The Tennessee Titans 2025 schedule is out, and I’m taking a way-too-early look at what narrative storyline each game will produce. We’re looking at tomorrow’s headlines today, people. Here are the headlines for every game—preseason too!—that we’ll be talking about this season:

Preseason W1: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“Ward makes Titans debut, Callahan to demonstrate new-look offense in Tampa”

This will be the first time we see Cam Ward in an official Titans jersey! Exciting stuff! It’s hard to say how much he’ll play in this first one, but I’d imagine he’ll at least get a series or two. This will be Brian Callahan’s first chance to give us a proof of concept with his new QB.

Preseason W2: @ Atlanta Falcons

“Will Levis looks to stamp strong preseason stretch with start in Atlanta”

I think this will be when the Levis narrative reaches a fever pitch. The Titans have already begun their Levis narrative campaign, and this game will be the final day of their joint practice training camp road trip. Expect a lot of Levis storylines by now, including the fact that Tampa Bay (their previous opponent) could be a perfect trade location for him before the season begins.

Preseason W3: Minnesota Vikings

“Titans starters get final tune-up before brutal September”

This will be the game we see the most from Cam Ward and the Titans starting offense, as it’s their final chance to get some live reps before a tough beginning to the regular season. I expect this will be the preseason game that gives us the clearest picture of what the 2025 Titans offense looks like.

Week 1: @ Denver Broncos

“Brian Callahan, Titans offense dealt impossible task in Week 1: Ward’s first real action against best defense in the league”

I’ve written at more length right here about how difficult an opener this is for the Titans offense. Put simply, I think this is going to be the best defense in the league vs. the 1st overall pick in his rookie debut. If Ward looks anywhere close to good against this unit, I may be saying some irresponsible things about his future on Monday morning.

Week 2: vs Los Angeles Rams

“Titans offensive line is key to defeating Stafford and McVay in home opener”

This is another brutal draw for the Titans, this time in their home opener. The revamped Titans OL is the key to this one, because they’re tasked with protecting Cam Ward from the Rams ferocious young DL. Fun quirk of the schedule: the Texans shaky new OL faces the Rams in Week 1, then the Titans improved (on paper) OL gets them in Week 2. This should provide a nice baseline comparison to start the year.

Week 3: vs Indianapolis Colts

“Titans first divisional matchup may be their best chance to win one all year”

The Titans have a brutal first two games of the year, but this first divisional matchup might be the easiest such game they play all season. Who will be the Colts QB at this point: Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones? We spent both Colts weeks last year debating starting WB combinations as well. I think it happens for a third time in Week 3.

Week 4: @ Houston Texans

“Amy Adams Strunk’s annual grudge match comes early as Titans fight to stay alive in 2025”

Everybody close to the Titans organization knows this game means more to controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk than most. Her team is playing in her hometown and the franchise’s former hometown, so of course it’s important. Last year, this was one of the Titans measley three wins. They’ll look to stay afloat—as they could easily come into this game 1-2 or 0-3—in 2025 in this grudge match.

Week 5: @ Arizona Cardinals

“New-look Cardinals defense presents latest test for Ward, Titans offense”

This is the first leg of the Titans western road trip, and they’ll be facing a Cardinals defense that could be much improved in a hurry this season. Led bu defensive head coach Jonathan Gannon, they’ve invested heavily in this side of the ball recently, including their first two picks of the 2025 class: DL Walter Nolen and CB Will Johnson.

Week 6: @ Las Vegas Raiders

“Titans aim to get back to .500 at the end of their western road trip”

I suspect that by this point in the Titans season, they’ll be around 2-4. September is brutal, and this three week road stint provides them with a chance to claw back into playoff contention in Cam Ward’s rookie season. The Raiders are much improved with the additions of Pete Carroll, Geno Smith, and Ashton Jeanty, but they’re also the easiest out of the AFC West. The Titans need to get it done against the Raiders.

Week 7: vs New England Patriots

“Amy Adams Strunk, Brian Callahan set to host Mike Vrabel’s first return to Nashville in the game everybody has circled”

What more is there to say about this matchup that the billing doesn’t elicit? Mike Vrabel returns to Nashville, looking to embarrass Amy Adams Strunk by crushing Brian Callahan’s Titans. It’s going to be the narrative matchup of the week. Everybody involved in this one will be a little more tight than usual.

