NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Fans want Tennessee coach Brian Callahan fired just three games into his second season with the Titans off to a worse start than last year.
Callahan said Monday that he talks weekly with controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, and the Titans are evaluating everything. That includes whether Callahan, both a first-time head coach and first-time play-caller, should hand over calling offensive plays to someone else.
“Everything’s under evaluation right now at 0-3,” Callahan said. “Certainly
it's all a part of it.”
Callahan's challenge is that not only are the Titans winless to start this season, it's the string of skids the franchise finds itself mired.
— Nine straight overall going back to last season after the latest, a 41-20 loss to Indianapolis.
— Six consecutive losses at Nissan Stadium going back to an overtime win Nov. 3, 2024, over New England.
— And finally five consecutive losses to AFC South rival Indianapolis with three of those under Callahan. This latest never was close after a pick-6 on the third offensive play.
Through three games, the Titans are giving up more points per game (31.3) than they did all of last season (27.1). Only Miami is allowing more points per game than Tennessee entering Monday. With the rookie quarterback in Cam Ward, they are scoring fewer points per game (17) than in 2024 with 18.3 a game.
Ward is last among starting NFL quarterbacks completing 54.5% of his passes and averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt.
Callahan said losing games magnifies the negatives.
“I really don’t think we’re that far away as a football team, from winning games,” Callahan said.
Special teams is a bright spot even if there was an issue getting the “K” ball in for kicker Joey Slye's 57-yard field-goal attempt late in the first half leading to a delay of game penalty and a blocked field goal on the ensuing try.
Rookie Chimere Dike has given Tennessee a dependable returning threat. Dike is a big part of why the Titans rank fifth in averaging 16.3 yards on punt returns and 10th with a 25.9-yard average on kickoff returns under new special teams coordinator John Fassel.
The offense. The Titans are being outscored in every quarter except the second and 94-51 overall. They have allowed an NFL-worst 15 sacks. With kicker Joey Slye showing such a strong leg in making his first 10 field goals of the season with a long of 57, the Titans almost seem content to settle for three points.
That’s not good with an offense that has scored only three touchdowns this season. That has the Titans tied with Atlanta and Houston for the fewest through three games in the NFL.
WR Elic Ayomanor. The rookie has the only two receiving touchdowns, and he ranks second with 10 receptions and is third on the Titans with 107 yards receiving. The fourth-round pick out of Stanford is making difficult catches look easy with an early rapport with Ward.
WR Calvin Ridley. He's the highest-paid player on the roster this season. Callahan put his locker next to Ward's to help build chemistry quick. The rookie keeps throwing to Ridley who has caught only eight of 21 passes thrown his way 111 yards receiving.
“We need better from him, and he knows that too,” Callahan said.
The Titans wound up with the right side of the offensive line out against the Colts with RG Kevin Zeitler (bicep) joining RT JC Latham (hip) who missed his second straight game. CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. walked into the stadium in a walking boot so he may be poised to miss a second game.
One good sign? RB Tyjae Spears has to sit out only one more game after starting the season on injured reserve before the Titans can open his window to return.
3 — Callahan is 3-17 as a head coach, with a .150 winning percentage. The Titans fired Ken Whisenhunt in November 2014 with a 3-20 record or a .130 winning percentage.
The Titans better find a way to become road warriors, starting a three-game swing Sunday at equally desperate Houston (0-3). Their next home game isn't until Oct. 19 against the franchise's most recent head coach with Mike Vrabel now with New England.
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