NFL Week 16: 5 teams that must win

3. Tennessee Titans

The Titans have taken a page out of the Chiefs’ book and have dropped two winnable games the past two weeks. A dangerous 8-4 team is now 8-6 and in danger of losing out on the No. 5 seed in the playoff picture. The AFC South is almost out of the question and barring any setbacks from the Jaguars, they can clinch it this week. The road doesn’t get any easier for the Titans this week as they face the Rams.

If there’s any team the Titans don’t want to come up against, it’s the Rams. They’re playing their best football right now and are tearing up opponents on the offensive side of the ball. Todd Gurley is a man playing amongst boys and Jared Goff continues to make strides in his sophomore season. The Titans’ stout run defense will be put to the test and the front-seven will be called upon to do more than they’ve ever done this season. It’s going to take three to four tacklers at a time to make sure Gurley is down.

Marcus Mariota and the offense must also step up their game. They’ve been flat the past two weeks and that’s not going to bode well against the Rams defense. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks only sufficed for seven points last week and if the Titans do the same, it’s going to be a blowout and not in their favor.

A win would not only help secure the Titans’ playoff picture but it would be a huge boost of confidence beating one of the best teams in the NFC. We’ll see if Mike Mularkey’s team shows up to play on Sunday.