Are Tennessee Titans a playoff team in 2023? These 5 games could determine it
Getting back to the playoffs after a year away won't be easy for the Tennessee Titans.
The NFL released the Titans' 2023 schedule Thursday, giving the franchise a full picture at its path to the postseason. After missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2018, the Titans get the benefit of not having to play a division-winner's schedule but also draw some of the league's toughest non-division opponents.
The AFC South is undergoing a period of change. The Jacksonville Jaguars are building on last year's playoff run, while the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans enter 2023 with new coaches and quarterbacks. The Titans, with a new general manager and potentially a new quarterback, too, will need to win some key games to get back in the playoff hunt.
Here are five games that could determine whether the Titans return to the playoffs:
Sept. 17 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (noon, CBS)
Playing in the same division as the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs means the Chargers will be viewed as a wild-card contender, making them direct competition for Tennessee. The Titans nearly took them down last year in a game where quarterback Ryan Tannehill was hobbled, and a win against the Chargers this fall could mean a big tiebreaker come playoff time.
Nov. 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers (7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video)
All four games against the AFC North present an interesting challenge. The Bengals and Ravens are the last two teams to eliminate the Titans from the playoffs and the Browns play a similar, downhill running style to what the Titans excel at. But this matchup against the Steelers could loom largest in a race for a wild-card spot, as the Steelers have finished with eight or nine wins four of the past five years.
Dec. 11 at Miami Dolphins (7:15 p.m., ESPN)
The Dolphins' passing attack presents a unique threat for the Titans' secondary, which allowed the most passing yards in football last year. Slowing down Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill won't be easy, but if the Titans can pull it off, that's another AFC contender they would have a tiebreak over.
Dec. 31 at Houston Texans (noon, CBS)
It might not seem like the most important game, but the Texans did a bunch this offseason to strengthen their roster, including securing two of the top three picks in the draft. Houston's a franchise on the rise, and by Week 17 when this game takes place they'll be closer to fully formed than ever.
Jan. 6 or 7 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (time TBD)
All division games are important. But the Jaguars are the top dogs in the AFC South right now, and they blew past the Titans in Nashville last season. Making sure that doesn't happen again, particularly in the last game of the year when stakes are highest, will be a gigantic moment in the race for an automatic playoff spot.
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Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans to NFL playoffs in 2023? 5 games could determine it
