Hudson Webb
Jun 18, 2025
In the NFL, every game counts, but some games feel bigger than others. Some matchups you circle in red ink the second the schedule drops, others you forget are even until the week of. For the 2025 Tennessee Titans, this year’s slate is a rollercoaster of high-stakes showdowns, revenge tours, rookie debuts, and sadly none take place under the bright lights of primetime.
With a coveted rookie quarterback, a retooled offense, and what feels like a prove-it year for nearly everyone in the building, each week has a story. Some games will be battles. Others? Straight-up spectacles. And whether it's a heated division clash or a prime-time homecoming, the Titans' calendar is packed with moments that could define this season, and the franchise's next chapter.
So let’s do what every real fan does in June: overreact to a schedule and rank every game by pure, unfiltered excitement. From can’t-miss TV to “maybe I’ll catch the highlights,” here’s your countdown of the most thrilling Titans matchups of 2025.
17th: vs Saints Week 17
Yeah not much jumps off the page in this one. The predicted worst NFL team in the Saints facing off against us, admittedly the worst team from 2024. With the Saints QB room being rookie Tyler Shough along with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, storylines are also on the shorthand. Additionally, this very well could be two teams with losing records playing for nothing in the penultimate week of regular season football. Cam Ward might have a chance for a big day but other than that, this is the best week to plan that Sunday event or eat that lunch your family is nagging you about.
Last matchup: The Saints took a W from under the Titan’s grasp 16-15 in the 2023 season opener where the Titan’s failed to score a touchdown.
Fun Fact of the Game: This is the fourth time in 6 years that these two have faced off. Since moving to the new rotating out of conference 17th game, these two have matched up both times they could. This sets the record for most times two inter conference teams played in a 6 year span.
16th: at Cardinals Week 5
Not much stands out here either and it's not even at home! This game begins a two game West Coast trip. With a tough first four games, Brian Callahan could be in desperate need of victory to win fan’s, and maybe even ownership’s, approval. With this being Kyler Murray’s prove it year, we could see urgency from his side as well. Week 5 is where we traditionally see Rookie quarterbacks begin to get comfortable so this could be Cam Ward’s coming out game.
Last Matchup: The Cardinals dismantled the Titans 38-13 in the 2021 season opener in possibly Kyler Murray’s best career performance
Fun Fact of the Game: The Titans have not won in Arizona since 2009.
15th: at 49ers Week 15
A late season game in San Francisco seems more like a punishment for the team than it is a fun game to watch for a fan. This will be the Titans first game vs Brock Purdy ever and their first game against Christian Mccaffrey since 2019 where he dominated us for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns in an upset victory. Local boy Juaun Jennings from suburb Murfreesboro is semi-interesting but other than that, not much there.
Last Matchup: The Titans won a week 16 comeback thriller on Thursday Night Football in a game where AJ Brown took over.
Fun Fact of the Game: This is the Titan’s last game of the season not played at 12:00 PM, being at 3:25 PM
14th: at Raiders Week 6
This is our first inner-conference matchup to appear. Both of these squads are expected to make big leaps with new rookies and in the Raider’s case, coaching staffs. Heisman finalists Ashton Jeanty and Cam Ward would have their first matchup on any level. Because it is the second game in a west coast trip, the Titans could struggle. This is also Geno Smith’s fourth career start against the Titans with a 1-2 record coming in. To be honest, these teams being in the same conference carried it to 15th.
Last matchup: The Titans held on to a 24-7 lead for dear life winning 24-22 week 3 home opener win in 2022.
Fun Fact of the Game: Bill Callahan, offensive line coach and father of head coach, Brian,, was the head coach of the Raiders for their last Super Bowl appearance and playoff win in 2002. A game where they defeated the Titans.
13th: vs Seahawks Week 12
Are you sensing a theme? Without a storyline or rivalry, interconference games really lack excitement. This will amazingly be the first time the Titans have faced since his rookie year in 2018, although he did not play. The biggest storyline to be found is Tyler Lockett's “revenge” game. We put it in “” because he left on great terms as he had been a consistent contributor on their team for almost a decade. Ernest Jones IV is also getting a chance to play against us as we traded him to the Seahawks mid year last season in a move I’m still scratching my head at.
Last Matchup: The Titans choked a game they lead for 58 minutes late into the forgettable 2023 season in a 20-17 week 16 loss.
Fun Fact: Titan’s linebacker Cody Barton has also spent time in Seattle.
