Our Tennessee Titans game-by-game predictions for 2026 schedule
TL;DR
The Tennessee Titans' 2026 schedule features a challenging start for quarterback Cam Ward, who will face top defenses early on. The team is focused on development and integrating new players with a revamped coaching staff.
Key points
- Tennessee Titans face tough defenses early in the 2026 season
- Cam Ward enters Year 2 as a key developmental player
- Team has a large free agent class to integrate
- New coaching staff aims for quick adaptation
- Focus on performance in December and January
Mentioned in this story
Our Tennessee Titans game-by-game predictions for 2026 schedule
Sequencing matters.
Last year, Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward debuted in the NFL by playing three of his first four games against the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans. Three top-10 defenses, three vicious pass rushes, three losses where Ward looked overmatched trying to adjust to the speed of the pro game while facing the best of the best.
The Titans head into 2026 with a young team. Ward's heading into Year 2 and still figures to be the most important developmental piece. But the Titans have a bevy of other developmental pieces who'll stand to benefit from exposure and playing time, not to mention a massive free agent class that'll have to gel quickly with the returning pieces and a new coaching staff that'll want to hit the ground running while also proving their players can play their best football in December and January.
So now that the 2026 NFL schedule is out, let's make our way through the full slate of Titans games and talk through our first impressions on every matchup.
Carnell Tate, left and Keldric Faulk enter the room as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
From left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
Coach Robert Saleh takes questions as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections wide receiver Carnell Tate and edge defender Keldric Faulk at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
Edge defender Keldric Faulk takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans second draft pick for 2026.
Wide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.
Wide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.
From left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
Carnell Tate, left and Keldric Faulk enter the room as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
Carnell Tate, left and Keldric Faulk enter the room as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
From left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
Coach Robert Saleh takes questions as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections wide receiver Carnell Tate and edge defender Keldric Faulk at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
Edge defender Keldric Faulk takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans second draft pick for 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
Wide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
Wide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.
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Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick Faulk
From left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.
Way-too-early Tennessee Titans game-by-game predictions for 2026 NFL schedule
Week 1: New York Jets (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 13
Set the Robert Saleh revenge element aside. These are two teams trying to prove they're not as bad as the rest of the league thinks they are. Titans make the statement.
Prediction: Titans 28, Jets 17
Week 2: Philadelphia Eagles (noon, FOX)
Sunday, Sept. 20
The Titans are better. They're not this much better.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Titans 21
LOOK: See Tennessee Titans schedule release video for 2026 as team returns to Broadway
Week 3: at New York Giants (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 27
This is a fascinating one. John Harbaugh picked the Giants over the Titans for several reasons, and the top-end talent the Giants have has to be one of the major factors. Trust that to be the difference maker.
Prediction: Giants 20, Titans 16
Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 4
It'll be a week of conversations about Derrick Henry, but hopefully the Titans don't forget about how good that Lamar Jackson fella is too.
Prediction: Ravens 30, Titans 20
Week 5: Houston Texans (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 11
That Texans pass rush looks mighty scary for a team that still has holes up front.
Prediction: Texans 23, Titans 10
Week 6: at Indianapolis Colts (noon, FOX)
Sunday, Oct. 18
The Colts have had the Titans' number for too long, and this is the point in the season when Saleh's defense really starts to gel.
Prediction: Titans 21, Colts 17
Week 7: Cleveland Browns (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 25
Myles Garrett is still plenty terrifying, but the Titans shouldn't have too much of a problem with the rest of the Browns.
Prediction: Titans 27, Browns 18
Week 8: at Cincinnati Bengals (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 1
Let's predict some fun here and imagine the kind of pass-heavy, high-scoring game the Bengals are known for playing actually translating to Titans football, even if the Bengals squeak it out.
Prediction: Bengals 38, Titans 31
Week 10: Jacksonville Jaguars (noon, FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 15
It's the last time the Jaguars ever make the trek to this incarnation of Nissan Stadium, and there's no way the Titans let them steal one last win under the Nashville sun.
Prediction: Titans 28, Jaguars 24
Week 11: at Dallas Cowboys (noon, FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 22
Pick on the Cowboys for being overrated every year all you want. That's still a mighty talented offense they've got.
Prediction: Cowboys 30, Titans 21
Week 12: at Jacksonville Jaguars (3:05 p.m., CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 29
It's mighty hard to beat a team two times in three weeks, especially when you're the underdog. The Titans' luck doesn't continue on the road.
Prediction: Jaguars 22, Titans 17
Week 13: Washington Commanders (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 6
It's impossible to say whether the 2026 Commanders are going to look more like the 2024 team that ended a game shy of the Super Bowl or the 2025 team that barely put up a fight. If QB Jayden Daniels is healthy, bet on the former.
Prediction: Commanders 34, Titans 28
Week 14: at Detroit Lions (noon, FOX)
Sunday, Dec. 13
Titans fans can only hope this one doesn't get as ugly as the Titans-Lions game in Detroit in 2024 got.
Prediction: Lions 28, Titans 16
Week 15: Indianapolis Colts (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 20
It's late enough in the year that Jonathan Taylor and his track record of absolutely running wild against the Titans becomes less of a fear and more of an imminent threat.
Prediction: Colts 24, Titans 13
Week 16: at Las Vegas Raiders (3:05 p.m., FOX)
Sunday, Dec. 27
Merry Christmas, how about a matchup between Fernando Mendoza and Cam Ward? In a battle of the two most recent No. 1 picks, Ward's experience claims the victory.
Prediction: Titans 33, Raiders 28
Week 17: Pittsburgh Steelers (noon, CBS)
Sunday, Jan. 3
Goodbye, old Nissan Stadium. It's not necessarily a nostalgic moment for many Titans players. But they feel the weight of the moment for the city, and also the Steelers feel the weight of the years of not developing a young quarterback in the January cold.
Prediction: Titans 20, Steelers 15
Week 18: at Houston Texans (TBD, TBD)
This has the feelings of "Houston's going to be playing for important playoff seeding" plus "Houston's not gonna be thrilled about the Titans bringing their Oilers-esque uniforms back to the city" and that's not a good combination for the Titans.
Prediction: Texans 27, Titans 16
Final record prediction
6-11 (2-4)
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Our Titans 2026 schedule predictions. How many games can Cam Ward win?
Q&A
What teams will the Tennessee Titans face in their 2026 schedule?
The Titans will face teams like the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston Texans early in the 2026 season.
How is Cam Ward expected to perform in his second year with the Titans?
As he enters Year 2, Cam Ward is expected to develop further, especially after facing tough defenses in his rookie season.
What challenges does the Titans' 2026 schedule present for the team?
The Titans' schedule presents challenges with a young team facing strong defenses and the need to integrate new free agents and a new coaching staff.
What is the significance of the Titans' new coaching staff for the 2026 season?
The new coaching staff aims to quickly gel the team and help players perform at their best during the crucial months of December and January.
