Tennessee Titans back in the NFL playoffs? Our game-by-game predictions are in

The Tennessee Titans play the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season. Our game-by-game predictions for the Titans feature early key games vs. the Bengals, Browns and Ravens.

Is The Tennessean picking the Titans to reach the playoffs in its 2023 NFL season predictions? It will likely come down to a couple AFC South showdowns at the end of the regular season. There's no such thing as an easy NFL schedule. But the slate the Tennessee Titans have ahead of them comes pretty close.

The Titans have the fifth-easiest schedule in 2023 based on their opponents' 2022 records. Tennessee plays seven games against teams projected to be among the eight worst squads in the NFL by Super Bowl odds, compared to just one against a team in the top eight. Sure, the Titans are in that bottom eight themselves, but nothing projects expectations quite like a year where the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills aren't on the schedule.

After ending last season on a seven-game losing streak and missing the playoffs, the Titans have a path back into the postseason. Not just because the schedule is more forgiving, but also because of the moves made in free agency and the draft to improve the roster, most notably the addition of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and the complete rebuild of the offensive line. The AFC is still loaded, and getting to the playoffs will never be a guarantee.

But if the Titans can take advantage of their winnable games and hold their own in the ones that are up for grabs, there is a way to make a return. Here are The Tennessean's game-by-game predictions for how the Titans will fare in 2023. Week 1: at New Orleans Saints (noon, Sept.

10, CBS) Prediction: Titans win 17-14 Quarterback Derek Carr isn't able to overcome the absence of running back Alvin Kamara (suspension), and the Titans' offense does just enough to snag a narrow win. Week 2: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (noon, Sept.

17, CBS) Prediction: Titans win 21-17 The Titans nearly beat the Chargers last season with a depleted roster and quarterback Ryan Tannehill playing on one foot. This time around, an improved offense makes just enough plays to take down the Chargers in a game with big wild-card implications down the line. Week 3: at Cleveland Browns (noon, Sept.

24, CBS) Prediction: Browns win 17-13 This might be the throwback game of the year, with running backs Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb trading blows against the defenses. But Cleveland's pass rush is too good for the Titans' rebuilt offensive line, and the offense reverts to being one-dimensional down the stretch. Week 4: vs.

Cincinnati Bengals (noon, Oct. 1, FOX) Prediction: Bengals win 27-14 The Bengals have the Titans' number. Even if the Titans' secondary is improved, slowing down Joe Burrow and his cadre of receivers is a challenge.

It's two steps forward, two steps back to start the year. Week 5: at Indianapolis Colts (noon, Oct. 8, CBS) Prediction: Titans win 24-10 Quarterback Anthony Richardson has the talent to give the Titans trouble .

. . eventually.

But this Colts team doesn't have the offensive or defensive firepower to slow down the Titans this early in the season. Week 6: vs. Baltimore Ravens (8:30 a.

m. , Oct. 15, in London, NFL Network) Prediction: Titans win 17-14 Both offenses can use jet lag as an excuse here.

Henry ends up having a good enough game for the Titans across the pond to outpace their old rivals and head into the open date with a winning record. Week 8: vs. Atlanta Falcons (noon, Oct.

29, CBS) Prediction: Falcons win 24-21 Falcons coach Arthur Smith's return to Nashville, where he was once the Titans' offensive coordinator, will be marked by a high-scoring game (by Titans standards). The Falcons are one of the surprises of the NFL in 2023 and they just narrowly take down the Titans. Week 9: at Pittsburgh Steelers (7:15 p.

m. , Nov. 2, Amazon Prime Video) Prediction: Titans win 17-10 Prime time in Pittsburgh isn't easy.

But then again, neither was prime time in Green Bay last year. The Titans take another win on Thursday night, this time in a lower-scoring affair. Week 10: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (noon, Nov.

12, CBS) Prediction: Titans win 23-13 The Bucs are going to be among the worst teams this year. Their receiving corps could give the Titans a bit of a challenge, but Tennessee should be able to win this one by a couple of scores. Week 11: at Jacksonville Jaguars (noon, Nov.

19, CBS) Prediction: Jaguars win 33-27 (OT) The Jags win the first meeting between the two squads in a shootout. The Titans' offense clicks in the right ways but Jacksonville fires back with a big game from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his loaded group of backs, receivers and tight ends. Week 12: vs.

Carolina Panthers (noon, Nov. 26, FOX) Prediction: Titans win 28-17 The offense keeps clicking. No.

1 pick Bryce Young and the Panthers do a little bit of damage, but the Titans are too experienced for this young Carolina team to keep up. Week 13: vs. Indianapolis Colts (noon, Dec.

3, CBS) Prediction: Titans win 21-7 The first week of December is the point where the rookie wall starts to become more than imaginary. Richardson hits it. The Colts hit it.

The Titans take another game against an AFC South foe. Week 14: at Miami Dolphins (7:15 p. m.

, Dec. 11, ESPN) Prediction: Dolphins win 21-16 The Dolphins have just a little bit too much speed for the Titans. Jeffery Simmons and the pass rush get their licks in against a less-than-stellar Miami front line, but in the end, the big plays end up being too much.

Week 15: vs. Houston Texans (noon, Dec. 17, CBS) Prediction: Titans win 28-13 You think Hopkins isn't champing at the bit for this one? The veteran receiver goes off against his former team and the Titans win their first of two matchups in three weeks against their rival.

Week 16: vs. Seattle Seahawks (noon, Dec. 24, CBS) Prediction: Seahawks win 20-14 The Titans do a pretty good job slowing down the Seahawks' targets on the perimeter, but the Christmas Eve game still goes the way of the visitors.

Week 17: at Houston Texans (noon, Dec. 31, FOX) Prediction: Texans win 27-20 The Texans start finding their groove toward the end of the season and win some games they maybe shouldn't. This is one of them, and the Titans drop a crucial division matchup.

Week 18: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (date and time TBD) Prediction: Jaguars win 13-10 Another year, another losing streak to end the season. After the shootout in November, this one's more of a rock fight.

The regular season ends on a sour note, but the year doesn't end there. Final record: 9-8, Titans earn No. 7 seed in AFC playoffs Nine-win teams have secured the final spot in the AFC postseason in back-to-back years.

The conference's middle class mostly disappears this year and the Titans slide in with a wild-card appearance thanks to tiebreakers held over the Steelers and Chargers. .