The Tennessee Titans are heading a few hours northeast in Week 8, set to meet the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The odds aren’t kind to Tennessee, either. BetMGM has the Titans as 10.5-point underdogs, even though only two of their losses have come by six points or more.
Those were the Week 1 loss to the New York Jets and the Week 5 defeat against the Houston Texans. The other four setbacks were all by six points or less, a sign that Tennessee has been hanging around even when the final result hasn’t gone its way.
That makes the week’s “Gimmie Him” discussion an easy place to start: if the Titans could steal one Bengals player, who should it be? There are plenty of tempting answers on Cincinnati’s roster, but the choice here is Joe Burrow.
It’s easy to see why. Tennessee’s quarterback situation has not stabilized, and Cam Ward’s season has been a rough one through seven games.
He has thrown four touchdowns against five interceptions, completed 62% of his passes, and has fewer than 1,200 passing yards. His 73.8 rating and 22nd-place ranking in passing yards tell the same story.
Burrow, by contrast, looks like the clear upgrade. He ranks 12th among quarterbacks, has 15 touchdown passes and only three interceptions, and has completed 71.7% of his throws for 1,653 yards with a 110.4 rating. Cincinnati had its bye in Week 6, so Burrow has one fewer game than Ward, and he was one of the AFC Players of the Week for Week 7.
The Titans still have reason to believe Ward has more in him. Even a simple cleanup of the mistakes would help.
But the bigger issue is that something just hasn’t clicked this year, and the results are worse than they were last season. Brian Daboll deserves some of that blame for not developing Ward correctly, but Ward also has to do his part by speeding up his decisions and putting the ball where it needs to go.
That hasn’t happened often enough.
From a pure football standpoint, Burrow would be a huge lift for Tennessee’s offense. Sure, it would be fun to imagine him connecting with Carnell Tate and Elic Ayomanor on deep shots, but the reality is he’d be launching those passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins instead.
For the Titans, the actual plan remains the same: keep Ward under center and hope he starts to turn the corner. If he doesn’t, the second half of the season could get rough in a hurry.
In Other News...
Titans May Have Found A Defensive Line Answer Robert Saleh Needed
The Titans dipped into the waiver wire for another body on the defensive front, claiming defensive tackle Jonah Laulu after releasing Timmy Horne. It is a small roster move on paper, but for a team still searching for more consistent push up front, it could turn out to matter more than the usual late-season churn.
Laulu arrives with some usable production already on his rsum, including 5.5 career sacks and a half-sack this season, and he played in all 17 games for the Raiders in 2025. For a defensive line trying to give Robert Saleh more dependable options, the appeal is obvious, even if the real question is how quickly he can carve out a role once he gets to Tennessee. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Made A Jeffery Simmons Decision Fans Will Debate
The Titans have made a massive move in their rebuilding effort, agreeing to send defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Bears in a trade that brings back a hefty package of draft capital. Chicago is sending two first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-rounder to Tennessee, with the Titans also sending a 2028 fifth-round pick back the other way, and it is the kind of deal that instantly changes the shape of both franchises.
Simmons had recently signed a contract extension with Tennessee, which only adds another layer to what this decision means for the Titans future. For a team trying to reset its roster, adding multiple premium picks is the kind of return that can speed up a rebuild, but moving on from one of its cornerstone defenders will not sit easily with fans who viewed him as part of the long-term foundation. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Could Flip Another Productive Veteran In Fire Sale
After dealing Jeffery Simmons to the Bears, the Titans have made it clear they are open for business as they stockpile draft capital, now holding two first-round picks in each of the next two years. That kind of reset naturally puts the spotlight on other veterans who could draw interest before the market closes, and Tony Pollard stands out as one of the more productive names still in Tennessees backfield.
Pollard has been giving teams a reason to call, too, with a recent outing that included a season-high 129 rushing yards and three touchdowns. If the Titans decide to keep moving pieces, a running back with that kind of recent production could appeal to clubs looking for an immediate boost, with the Commanders and Vikings among the teams being linked as possible fits. [Read more 🡒]