The Tennessee Titans are coming off their bye week and face a tough task ahead, with a Week 10 divisional matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the horizon.
The Titans enter the matchup with a disappointing 1-7 record, though there have been clear signs of improvement in 2025. But signs of improvement are not wins, and there are no moral victories in the NFL. This week, decked out in their rivalry uniforms, they will host the AFC South-leading Jaguars.
The Jaguars are an outstanding team, playing some of the best football in the NFL, and they will present the new-look Titans’ defense with many challenges.
Here are five storylines Titans Wire is monitoring heading into the matchup.
Captain, my Captain?
In a weird twist of fate, the Titans will again be looking
for a new captain for the defense after trading their last two captains in consecutive weeks: Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker. After those trades, linebacker Cedric Gray is the elder statesman of sorts for the unit.
While players such as Jacob Martin and John Franklin-Myers have been in the league longer than Gray, he is currently the defense's longest-tenured member, drafted by the organization in 2024. The Titans do still have Jaylen Harrell and James Williams, but both defenders are currently on injured reserve.
Head coach Robert Saleh hasn’t made any announcements, but it will be an interesting story to follow heading into the second half of the season.
Can Cam stack games?
Cam Ward had his best outing against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8 and entered the bye week on a high note. He now has a chance to stack solid performances against the Jaguars, and Tennessee will need every bit of it if they want to pull an upset.
Linebacker could be an issue
The Titans enter this week with questions at linebacker, and entering Thursday’s practice, there are no clear answers. After placing James Williams on injured reserve on Monday, the Titans saw both Cody Barton and Anthony Hill Jr. sidelined on Wednesday. While there was no real update on Hill, Barton missing practice and sitting in the NFL’s concussion protocol is troubling.
Tennessee activated Dorian Mausi from injured reserve on Monday and signed Mohamoud Diabate from the Carolina Panthers practice squad on Wednesday, but they're still thin as they prepare for the Jaguars.
Secondary thoughts
When Tennessee traded Amani Hooker to the Buffalo Bills, they traded the leader of their secondary. Yes, Kevin Winston Jr. has had a solid season; he is still developing and hasn't proven he can stay healthy. Tony Adams will likely step into the starting lineup, and he has played well, but depth could be an issue at safety.
The Titans have Terrell Burgess on the 53-man roster and will likely elevate Isaiah Oliver on game day, but that will be his final elevation for the 2026 season.
A reset of expectations?
After trading away Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker, many have wondered what the expectations are for the rest of the 2026 season, and both Robert Saleh and Mike Borgonzi have emphasized evaluation and growth.
The Titans have made strides and have been competitive, but need to learn to finish. Will they finally do that? They now have nine weeks to find out.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 storylines to watch in Week 10
