Tennessee Titans Betting Preview: Do the Talented Titans Deserve More Love in Title Talk?

By all measures, the Tennessee Titans had a good season last year. They won 11 games and won the AFC South, led by 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry. The year did end in an early postseason exit, as they fell at home to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round.

But the Titans are one of the NFL’s top rising teams and are poised for another successful season. Their offense is poised to be one of the NFL’s best, thanks to a passing attack that has added superstar receiver Julio Jones. The defense has room to improve but is not short on talent and held the Ravens under 20 points in the postseason.

Can the Titans not only defend their AFC South crown but make the leap to make a serious run at the AFC title? It is well within their reach.

Tennessee Titans 2021 Schedule and Futures Odds

To keep up with the Titans’ results and updated futures odds throughout the season, check out our dedicated Tennessee Titans page.

Tennessee Titans 2021 Futures Odds

• Super Bowl LVI Odds: +55000
• Odds to Win the AFC Championship: +15000
• Odds to Win the AFC South: +2500
• 2021 NFL Season Win Total: OVER 4 (-120), UNDER 4 (+100)
• Odds to Make the NFL Playoffs: YES +710, NO -1200

Tennessee Titans odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Wednesday, September 8, 2021.

Tennessee Titans 2021 Schedule

Date, Matchup, Time, and TV Broadcast Information

Week 1

Sunday, September 12, 2021: vs Arizona Cardinals, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 2

Sunday, September 19, 2021: at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 3

Sunday, September 26, 2021: vs Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 4

Sunday, October 3, 2021: at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 5

Sunday, October 10, 2021: at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 6

Monday, October 18, 2021: vs Buffalo Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

Week 7

Sunday, October 24, 2021: vs Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 8

Sunday, October 31, 2021: at Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 9

Sunday, November 7, 2021: at Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Week 10

Sunday, November 14, 2021: vs New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 11

Sunday, November 21, 2021: vs Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 12

Sunday, November 28, 2021: at New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 13

BYE WEEK

Week 14

Sunday, December 12, 2021: vs Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 15

Sunday, December 19, 2021: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 16

Thursday, December 23, 2021: vs San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Week 17

Sunday, January 2, 2022: vs Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 18

Sunday, January 9, 2022: at Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Tennessee Titans 2021 Season and Betting Preview

Key Additions and Subtractions

Additions

• DE Denico Autry
• OLB Bud Dupree
• CB Janoris Jenkins
• WR Josh Reynolds
• CB Caleb Farley
• WR Julio Jones

Getting better against the pass was a big theme to the Titans’ offseason moves. Autry, and Dupree will improve the pass rush, while Jenkins and Farley turn over the top corner tandem. Dupree and Farley, their top draft pick, are the keys. Reynolds takes the spot of departed WR Corey Davis, or at least he was supposed until the addition of Julio Jones. They are better at receiver than they were a year ago.

Subtractions

• CB Malcolm Butler
• DE Jadeveon Clowney
• WR Corey Davis
• CB Adoree Jackson
• TE Jonnu Smith

Butler and Jackson were the starting corners a year ago and Butler even had four picks, but the Titans were 29th against the pass last season. Clowney’s production will be easily replaced. He played in only eight games and had no sacks. Davis and Smith were the second and third leading pass catchers, but adding one of the NFL’s best receivers is a major, major upgrade. The guys they have in line to replace Smith are not as dynamic though.

2021 Season Preview

When you think about the Titans you think about that power running game featuring Henry. Henry will continue to be a focal point and could lead the league in the major rushing categories once again. With offensive coordinator Arthur Smith moving on to take the head job with the Atlanta Falcons, they were smart to promote from within and have as much continuity as possible. Tannehill is not elite but he runs their system well, and with Jones and rising star A.J. Brown, he could have one of the best seasons of his career.

Defense is the key to whether or not the Titans will take the next step. They couldn’t get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and things more or less fell apart from there. Autry and Dupree alone could best the 19 total sacks the team had last season. The Titans are hoping for that and for it to impact the entire defense.

There is a lot to like about the Titans. One of their best qualities right now, as compared to the rest of the AFC South, is they know exactly who they are and who they can win with. The other teams have a lot more question marks.

2021 Betting Preview

The Titans seem to get left out of conversations about the elite teams in the AFC. Most view the conference as Kansas City’s to win again, with Buffalo and Baltimore as worthy challengers.

When it comes to the path to the playoffs though it is hard to argue that anyone has it easier than Tennessee. What they need to do to go further is have a record that would get them home games in the playoffs. This team has the ambition and the horses to win now.

The Titans look like a shoo-in to make the playoffs again, and this is the best team that coach Mike Vrabel has had on his hands. I do think there are some more interesting AFC title and Super Bowl options, but you will not be wasting your money by backing the Titans in either spot. The division odds are very favorable, but I am not a big fan of tying up my money for the same payoff you can get from a single game.

While the payoff is not great, I really like the over on the Titans’ win total. It helps to play in a division with the Jaguars and Texans, and they should bank four wins against those two teams and at least split with the Colts. The rest of the schedule has some tough games, especially the back-to-back against the AFC’s top two contenders. But those two games are at home, and every time I run through the schedule I get at least ten wins and potentially as many as 12. Few teams provide the value that the Titans do here.

Prop to consider: Derrick Henry to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns (+500)

Henry has been very durable, and provided he continues to be, he is going to put up huge numbers once again. The offense should be more balanced with the addition of Jones, but everything will still run through Henry, and Henry will still run through everything. Beyond that, Caleb Farley to win Defensive Rookie of the Year is worth a look at +1700.

Final Thought

The Titans are not my pick to win the Super Bowl or the AFC title this season, they should win a lot of games though, and if the chips fall the right way, they could take the next step. If the defense improves, those chances will increase, and so will their game-to-game value, as more comfortable wins will make them less of a spread risk.