Patrick Mahomes Injury Opens Door For Titans

The Tennessee Titans are preparing in Week 16 a little bit differently. Now that Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has torn his ACL and is out for the season.

Mahomes suffered the injury on the Chiefs' final drive in a 16-13 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers at home. The loss eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention, and the team won't be in the postseason for the first time since 2014. This means the Titans' chances of winning against the Chiefs are skyrocketing going into Week 16.

The 2-12 Titans are the worst team in the league, and they have been hungry for a win all season long. They got a taste of it in Week 14 when they beat the Cleveland Browns on the road. Now they have a chance to eat up another one as they smell blood in the water.

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Titans' Chances of Chiefs Upset Grow

It might be in the Titans' best interest to lose this game to try to improve their draft slot for the 2026 NFL Draft, but sometimes a win against a team like the Chiefs just counts a little more.

Just because the Chiefs lost Mahomes doesn't mean they are going to tank the final three games, including the one against the Titans at Nissan Stadium. They probably want to take their frustrations out on the Titans after being eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

There is also the storyline of Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi being with the Chiefs in their dynastic run. Borgonzi also probably wants to get a big win against his former team so that he can use it to build confidence in the roster moving forward.

This won't be an easy game for the Titans, even though they will be at home. They will have to earn the victory, just like they have throughout the entire season.

With Mahomes out, Gardner Minshew will likely get the start for the Chiefs. Minshew has 46 starts across seven seasons in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, and now the Chiefs. He has appeared in three games for the Chiefs this season, completing three passes on five completions for 22 yards and the game-losing interception against the Chargers.

Should Minshew get the start, it would be his first since Week 12 last season in a Raiders' 29-19 loss against the Denver Broncos.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!