Houston. You have to play teams that are going to be playoff contenders or have a lot of talent. And Jacksonville won the division last year. You have to play at home against Jacksonville. If you really want to be a team that's in the hunt, I'm not saying the Titans are going to make the playoffs. But if you want to be in the hunt and give yourself a possibility, you need to win that home game against Jacksonville

Starting point is 00:12:46 coming out of the buy. Coming out of the body. You have extra time to prep. The Robert Sala revenge factor with Liam Cohen. They should be fired up for that game. That game matters to me. You need to win that game. Now, the problem is,

Starting point is 00:13:05 I don't know, I don't know if they're going to be able to do it. I don't know if they're going to be able to do it. It's going to be difficult. It's going to be tough. But I'll give it to them. I think the Titans do beat Jacksonville, get their fourth win, move to four and five on the season. I think they're going to beat Jacksonville once.

Starting point is 00:13:25 I think Jacksonville has a lesser year this year than what they had last year. I think they're more beatable. We'll talk about Jacksonville more as we get into the summer and I do kind of my AFC South review. But I think Jacksonville is a little high on their own. supply right now, thinking that they have the best answers in the world, didn't like their all season, their free agency, they let people go, their draft was terrible. I think Jacksonville is prime for a little bit of humble pie, in my opinion. I think the Titans come out of the

Starting point is 00:13:50 buy week and they beat Jacksonville and let them know, like usual, you had a nice little Mickey Mouse run, but it's time to come back down to Earth. Now, when the Titans go on the road against the Dallas Cowboys in week 11, that's a very difficult game. And again, that's like the Bengals. if the Titans defense is elite this year, then the Bengals and Cowboys games, I think can swing to the Titans because those are offensive-led teams with questions on defense.

Starting point is 00:14:18 But I've got to be honest with you, I think their wide receiver talent with C.D. Lamb and George Pickens and then Jamar Chase and T. Higgins, I don't think the Titans' cornerbacks are good enough to handle that. Like, I think it's Alante Taylor and Cordell Flot are a big upgrade, but can they handle that?

Starting point is 00:14:33 They aren't those type of cornerbacks. I'm going to have the Titans losing to the Cowboys, which makes them four and six through 11 weeks. Then you play Jacksonville again. And listen, I don't think the Titans are going to sweep Jacksonville. And with them playing so close together, that's going to make things pretty easy from a scouting perspective. You know, teams like to look at things in four game cycles.

Starting point is 00:14:57 Well, you just played them two weeks ago, not that much, is going to change. So I think the Titans lose to Jacksonville in that game, which is like the closest. the Titans have to a primetime game that they didn't get 405 against Jacksonville in that one. So I think they lose that when. They split with Jacksonville. Okay, I think that's fair, a fair projection. Then they play Washington at home to start December,

Starting point is 00:15:21 and that's a game the Titans have to win. That's a must-win game. I think the Titans can be better than the Washington commanders this year. I don't trust Dan Quinn. I didn't like the hire of David Blowett offensive coordinator. I think that's a big downgrade from Cliff Kingsbury. so I'm going to have the Tennessee Titans winning that game. So the Titans are 5 and 7 through 13 weeks is where I have them,

Starting point is 00:15:45 which I think is a completely respectable place to be. They go on the road and play the Detroit Lions in week 14. The Titans aren't on that level yet. I think the Lions are a tier ahead of them this year, even though the Lions take a little bit of a step back again. But I think the Lions win that game at home. So the Titans are 5 and 8. then they play their home game against Indianapolis.

Starting point is 00:16:05 And I think the Titans get their get back here. I think that Indianapolis is going to be right there with the Titans this year. I think they take another step back. I don't think they're going to be as good as they started the season last year. I think Indianapolis could ultimately be worse than the Titans in terms of division rankings. I think the Titans could be better this year than Indianapolis and the Titans win that game at home against Indianapolis,

Starting point is 00:16:27 which moves them to 6 and 8 with 3 games left. 6 and 8. So at 6 and 8 coming off a big time home win against the Colts, the Titans have the Raiders, the Steelers, and the Texans, and they have a real shot at going 9 and 8 and maybe sneaking into the playoffs. And that is where you want the Titans to be. That's where you want the Titans to be with a chance. the hunt. They've won six games. There's three games left. They could have a winning record.

