Tennessee
After a season of blunders and hurt QBs, why is the Tennessee Titans’ O-line still so bad?
HOUSTON — With blood crusting over the open wound on his left elbow and a bandage spread across the back of his left hand, Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill joked that he felt a little bit like Keanu Reeves’ John Wick character at the end of one of his movies.
Which John Wick movie? Tannehill says it doesn’t really matter. John Wick gets beat up pretty bad whenever he’s on screen.
Tannehill knows the feeling.
After this year especially.
The veteran quarterback took a beating in the Titans’ 26-3 loss Sunday to the Houston Texans, Tennessee’s third straight loss and seventh in nine weeks. He was sacked five times, and he played barely half of the game. Rookie Will Levis had to exit in the second quarter with a foot injury after he was obliterated on a sack that turned into a fumble and a Texans touchdown.
In two games against the Texans just 14 days apart, the Titans (5-11) allowed 13 sacks and 23 quarterback hits. The 62 sacks allowed for the year are already the second-most in franchise history, and the most in any season since the club moved to Tennessee.
When asked if there were instances where he had no realistic chance to make a play because of the situation he was in, Tannehill answered with brutal honesty.
“Yeah,” he said. “Definitely.”
So what’s actually wrong with the Titans’ offensive line?
The Titans seem pretty certain they know what the problem isn’t.
“It’s definitely not for a lack of effort,” right tackle Dillon Radunz said.
“It’s not a lack of effort,” left guard Peter Skoronski said. “Guys are working.”
“We know what’s going on on the inside,” left tackle Andre Dillard said. “We’re trying to grow and learn from everything that we experience.”
So what’s left? There’s awareness. There’s scheme. There’s execution. And there’s ability.
Awareness didn’t seem to be a problem Sunday; the only penalty called against the Titans’ front was an illegal substitution. So there weren’t any costly holds or false starts, and none of the sacks came from unaccounted-for blitzers.
Which leaves scheme, execution and ability, and it’s tough to separate those. Take rookie John Ojukwu, the sixth lineman who checked in as an eligible receiver 18 times. He was the one veteran who Jerry Hughes blazed past on the sack where Levis got hurt. Speaking with The Tennessean after the game, Ojukwu said he just needs to get into his pass blocking set more quickly to prevent mistakes like that from happening.
Is there anything more the Titans could’ve done to help Ojukwu, Dillard, rookie Jaelyn Duncan or any of the other struggling blockers schematically? Yes and no. Titans coach Mike Vrabel conceded the team probably could stand to chip a little more on third downs or keep an extra blocker in a little more often. But that creates all sorts of other problems.
More blockers means fewer players running routes. When defenses are in zone coverage, fewer routes means less favorable matchups. Which means receivers are less likely to get open quickly. Which means quarterbacks have to hold on to the ball longer. Which defeats the purpose of the extra blockers to begin with.
Running the ball more effectively would help; the Titans averaged only 2.5 yards per carry on 21 carries Sunday. Getting Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears going should free up the play-action passing attack. But the fact that the backs are struggling also could be a product of the offensive line struggles.
Radunz said the line takes full responsibility for the seven plays inside the Texans’ 10-yard line where the offense failed to score a touchdown. And heck, there was a play earlier in the game where the Titans snapped the ball directly to Henry behind seven offensive linemen and two tight ends and he couldn’t even get back to the line of scrimmage.
Henry, for what it’s worth, refused to put any blame on the offensive line. He said everyone needs to be better, himself included. But it’s obvious the season-long struggles are weighing on the guys tasked with opening holes for him.
Why isn’t anything working?
Dillard is tied for the NFL lead with 12 sacks allowed despite playing little more than half of the snaps of the player he’s tied with. He was benched for the third time this season after allowing sacks on back-to-back plays toward the end of the first half, and he was candid about the struggles.