Week 8: @ Indianapolis Colts

“Brian Callahan faces first ‘no excuses’ matchup against Daniel Jones’ Colts”

I think this will be a game the Titans feel they must win. With the difficult Chargers coming up before their bye, this is the spot they need to steal a win before heading into their midseason break. I think by this point, the unfortunate reality for Anthony Richardson is that he’ll either be unseated by Daniel Jones or injured. I hope I’m wrong, I really do. But this is just playing the odds. And the Titans need to beat Daniel Jones. Period.

Week 9: vs Los Angeles Chargers

“Tennessee will try to play 2025 juggernaut as close as they have in recent years”

In their last game before their bye, the Titans face a Chargers team that I predict will have a very different reputation by this point in the calendar. I think the second season of Harbaugh and Herbert is going to be magic, and this will be an incredibly tough out for Tennessee. What’s going in their favor is the fact that these two teams have met 3 times in the past 3 years, and it’s always been a close one for some reason. Callahan and company will try to play them in a phone booth once again.

Week 10: BYE

Week 11: vs Houston Texans

“Post-bye Cam Ward has an opportunity to show out against best QB in the division”

Bye week narratives write themselves. Everybody heals up and is expected to improve, especially rookies. History contains multitudes of first year players who got something to “click” over the bye, and Titans fans will be hoping Cam Ward is amongst them, they host the Texans in their 2nd meeting of the year after their break, and it’ll be Ward’s chance to show out up against Stroud nearly 3 months into his NFL career.

Week 12: vs Seattle Seahawks

“Cam or Sam: which multiverse path would have made Titans more successful”

Remember when Sam Darnold was the hottest free agent on the market this year? The Titans front office certainly will. This is the matchup between top free agent and top draft option, and at least narratively, it’s going to be a telling battle.

Week 13: vs Jacksonville Jaguars

“The top-2 picks in the 2025 NFL draft finally face off”

This one is going to be all about Cam Ward vs. Travis Hunter. It’s not common you see the top 2 picks in a draft class in the same division, and with Hunter’s positional versatility, the may literally be facing each other for half of this one. How much offense vs. defense will Hunter be playing at this point in the season? That’s the question that Moses fascinates me.

Week 14: @ Cleveland Browns

“Ward vs Sanders is the imperfect QB matchup everybody can’t stop talking about”

I really think this is going to happen, and the only reason it doesn’t get made into a primetime matchup is because of the high quality games they’d have to flex out. But make no mistake: Ward vs Sanders will be the talk of the week. Shedeur will have earned the starting role in Cleveland by then, and the 5th round pick will be looking to embarrass the Titans for taking Ward 1st overall and not considering him.

Week 15: @ San Francisco 49ers

“Cam Ward makes primetime debut as Titans at Niners are flexed into SNF”

I think this is where Cam Ward finally gets his primetime debut! The games on the schedule here have the potential to be really tough: Vikings at Cowboys and Dolphins at Steelers. I think the surging Titans with rookie Cam Ward hosting the playoff-bound 49ers will be the game that gets the nod in Week 15.

Week 16: vs Kansas City Chiefs

“Cam Ward hosts QB you can’t help but compare him to”

It’s just impossible to refrain from thinking about Patrick Mahomes when you watch Cam Ward. The arm angles, the pocket movement, the awkward running, and even the elite mental makeup all compare favorably. It’s a comp that’s been made before and will continue to be made throughout the season. And in Week 16, we get to see them on the field together.

Week 17: vs New Orleans Saints

“Titans, Ward set to prove once again they made the right choice hosting Saints, rookie Tyler Shough”

Another rookie QB battle! This time it’s Cam Ward vs the QB3 in this year’s class, Tyler Shough. It’s impossible to know he’ll be the starter in New Orleans at this point with Spencer Rattler lurking in the wings, but if I had to bet, I think this is a rookie face off.

Week 18: @ Jacksonville Jaguars

“Cam Ward looks to finish rookie campaign strong in winnable Week 18 matchup”

I’m not sure Cam Ward and the Titans will be playing in their final game of the year in Jacksonville. There’s a non-zero chance they’re fighting for a playoff spot in this one. But the odds are stacked against them, and there’s a good chance they’re simply playing to spite a division foe and finish the year on a high note. Whatever the case may be, this will be an important one for Ward to look good in as they head into his 2nd season in 2026.

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