Entering 2022 coming off an AFC-best 12-5 campaign, Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans seemed primed to retain their grip on the AFC South. Offseason shifts were headlined by trading away star receiver A.J. Brown and acquiring wideout Robert Woods alongside veteran tight end Austin Hooper. Draft night brought first-round receiver Treylon Burks and tight end Chig Okonkwo to retool the pass-catching core. Yet, a disastrous end to the season unravelled the season. Tennessee surrendered a late-season division cushion, dropping seven consecutive games to finish 7-10 and second in the AFC South, missing the postseason.

Tennessee’s run-heavy, deliberate attack cratered near the bottom of the league, ranking 28th in points scored with 298 (17.5 ppg) and 30th in total yards (5,045). Starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 2,536 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions across 12 starts before injury sidelined him, forcing rookie Malik Willis and late-addition Joshua Dobbs under center. Heavy offensive lifting once again fell upon Derrick Henry, who powered for 1,538 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 349 carries while adding 398 receiving yards. Robert Woods led all wideouts with a modest 527 receiving yards, while Okonkwo emerged with 450 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Defense offered a stark dichotomy of elite run-stopping and porous pass coverage. Tennessee fielded the NFL’s top-ranked rush defense, surrendering just 1,307 yards on the ground and nine rushing touchdowns all year. Conversely, the secondary ranked last in passing yards allowed (4,671) and 28th in passing touchdowns surrendered with 29. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons anchored the front with 7.5 sacks, complemented by Denico Autry’s team-leading eight sacks and DeMarcus Walker’s seven. Safety Kevin Byard spearheaded the secondary, compiling a team-high 108 tackles and four interceptions.

After a disappointing 0-2 start, the Titans put together a five-game winning streak, headlined by a 24-17 road victory over the rival Indianapolis Colts in Week 4 and a 17-10 victory against the Houston Texans in Week 8 behind Henry’s 219 rushing yards. Standing at 7-3 following a 27-17 Thursday night win over Green Bay in Week 11, the season imploded. The slide began with losses to Cincinnati and Philadelphia, snowballing into a seven-game collapse exacerbated by turnover issues and offensive stagnation.

The collapse culminated in Week 18 with a winner-take-all division title matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tennessee led in the fourth quarter before a late fumbled scoop-and-score handed Jacksonville a 20-16 victory, extinguishing the Titans’ playoff hopes. Despite the bitter end, Derrick Henry earned Pro Bowl honors and even managed some Offensive Player of the Year votes. Rookie punter Ryan Stonehouse set an NFL record with a 53.1 gross punting average, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors alongside interior disruptor Jeffery Simmons.