Predicting the Titans' Final Record and MVP Based on One Preseason Game

What's the preseason without a few (or a lot of) overreactions? Fans have waited all offseason to get a look at their favorite teams, and now is the time for a few scattered, basic competitions to begin to set expectations for the coming year. Tennessee Titans fans are leading that pack in anticipation.

So naturally, Tennessee's preseason opener vs. the 49ers in San Francisco yielded plenty of overreaction-worthy headlines. We figured we'd get in on the fun and throw a way-too-early record and team MVP prediction into the ring.

Here's my guess for the end of the Titans' 2026 season before it even begins.

Overall Record: 6-11 (2-4)

Kicking off with the overall record, I've got Tennessee doubling their win total from the past two seasons (and matching them combined), at 6-11. To boot, that would see the Titans go 2-4 in the AFC South.

This feels like a baseline position of improvement that would see Robert Saleh's first season fall within the general realm of expectation. Add a few more wins to your previous total, don't go without one entirely in the division, and keep building toward more stable consistency.

Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh coaches from the sideline. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images — Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh coaches from the sideline in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wins over the Jets in game one, the Giants in game three, and the Colts at home toward the end of December stand out as Tennessee finally winning the ones they should. Take advantage of weaker road games and steal a late-season division victory in Nashville.

Elsewhere, I have the Titans beating the Browns at home on Oct. 25, the Jaguars at home on Nov. 15, and the Raiders on the road on Dec. 27. It's not a playoff season for the Titans, but this outlook seems to align with a rebuilding franchise still forging their identity.

It suggests improvement from Cam Ward under center, even if he seems to be a little rough around the edges still. We'd also likely get a boost from Robert Saleh calling plays on the defensive end. Those are both trends we saw in the first preseason game, too.

However, the team's breakout star will be on the offensive end, in my book.

MVP: Wan'Dale Robinson

I'm staking my claim with Wan'Dale Robinson as Tennessee's team MVP by the end of the season. Robinson signed a four-year, $70 million deal this offseason for a reason; he's here to be Ward's WR1, at least until Carnell Tate fully takes off.

Robinson caught just two passes for 19 yards against the 49ers, but that led the team in what was an underwhelming passing performance on the whole. It's clear that both Ward and Brian Daboll, Robinson's former coach in New York, favor him to some extent.

He's also at the apparent peak of his career thus far, too. Robinson is fresh off his first 1,000-yard season with the Giants, which saw him catch four touchdowns in the process. With a handful of cooks in the kitchen that is Tennessee's backfield, and Tate getting his feet wet in the NFL alongside second-year playmakers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, Robinson's role is crucial.

That's why he seems like a safe pick in this category. I'll go ahead and say that he breaks 1,000 yards again and catches seven touchdowns, just for good measure.

If you're a Titans fan, are you satisfied with this outcome? Is it more than you expected, or does a campaign like this one fail to meet the bar? From my perspective, it's exactly the sort of growth you'd expect from hiring the right guy to take over one of the most dire situations in the league.

Add us as a preferred source on Google