The Tennessee Titans were sitting pretty four games ago. At 7-3, they seemed to be primed to make another run for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and the AFC South seemed to be all but wrapped up.
Fast forward to Week 16, and the Titans have found themselves at 7-7 and just a game ahead in the division over the streaking Jaguars. To make matters worse, starter Ryan Tannehill is likely out for the season due to an ankle injury he suffered against the Chargers, though he is holding out hope for a Week 18 return.
That means Malik Willis will be slated to start for Tennessee in the meantime. Willis, a rookie, is 1-1 as a starter with a win over the Texans and a loss to the Chiefs.
The loss of Tannehill is, of course, significant for Tennessee. But what does it mean for their long-term playoff prospects?
MORE: Week 16 picks against the spread: Packers surprise, Chiefs struggle
AFC South standings
The Titans are still ahead in the AFC South despite their slide, thanks to the Texans' lack of interest in winning games and the Colts' recent struggles under interim coach Jeff Saturday.
The Jaguars, however, have emerged as a legitimate threat for the division. At 7-8, they're a half-game back, and they already have a win over the Titans this year. Doug Pederson has started to unlock Trevor Lawrence, and it's showing up in the win column.
| Team | Record |
| Titans | 7-7 |
| Jaguars | 7-8 |
| Colts | 4-9-1 |
| Texans | 1-12-1 |
Titans remaining games: vs. Texans, vs. Cowboys, at Jaguars
Jaguars remaining games: at Texans, vs. Titans
Both the Titans and the Jaguars have games against the Texans remaining, not to mention a bout against each other to end the year. The third game could well end up being the difference-maker, with the Titans taking on the Cowboys in Week 17. The Titans, of course, have a particularly brutal draw here. If, theoretically these teams enter Week 18 even, there's a good chance the match-up favors the Jaguars.
MORE: Injury timeline of Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill after ankle injury
AFC Wild Card standings
In the wild card, things don't stack up particularly well for anyone in the AFC South. Two eight-win teams currently occupy the final two spaces, And for the Titans to lose out to the Jaguars, they must lose at least one of the next three games, which would put them at 9-8 at best.
| Team | Record |
| Baltimore Ravens* | 9-5 |
| Los Angeles Chargers* | 8-6 |
| Miami Dolphins* | 8-6 |
| New England Patriots | 7-7 |
| New York Jets | 7-8 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 7-8 |
* - Currently in postseason
The crowded wild card picture wouldn't do the Titans any favors, particularly with many of these teams playing each other down the stretch. With that in mind, the Titans' best chance is to win the AFC South.
At this point, that is anything but a sure thing. Compounding Tannehill's absence with the Titans' recent struggles, they could well slip.
The Titans have defied the odds before under Mike Vrabel, so it's possible they come out on top in the end. However, the Titans have a difficult road ahead, and a lot of pressure on Willis to help them navigate it.
