Yesterday was a big day for Titans fans as they finally were able to start making plans with the release of the NFL’s schedule for all 32 teams. With the Titans drastically improving their fortunes from the previous season and finishing with a winning record for the first time in five years, the schedule makers rewarded the up and coming Titans team with two primetime games this season including their return to Monday Night Football. With six games against playoff teams from a year ago, luckily the rest of their slate is not as tough as the team is tied for 30th in strength of schedule. The Titans will come out of the gate with a tough game at home against the AFC West champion Oakland Raiders. This will be a great test early for the Titans as two competitive teams with playoff hopes face off in a rematch of last years game, with both sides having young quarterbacks returning from injury. Something that may be different when the Raiders come to Nashville, may be Marshawn Lynch suiting up for the Raiders if reports of his returning from retirement are true. Following the Raider game the Titans will travel to Jacksonville to try and get revenge for the way the Jaguars ended their playoff hopes last season. This will be a particularly big game for Marcus Mariota who will be back in Jacksonville for the first time since breaking his fibula there last season. While the Titans will say a lot about how it’s just another game expect to see a very motivated team in Jacksonville as they look to take an early divisional lead.
The Titans third game of the season sees them playing host to the Seattle Seahawks. The key to winning this game will be whether or not the Titans can make life difficult for Russell Wilson behind a questionable offensive line. Adjustments will need to be made defensively as the Seahawks have added former Packers power back Eddie Lacy. One thing that may open up opportunities for the Titans offense is a potential trade of Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman. After the home game against Seattle the Titans will travel to Houston to take on divisional foe Houston in a game that will prove crucial to the Titans potential playoff hopes. The team was undone by a poor record within their division last season, and will look to get ahead early with two chances in their first four games. Things may be more difficult for the Titans than the last time they played the Texans, as they should have JJ Watt back from injury. From Houston the team will travel to Miami for a rematch against the Dolphins from last season. The Dolphins will be looking for revenge against Rishard Matthews as he was able to beat his former team as a new member of the Titans. Tennessee will play against former teammate Anthony Fasano for the first time as the TE has returned to Miami this offseason.
After their brief road trip the Titans will return to Nashville for what should be their biggest game of the season. The Titans return to Monday Night Football for the first time since the 2014 season as they host the Indianapolis Colts. This will be a huge hurdle for an improving Titans team as they’ve been unable to beat the Colts in their last 11 attempts. Fan anticipation will be high and expect the crowd to be very much involved in the outcome of this one. If the Titans are finally able to make it over the hump against Indy it will go a long way in convincing doubters that this team is a real contender to win the AFC South this season. After the Monday night game the Titans go on to face the entire AFC North in four straight games. The Titans will face a still rebuilding Browns team and enjoy a week 8 bye before welcoming the Ravens to Nashville. After Baltimore they’ll host the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch from three seasons ago in an embarrassing loss which saw QB Andy Dalton catch a touchdown pass on their way to a win. The highlight of the AFC North games will be a primetime contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. This is a rivalry that goes back a long way, even before the Titans stomped a Terrible Towel, with both teams bringing their best when lined up against each other. It’ll be interesting to see how a new look Titans secondary will fare against the high octane passing attack of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After running the AFC North gauntlet the Titans return to divisional play against the Colts and Texans. Again these games will be hugely important in deciding whether the Titans will be heading for their first playoff appearance since 2008. If past seasons are any indication the Titans may catch a break as Texans superstar JJ Watt seems to get injured towards the end of the season it seems. If not this may be the part of the season that tests this team the most. Luckily, the Titans have a good amount of veteran leadership in the locker room to get them prepared for this late season test. Following the Texans game the Titans should be heading into a stretch during the final quarter of the season that sees them challenging for a postseason appearance or AFC South championship. The Titans will face the remainder of the NFC West as they travel to Arizona and San Francisco in consecutive weeks. Coach Mularkey has gone on record as considering whether or not the team will stay on the west coast between games to better prepare for the second game against the 49ers in their first trip to Levi Stadium. After their west coast road trip the Titans will return home to greet the Los Angeles Rams. It will be interesting to see where both teams are after the blockbuster trade that saw the Titans receive a bundle of picks for the #1 overall selection in last seasons draft. Expect fans to want to see whether or not Jared Goff was worth all those picks in the first game in Nashville for a Los Angeles based team. Finally, the Titans will close out the 2017 season with a home game against the Jaguars. While the Titans will be hoping for a replay of last seasons Thursday night game expect this game to have potential playoff implications to declare a champion in the AFC South.
Overall the schedule makers were kind to the Titans besides a difficult back to back in Arizona and California. Playing the NFC West and AFC North should allow the Titans to string a couple of wins together against rebuilding franchises to separate them from the rest of the AFC South. The big test however as I said before will be whether the team can improve their divisional record enough to take the crown from the Texans. Playing the Raiders out of the gate will be brutal as Khalil Mack and company may make things difficult for Marcus Mariota on his return from a broken fibula. Expect the Titans to double down on being one of the few teams who rely heavily on their run game to move the offense forward with last years leading AFC rusher DeMarco Murray and Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry leading the attack early in the season. Titans fans I’ve spoken with are anxious to see how the receiving corps looks after the draft with the return of breakout receiver Rishard Matthews and second year receiver Tajae Sharpe. It should be exciting to watch where the team goes this year, but it looks good for the Titans with the opportunity to break into the next level and continue their improvements from last season.
Kevin Wilcox
2016 Titans Radio Season Intern
