Mike Vrabel - Titans Ever On

The Playoffs Start Now

There is no tomorrow. Today is all the matters. The playoff run starts this Sunday.

I realize the title of this article is not exactly accurate. I don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, the playoffs start on Sunday for the Tennessee Titans. There really is no other way around it. Obviously, the Titans could still make the playoffs with a loss against the Houston Texans, but I think we can all admit backing into the playoffs is not the best approach for a team that has been a .500 club over the last 10 games.

Did you catch that? Over the last 10 games, the Tennessee Titans are 5-5. For a team that started 5-0 and showed such early promise, the majority of the season has been average at best. True, they have some big wins but they also have some inexcusable losses. (I’m looking at you, Bengals.)

Yes, the offense has been spectacular throughout the season, with only a few hiccups along the way. I’m not going to hit them too hard for a few missteps. (The first Indy game and the recent debacle in Green Bay come to mind.) Taken as a whole, the offense has been better than any fan could have hoped for. Tannehill, Henry, Davis, Brown, and company have created the best offense Titans’ fans have ever seen. It’s been impressive, to say the least.

But (you knew it was coming), the defense has been equally as bad. Maybe worse. I’ve been watching Tennessee Titans’ football since Day One, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a defense this pathetic or inept. Sure, I’ve seen defenses equally as bad, but those had zero to little talent. This squad has talent. You will never convince me otherwise. Perhaps we all overvalued the talent on the roster, but I firmly believe the talent is mostly there, outside of edge rushers. Virtually no one on the defense has played up to their talent. Most have had career worst seasons. It’s mindboggling and exasperating. And I see no scenario where is gets much better this season.

So, it’s been a mixed bag. Offensively, this should be a 12 or 13 win team. Defensively, it should be a 1 or 2 win team. It’s miraculous this team has clawed it’s way to 10 wins so far. But, with the way last season ended and the historic firepower of the offense, fans have a right to expect great things from this team. Losing to Houston on Sunday and missing out on the playoffs and the division are not part of the plan.

The playoffs start now. The Titans have no business losing on Sunday to a depleted Houston team. The Titans have the talent to win 11 games, win the AFC South, and host their first playoff game since 2008. This is not a throwaway game. This is a game that will set the tone for the remainder of the season, one way or another. If the Titans win, they have the potential to make another run, maybe all the way to the Super Bowl. (Yeah, I think they are good enough to hang with anyone on any given Sunday.) If the Titans lose, the could miss the playoffs entirely and the fan base would have every right to be more than a little disappointed. Missing the playoffs with this roster and this offense, would be a lower point than anything in the Mularkey era.

The playoffs start now. Titans, go down to Houston this weekend and establish your dominance. Take control of the game from the opening kick and never let it go. Crush the will of the Texans early and keep crushing it until they cry “Mercy!” The playoffs start now and your fans will accept nothing less than a win, a division title, and trip to the playoffs. We’ve stuck through the lean years. There needs to be a payoff for all the suffering. Make it happen.

The playoffs start now.

Monday Morning Reaction: The Pit of Despair

This one stings.

I’m not sure I have ever felt this low as a Titans fan. Even during the Ken Whisenhunt era, things did not seem this bad. That is not to say this team is as bad as those teams were, because it’s not. But with high expectations and plenty of off-season optimism, the way this season has unfolded has proven to be massively disappointing. Even that feels like an understatement.

Tuesday Morning Reaction

How I am feeling about Mike Vrabel.

This usually runs on Monday. It didn’t because I took the day off to spend time with my family. So, it will now run on Tuesday. I hope that is not too upsetting or confusing for anyone out there. If it is, I would like to apologize for any feelings of confusion or stress this decision may have caused. I deeply regret my actions.

Monday Morning Reaction: A Solid Day at the Office

Don’t overreact! Don’t overreact! Don’t overreact!

It wasn’t a perfect game but the Tennessee Titans did what was necessary to get a road win in Atlanta. I am not taking anything away from the team. They played physical. They played smart. (Most of the time.) But, I want to avoid declaring that all things are great after a big win. This team has plenty of potential. We just need to see it consistently.

Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons: Keys to the Game

Is everyone okay? Have we all recovered from the last week of football? I saw some Twitter warriors postulate that the last week (losing to the Colts and the Jaguars in 5 days) was one of the worst stretches of Titans football ever. How quickly we all forget about the past. In 2014, the Titans ended the season on a 10 game losing streak. Yes, the last two games were incredibly frustrating but let’s not lose our minds about them. Things could be much, much worse.

The Tennessee Titans go into Atlanta this Sunday needing a win. But, possibly even more than that, they need to play a good game. The past two weeks the team has been bad. If they have another bad performance this week, it is going to take something special to pull them out of that spiral. So, if they want to get the train back on the track, here are the three keys to the game against the Falcons.

Monday Morning Reaction: Everything is NOT Awesome

This was less fun that Week 1.

Well, that was not optimal.

How are you guys feeling about the Titans allowing the Indianapolis Colts to ruin the home opener? Me, I’m not feeling all that great. If I had written this article last night, it would have been incoherent and borderline insane. I’m glad I let the dust settle, because, as the name of this series suggests, this is a reaction. Not an overreaction.

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans: Keys to the Game

We are riding a hot streak! Can we go 2 for 2? Read and find out.

The theme of today’s article is “Don’t get cocky!”

I’ve chosen this as the theme for two reasons. First, I’m feeling pretty good about my three keys for last week. If you missed that inspired bit of football analysis, you can read it here. It’s almost as if the Titans read my article before the game and fashioned their game plan around my words. Almost. But as we all know, pride comes before the fall so I will do my best to put last week behind me and move on to Indianapolis with the proper mindset. I promise I won’t let success go to my head.

The Tennessee Titans: A Glass Half-Full Examination of the 2018 Season

One fan’s wildly optimistic take on the 2018 Tennessee Titans.

I am a pessimist. I like to consider myself a realist, but when you strip away all the fancy words, you are left with someone who typically expects the worst. In my defense, the worst is usually what happens which is why my stubborn realist philosophy seems validated.

I have a few exceptions to my pessimistic personality, with a big one being my sports’ teams. When it comes to my teams, I am an eternal optimist. I always see the silver lining. I always hope and believe that the future will be bright, even in the face of all evidence to the contrary. My hope for this article is that I can balance both sides – the optimist and the pessimist. I hope that balance will make for a more nuanced and rational take on what has been an incredibly frustrating season for my favorite team – the Tennessee Titans.