Titans’ playoffs chances: Is Tennessee out of the playoff race after loss vs. Cowboys in Week 17? AFC South qualifying explained 

The Tennessee Titans fell short in their efforts and suffered a 27-13 loss at home to the Dallas Cowboys, further complicating their chances of making the playoffs.

With the loss, there's no other possibility for the Titans to qualify for the playoffs: They have to win the division. The team currently sits at a 7-9 record, making it impossible to qualify as a wild card.

They have a decisive game against the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday: The winner wins the division and the loser goes home. Let's take a deeper look at this scenario for Week 18.

Interested in betting? The Jacksonville Jaguars are favorites against the Houston Texans in Week 17.

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Playoff scenarios for Tennessee: Are the Titans out of the playoffs?

The Titans' mission to qualify for the playoffs, in theory, is simple: They must beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18 and they're in as the division winners. If they lose, well, they're eliminated.

There's no way for Tennessee to win a wild-card spot as they would win the division at 8-9. If they finish 7-10, then they would already be out of postseason contention because the current #7, the Miami Dolphins, have an 8-6 record.

The road to the playoffs for Tennessee has been anything but easy. The team started the season with a 7-3 record, but lost six straight games and saw General Manager Jon Robinson fired during this stretch. Robinson had his contract extended right after the 2021 season but was fired because of a different philosophy in terms of team-building.

Losing Ryan Tannehill to an injury also did not help Tennessee this year. They looked like contenders before, but the fall was sharp. It's clear that they're miles behind AFC contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

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AFC South title showdown: When will the Titans and the Jaguars play?

The Week 18 game between the Titans and the Jaguars, which will define the AFC South champion for the 2022 season, will happen on Sunday, January 8.

There's no confirmation about the time. As it is a Week 18 win-or-go-home kind of game, it's possible that NBC flexes this game for Sunday Night Football, in line with recent years.

NBC only confirms the final Sunday Night Football of the regular season during the primetime game the week before to broadcast the game with the most playoff implications.