12th: vs Chargers Week 9
From here on out these games have way higher storylines and stakes. This inner-conference game has too many revenge storylines to count. Teair Tart, who talked trash on his way out in 2023, gets his second start against the team that drafted him. Hassan Haskins and Elijah Molden who were released and traded respectively in the 2024 offseason also get another crack at us. Finally, Bud Dupree, who was given a regrettable high dollar contract in the 2021 offseason, gets his second start against us. This is Justin Herbert’s fourth career start against the Two Tone Blue in consecutive seasons. He has a 1-2 record against us. These two former rivals from the 2000s always have a great matchup with only two this century being more than a one score game
Last Matchup: The Titans got beat more conveniently than the score says 27-17 in a week 10 game in Los Angeles.
Fun Fact of the Game: Jim Harbaugh is undefeated as a head coach at 2-0 against our franchise but 1-2 as starting quarterback.
11th: at Colts Week 8
I can’t lie, the division rivalry carried this. This is the second matchup of one of the Titan’s biggest rivalries and after the first matchup occurs much intrigue will fade. Obviously one team will be looking to avoid a sweep and I will want to beat them more than I need air, but it just doesn’t stick out as much. I also believe Anthony Richardson will be benched by Week 8 🤣.
Last matchup (at Indy): Titans couldn’t complete the 31 point comeback in a 38-30 loss in week 16 at Indy
Fun Fact: Both Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones are undefeated as starters against the Titans despite only having a combined 3-2 TD-INT ratio in those games.
10th: at Browns Week 14
This matchup is solely dependent on Sheduer Sanders or possibly Dillon Gabriel starting. If either Flacco or Pickett starts, go ahead and move this way down the list. Shedeur and Cam were both seen as QB1 and QB2 until Sheduer dramatically fell into the 5th round due to character concerns. Ward is seen as the Anti-Sheduer so this could be cinema. Additionally, Gabriel was a Heisman finalist alongside Ward so that could also interesting.
Last Matchup: The Titans got embarrassed 27-3 in a 2023 week 3 loss at Cleveland.
Fun Fact: 2024 linebacker Jerome Baker signed with Cleveland in the offseason.
9th: vs Texans Week 11
Like the Colts ranking, this is the second matchup of the two so much of the intrigue disappears. This is an another matchup of CJ Stroud and Cam Ward, the two future faces of the AFC South. Former Titans Denico Autry and Azeez Shair get their third games against us as well. Stroud has a 2-1 record against the Titans in his young career.
Last Matchup (vs Texans at home): Titans lost their season finale 23-14 at home in a game they may or may not have tanked for Cam Ward.
Fun Fact: This is the first time since 2022 the Titans will wear Titans-era uniforms at home against the Texans.
8th: vs Chiefs Week 16
This matchup is always good. Since Mahomes entered the league the Titans and Chiefs clashes have been consistent and must-see TV. Mahomes is entering the game with a 1-2 regular season record against us and a 1-0 record in postseason play from the AFC Championship we’d all like to forget. The Titans will get a chance to stick to Kristan Fulton who left sourly as well. gets L’Jarius Sneed will get his first shot at revenge which will be overshadowed but very big. New GM Mike Borganzi will also get a chance to beat his former employer.
Last Matchup: The Refs screwed the Malik Willis (really defense) led Titans in a 20-17 primetime week 9 loss at Arrowhead.
Fun Fact: This will be the future face of the League, Cam Ward, and the current face, Patrick Mahomes’s first matchup
7th: vs Jaguars Week 13
Now here's a big one. The Titans face off against their little brother with a whole new cast of characters to add to the rivalry. Once again, Cam Ward will face off against a fellow 2025 Heisman finalist this time in the form of dual threat DB/WR Heisman winner Travis Hunter. Additionally, this is the number 1 vs number 2 overall picks from last year's draft. This will be the Titans first matchup against Jaguars new head coach Liam Cohen and Trevor Larence’s first crack at us since we knocked him out of playoff contention in week 18 of the 2023 season. Lawrence has a 3-3 record vs the Titans with a 9-7 TD-INT ratio. But all these things on top of our rivalry and it being our first matchup of the year and you got a must-see game.
Last Matchup (vs Jaguars at home): The Titans put up their most pitiful performance of the year in a 10-6 Week 14 loss.
Fun Fact: This will be the 23rd matchup in NFL history of the previous drafts no. 1 and no. 2 overall picks.
6th: vs Colts Week 3
This is another great rivalry renewed with new faces. This will only be Cam Ward’s second home game as a Titan and his first matchup against an AFC South opponent. He will have a chance to embarrass the former 4th overall pick (can you believe he went that high?!?! 🤣) Anthony Richardson if he has not lost the job by then. Or, maybe even better, they will face Daniel Jones, who is just the veteran version of Will Levis. All in all, this will be a great opportunity to see Cam Ward get his first rivalry W and introduce himself to the AFC south.
Last Matchup (vs Colts at home): The Colts defeated the Titans 20-17 in a Week 6 matchup.
