Titans’ kickoff strategy raising red flags after Eagles loss

The Tennessee Titans ' special teams strategy is drawing attention after a costly kickoff decision in their Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles .

With 1:56 remaining and Philadelphia out of timeouts, the Titans chose to kick the ball through the end zone for a touchback. That decision gave the Eagles possession at their own 35-yard line and proved valuable as Philadelphia marched down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown with just nine seconds remaining.

The Titans ultimately lost 24-20, and the decision has raised questions about Tennessee's approach to kickoffs, especially after opening the season with a penalty on their opening kickoff in Week 1 against the New York Jets .

Through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, the Titans have kicked the ball into the end zone on three of six non-onside kickoffs, according to Ryan Paganetti. That number is 50%, which leads the NFL by a wide margin, with no other team above 33.3% this season.

According to the data Ryan Paganetti shared in the post, kicks landing between the one- and five-yard lines produce an average starting field position at the 29.5-yard line and take six seconds off the clock.

That difference can matter most late in games, as the Titans experienced. Their Week 2 loss reminds us that special teams decisions may not look significant in the moment, but they matter when the final seconds arrive. For a team trying to become winners, those small details could matter more than you think.