**Titans Face Daunting Challenge Against High-Flying Lions**

With a dismal 1-5 record and sitting at the bottom of the AFC South, the Tennessee Titans are desperately seeking a turnaround. Their sole victory came against the Miami Dolphins, a team that was grappling with offensive struggles induced by Tua Tagovailoa's recent concussion. Now, they are bracing themselves for a confrontation with a surging Detroit Lions team, hoping against hope for an upset.

The Tennessee offense is an unreliable entity, largely driven by the strong arm of quarterback Will Levis. However, Levis is anticipated to miss the Sunday game due to a shoulder injury, ushering in Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback. This situation theoretically pivots the Titans' strategy towards relying more heavily on their ground game—a challenging prospect given their circumstances.

A major factor against the Titans' running strategy is the Lions' proclivity for taking early leads and maintaining them. Playing catch-up does not favor a run-first approach, a scenario in which the Titans have faltered before. This season, in their most lopsided losses—two games where they were defeated by more than one possession—they managed less than 100 rushing yards. Their latest defeat against the Buffalo Bills saw Tennessee barely accumulate 39 rushing yards, marking their lowest of the season. Overall, the Titans are 26th in the league in rushing yards, with a total of 660 yards over seven games, having already had their bye week.

Compounding their woes, running back Tyjae Spears is slated to miss his second consecutive game due to a hamstring injury. Spears typically contributes significantly to the offense, playing roughly a third of the snaps. His absence is no small loss for the struggling Titans.

On the Lions' side, the game plan seems straightforward: stifle the run and force Rudolph into passing situations. Rudolph's track record as a quarterback is less than stellar, and any situation forcing him to throw more often is likely to exacerbate Tennessee's offensive struggles. Despite the Lions' ongoing quest to improve their pass rush in the absence of Aidan Hutchinson, focusing on neutralizing the run could be a key strategy.

If the Lions manage to execute their game plan effectively, it could result in another embarrassing day for the Titans' offense. By capitalizing on their strong run defense and establishing an early lead, the Lions have the potential to make Tennessee one-dimensional, significantly hindering their offensive output. If all goes as expected, the Titans could be staring at one of their lowest rushing totals of the season and a tough outing in Detroit.