Titans' Season May Depend on Texans Game

The last, and only, time an 0-4 team made the NFL Playoffs was 1992. The then San Diego Chargers had to win 11 of their last 12 games in order to secure the AFC West Division Title, completely turning their season around in manner that had never been done before and hasn't been done since.

If the Titans, 0-3, lose this weekend, they'll be in the same spot as that fateful Chargers team. The only difference? Optimism about a potential miraculous turnaround is basically zero, as it has likely been for every other woeful roster to start 0-4 in the 33 years since San Diego accomplished the unlikely feat.

While it'd be an understatement to call Tennessee's season to this interval a disappointment, it's also true that the franchise - specifically HC Brian Callahan, for all his arguable faults - is scrambling to make potentially positive changes in an order to alter the team's looming crash and burn.

Namely and most recently, Callahan, after going 3-17 through 20 games as the Titans' primary play-caller, retired his duties in favor of QBs coach Bo Hardegree. Hardegree, in nine games as the Las Vegas Raiders' interim play-caller in the midst of the team's crash prior to their current rebuild, went a situationally impressive 5-4. Given his built-in rapport with Cam Ward and relative experience at the position already, the move has inspired hope that Tennessee's inarguably subpar offense will find fresh footing.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward in the huddle | Donald Page | Tennessee Titans

In addition to that change, the team has seen first overall pick Cam Ward slowly settle into his position at the ship's helm. Even if he hasn't overtly blown minds quite yet, Ward has proven exceptional competence as a decision maker and pocket passer, when he isn't being pressured within a heartbeat of taking the snap.

On the other side of the sideline, as the Titans ramp up for their first real chance to flip the narrative thus far this season, the Houston Texans are in similarly dire straits. Also 0-3, the supposed-to-be further along Texans are looking to defend their home field and salvage the image of what is supposed to be a team breaking out of their restructuring phase.

Led by C.J. Stroud, Houston's offense will undoubtedly benefit from the return of Christian Kirk to their wide receiver squadron. It'll have to be a double-edged effort from the Titans in order to come away with a win but, then again, that's what good teams do.

If Tennessee wants to be taken seriously, the time to win is now.

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