NFL Week 14 Picks: Tennessee Titans' Chances Against the New Orleans Saints

One of the toughest games happens to be next on the Tennessee Titans' schedule as they are right in the middle of the AFC playoff picture.

The Titans will welcome the New Orleans Saints into LP Field, and no one outside of the state of Tennessee is probably giving the Titans even a puncher's chance at taking down the high-potent offense of the Saints.

Even though the Titans are clearly the underdogs here, there are a few things to keep in mind that could keep this game closer than you may think.

First off, the Saints have been guilty a few times of playing down to the level of their competition. There's no reason that can't happen on the road against the Titans in a tough environment.

One thing that's obviously going to be crucial in this game is whether or not the Titans can keep the big plays from happening. Three-and-outs will bury the Titans so fast that it could turn ugly by halftime.

The one receiver who has the potential to really rip the Titans apart is tight end Jimmy Graham. He's torched secondaries all season, and the Titans have been known to struggle against opposing tight ends. Keeping Graham in check will be critical if the Titans are going to keep the Saints from going for 30-plus points.

There's no getting around the fact that the Saints will score their fair share of points, so the Titans will have to have one of their best offense performances of the season and it will start with Chris Johnson.

With Johnson finally looking to be back to his old form, it shouldn't be a major problem for the Titans to control the ball and shrink the clock.

The Saints rank 16th in the NFL in rushing defense, and Johnson is playing like a $50 million running back in the last two games.

However, even if Johnson has another great performance, it's still going to take one more thing to happen to give the Titans a decent chance at pulling off the major upset.

It's been said time and time again in the NFL, and it's so true that it needs repeating. If the Titans can win the turnover battle, and convert those turnovers into points, then they could end up taking a major step towards a playoff berth with a win over the Saints.

The Titans have relied on scoring points off turnovers all season and it is a major reason why they are 7-5.

No other game up to this point in the season will have higher stakes than this game against the Saints. A win could put the Titans in a great position to finish at least 10-6, which would give them a great chance at a wild-card spot.

Now the Saints rarely turn the ball over, so it will be a major challenge to force turnovers against one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.

Key Titans rookies like Karl Klug, Colin McCarthy and Akeem Ayers will have to have one of the better games of their young careers to give the Titans a chance in this department.

With all of that said, it would be ignorant to not give the Titans a puncher's chance at knocking out the Saints at home. No one saw the St. Louis Rams upsetting the Saints, or the Carolina Panthers only losing by three points with a rookie quarterback.

The Titans are quietly flying under the radar right now in the AFC, but a statement win over the Saints will have everyone talking about the Titans as the season draws to a close.

Odds of a Titans win: 40 percent