Music City Miracles
The Tennessee Titans were defeated 41-7 by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Sunday’s Week 18 regular-season finale. The Jaguars won the AFC South and the Titans finished 3-14 for a second consecutive season. A massive offseason now begins this week by kickstarting the head coaching search.
The Titans clinched a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. We provided you with a Week 18 rooting guide.
Sunday represented the final opportunity to evaluate Cam Ward as a rookie quarterback. The No. 1 overall pick started hot, going 3-of-3 for 52 yards on Tennessee’s opening possession. Ward capped that drive with a touchdown run, but injured his shoulder on the play. Sadly, he was removed from the game and was later seen with a sling on his shoulder. All in all, it was a successful rookie year given the lackluster surroundings and circumstances. The Titans must now hire a head coach who has a plan to develop him as a sophomore.
The Titans were without their top three safeties. Kevin Winston Jr. and Xavier Woods are on IR, and Amani Hooker sat out with an injury. That forced Dennard Wilson to play the likes of Kendell Brooks, Jerrick Reed II and Kaiir Elam in the secondary. Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen’s offense unsurprisingly took advantage.
The Titans clinched a top-five selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. They entered Sunday at fourth overall. Their final draft positioning will be determined on Sunday evening. Prospects like Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey have impressed in recent weeks, and the Titans will be picking early enough to come away with a difference maker at EDGE or wide receiver.
Veteran quarterback Brandon Allen replaced Ward in the lineup. It’s clear Allen was a Brian Callahan favorite who doesn’t belong on an NFL roster. He completed 17-of-30 passing attempts for 71 yards, zero touchdowns, and a pick-six interception.
Jeffery Simmons recorded a sack on Lawrence’s first possession. It was a career-high 11th sack of the season for the Pro Bowl defensive tackle. Simmons continued playing hard despite the Titans’ season going wayward a long time ago.
