NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A disappointing season comes to an end Sunday when the Titans (3-13) host the Houston Texans (9-7) at Nissan Stadium.
The Texans have already wrapped up the AFC South and the four seed in the AFC Playoffs while the Titans were eliminated from the playoffs weeks ago. Still, there are a number of things at stake in this game.
The Texans are trying to get right for the playoffs after a 31-2 loss last week saw them lose for the fifth time in their last eight games.
Meanwhile, the Titans could potentially earn the top pick of the next NFL Draft if they lose and the New England Patriots defeat the Buffalo Bills. If both teams lose, the Titans will pick second, if they win they could potentially drop all the way to the seventh pick of the draft.
🏈 TITAN UP all season long with the latest news and notes on the Tennessee Titans
Head coach Brian Callahan threw an early curveball in this one Monday when he revealed both Will Levis and Mason Rudolph would play at quarterback. Levis was benched two weeks ago, but Rudolph failed to win either of the last two games.
Both will play, but Callahan said Friday Levis will start and get a chance to run with it.
“I thought that he’s done a nice job of handling all the adversity of the season and had a chance to try to help him finish the season in the right way on a positive note. Admired the way he handled it, he did a really nice job. Earned an opportunity to go play again and try to play well and finish the season the right way. So that was really the gist of it,” he said.
Will Levis 2024 NFL Stats
- 11 Games
- 1,916 Yards
- 12 TD’s
- 12 INT’s
- 79.8 QB Rating
Levis was clearly relieved and excited to get one last chance to play this season. The last pass he threw was returned for a touchdown by the Bengals, and he joked about not wanting that to be the last pass he threw this season.
Several Titans players have personal goals in sight that should come into play on Sunday. Running back Tony Pollard can earn $450,000 by rushing for 83 yards (topping 1,100) and scoring two more touchdowns.
Calvin Ridley is 59 yards short of 1,000 for the season and made it clear everyone on the team knows exactly where he is. Levis said they would do everything they could within the game plan to get Ridley over the mark for the second straight year.
News 2 is your official Tennessee Titans station. Click here for more season-long coverage.
The Houston Texans are a bit of a mystery headed into Sunday. Head coach Demeco Ryans has said they are preparing their starter to play after their Christmas debacle against the Ravens, but the Titans continue to be a -1.5 favorite, indicating bettors are not buying that CJ Stroud and the rest of the Texans starters will see any kind of extended action.
The Titans will be wearing their Oiler throwback uniforms against Houston once again in a game that is very important to controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk. Callahan says the uniforms do not affect how important winning is, but understands their importance to ownership.
“I think that matters anytime you’re playing a division team. Regardless of record and regardless of where you’re at in the season, I do think it’s a game that you want to win for divisional reasons. The team you got to play again twice next year. This is my first time with the uniforms. I think they look great. I’m excited to wear them. I don’t know. I can’t speak to the importance of that to anybody else, but I’m excited. I think they look great and it’ll be fun to see them on the players,” Callahan said.
Levis is also excited to put the Oiler unforms back on. The first time he wore them he threw four touchdown passes in his first start against the Atlanta Falcons.