The Titans don’t need a miracle on Sunday, but they do need something close to a clean answer to one of the NFL’s hottest defenders.
Tennessee hosts Houston in a Week 5 matchup of AFC South teams that are still searching for their first win, and the math is ugly for both. At 0-5, hope gets thin in a hurry. For the Titans, that makes this one feel especially urgent.
The problem is sitting right across the line of scrimmage in Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. Pro Football Focus has Anderson as the highest-graded defender in the NFL entering Week 5 at 92.8, with elite marks in both the run game (92.2) and as a pass rusher (90.2). That’s the kind of player who can wreck a game by himself.
Which is why Titans right tackle JC Latham suddenly matters even more.
Latham, the former seventh overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is turning in the best stretch of his young career. He has not given up a sack or a quarterback hit across 145 pass-blocking snaps, and his 71.5 pass-blocking grade is the best of his career. He’s also handling plenty of tough assignments, with nearly 70% of his pass-blocking snaps coming on an island and more than 95% of those reps won, according to PFF.
.@Titans @Ravens RT, JC Latham has emerged this year as a lock down consistent player...Focus, consistency; power. it's all there regardless of opponent. #titanup #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/nO1lxMLACN
That production has shown up in the way Latham is anchoring better than he has at any point in the NFL. The traits that made him so difficult to move at Alabama are showing up again, and he’s using his length with more purpose and control.
There’s been progress in the run game, too. Latham posted a 71.3 run-blocking grade last year, and that area has remained a strength. With his power and length, plus better footwork and hand placement, he’s been able to move defenders off the spot when he gets it right.
He’s also been sharper before the snap, reading assignments more cleanly and ending up out of position far less often. That kind of recognition matters against a defense that can force mistakes quickly.
Now comes the real test.
Anderson is the kind of edge defender who can expose a tackle’s weak spots fast, and that’s what makes Sunday such a meaningful measuring stick for Latham. In past seasons, matchups like this were the ones that tended to reveal his flaws. This time, he has a chance to flip that script.
A strong day against Anderson would mean more than just surviving one matchup. It would give Latham a real boost in confidence and strengthen the case that he belongs in the conversation with the league’s better right tackles. But if he doesn’t hold up, the Titans could be staring at another miserable afternoon in Nashville.
Anderson is going to make some plays. That’s what elite defenders do.
The question is whether Latham can keep those moments from taking over the game. If he can, Tennessee gets a real chance to breathe life into its offense and finally chase that first win.
In Other News...
Titans Face A Tough Veteran Decision To Help Cam Ward
The Titans slow start has them looking hard at the roster, and that naturally pulls veteran names into the conversation as the NFL trade deadline approaches. One possibility being floated would send Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy to Tennessee in a deal centered on running back Tony Pollard, a kind of veteran-for-veteran move that would be aimed at shaking up a team still trying to find traction around rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
Clevelands 3-1 record gives the Browns a little more flexibility to weigh their own needs, while Tennessee is in a spot where almost any credible help on offense will get attention. Nothing has been finalized, and no trade has been announced, but the speculation alone says plenty about where the Titans are right now: searching for answers, open to changes, and trying to decide whether a move like this is the right one to support Wards development. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Suddenly Have A Tony Pollard Decision Fans Wont Ignore
The Seahawks running back room has been hit hard enough that a familiar name, Joe Mixon, briefly entered the conversation before his physical ended that possibility. Mixon last played for the Texans in 2024 and sat out the 2025 season with a foot and ankle injury, leaving Seattle still searching for help at a position where injuries and the physically unable to perform list have thinned the depth chart.
That kind of need naturally turns attention toward the trade market, and Tony Pollard becomes a name worth watching from Tennessees side of the ledger. He is in the final year of his contract, and with the Titans mired in a rough season, any player with value can at least spark speculation about whether the front office would listen if a contender came calling for backfield help. [Read more 🡒]
Titans 0-4 Start Is Already Separating Core Pieces From Disappointments
The Titans 0-4 start has already done what early-season records often do: it has started separating the encouraging pieces from the letdowns. On one side, rookie linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. has quickly become a defensive bright spot, sitting third in the league in total tackles, while rookie receiver Carnell Tate has given the offense a legitimate building block by leading the team in receptions and receiving yards.
Elsewhere, the picture is much murkier. Backup running back Tyjae Spears has not been able to stay healthy or make much of an impact, quarterback Cam Ward has fallen short of expectations, and the early returns on the offense have been uneven enough to keep the focus on what still has to be fixed. One notable exception has been JC Latham, whose leap has stood out, with no sacks or quarterback hits allowed so far. [Read more 🡒]