The Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs face off in a Week 16 matchup at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Titans are facing a Chiefs team that will not only miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, but they’ll be without the cornerstone of their offense as Patrick Mahomes is done for the season with a torn ACL. Both of these situations make this game more intriguing than it would have been if Mahomes were on the field because it’s been a while since the Chiefs faced this much adversity. How will they respond?

We won’t know the answer to that until Sunday, but the Titans don’t have the luxury of waiting to see what they’ll do. They have to have a gameplan in place ahead of the game that focuses on attacking the Chiefs’ weaknesses. This game isn’t out of reach for the Titans, and analysts and experts are predicting a Titans win this week.

If the Titans are going to walk off the field with a win, it won’t be because of one highlight play or one individual performance. It’ll take layered execution, discipline, and a plan that leans into who this team is rather than who it wishes it could be.

Here are six things Tennessee must do to ensure a victory in Week 16.

Protect the quarterback

Everything for the Tennessee offense starts with a functional pocket for Cam Ward to operate out of. When the offensive line protects the quarterback, it gives him the ability to play freer and more confidently. Timing routes develop, and the playbook opens up instead of being a drive-to-drive approach. They don’t have to be perfect, but they do have to limit disastrous plays like strip sacks, rushed reads, and panicked throws. If the Titans can keep the quarterback hits down, the offense will find its rhythm, and when that happens, Cam Ward can be magical.

Establish physicality on the ground

The Titans don’t need Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears to gain all of the offensive yards, but they do need to establish a ground game to control the clock. When they run with purpose, opposing safeties creep down, linebackers hesitate, and the offense is more balanced. Three- and four-yard carries matter because they keep the chains manageable, and the Titans are at their best when they force defenses to respect the run rather than daring them to abandon it. With Pollard’s recent rejuvenation, creating this balance has helped the Titans’ offense over the last few weeks. They must continue that on Sunday.

Win early downs

The Titans convert 30% of their third-down attempts, but they cannot consistently live in 3rd-and-8 situations, as their record indicates. Staying ahead of the sticks is the difference between controlling the tempo and constantly reacting. Positive plays on first and second downs create third-and-short, manageable situations, which allow the Titans to stay unpredictable. They can mix in play-action and take calculated shots that sustain drives. In contrast, negative plays on early downs lead to stalled drives, tired defenses, and momentum swings the Titans won’t be able to overcome.

Take away explosive plays defensively

The Titans’ defense cannot survive a defensive breakdown against the Chiefs. They must force the Chiefs to work the entire length of the field, taking away explosive plays that result in touchdowns. The secondary has to remain disciplined. Just because Patrick Mahomes isn’t throwing the ball doesn’t mean they can relax. There has to be clean, clear communication and tackling at the point of contact. When the Titans prevent chunk gains, the pass rush gets more opportunities, which will put extra pressure on Gardner Minshew.

Win the situational battles

Red zone. Third down. Two-minute stretches. These are the pivot points where games turn. Tennessee doesn’t have to dominate in every category, but they need to be sharper than the Chiefs in these moments. Convert red-zone trips into touchdowns, get off the field defensively on third down, and handle clock management with purpose. Good teams survive moments. Winning teams seize them, and this is a huge opportunity for the Titans to seize.

Play complimentary football

When the Titans function together and support each other in all three phases, they win games. The offense sustaining drives, the defense creating stops and helping field position, and special teams finishing plays will tilt momentum in the Titans’ favor. When Tennessee plays connected football, they look like a team capable of beating almost any opponent. But when they don’t, they fall apart quickly. They’ve got to play confident, complimentary football if they want to beat the Chiefs on Sunday.