“Surprised? It’s not a happy feeling. I’ll say that,” Dillard told The Tennessean when asked if he’s surprised the effort isn’t leading to better results. “It’s complicated. Obviously we want to do well. We’re not going to give up on that. We’re not going to give up on trying to grow.”
Dillard is one to stay off the internet. He doesn’t read what people are saying about him or his teammates. Doesn’t see value in it. The only opinions that matter, he says, are the ones in the meeting rooms and on the practice fields with him.
But two of those people are Levis and Tannehill. And for the third time this season, the line had to watch as one of their quarterbacks limped off the field after a hard hit and couldn’t return.
“As an offensive lineman, seeing a quarterback be injured is sort of gut-wrenching,” Skoronski said. “It’s like nails on a chalkboard. You never want to see that. It really sucks to be honest with you. We have nobody to blame but our unit.”
It’s enough to ask what all of this effort the players are talking about actually looks like. Dillard said the struggles aren’t as black-and-white as some outside observers may think, and issues that crop up on Sundays aren’t always what they seem. But he said he didn’t see value in expanding on what goes on the other six days of the week.
Some of his teammates did. It’s watching extra film. It’s fundamental work. It’s working on sets and punches and profiling rushers. It’s bonding exercises to build chemistry.
It’s a lot of work. And it’s a lot of work that isn’t exactly paying off when it counts.
Duncan said it didn’t look or feel like the Texans did anything different this time than they did 14 days ago. That’s a tough reality to accept, especially because they played without top edge rusher Jonathan Greenard Sunday. The Texans lined up and did the same thing twice in three games and the Titans had no answers either time.
“We have to be able to protect the quarterback,” Vrabel said. “The numbers are the numbers. You have to be able to protect the quarterback if you want to throw the football in this league.”
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 8 drawing
17-26-31-32-37, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 5-0-7, Wild: 6
Midday: 9-0-5, Wild: 8
Evening: 4-7-3, Wild: 3
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 1-9-3-7, Wild: 4
Midday: 0-0-0-8, Wild: 3
Evening: 8-0-5-3, Wild: 1
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 8 drawing
07-14-15-18-29
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 8 drawing
01-02-06-13-27, Bonus: 03
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing
06-27-33-44-69, Powerball: 23
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Home power bills are feeling the impact of data centers opening across Tennessee communities, according to a new report from ThinkTennessee.
Researchers found electricity usage has increased by more than 7.2 times over the past five years as data centers opened in the Tennessee Valley region. Areas with data centers saw average power bills rise more than the state average, but the increase was not distributed evenly among customers in those areas.
“Tennessee’s data center growth is arriving faster than the rules designed to manage that growth,” research director Chris Candelaria said. “Our report isn’t saying whether data centers are good or bad. Instead, we’re trying to highlight the issues that communities and policymakers need to know about.”
Residential customers hit harder than businesses
Residential customers in communities with data centers saw their bills jump 3.2 percent, to an average of $149 a month, between 2023 and 2024, the report found.
During that same period, commercial customers, including data centers themselves, saw their bills slightly decrease. By comparison, the statewide average power bill over the same period increased 1.3 percent.
Candelaria said the findings are tied directly to where the data centers are located and signal what may be ahead for the rest of the state.
“Residents seeing these higher prices and that’s associated with where the data centers are located,” Candelaria said. “We know that the data centers are coming, and the report’s really just forecasting that this situation may play out in more places across the state. This is an issue that city and community leaders will need to address directly.”
He said the trend warrants close attention, but stopped short of drawing firm conclusions in their report based on the data analyzed.
Tennessee emerges as a data center hub
The report, titled “Powering the Boom,” describes Tennessee as an emerging data center market that has likely not yet seen the full scale of potential growth. For roughly 15 years, the state’s electricity consumption was essentially flat or declining before the current surge began around 2020.
Data center facilities planned, operating or under construction in Tennessee represent approximately 2,177 megawatts of demand capacity which is roughly equivalent to powering more than 1.3 million homes for a year. Those facilities are concentrated in and around Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville.
