The Titans have earned their third win of the season.
Tennessee defeated Kansas City 26-9 on Sunday, putting another notch in the belt during what’s been a difficult season.
Quarterback Cam Ward played well in the contest, finishing 21-of-28 for 228 yards with two touchdowns. The No. 1 overall pick again made some impressive throws, showing his potential against a solid defensive unit.
The Chiefs played most of the contest with No. 3 quarterback Chris Oladokun at quarterback after Gardner Minshew exited the contest with a knee injury in the first half. Initially ruled questionable, Minshew was subsequently downgraded to out. He threw eight passes in the game, completing three for 15 yards.
According to multiple reports, there is reportedly concern Minshew suffered a torn ACL.
Oladokun finished the contest 11-of-16 passing for 111 yards.
While the Titans are about to embark on a coaching search, Ward has shown plenty of traits to build around and they were on display on Sunday afternoon. Now at 3-12, Tennessee will play the Saints at home next week before finishing the season with a road matchup in Jacksonville.
At 6-9, the Chiefs will continue playing out the string on a lost season and will likely need to bring in at least one more quarterback on a short week. The club will host the Broncos on Christmas Day before finishing the season on the road against the Raiders.
Titans Clips
It will be Chris Oladokun the rest of the way for the Chiefs as they play the Titans on Sunday.
Gardner Minshew has been downgraded to out for Kansas City, as the club is down 16-6 to the Titans in the third quarter in Week 16.
Minshew appeared to be hobbled after the Chiefs’ first drive on Sunday. But he stayed in for the next few possessions until he was examined on the sideline and removed from the game.
Minshew was 3-of-8 for 15 yards at the time of his exit.
Should something happen to Oladokun, Noah Gray is Kansas City’s emergency third quarterback, according to the CBS broadcast.
The Titans were able to go up 9-3 with a 7-yard touchdown pass by Cam Ward late in the first half. While Harrison Butker’s 41-yard field goal made the score 9-6, Titans, at halftime, Tennessee then expanded its advantage with a 1-yard TD from Ward to receiver Chimere Dike to make the score 16-6.
The Chiefs are dealing with another injury at quarterback.
Gardner Minshew is questionable to return with a knee injury suffered during the first half of Kansas City’s matchup with Tennessee.
Minshew had looked like he’d been hobbled at the end of the team’s first drive, but initially stayed in the game. But new backup Chris Oladokun ended up coming in for him on Kansas City’s fifth offensive possession, leading the team to a field goal.
Minshew was 3-of-8 for 15 yards at the time of his exit.
Tight end Noah Gray is Kansas City’s emergency third quarterback, should something happen to Oladokun.
Additionally, Titans cornerback Marcus Harris is questionable to return with a knee injury.
It doesn’t look like there are going to be many points in Sunday’s matchup between the Chiefs and Titans, but two have been registered early in the second quarter.
Veteran defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons brought down Kareem Hunt in the end zone for a safety, giving Tennessee a 2-0 lead.
Hunt was stopped dead in his tracks on a first-and-11 play and had no shot to get out of the paint.
Simmons came off the left side of the line to make the play. Center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith were shown on the CBS broadcast clearly upset with someone for allowing the play to happen that way.
The Chiefs have been able to record just two first downs on their four possessions so far on Sunday.
The Bills will try to wrap up a playoff berth without the help of wide receiver Keon Coleman on Sunday.
Coleman is inactive for Buffalo’s game in Cleveland. Coleman was not on the injury report at all this week, but will miss his third game of the season. Coleman was scratched for disciplinary reasons earlier this year, but Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media reports Sunday’s deactivation is solely a coach’s decision. Coleman was a 2024 second-round pick and he has 36 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Mecole Hardman, who was activated from injured reserve this week, is active.
The Bills need a win and a loss by either the Texans or Colts in order to book a playoff berth. A win will also help their chances of ending the season as the AFC East champs for the sixth straight season.
Bills at Browns
Bills: WR Keon Coleman, WR Gabe Davis, DT Jordan Phillips, K Matt Prater, OL Tylan Grable, DB Darnell Savage, DT Larry Ogunjobi
Browns: CB Denzel Ward, RB Dylan Sampson, DT Mike Hall Jr., G Wyatt Teller, WR Jamari Thrash, TE David Njoku, DT Sam Kamara
Buccaneers at Panthers
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, TE Devin Culp, G Elijah Klein, WR Sterling Shepard, DL Elijah Simmons, LB Anthony Walker, S Rashad Wisdom
Panthers: WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Trevin Wallace, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, OT Ikem Ekwonu, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Jets at Saints
Jets: QB Justin Fields, TE Mason Taylor, DT Mazi Smith, LB Kiko Mauigoa, DT Payton Page, DE Eric Watts
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara, OL Cesar Ruiz, OL Asim Richards, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright, DT Khristian Boyd
Chiefs at Titans
Chiefs: WR Rashee Rice, CB Trent McDuffie, OT Jaylon Moore, WR Tyquan Thornton, RB Dameon Pierce, OL CJ Hanson, DT Derrick Nnadi
Titans: OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley, LB Cedric Gray, S Erick Hallett
Chargers at Cowboys
Chargers: WR Derius Davis, S RJ Mickens, EDGE Bud Dupree, OL Branson Taylor, OT Trey Pipkins, TE Tyler Conklin
Cowboys: DT Quinnen Williams, WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Caelen Carson, RB Jaydon Blue, DT Jay Toia, OT Tyler Guyton
Vikings at Giants
Vikings: LB Austin Keys, DT Javon Hargrave, OT Walter Rouse, QB John Wolford
Giants: LB Caleb Murphy, WR Ryan Miller, WR Jalin Hyatt, LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, G Jon Runyan, DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, QB Russell Wilson
Bengals at Dolphins
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Charlie Jones, DB Brayln Lux, S P.J. Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Noah Fant, DT Jordan Jefferson
Dolphins: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, CB Isaiah Johnson, T Kendall Lamm, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler, QB Tua Tagovailoa
The Chiefs have made several moves on Saturday in advance of their Week 16 matchup against the Titans.
