Washington and the Tennessee Titans came into the season without many on the outside expecting playoff berths. With six weeks in the books, those expectations seem to be well-founded. Both franchises have new coaches in Jay Gruden and Ken Whisenhunt, respectively, and so far things have been a struggle. Perhaps most tellingly, the two teams have dealt with injuries at the quarterback position.
Titans vs. Washington 2014: Online streaming, time, TV schedule and radio
Two struggling teams get together in hopes of making an important step toward the playoffs.
Norm Hall
The knock on Jake Locker has always been his inability to stay healthy, and that issue has cropped up again. Locker has only played four games and might not be able to play against Washington while recovering from a thumb injury. With Locker sidelined, Charlie Whitehurst has stepped in and completed 58.3 percent of his passes while tossing three touchdowns against one interception. Whitehurst led the Titans over the Jaguars last week with 233 yards and no turnovers.
The defense has struggled for the Titans, ranking 24th against the run at 127.7 yards allowed per game. Tennessee has a chance to get on a roll if the defense and quarterback play can stabilize, with Washington on deck followed by a home date against the Houston Texans. At 2-4, the Titans are not buried, but they are in need of playing more consistent football. After beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium to begin the season, Tennessee dropped four straight before topping Jacksonville.
Washington has endured a tough season to this point, only beating the Jaguars. At 1-5, Washington sits last in the NFC East without much hope of catching the Cowboys or Eagles, so development is the main goal. Robert Griffin III went down in Week 2 with an ankle injury and isn't ready to return yet, so Kirk Cousins will continue to see more time. Cousins has been inconsistent, throwing 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The third-year pro out of Michigan State has not had much help from his defense. The unit ranks a respectable 10th in yards per game allowed but has given up 27.7 points per game, checking in at 27th in the NFL. The defense suffered a crippling blow when DeAngelo Hall went down with a torn Achilles in September. With Hall out, E.J. Biggers has seen an expanded role.
How to watch
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Md.
When: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile | NFL Sunday Ticket
Odds
Washington is a 5-point favorite over the Titans at home, with an over/under of 46 set for the game, according to OddsShark.
Further Reading
For more on the Titans, check out Music City Miracles.
Keep up on Washington by heading over to Hogs Haven.
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