NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Monday, Brian Callahan emphasized his commitment to preparing the Tennessee Titans for their upcoming matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, rather than focusing on what the team’s owner, Amy Adams Strunk, thinks of his inaugural season as head coach.
“It’s a bottom line business and we’ve got to show progress and we haven’t shown enough,” he stated. “I would like to see more and we got two more opportunities to do it.”
The Titans are currently on a disappointing four-game losing streak, most recently suffering a 38-30 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. This defeat marks the end of the season series against their AFC South rivals. Over the past seven games, the Titans have managed to win just one, bringing their overall record to 3-12. They are now closing in on a dubious franchise record for losses in a season, which stands at 14 from 2014 when the NFL featured a 16-game schedule.
When questioned about whether he thinks he needs to advocate for his job at the end of the season, Callahan claimed he is unaware.
“My job is to coach the football team and get ready to go play Jacksonville,” he affirmed. “That’s the only thing that I focus on. Anything beyond that is out of my control.”
In terms of team development, one positive note for the Titans is their increased use of rookies, with 10 taking the field against Indianapolis, resulting in only four penalties—matching their second-lowest tally this season. This is a significant improvement compared to the previous game when they were penalized 12 times for 110 yards.
However, there are areas in desperate need of improvement. Callahan noted that when one problem is addressed, another one often arises. The run defense was particularly poor against the Colts, allowing 335 rushing yards—the most in franchise history since 1961. They were notably burned by Jonathan Taylor, who scored on runs of 65 and 70 yards.
The Titans’ defense, which was ranked 12th heading into Week 16, allowed Taylor to average 7.5 yards per carry. As a result, quarterback Anthony Richardson was only required to complete 11 passes. The Titans’ defense also experienced a collapse, allowing 38 consecutive points, the third-highest number given up in a single game this season, right on the heels of surrendering 37 points in a loss to Cincinnati.
In terms of individual performances, tight end Chig Okonkwo stood out, achieving career-best stats with nine receptions for 81 yards and scoring his second career two-point conversion. He became the first tight end since Delanie Walker in 2016 to record nine or more receptions in a game.
On the other side of the ledger, veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph faced scrutiny after throwing three interceptions in the game, although Callahan defended him, noting that one interception was deflected off running back Tony Pollard and the last was a desperate attempt to conclude the match. Rudolph’s statistics mirror those of the quarterback he replaced; he has eight touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 63.8% of his passes for a passer rating of 78.8. Will Levis had nearly identical percentages with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Callahan acknowledged that turnovers from the quarterback position have been a significant issue for the team, often altering the outcomes of games. He has yet to announce his starter for the upcoming game against Jacksonville, indicating that statistics do not tell the entire story.
“My goal is to try to put the best chance to win on the field for us, and we’ll see what that looks like,” Callahan explained.
In terms of injuries, Callahan mentioned that kicker Nick Folk could potentially return after missing time due to an abdominal injury sustained in Indianapolis. The Titans are scheduled for a walk-through practice on Tuesday, with a break on Wednesday for Christmas. Callahan expects to have a clearer picture of the injury status by Thursday.
Folk’s replacement, Brayden Narveson, missed a critical 53-yard field goal that could have given the Titans an early lead and was subsequently waived by the team on Monday. Additionally, the Titans activated Jaelyn Duncan, who was injured early in his start against Buffalo on October 20.
An alarming statistic for the Titans this season is the 121 points surrendered due to turnovers, the highest since at least 2000, surpassing the 108 points allowed in 2015. The Titans lead the NFL with 32 turnovers, an issue Callahan has termed catastrophic.
“That’s insanity,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, the Titans will head to Jacksonville on Sunday for their final road trip of the season, hoping to avoid a sweep by their division rival. They will return home for the regular season finale against the Houston Texans before confronting potential changes in the offseason.
