The 2016 season was the
Tennessee Titans franchise's 47th in the
National Football League and their 57th overall. It also marked the franchise's 20th season in the state of
Tennessee as well as the first full season under
head coachMike Mularkey, who served as the team's interim head coach for the last nine games of the
2015 season.
The Titans tripled their win total from 2015 and achieved their first winning season since
2011. However, the team missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season tying a record set between 1970–1977 — the Titans finished tied with the
Houston Texans for the
AFC South division title, but lost the tiebreaker because the Texans had a better division record (5-1) than the Titans (2-4) did.
The Titans acquired an additional sixth-round selection in a trade that sent
guardAndy Levitre and a future conditional selection to the
Atlanta Falcons.
TEN – Kendall Wright – 8 receptions, 133 yards, TD
The Titans posted their first victory over their former
AFC Central rival since 2011 and only their third win over the Browns since 2002 league realignment established the
AFC South.
Marcus Mariota threw three touchdowns but
Cody Kessler kept the Browns in the hunt with two touchdown drives in the final three minutes.
Week 7: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week Seven: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
TEN – Delanie Walker – 9 receptions, 124 yards, TD
The Titans defeated the Packers for the fourth time in six meetings since becoming a Tennessee NFL franchise. The Titans raced to a 21–0 lead in the first quarter and led 35–16 at halftime. Rookie
Tajae Sharpe caught his first career touchdown.
Week 11: at Indianapolis Colts
Week Eleven: Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
TEN – Richard Matthews – 3 receptions, 64 yards, TD
CHI – Marquess Wilson – 8 receptions, 124 yards, TD
The Titans posted their sixth win of the season as
Marcus Mariota faced off against
Matt Barkley, in his first NFL action since 2014; he opened scoring late in the first quarter on a seven-yard toss. Mariota answered with three straight touchdown drives, but Barkley answered a Titans lead of 27–7 with two straight touchdown drives and whipped to the Titans red zone in the final minute, but two incompletions ended the game.
Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos
Week Fourteen: Denver Broncos at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
The Titans posted only their second win (in six tries) over the Broncos since becoming a Tennessee NFL franchise. They led 13–0 but had to sweat out a Broncos rally;
A.J. Derby's fumble was recovered by
Daimion Stafford with 1:04 to go. The game became chippy when
Harry Douglas cut block
Chris Harris, Jr. in the second quarter;
Aqib Talib attacked Douglas and a melee erupted on the Titans sideline.
The victory was the 425th in the franchise's history.
Week 15: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week Fifteen: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
The Titans edged the Chiefs on a 53-yard field goal on the final play by former Chiefs placekicker
Ryan Succop; he missed a first attempt but the attempt was nullified when Chiefs coach
Andy Reid called timeout.
Week 16: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week Sixteen: Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Marcus Mariota's season ended when he suffered a broken right fibula in Tennessee's 38–17 loss to the Jaguars; the loss marked the eighth straight season in which neither team managed to sweep the other in the regular season.[2] The loss—combined with Houston's subsequent win over Cincinnati—ended Tennessee's hopes for the playoffs.
Week 17: vs. Houston Texans
Week Seventeen: Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
^
abKansas City clinched the
AFC West division over Oakland based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abHouston clinched the
AFC South division title over Tennessee based on record vs. division opponents.
^
abTennessee finished ahead of Denver based on head-to-head victory.
^
abBaltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on record vs. conference opponents.
^
abThe New York Jets finished ahead of San Diego based record vs. common opponents — the Jets' cumulative record against Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Miami was 1–4, while San Diego's cumulative record against the same four teams was 0–5.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
The 2016 season was the
Tennessee Titans franchise's 47th in the
National Football League and their 57th overall. It also marked the franchise's 20th season in the state of
Tennessee as well as the first full season under
head coachMike Mularkey, who served as the team's interim head coach for the last nine games of the
2015 season.
The Titans tripled their win total from 2015 and achieved their first winning season since
2011. However, the team missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season tying a record set between 1970–1977 — the Titans finished tied with the
Houston Texans for the
AFC South division title, but lost the tiebreaker because the Texans had a better division record (5-1) than the Titans (2-4) did.
The Titans acquired an additional sixth-round selection in a trade that sent
guardAndy Levitre and a future conditional selection to the
Atlanta Falcons.
TEN – Kendall Wright – 8 receptions, 133 yards, TD
The Titans posted their first victory over their former
AFC Central rival since 2011 and only their third win over the Browns since 2002 league realignment established the
AFC South.
Marcus Mariota threw three touchdowns but
Cody Kessler kept the Browns in the hunt with two touchdown drives in the final three minutes.
Week 7: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week Seven: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
TEN – Delanie Walker – 9 receptions, 124 yards, TD
The Titans defeated the Packers for the fourth time in six meetings since becoming a Tennessee NFL franchise. The Titans raced to a 21–0 lead in the first quarter and led 35–16 at halftime. Rookie
Tajae Sharpe caught his first career touchdown.
Week 11: at Indianapolis Colts
Week Eleven: Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
TEN – Richard Matthews – 3 receptions, 64 yards, TD
CHI – Marquess Wilson – 8 receptions, 124 yards, TD
The Titans posted their sixth win of the season as
Marcus Mariota faced off against
Matt Barkley, in his first NFL action since 2014; he opened scoring late in the first quarter on a seven-yard toss. Mariota answered with three straight touchdown drives, but Barkley answered a Titans lead of 27–7 with two straight touchdown drives and whipped to the Titans red zone in the final minute, but two incompletions ended the game.
Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos
Week Fourteen: Denver Broncos at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
The Titans posted only their second win (in six tries) over the Broncos since becoming a Tennessee NFL franchise. They led 13–0 but had to sweat out a Broncos rally;
A.J. Derby's fumble was recovered by
Daimion Stafford with 1:04 to go. The game became chippy when
Harry Douglas cut block
Chris Harris, Jr. in the second quarter;
Aqib Talib attacked Douglas and a melee erupted on the Titans sideline.
The victory was the 425th in the franchise's history.
Week 15: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week Fifteen: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
The Titans edged the Chiefs on a 53-yard field goal on the final play by former Chiefs placekicker
Ryan Succop; he missed a first attempt but the attempt was nullified when Chiefs coach
Andy Reid called timeout.
Week 16: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week Sixteen: Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Marcus Mariota's season ended when he suffered a broken right fibula in Tennessee's 38–17 loss to the Jaguars; the loss marked the eighth straight season in which neither team managed to sweep the other in the regular season.[2] The loss—combined with Houston's subsequent win over Cincinnati—ended Tennessee's hopes for the playoffs.
Week 17: vs. Houston Texans
Week Seventeen: Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
^
abKansas City clinched the
AFC West division over Oakland based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abHouston clinched the
AFC South division title over Tennessee based on record vs. division opponents.
^
abTennessee finished ahead of Denver based on head-to-head victory.
^
abBaltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on record vs. conference opponents.
^
abThe New York Jets finished ahead of San Diego based record vs. common opponents — the Jets' cumulative record against Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Miami was 1–4, while San Diego's cumulative record against the same four teams was 0–5.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.