The Washington Commanders are getting ready for the third season of the Dan Quinn era, and the expectations remain high.
The Commanders have a 17-game slate full of challenges and opportunities against some of the league's best teams. Super Bowl contenders like the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers loom later in the year along with talented teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans. There's even another international game in the near future against the Indianapolis Colts in London.
Now that the season is on the horizon, Commanders.com is going to break down each of Washington's opponents. We'll move on to the Titans.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Dec. 6
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Nissan Stadium
Individual stats leaders
- Passing Yards -- QB Cam Ward (3,169)
- Passing TDs -- QB Cam Ward (15)
- Rushing Yards -- RB Tony Pollard (1,082)
- Rushing TDs -- RB Tony Pollard (5)
- Receiving Yards -- TE Chig Okonkwo (560)
- Receiving TDs – WRs Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike (4)
- Tackles -- LB Cedric Grey (164)
- Sacks -- DT Jeffery Simmons (11)
- Interceptions -- LB Cody Barton (3)
Key additions in free agency
- WR Wan'Dale Robinson
- DL John Franklin-Myers
- CB Alontae Taylor
- CB Cor'Dale Flott
- C Austin Schlottmann
- TE Daniel Bellinger
- DE Jermain Johnson (trade)
- DE Solomon Thomas (trade)
2026 Draft class
- WR Carnell Tate
- EDGE Kelric Faulk
- LB Anthony Hill Jr.
- G Fernando Carmona
- RB Nicholas Singleton
- DT Jackie Marshall
- C Pat Coogan
- TE Jaren Kanak
Key questions
- What's the next step for Cam Ward? The 2025 No. 1 overall pick had a mixed bag of results in his rookie season. He was constantly looking to make explosive plays, and while there were moments where his arm and athleticism shone through, he also had multiple head-scratching plays that led to turnovers. He wasn't near the top of many statistical categories, but the Titans believe that a new scheme could help highlight his better qualities. Brian Daboll, the former New York Giants head coach who is now the Titans' offensive coordinator, was high on Ward during the draft process, and general manager Mike Borgonzi has given Ward weapons like Tate and Robinson. Some of Ward's development still falls on him, but the hope is that a better cast will lead to better results.
- Can Robert Saleh fix Tennessee's defense? The Titans' defense was far from their biggest problem last season, but it could have certainly used an upgrade. They ranked in the bottom third of yards allowed per game and bottom five in average points given up. Saleh, who has a history of orchestrating top-tier defenses, has been tasked with revamping Tennessee's defense. Borgonzi has provided some good tools, too, with Franklin-Myers, Jacob Martin, Solomon Thomas and Jermain Johnson joining Simmons up front. There are new cornerbacks in Taylor and Flott, which should be an improved duo over what they have had in recent years. There are a lot of new pieces, but we'll have to wait and see if they can turn into a comprehensive puzzle.
- Can the Titans protect Ward? Ward was tied with Geno Smith for being the most sacked quarterback in the league last season. To put it bluntly, that isn't a long-term strategy for success, and if the Titans want to get the most out of him, they need to provide him with better protection. They believe that Schlottmann, one of many players with experience playing for Daboll, could provide some stability at the center position. Other players like Carmona and Coogan are more developmental projects but have plenty of college experience and could be starters at some point in their careers. It might not be an immediate turnaround, but it would be an improvement if Tennessee were able to stop the bleeding in pass protection, as they have ranked in the bottom seven for sacks allowed in each of the last five seasons.