Starting point is 00:17:05 If the Titans are six and eight with three games left, that is a massive success. Massive success. They have doubled their win total with three games left on the season. That is great. And then they have a road game against the Raiders. And look, it's tough to go on the road all the way across the country to Vegas after a physical home game against the courts, but at least they were at home. Look, I have to have faith. Cam Ward is better than Fernando Mendoza. The Titans are going to be able to shut down their measly weapons group, even though Gentie and Bowers are good.

Starting point is 00:17:45 Nobody else is any good on that team. On their skill positions. Genty and Bowers, that's it. Mayor is okay, I guess. But the Titans are going to win that game. They don't have the wide receiver talent to challenge the Titans the way they need to be challenged on defense. defensive line will feast. The Titans will beat the Raiders.

Starting point is 00:18:04 And they have to beat the Raiders if they want to have the season that we hope they can have. So that gets the Titans to seven wins. Seven and eight, two games left. But I got to tell you, they play the Pittsburgh Steelers at home. And the Titans just never beat the Steelers. I think they can win that game. Like the Titans could win that game and give themselves a real chance. But I'm going to have them losing to Pittsburgh.

Starting point is 00:18:29 The Titans just never beat Pittsburgh. I just can't, I literally can't, I think the Titans won one game in the late 2000s against Pittsburgh, but the Will Levis game and then all the Ben games before that going back into history, man. I just feel like they never beat Pittsburgh. So if the Titans have the playoffs on the line and they're playing Pittsburgh,

Starting point is 00:18:53 I'm going to have them losing that game. But just the fact that the Titans, two weeks left in the season, and they're literally still fighting for something. What a massive rousing success that would have us fired up. And then week 18 at Houston, the worst possible division game that they could get, they lose to Houston.

Starting point is 00:19:12 Now, maybe Houston is already in if they have the season that I hope, and they give it to the Titans, and then the Titans beat Pittsburgh, they beat Houston's backups, and they go into the playoffs as the seventh wildcard team. That's possible. That's possible, and that's a good thing. I feel like it's possible. But I'm not going to, I'm not going to bank on that.

Starting point is 00:19:29 So I'm going to have the Titans going 7 and 10 this season based on that schedule. I could flip and have them winning a couple more games if they have a good training camp, a good preseason, if things are looking good, guys are stepping up that they need to step up. Things are going the way that they need to go with the rookies and cam and the system and all that. I could be swayed. The schedule is manageable. And I think that's what's most important,

Starting point is 00:19:56 even though I'm mad that they didn't get a primetime game. Do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by Rocket Money. If you've ever opened your bank account and thought, where did all my money go? You're not alone. Keeping track of subscriptions, spending bills, it can get overwhelming fast. That's where Rocket Money comes in,

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Starting point is 00:20:44 Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at RocketMoney.com slash Lockedon. That's RocketMoney.com slash locked on. fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Again, breaking down the Tennessee Titans' 20-6 schedule. We just went through every single game of the season. I think the Tennessee Titans are going to go 7 and 10, but I am salty that they don't have any primetime games.

Starting point is 00:21:28 Before I tell you, 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 that you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. every day. Shout out to my everydayers out there. Tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you want to be a real everydayer, you got to join the Locked on Titans every day or club.

Starting point is 00:21:51 Hit the link down below in the description. You're going to get commercial free versions of the podcast in your favorite podcast app. You're going to get added to the Locked on Titans every day or group chat with me and all the other everydayers. Make sure that again, you get subscribed, stay subscribed and hit the link down below to join the Locked on Titans Every Dayer Club today. but 7 and 10 on the year. Overall, I think the schedule is incredibly manageable. Like there's no point through the schedule where I'm like, that's too difficult.

Starting point is 00:22:23 I would say, you know, look at it in the little chunks. The Jets, no way, Philadelphia, tough game. But then you get the Giants. I think the Giants are going to be improved this year. But they're not so good that the Titans can't beat them or I don't think that's possible. I'm going to predict a win. Then Baltimore and Houston is tough at Indiana.

