The Tennessee Titans travel to Los Angeles this week to face the Chargers, pairing two playoff hopefuls with identical 7-6 records in a late Sunday afternoon matchup. Kickoff at SoFi Stadium (capacity 71,500) is scheduled for 3:25 p.m. CST/1:25 p.m. PST on Dec. 18.
The Titans will make their second visit to SoFi Stadium, but it will be their first time to play the Chargers at the venue, which opened in 2020. They defeated the Rams there on Nov. 7, 2021. It is the first clash between the Titans and Chargers franchises in Los Angeles since the Oilers visited there in 1960. The Chargers called San Diego home from 1961 to 2016.
The most recent Titans-Chargers clash at Nissan Stadium on Oct. 20, 2019 was the first start in a Titans uniform for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, as well as the first NFL game for 2019 first-round defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Since that week, the Titans own the league's fifth-best record at 37-19 (.661).
THE BROADCAST
The contest will be regionally televised on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5. The broadcast team includes play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon, analyst James Lofton and reporter Amanda Renner.
Fans in Nashville can stream live Titans games with the newly-launched NFL+ subscription service, which offers access to all local games and all primetime games on phones and tablets, live local and national audio for every NFL game, and more.
The Titans Radio Network and Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone carry all Titans games across the Mid-South with the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith, analyst Dave McGinnis, sideline reporter Amie Wells and gameday host Rhett Bryan.
Additionally, Compass Media Networks will broadcast the game to a national radio audience. Play-by-play announcer Troy Clardy and analyst Brian Baldinger will have the call.
TITANS LOOK FOR RETURN TO THE WIN COLUMN
The Titans travel to the West Coast this week with hopes of ending their first three-game losing skid since Weeks 5-7 of the 2018 season, Mike Vrabel's first campaign as head coach. Last week they hosted the AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars with a chance to inch closer to their third consecutive division title. However, the Jaguars thwarted the Titans' plans, leaving Nashville with a 36-22 victory.
Running back Derrick Henry rushed for 121 yards and one touchdown on 17 attempts, and he added 34 yards on three receptions. It was his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season, which is tied for the most in the NFL with Cleveland's Nick Chubb and Las Vegas' Josh Jacobs. Jacobs leads the NFL with 1,402 rushing yards, followed by Henry (1,199) and Chubb (1,153).
Tannehill completed a pair of touchdown passes in the loss—one to rookie tight end Chig Okonkwo and one to veteran wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
With four weeks remaining in the regular season, the Titans have a two-game lead in their division, ahead of the 5-8 Jaguars and 4-8-1 Indianapolis Colts. The 1-10-1 Texans have already been eliminated from contention. Following their trip to Los Angeles, the Titans host the Texans (Dec. 24) and the Dallas Cowboys (Dec. 29) before finishing the regular season with a rematch against the Jaguars in Jacksonville (Jan. 7 or 8).
THE CHARGERS
The Chargers are in their second season under head coach Brandon Staley. He was hired in 2021 after a stint as the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams. Staley has his team in second place in the AFC West behind the 10-3 Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chargers hosted the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football last week. Against Miami's fourth-ranked total offense and second-ranked passing offense, the Chargers allowed only 127 net passing yards and 219 total yards, leading to a 23-17 victory.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was drafted by the Chargers in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His 13,056 passing yards, including 367 last week against the Dolphins, are the most in NFL history through a player's first three career seasons.
