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Titans Still Massive Underdogs After Season's Second Win

Despite winning their second game of the season, the Tennessee Titans are still massive underdogs against the San Francisco 49ers
Jordon Lawrenz|
Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Mason Kinsey (12) reacts after the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Mason Kinsey (12) reacts after the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

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Tennessee Titans

Coming off their second win of the season, vibes are high in the Tennessee Titans locker room. This is a team that has only tasted victory twice this season, and this is the first time they've won with interim head coach Mike McCoy.

Sure, that win came against a Cleveland Browns team that only has three wins themselves, but it doesn't change the fact that a win is a win. It may have messed with their draft position, but that can be figured out at a later date. Now, the only thing on their mind is the San Francisco 49ers.

Titans Open As 12.5 Point Underdogs vs. 49ers

The NFC West is arguably the toughest division in the nation, and the Titans now have to run through one of the teams eyeing a division title. Somehow, the 9-4 San Francisco 49ers are third place in their division. They've had to compete with the likes of the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, two teams that beat Tennessee earlier in the year.

Tennessee has had a bit of luck with this division as they took down the Arizona Cardinals, 22-21. That said, playing the 3-10 Cardinals is quite a vast difference compared to the 49ers team standing in their way of a third win. With quarterback Brock Purdy back under center, San Francisco has won three straight games.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, left, shakes hands with Tennessee Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, left, shakes hands with Tennessee Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy after an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Dec. 7, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In those three games, the 49ers have outscored their opponents 87-39. They haven't allowed more than 10 points in a game since November 16, and they had a Week 14 Bye, which means they're rested and ready on their quest for a division title.

Titans Can't Be Counted Out

Even though ESPN Analytics is giving them just a 17.2% chance to win, the Titans proved themselves this past weekend. They not only put up the most points they have all year, but their run game came alive and rookie quarterback Cam Ward threw his first two-touchdown game of the season.

Being 12.5-point underdogs is daunting, but that isn't something this team is going to look at or focus on. Heading into the Browns game, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons talked about blocking out the noise. He isn't worried about the No. 1 pick, he's worried about winning games.

Tennessee has been able to stop the run these past few weeks, and that's going to be crucial against a guy like Christian McCaffrey. He's 151 yards shy of 1,000 on the season, but his 806 receiving yards are by far the most on the team. Tennessee's main goal will be to stop CMC, but that's far from as easy as it sounds.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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