Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance

In the NFL, where games are often decided by a single score, penalty yards can be the difference between victory and defeat—and for the Tennessee Titans, costly penalties have consistently shaped their performance in recent seasons. Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance isn’t just about counting flags; it’s about understanding how unnecessary roughness calls, false starts, and holding penalties disrupt offensive drives, derail defensive momentum, and erode the team’s ability to control the game. From extending opponents’ possessions to killing promising scoring chances, penalty yards have become a recurring challenge for the Titans, forcing coaches, players, and analysts to examine root causes and implement solutions. As the Titans aim to compete in the tough AFC South, addressing their penalty issues has emerged as a critical priority for sustained success.

Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance is most evident in how penalties disrupt the team’s offensive rhythm, turning potential scoring drives into missed opportunities. During the 2024 season, the Titans ranked 22nd in the NFL in total penalty yards (980 yards), with a significant portion coming from offensive line penalties like holding and false starts. One game that highlighted this issue was their Week 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars: the Titans’ offensive line committed four holding penalties, resulting in 40 lost yards and three stalled drives inside the Jaguars’ 30-yard line. On one crucial third-and-2 play in the third quarter, a holding call on left tackle Andre Dillard pushed the Titans back to third-and-12, forcing a punt and squandering a chance to take the lead. Quarterback Will Levis later acknowledged the impact of these penalties, saying, “When you’re fighting for every yard, losing 10 or 15 yards on a penalty kills your momentum. It’s hard to get back on track when you’re always playing from behind the chains.” These disruptions not only cost the Titans points but also put additional pressure on their defense to compensate for missed offensive opportunities.

Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance also extends to the defensive side of the ball, where ill-timed penalties can extend opponents’ drives and lead to costly points. In 2024, the Titans’ defense committed 35 defensive pass interference (DPI) and unnecessary roughness penalties, totaling 320 yards—ranking them 18th in the league for defensive penalty yards. A prime example came in their Week 12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs: with the Chiefs facing a fourth-and-10 in the fourth quarter, a DPI call on cornerback Kristian Fulton gave Kansas City a first down at the Titans’ 15-yard line. Two plays later, the Chiefs scored a touchdown to take a 24-21 lead, a score that ultimately decided the game. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson addressed the issue after the game, noting, “Defensive penalties are especially damaging because they give the opponent free yards and keep their offense on the field. We’re asking our players to be aggressive, but we have to balance that with discipline—you can’t give up 15 yards on a play that should have ended the drive.” These defensive penalties not only hurt the Titans in close games but also increase the workload on their defense, leading to fatigue in the later quarters of games.

Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance has been a consistent trend in divisional matchups, where the Titans’ penalty issues have often cost them critical wins against AFC South rivals. During the 2024 AFC South race, the Titans played four games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts—all decided by seven points or fewer—and committed an average of 7.5 penalties per game, totaling 72 yards per contest. In their Week 17 matchup against the Colts, a game that would have secured the Titans a playoff spot, the team committed six penalties for 65 yards, including a late unnecessary roughness call on defensive end Jeffery Simmons that extended a Colts’ drive. The Colts went on to kick a game-winning field goal, eliminating the Titans from playoff contention. The Tennessee Titans’ head coach Brian Callahan later said, “Divisional games are all about discipline, and we didn’t have it in Week 17. Those penalties didn’t just cost us a game—they cost us a shot at the playoffs. It’s a lesson we have to learn if we want to win this division.” This pattern shows how penalty yards aren’t just a statistical issue for the Titans; they’re a barrier to achieving their most important goals.

Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance has prompted the team to implement targeted strategies to reduce costly flags, focusing on player education, practice repetition, and in-game adjustments. The Tennessee Titans added a “discipline coach” to their staff in 2025, former NFL referee Terry McAulay, who works with players to review penalty film, explain rule interpretations, and practice situational awareness. For example, offensive linemen now participate in daily drills designed to avoid holding calls, focusing on hand placement and body positioning. The team also uses real-time data during games to identify penalty trends—if a player is flagged for false starts early, coaches will adjust their pre-snap routine to reduce confusion. These efforts have already shown progress: during the 2025 preseason, the Titans committed an average of 4.2 penalties per game, down from 6.8 in the 2024 regular season. “We’re not just telling players to ‘avoid penalties’—we’re giving them the tools to be more disciplined,” McAulay explained. “When players understand why a penalty happens and how to prevent it, they’re more likely to make the right decision in the heat of the moment.”

Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance remains a work in progress, but the team’s recent efforts to address the issue reflect a commitment to long-term improvement. While reducing penalties won’t solve all of the Titans’ challenges, it’s a critical step toward becoming a more consistent, reliable team—one that can win close games, control the clock, and compete for championships. The Tennessee Titans’ players and coaches recognize that discipline is as important as talent in the NFL, and they’re taking tangible steps to ensure penalty yards no longer derail their performance. As Levis put it, “We have the talent to win every game on our schedule, but we have to play smart. If we can cut down on penalties, we’ll be a dangerous team.” In the end, Penalty Yards Affecting Tennessee Titans Performance is a reminder that success in the NFL requires more than skill—it requires focus, discipline, and the ability to avoid costly mistakes when the game is on the line.