First & Tenn

80 Episodes

Reverse

The Safety Dance

2025-12-1732:21

The Tennessee Titans fell to 2-12 on the season with a 37-24 loss at San Francisco on Sunday. In that game, three different safeties went down with injuries, and early this week, all three were placed on injured reserve. That means that a secondary that was already something of a patchwork unit will have to plug in some more pieces this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. The good news on defense remains the play of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who is making a strong case for his first All-Pro selection. Kansas City won't have quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a perennial All-Pro who is out with an injury of his own, but his replacement has a history of playing well against the Titans. Meanwhile, Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward continues to navigate his rookie season, delivering a mix of memorable moments and frustrating missteps.

Critiquing a Win

2025-12-1133:13

The Tennessee Titans ended their losing streak with a victory at Cleveland. The offense, defense and special teams all delivered big plays, and then everyone held on at the finish. The offensive line was surprisingly good and was effective in both the run and pass game. Running back Tony Pollard showed big-play ability that was absent through the first 12 games and delivered on the most notable performances of his career. Cam Ward was not at his best on the field and was not particularly happy about it afterward, and the latter is not necessarily a bad thing. Up next is a trip to San Francisco and a matchup with the 49ers, a team that has won much more than it has lost and should be ready mentally and physically.

Rookie Quarterback Showdown

2025-12-0333:21

The Tennessee Titans were officially eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday's 25-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The defeat capped a rare run of four straight home games — the Titans didn't win any of them — but was far less competitive than the other three. It also guaranteed the Titans will finish last in the AFC South for the third straight year and put them in position to achieve some new levels of futility over the remaining five games. Next up is a trip to Cleveland for a game against the Browns that could pit Titans quarterback Cam Ward, who went exactly where he expected to go in the 2025 NFL Draft, against Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who experienced an unexpected fall during the draft. Ward will need help from his offensive line, which must find a way to block Cleveland's Myles Garrett, who has a chance to set the NFL's single-season sack record.

Receivers Wanted

2025-11-1936:08

After a 16-13 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Tennessee Titans are 1-9, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that in the nearly three decades since the franchise relocated from Houston, this is as bad as things have been. Things went from bad to worse for the Titans wide receivers against the Texans. Injuries decimated that particular position group and set the stage for decisions to be made this week, including one that could give a fan favorite the opportunity that so many have wanted him to get. On top of that, the pain of defeat finally got to one of the team's most prominent players, who said he is tired of worrying about his teammates' feelings and did not hesitate to point out mistakes that some of them made against Houston. With all of that going on, the Titans now have to figure out a way to try to beat the Seattle Seahawks, a team that has been one of the NFL's best this season.

Back to Work

2025-11-1233:59

The Tennessee Titans had their open date last week, but somehow things managed to get worse. Two other teams won, which left the Titans as the only NFL team with one win. They are not, however, the only team playing a rookie quarterback. While Cam Ward was the clear choice among nearly everyone as the top quarterback available in the 2025 draft, the numbers show that his play has not set him apart in the same way. Another veteran player told franchise officials he wanted out and was released while many rookies, other than Ward, continue to see their playing time increase. It is back to playing games this week, and the next opponent gives the Titans an opportunity to atone for one of their worst performances of the season.

#box-pro-ellipsis-17919379660895{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}First & Tenn