One Major Takeaway From Titans Bye Week

Having endured a 1-8 record to the midseason point in their 2025-26 campaign, the Tennessee Titans bye break this past week felt more like a mercy ruling than a well deserved set of seven extra days of rest. Since their week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals - due more to a defensive mishap from the other team than anything else - the Titans have put on their second 0-4 stretch of the season, firing their second-year head coach and pawning off multiple key defensive pieces in the process.

Divisional Developments

Both those moves are for the betterment of the franchise moving forward, no doubt, but it's also undeniable that they make the team's current state all the more dire regarding their on-field product. Tennessee, now effectively eliminated from playoff contention, is playing more for the development of their young pieces and survival of their overly patient fanbase than anything else.

In chase of those goals, the bye week wasn't a total wash, if not only for Tennessee's inability to lose a football game for the second time in the last 10 weeks of football. Among a handful of relevant developments, the AFC South was further solidified in absence of its resident bottom-feeder.

AFC South standings after 10 weeks

1. Colts 8-2
2. Jaguars 5-4
3. Texans 4-5
4. Titans 1-8
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) November 9, 2025

Every time in the Titans' division played except for them, with the two middle-most teams playing specifically against one another. The continually top-seeded Indianapolis Colts escaped a fiery Atlanta Falcons team in Germany with a 31-25 win in overtime, while the Houston Texans took down the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 36-29 shootout.

The former result only provided the Colts' top spot in the AFC South more security, though the latter, at least potentially, could mean an open door for Tennessee, if the team can find ways to win games.

Playing Spoiler

With two games remaining against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the schedule - the Titans last two of the divisional variety - Tennessee could jump on the battered team while they're down and, potentially, work themselves out of last place in the league.

Now, this assumes many uncertainties; from the Titans' unclear desire to win at all under their temporary head coach to the Jags continuing to struggle against other teams, a lot would have to fall into place for Tennessee to control their own destiny here.

But, at the same time, the team has little else to hold onto beyond hope. A 2-0 finish in their division would give the Titans something of merit to hold onto before enduring another offseason full of questions and inevitable, deserved negative discourse.

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