Starting point is 00:22:40 Like those three games right there might be the most difficult stretch. Baltimore, Houston, Indianapolis. Away, home, away. That's tough. But then Cleveland, Cincinnati, nothing with Cleveland in it can be considered hard. And the Bengals aren't unbeatable. Jacksonville, Dallas, Jacksonville, I guess.

Starting point is 00:23:03 But even then, Dallas isn't a juggernaut. They're not unbeatable. And the Titans are coming out of their buy when they get to play the first game against Jacksonville. Jacksonville, which makes that a more winnable game, no matter who you're playing. And then Washington, Detroit, Indianapolis at home, I think the Titans can beat Indianapolis at home. I think the Titans could be better than Indianapolis this year.

Starting point is 00:23:22 Detroit is hard, but Washington at home, that's a winnable game. So it's not like that. And then Vegas, Pittsburgh, Houston, I think Houston's going to be good. I don't like playing Pittsburgh, but it's Aaron Rogers could be heard by then. They could be playing Drew Aller or Will Howard because old man Rogers couldn't make it through the season. And then how would we feel?

Starting point is 00:23:40 If the Titans got to play Indy at home, away against Vegas, and then home against Pittsburgh without Rogers, we would be like, and then you add in Washington and Detroit. Detroit is very tough, but home against Washington, home against Indy, against the Raiders,

Starting point is 00:23:59 home against Pittsburgh with no Rogers. I mean, the Titans could dominate the final stretch of the season. It's absolutely possible. And if you look at that front stretch going back, Say they beat the Jets, they beat the Giants. They win one of Baltimore, Houston. Maybe they beat Baltimore because Baltimore is not that good this year. They beat Indianapolis because Indianapolis is not that good.

Starting point is 00:24:20 They beat, I mean, the Titans could be five and four, and it wouldn't be crazy going into the by week. So this schedule for me is manageable. That's the best word, because it's not so difficult that I can't see the Titans finding a way to win or something like that. Like, oh, wow, that's like, it's not as bad as the start of their season. last year with Denver and Los Angeles and, you know, Houston, that was tough.

Starting point is 00:24:44 It's not as difficult as that, in my opinion. So nowhere is it super easy. Also, like, you know, if the Jets, the Browns and the Raiders were together, or Washington and the Browns and one of the Colts games were together, you know, Vegas and New York and New York were together in a three-week stretch, that would be a great stretch. There isn't one of those to make it easy. but again, it's spaced out enough between the opponents, I think, are beatable

Starting point is 00:25:15 and the difficult opponents, and even the, uh, we'll see opponents, are in spots where I think it's possible the Titans could win. So again, I'm not, I have them at 7 and 10. That's not good enough to make the playoffs. But the playoffs are possible with this schedule. It's not going to crush them too bad early or make it impossible to do it late. It is feasible throughout if they handle the business. that they should handle.

Starting point is 00:25:40 Now, the fact the Titans didn't get any primetime games, it makes me mad. They deserve one primetime game. Come on. Just off changing the coaches, New Jersey's, last year in the stadium. Cam Ward, like, I just,

Starting point is 00:26:03 I just think it's crazy, man. Two full seasons where Cam Ward hasn't got a prime time game is the number one overall pick. The Jets didn't get a prime time game. They're in New York, so tough to complain there. Raiders didn't get one. They have the number one pick this year, but they could be playing Kirk Cousins.

Starting point is 00:26:21 Cardinals didn't get one, but they have Jacoby Brassette starting. And dolphins, they have Malik Willis starting. So I'm sorry, I feel like the Titans are a little bit different in some of those teams. Gino Smith, Kurt Cousins, Jacoby Brissette, Malik Willis. Like, you know.

Starting point is 00:26:37 But you know what the Titans have to do? they have to play so good that their game is interesting at the end of the year and they get flexed into a primetime game. How about that? But again, my record prediction for the Titans, 7 and 10. Let me know your record prediction down below.

Starting point is 00:26:58 Again, very manageable schedule. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. I'm going to be back with a bonus episode tomorrow to look at the Titans X-factor games, the Titans kind of pivot games, Titans tough stretch, dive into the schedule a little bit more on tomorrow's bonus episode. Probably go the full 30 minutes on that one as well.

Starting point is 00:27:15 But again, that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans PLAYOFFS POSSIBLE With 2026 Schedule & Robert Saleh REVENGE GAME in Week One

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