Why Tennessee’s Downward Spiral Sets Up a Critical Opportunity for the Seahawks to Rebound. DH
Tennessee goes into Week 12 with the worst record in the NFL.
If ever there were an ideal elixir for what’s ailing the Seattle Seahawks following their painful 21-19 loss to the Rams last Sunday, it’s the 1-9 Tennessee Titans, a squad that looks much different now than the last time these two teams met.
Fifteen months ago the Titans hosted the Seahawks for a two-day joint practice session before their preseason meeting in August of 2024. But that version of the Titans was full of vim, vigor and promise, having just hired Brian Callahan as their new head coach and fortifying their roster with a promising, trench-heavy draft and free agent additions like WR Calvin Ridley and RB Tony Pollard.
But that was then.
Fast forward to present day and the Titans have already moved on from Callahan, firing him on October 13th, elevating onetime Chargers head coach Mike McCoy from offensive assistant to replace him. What McCoy inherited is arguably the worst roster in the entire league, and the results bear that out.
Quarterback Cam Ward, the first overall selection in April’s NFL draft, has struggled behind a porous offensive line. Tennessee’s offense is averaging just 14.3 points per game, dead last in the NFL. He’s completing just 58.4 pct of his passes, has thrown only six touchdown passes to go along with the same number of interceptions, and his passer rating of 73.8 ranks 33rd among qualified passers. The offense is only averaging 78.9 yards rushing per game (32nd) and 163.6 yards passing (30th).
Meanwhile, the Titans aren’t having much luck stopping anyone either. The defense is allowing 27.3 points a game, third-worst in the league. Their one superstar on that side of the ball, two-time all pro defensive tackle Jefferey Simmons, has been hampered by a hamstring injury. He returned after a four game absence to play in Tennessee’s 16-13 loss to the Houston Texans, recording a sack among his four tackles.
If there is one glimmer of hope for the Titans, it’s that they still can get after the passer a little bit, even with Simmons being in and out of the lineup, and Dre’Mont Jones now in Baltimore after being dealt to the Ravens before the league’s trade deadline two weeks ago.
In last week’s narrow loss to the Texans, the Titans pass rush sacked quarterback Davis Mills four times and recorded eight QB hits. And in a stat line that should get Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold’s attention after he threw four interceptions in LA, the Titans defense also racked up nine deflected passes to go along with eight tackles for loss. Currently, linebackers Jihad Ward and Arden Key lead the team in sacks with 3.5 and three respectively.
Despite that, this looks like a mismatch on paper, one the Seahawks should relish as they look to get their offense back on track after last week’s derailment.
Trap game? Hardly. The Seahawks know that to stay within striking distance of the Rams in the NFC West, with a Week 16 rematch looming just four weeks away on December 18th, they’ll likely need to sweep their next three games – first against these Titans followed by the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.
This figures to be an angry, inspired and mostly healthy Seattle team, facing a strugging Titans group that should be just what the doctor ordered.