Grid strain, costly outages a concern
Candelaria said the study drew on data from across the country to examine how data centers are already affecting communities and what Middle Tennessee should plan for.
“As we get requests for more data centers, there’s an issue with how is that going to affect our current grid infrastructure? This is the key question,” Candelaria said. “We also provide in the report some studies from other states. If you over-strain the system, what does that mean? Well, it could lead to costly outages. We’re just trying to think strategically.”
Alex Kardokus is among the more than 500,000 people who signed a petition against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo. He said his concerns have since expanded to the broader impact data centers could have across the city after learning about this report.
“NES, we don’t want that (bill) to go higher because it’s already expensive in Nashville. Don’t want that to be a raising,” Kardokus said.
Policy seen as key to managing growth
Candelaria said policies, including data center zoning restrictions Metro Council is currently working on, will be key to protecting families from further cost increases. He said the decisions made now will shape whether the growth benefits or burdens Tennessee residents.
“The policy choices that we make now on pricing and grid planning will determine whether that growth is going to strengthen the state’s economy or whether that’s going to shift costs onto everyday households,” Candelaria said.
He added that the situation requires a balancing act, as data centers also bring jobs and economic opportunities to the communities where they operate.
ThinkTennessee said a second installment of the “Powering the Boom” series is expected to lay out policy options aimed at protecting ratepayers while the sector continues to grow.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Tennessee goes wild for In-N-Out’s burgers east of the Mississippi
Animal‑style arrives in Tennessee, In‑N‑Out’s first locations east of the Mississippi River.
In-N-Out Burger will soon be opening its fifth Tennessee store.
The beloved burger chain lists six locations as “opening soon” on the Grand Openings page of its website, including a restaurant in Madison. The Madison location will open at 1900 Gallatin Pike North, about 13 miles northeast of Nashville.
The store also plans to open stores in Arizona, Utah, Idaho and two in California, USA TODAY reported.
Find your next meal on DoorDash
In-N-Out, which announced plans for a major expansion and a new headquarters in Tennessee in 2023, opened its first Tennessee restaurants in December 2025.
The chain, known for animal-style fries and double-double burgers, opened locations in Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, Murfreesboro and Lebanon in early December. It then opened a fourth Tennessee restaurant in Franklin just a few months later.
Here’s what else to know about the West Coast-based company’s expansion into the Volunteer State.
Why is In-N-Out expanding to Tennessee?
In-N-Out is moving to Tennessee to establish a $125 million corporate hub in Franklin, on the Berry Farms site near Interstate 65. It’s estimated that In-N-Out’s expansion into Tennessee will create 275 jobs and a $125 million investment in the state.
Lynsi Snyder confirms relocation to Tennessee
In 2025, billionaire heiress Lynsi Snyder announced she would relocate her family to the Volunteer State as the company expands eastward.
In a podcast appearance with conservative host Allie Beth Stuckey, Snyder cited frustrations with California’s high costs and regulatory burdens on businesses and families.
“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,” Snyder said. “The bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office out there, growing out there.”
After facing criticism for her comments, Snyder clarified that moving to Tennessee offers In-N-Out associates “wonderful opportunities” to buy homes, raise families, and participate in the company’s growth in a new region.
In a video posted to social media, she called the move “a very healthy plan for our growth,” highlighting opportunities for employees in Tennessee and potentially neighboring states.
How many In-N-Out stores are coming to Tennessee?
During a Nashville Business Journal event in 2025, Snyder said that the company is eyeing 35 locations across Tennessee in the coming years.
How many stores does In-N-Out currently operate in Tennessee?
As of July 2026, In-N-Out operates the following stores in Tennessee:
- Antioch: 4242 Century Farms Terrace
- Franklin: 1951 Double Double Drive
- Lebanon: 915 South Hartmann Drive
- Murfreesboro: 2508 Medical Center Parkway
- Madison: 1900 Gallatin Pike North (Opening soon)
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.
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