Fun Fact: If Daniel Jones starts, this will the 9th Colts starting quarterback to face the Titans since 2018.
5th: at Texans Week 4
Everything I said for Texans week 11 applies here but cranked to eleven. On top of this being multiple revenge games, this is possibly the Titans hottest current rivalry. The Texans have been very public with their whining and moaning about the Titans wearing ‘their’ Oilers uniforms even though the Oilers were perfectly willing to stay as long as they got a stadium. But they didn’t, so our late owner Bud Adams packed up and left. These remarks from the McNair family, the Texans ownership family, have felt borderline attacks at fellow owner Amy Adams Strunk, a Houston native. They even had the audacity to say “what rivalry, we always win” when asked about the Titan’s and Texan’s feud. This has created a big rivalry high up on the Titans and Texans organization that has trickled down to the field. To put it simply, bring your popcorn, because these teams HATE one another.
Last Matchup (at Texans): In Week 12, the Titans upset the Texans 32-27 in the Titans biggest win of the year.
Fun Fact: This will be CJ Stroud and Cam Ward’s first matchup of their long rivalry.
4th: at Jaguars Week 18
Once again, everything applies from the last matchup. You didn’t think I forgot Calvin Ridley, did you? Calvin Ridley will get another shot at revenge on his former team in this game. But the reason this game ranks 4th is none of those things, it is the potential stakes at hand. In a weak AFC south, this game could have major playoff implications for the Titans if everything goes right. On top of that, this will be Cam Ward’s final game of his rookie campaign and hopefully it puts an exclamation mark on his Offensive Rookie of the Year case. Also, who doesn’t love beating up Jacksonville in DuuvaL?
Last Matchup (at Jacksonville): The Jaguars took down the boys from Nashville 20-13 in a game the Titans may have lost on purpose in week 17.
Fun Fact: In Jacksonville's best season ever they went 15-3 overall with 3 losses to the Tennessee Titans, including an AFC Championship loss.
3rd: vs Rams Week 2
Number 3 and Number 2 were almost interchangeable but I think this is the best ranking. This will be the Titans home opener and the first opportunity to see Cam Ward. A full crowd is to be expected with it being the start of a whole new era. The opponent only adds intrigue however. The Rams were a sack away from taking down the eventual Super Bowl champions Eagles in the divisional round of last year's playoffs. They come into this year with the addition of star wide receiver Davante Adams and a strong defensive line. This is also a Super Bowl rematch which is always fun. Cam Ward’s arrival to Nashville will be a game we will all be seated for.
Last Matchup: In Week 9 in L.A., the Titans shocked the eventual Super Bowl champs Rams 28-16 in their first game without an injured Derrick Henry on Sunday Night Football.
Fun Fact: Matthew Stafford has a 0-4 record vs the Titans with a 4-3 TD-INT ratio all time.
2nd: at Broncos Week 1
Finally, Cam Ward’s NFL debut. He will make his first start in the Mile High city on September 5th. He will be tested as he is facing the NFL’s best secondary from 2024. Calvin Ridley and company will have their work cut out for them. This will be Bo Nix’s first career start vs us and Sean Payton’s sixth; he is coming in with a 2-3 record. Cody Barton and Lloyd Crushenberry III will also have a chance at vengeance vs their team from the previous years that did not offer a second contract despite good years from both. I don’t have to say much on this one, Cam Ward’s debut will be appointment television.
Last Matchup: The Titans prevailed 17-10 at home in Week 10 of the 2022 season.
Fun Fact: When Cam Ward faced Bo Nix in college at Washington State he had over 400 yards and 4 TDs.
1st: vs Patriots Week 7
How could this not be first? Before we get to the elephant in the room, let's go over some of the lesser stories. This is the team Calvin Ridley left at the altar to sign with us in the 2024 offseason. From the Titan’s side, new kicker Joey Slye will have a shot at revenge on his 2024 team. On the Patriots side, Titans legend in the real sense, Harold Landry, and in the joking sense, Joshua Dobbs, will get their first jabs at us. Former Titan Jack Gibbens will also get his first game against us. But finally, this is our first game against our last head coach Mike Vrabel. He was our head coach for six years with three playoff appearances and two playoff wins. Although we fired him, it always felt he would be happier in New England, as he played there for a majority of his career and won three Super Bowls. There will be no love lost between the two and is sure to be the Titans most anticipated game of the year… but I didn't have to tell you that.
Last Matchup: The Titans took down the Patriots 20-17 in overtime in a Week 9 Nashville win.
Fun Fact of the Game: Harold Landry III is third all time in Titans era history in sacks, being only 1.5 behind the 1st place finisher, Jevon Kearse.
