Titans Notch First Pick Six of Season vs. Chargers

The Tennessee Titans, among their many woes and shortcomings on the 2025 NFL season so far, have been almost completely allergic to big plays. Week after week, the team struggles to produce any explosiveness on either side of the ball, making the rare occasions in which they do feel both seismic and somewhat sad.

Blame Goes Both Ways

It starts with the offense; having thrown only five touchdowns on the season to this point, rookie quarterback Cam Ward has thrown only five touchdowns through eight games of competition. Not only is that number a league-low, but in interceptions alone (6), the first overall pick has eclipsed his scoring metrics in the process of leading one of the NFL's least efficient and interesting scoring units.

Nov 2, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) passes against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Defensively, while better than the offense between the lines, the team has seen a similar letdown in the way of big plays and forcing turnovers. Just last week, the Titans were throttled on the road by their 7-1 division rival Indianapolis Colts to a final score they'd do well to forget, 38-14. That defeat marked the second to the Colts on the season — Indy scored 41 in their first meeting — and was yet another reminder of the team's distance from being a needle-moving factor.

Although in this week's still-to-be decided game against the Los Angeles Chargers at home, the Titans finally broke their own self-imposed big play boundaries, snatching a pick six early in the contest to take a 7-0 lead. The official NFL X (Twitter) account posted the moment as it aired:

Cody Barton intercepts Justin Herbert for a Titans Pick-6!

LACvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/NUWQQqr8wK
— NFL (@NFL) November 2, 2025

Opportunistic Defense

Deep in his own territory on a second-and-medium, Chargers signal caller Justin Herbert failed to account for a lingering linebacker waiting just beyond the first down marker. Cody Barton, a Titans go-to, baseline reliable piece of the defense, took advantage of Herbert's lapse in vision and took the interception all the way home.

Tennessee could still very well go on to lose the game — fans, for sure, wouldn't be surprised — but the team pocketing their first pick six of the season feels like a noteworthy point of accomplishment that should be recognized regardless.

If the Titans can do nothing else at this point, improving in spite of their hopeless record and forthcoming outlook is a good sign for the franchise, including whatever coach is hired in to take the reins next. Baby steps are steps all the same.

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