Jul 24, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans offensive tackle JC Latham (55) goes through drills during training camp at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Titans' JC Latham Discusses Inexcusable Penalties vs. Texans

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The last thing the Tennessee Titans expected was to be penalized nine times coming off their Bye week. In the end, they fell to the Houston Texans, 16-13. It remained a close game throughout, but their nine penalties for 62 yards proved to be the difference.

Offensive tackle JC Latham was a huge contributor to the team's penalties, and he knows it. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons spoke about their inexcusable penalties as well, but look no further than Latham and this team's horrific offensive line.

JC Latham Takes Accountability For False Starts

While the Texans had 53 penalty yards against them, they were penalized four fewer times than the Titans. If you take out the four false starts against Tennessee, that makes all the difference. It's not like those four penalties decided the outcome of the game, but they were yet another instance of this team being undisciplined.

"Yeah, man, it's frustrating. We had four false starts in practice on Friday, but the cadence just felt different out there today," Latham said.

"I don't know if it was the crowd noise or just how Cam was calling it in the huddle, I jumped the gun three times," he added. "It's unacceptable, especially at home. Gotta lock it in better, get back to work tomorrow.”

Titans Look To Regroup... Once Again

Even though they just had a Bye week and had plenty of time to fix these mistakes, it's clear there are plenty of issues beyond repair. Tennessee fell to 1-9 as they continually show no signs of life against teams that they should have no issue beating.

With the No. 1 overall pick in sight, it's clear this season is a lost cause. Sure, there is room for this team to win another game or two down the stretch, but minor penalties and issues like this show just how far they are from competing with anyone in the NFL.

Latham may only be 22-years-old, but committing three false starts at home is inexcusable. He didn't directly put the blame on rookie quarterback Cam Ward, but it was interesting to see him talk about "how Cam was calling it in the huddle."

At this point, Ward would love to fast-forward to next season. He just lost veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley for the rest of the season, and he's out there throwing to rookies. This offense is a mess, and it's clear Tennessee is worlds away from making a major impact any time soon.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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