My Two Cents: Something Titans Fans Can Be Thankful For? Still a Perfect Record at Home

This has been a brutal season for the Tennessee Titans, which makes it a real oddity that they are still undefeated at home. They're 3-0 and are favored to win on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Only three other NFL teams still haven't lost in their home stadiums.

NASHVILLE — We're just a day past Thanksgiving and a few days from December, so it's really hard to believe that the Tennessee Titans have only played three games so far at Nissan Stadium.

Seems crazy, doesn't it?

What's crazier, of course, is that in a year that's been really tough on Titans fans, their beloveds are still a perfect 3-0 at home. They've beaten the Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons here in Nashville — all as 2.5-point underdogs, ironically — but they've lost all seven of their other games, six in true road games and once in London to the Baltimore Ravens that was technically a home game.

But on Sunday, the Titans starts a two-game homestand that features must-win games against the Carolina Panthers and the the Indianapolis Colts. The Panthers are just 1-9 on the season, and have lost all five road games.

So staying perfect at home is a must for the Titans if they want to salvage anything in this 2023 season.

For a team that's ranked No. 28 in total offense and No. 22 in defense, they've actually played very well at home this season. How good? Well, they are one of only four teams in the NFL — out of 32 teams — that are still perfect in their home stadiums. The Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins have won all five home games and the Philadelphia Eagles are 4-0.

The Titans are 3-7 overall, so if you want a crazy comparison, the Cowboys, Dolphins and Eagles have a COMBINED seven losses, and a whopping 24 wins.

The Titans are favored to beat the Panthers on Sunday — the line is 3.5 as of Friday afternoon — and it's just the second time they've been projected a win a game all year. They'll probably be favored next week against Indianapolis, too.

A 5-7 record feels so much better than 3-7.

It's been tough going for the Titans lately. They had three straight road games at Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville, and let one slip away against the Steelers but were noncompetitive in the two Florida losses.

They are now 3-14 in their last 17 games.

"I don't know what rock bottom feels like, but man this is definitely tough," said Titans running back Derrick Henry, who gained only 24 yards rushing against the Buccaneers two weeks ago and 38 yards last week in the 34-14 loss to the division-leading Jaguars. “We just haven’t been good enough, and I’m making no excuses. We haven’t been good enough as a team and that’s what happens in this league. It’s a grown-man’s league, so it ain’t good enough.” 

There's been a lot of heat on head coach Mike Vrabel, too. He won multiple Super Bowls as a player, and is used to winning here in Tennessee. So this past year — with a roster devoid of talent in far too many spots — has been hard to swallow.

But he's not about to back down, either. He still feels confident the Titans can win more games, and he has no interest in talking about job security. He's going to coach his way, and that's always worked in the past.

"I believe in our staff, and I believe in our players," Vrabel said. "We're going to get back to work and make sure our guys are confident when we go out there. I don't know how to do it any other way. But, I don't think that [job security] is an issue. I'm not going to compromise the things that I believe are going to help us win. The little things, not letting those slide, and doing my best to hold everyone accountable, including myself, as we go through this.

"I don't try to concern myself with that," Vrabel said Sunday. "I really am focused on these players. I hurt for them. I played for 14 years, won some games, and won some championships. I am frustrated for the players. I'm disappointed for the players. I want them to have some success. I know how hard they work and what they put into it."

It will be good to be back in Nissan Stadium on Sunday. If it seems like forever, it has. That Falcons win was way back on Oct. 29. Four weeks later, we're finally back in the friendly confines.

Rookie quarterback Will Levis made his NFL debut that day, and threw four touchdown passes — including three to veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins. It was a sparkling debut, but he hasn't been able to replicate that on the road.

In the three road losses, he is a combined 54-for-95 passing for 616 yards. He has two interceptions and two touchdown passes, but both of those scoring passes came after the Titans were already losing 27-0 to Jacksonville.

Titans fans are sure hoping that they'll see more of that Levis magic on Sunday at Nissan Stadium. He's the future of the franchise at the most important position, and seeing more growth is huge.

So is winning. They've been perfect at home so far. Let's see if they can do that again. 

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