The Tennessee Titans fell to the New Orleans Saints in Week 17, but it wasn’t as big a gap in play as the 34-26 score might indicate.

The Titans led the Saints for much of the game, but they fell apart in the 4th quarter when the defense was completely gassed. The Titans have put up a fight in recent weeks that we haven’t seen in a long time, and regardless of whether they have a playoff berth or a shot at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, this Titans team wants to win.

They’ll keep that fire going as they head to Jacksonville, Florida, to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.

As we enter Week 18, here’s a look at where the Titans place in a multitude of power rankings.

Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 24 (NC)

Congratulations to Pro Bowl WR Chimere Dike, who’s had a historic rookie season … even if he’s not the rookie the Titans had hoped would have a historic season.

Cam Ward’s passer rating before the Titans’ Week 10 bye was 72.1. Since the bye it is 89.2. He had five touchdowns and six interceptions before the bye, and 10 touchdowns and one interception since. There is real progress happening for the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Titans are still a bad team with a poor supporting cast around Ward, but seeing Ward making strides is huge, especially with a crucial coaching search upcoming.

Diante Lee, The Ringer: 30 (-1)

I’ve been beating this drum for the last few weeks here in the power rankings, and I won’t stop until I feel like Ward has the attention he deserves.

His play style is as fun to watch as any young quarterback in the league, and those who have been tuning in have seen his growth on a weekly basis. Ward has better control over his velocity and accuracy now than he did just a month ago, and he’s gotten much better at recognizing when he should extend plays and when he needs to get the ball out quickly. The right offensive-minded head coach can build a system around Ward’s talent, and with the right supporting cast, he’ll be on his way to stardom.

The Titans are seeing the flashes of Cam Ward over the past month, making them more confident he was the right No. 1 overall choice to be their franchise passer. They will need to go to work plenty on defense in the offseason.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 30 (-2)

The good news is Cam Ward is showing progress. The bad news is they have a lot of holes heading into next season — including the head coach.

Head coach check-in: Keeping the seat warm

Veteran Mike McCoy has been holding down the fort since the Titans fired Brian Callahan following Week 6. McCoy was never really a serious candidate for the job, and going 2-8 certainly didn’t change that fact. Expect Tennessee to move as soon as the season is complete.

The Titans are now 8-28 against the spread since Week 1 of last year. They looked dominant against the Saints in the opening half, but their defense collapsed against a red-hot Tyler Shough after intermission.

NFL Nation, ESPN: 29 (-2)

What we learned this season: The Titans’ rookies offer hope for the future.

Cam Ward has shown he can be the long-term answer at quarterback and is looking to close out with his fourth consecutive game of two-plus touchdown passes. Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor and Gunnar Helm have proved to be capable pass catchers in different ways. Dike is a legit deep threat, while Ayomanor makes plays in the middle of the field. The two rookie receivers each have a team-leading four touchdown receptions. Helm is a consistent option who has caught 44 of 55 targets. Defensively, Kevin Winston Jr. and Marcus Harris each held down multiple roles in the secondary. Oluwafemi Oladejo will be part of the pass-rush rotation.