Kansas City has placed offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor and linebacker Leo Chenal on injured reserve, which will end the season for both players.
Taylor has been sidelined by an elbow injury and has not played since the Chiefs’ Thanksgiving Day loss to the Cowboys.
It’s fair to wonder if Taylor has now played his last game with Kansas City. While he is under contract for 2026, Taylor does not have any guaranteed money left on his contract, and his release would result in $20 million in savings against the cap for 2026.
Taylor has started 45 games for Kansas City since signing with the club as a free agent in 2023. He played his first four seasons with Jacksonville.
The Chiefs have also waived running back Elijah Mitchell to create another roster spot.
As corresponding moves, the Chiefs have signed offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick, quarterback Chris Oladokun, and running back Dameon Pierce to the 53-man roster.
Additionally, the club has elevated linebacker Cole Christiansen and offensive tackle Matt Waletzko to the active roster for Sunday.
There’s a long line of Chiefs who have been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Titans.
Among pass catchers, receivers Rashee Rice (concussion) and Tyquan Thornton (concussion) are both out after they were not able to practice all week.
Top cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee) will also miss another game. He was limited for Thursday’s session but did not participate on Wednesday and Friday.
Linebacker Leo Chenal (shoulder), offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (knee), offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (elbow), tight end Jake Briningstool (hamstring), cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder), and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (illness) have also been ruled out.
With so many players sidelined, it stands to reason that the Chiefs will need to make some Saturday roster moves for depth.
Chiefs-Titans is set for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff in Nashville on Sunday.
Sunday night’s game between the Patriots and Ravens has significant playoff implications for both teams, so there’s little need for other storylines involving past relationships between pivotal members of the two teams.
The game has one, though. Ravens running back Derrick Henry spent six years playing for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel when both men were with the Titans and he ran for 8,268 yards and 80 touchdowns over their time together. That experience leaves Vrabel feeling prepared for what his team has in store for themselves this week.
“It is a huge challenge,” Vrabel said in a press conference this week, via a transcript from the team. “He’s a very unique player. Great speed, great power, strength. He’s just a different body type than what anybody would go against, and so it’s unique in that regard. They do a very nice job with their scheme, different personnel groups, different run plan and styles of run, and different run actions. So again, we know what he’s about. Build speed and stiff arm and all that other stuff.”
Vrabel called Henry “somebody that I really valued” while with the Titans and credited him with being a valuable part of the team’s success while they were there. Henry had similar praise for someone he called “a great coach” during his Thursday press conference, but those warm feelings will be set aside once Sunday’s game is underway.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward’s first NFL head coach was fired early in his rookie season and he wants to have a role in the process of finding the next one.
Ward said on Wednesday that he has spoken to president of football operations Chad Brinker and General Manager Mike Borgonzi “about wanting to be involved” from the first steps of the process of finding Brian Callahan’s permanent replacement. Ward said his interest is not in discussing scheme or finding a coach devoted to the offensive side of the ball, but to help find someone who can build a successful foundation for the franchise.
“I want to meet all of them,” Ward said, via the team’s website. “Every coach who’s going to get the opportunity to come here, I want to meet them, have conversations throughout the whole process with them because that’s someone that I’m going to be here with for that time. So, we got to just continue to — me being around and being open to it no matter whoever we try to hire because I know at the end of the day who we do hire is going to be the right fit for us. Whether it’s a defensive person or an offensive person, they’re going to make sure that every person is in the right place, and make sure every person is set up for success.”
2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams saw his head coach get fired during a disappointing first NFL campaign, but the Bears have rebounded to much better results under Ben Johnson this season. The Titans will be hoping for the same kind of results in 2026.
Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice remained in last Sunday’s loss to the Chargers after being checked out in the sideline medical tent in the wake of a big hit from Chargers safety Tony Jefferson, but his status for this week’s game against the Titans is in question.
Head coach Andy Reid said at a Wednesday press conference that Rice is in the concussion protocol. Reid said that Rice reported concussion symptoms to the team’s medical staff on Monday.
Tyquan Thornton is also in the protocol after being on the receiving end of a helmet-to-helmet hit that led to Jefferson being ejected from last Sunday’s game.
Linebacker Leo Chenal (shoulder), cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee), tackle Jaylon Moore (knee), and right tackle Jawaan Taylor (triceps) will also miss practice on Wednesday.
