We as fans (at least most of us), go into a season with extreme optimism. We have had time to digest the disappointment of last season. We have had time to analyze our draft, our free agent signings and our free agent losses. Some teams already have  had the unfortunate season ending injury. But the good thing is we all start the season 0-0 and let the excitement begin.

Well unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to travel across the country and visit the Titans training camp. All I can do is hop on all of the websites and read what others have to say.  With that being said, here is what I have observed, read and think so far.

Offense

QB- Let the youngster start. The Titans took Jake Locker in the first round of the 2o11 draft. I think he played well last season. I realize he only completed 52% of his passes,  but I liked the way he played against the Falcons and Saints last season. He almost led the Titans to a comeback win against the Saints. He has a nice presence on the field and the offense seemed to respond to him last season. Nothing against Hasselbeck, but I would like to see Jake start. I realize that it will be a tough opening stretch with games against the Patriots, Chargers, Lions and Texans.

RB/O Line- Wow, that was horrible last season. After the holdout, our CJ2K looked terrible. After watching the games, I couldn’t decide if it was the O line or Johnson. It seemed as if Johnson ran scared, like he was afraid to hit the hole. Unfortunately, the running game started off exactly like last season. Chris Johnson carried the ball 5 times for 8 yards against the Seahawks last week in the first preseason game.

The offensive line lost Jake Scott to free agency but we signed veteran OG Steve Hutchinson. He is an upgrade in the running game. However, I feel that our deficiency was the C position and we did nothing to upgrade that position. I am not impressed with Eugene Amano ( he is out for the season) and I am not impressed with Velasco. I think the Titans are in trouble.

To be continued…

The Tennessee Titans finished their 2011 season with a 23-22 victory over the Houston Texans and finished with a 9-7 record.  The Titans finished out the season going 4-2 in their last six games but could not overcome losses to the (at the time winless) Colts and a last minute loss to the New Orleans Saints. I will have more analysis on the season in my next blog.

The Texans came into the game locked into the 3^rd seed in the AFC and decided to rest Arian Foster and Jonathan Joseph. They looked sharp on their first drive and took a 7-0 lead behind T.J. Yates passing and Ben Tate running. Yates left the game after their first drive with an apparent shoulder injury. Jake Delhomme finished the rest of the game and played well after not playing this season. The Texans were a 2 point conversion from beating the Titans, but an errand snap spoiled their comeback.

The Titans were led by Matthew Hasselbeck who finished the day just shy of 300 yards passing, finishing with 297 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Chris Johnson filled in with 61 yards on 15 carries. I sound like a broken record…but the Titans struggled once again with the running game.  The inconsistency will drive us fans up a wall. This component of the offense (or lack thereof) will definitely have to be addressed in the off season.

The game went back and forth with no team holding a lead bigger than 7 points. The Texans matched the Titans point by point. The game was tied on three different occasions. The Texans only had a chance because the Titans inexplicably had fullback Ahmad Hall trying to run out the clock. On that very important play Titans’ offensive coordinator  sent Chris Johnson in motion (like the Titans were going to pass?) and pitched the ball to Hall, only to have a Texans’ defender come and pop Hall, which forced the fumble. Good thing the Titans held on for the victory.

With the Jets losing, the Titans needed the Raiders and Broncos to win on Saturday. Both teams failed to follow the plan and the Titans played their last game of the season. Nonetheless, the coaching staff can look to build on a 9-7 season going into next OTA’s and training camp.

Well, as they say…wait ‘til next year!

The Tennessee Titans (7-5) will travel to Houston to face the Texans (10-5) this Sunday at Reliant Stadium. The Titans will look to revenge the 41-7 pummeling they took back in week 7 this season. During the week 7 loss; the Texans scored 27 unanswered points, had two players (Arian Foster and Ben Tate) rush for over 100 yards and manage to rack up over 500 yards in total offense. Needless to say the Titans will need a much better effort during this game.

What’s at stake this weekend? The Titans still have a chance to make the playoffs. With a victory on Sunday during the early games, they will know what needs to transpire during the afternoon games to keep their hope alive. The Titans inconsistent play this year has been torturous to its fans. We have been emotionally invested into this team throughout the season, only to see the running game disappear, the offense inability to maintain drives and the team struggle to play competitive football against the upper echelon teams.  How much more can we take?

I liked the approach the Titans took last week with regards to their offensive game plan. They came out with Matthew Hasselbeck in shotgun and spread out the Jacksonville Jaguars defense. That tactic worked great and helped them to a 23-17 win. I think they  will need the same approach this week as the running game struggled last time they played the Texans.

How will the Texans approach the game on Sunday? They are locked into the number three seed and will host a playoff game next week and a win does nothing for them in the standings. Will they rest their players? Will they approach the game like every other game?

The Texans come into the game with the second ranked rushing offense and the first ranked team in time of possession. They will have their all everything wide-out Andre Johnson back this week. Additionally, they have two running backs that can put up huge chunks of yards any given Sunday. Their rookie quarterback T.J. Yates has played well while at the helm of the offense.

The Texans defense is vastly improved this season under new Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips. They come into the game with the second ranked (yards per game) defense and third in passing yards/game. He brings a high energy approach and the 3-4 defensive philosophy.

The Titans clinch a playoff berth this week with:

 1) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + OAK loss or tie

2) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + DEN loss or tie

 3) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ loss or tie + OAK win + DEN win

Here it is Titan fans, a win, a Cin loss and a little help and we are in the playoffs. With that being said, sadly I think the  Texans will still win.

Prediction: Titans 13- Texans 23

The Tennessee Titans (8-7) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans completed their home schedule and finished with a record of 5-3 at LP Field. They will finish their season with a trip to Houston to play the Texans at Reliant Stadium. They have a 3-4 record away from Nashville and hope to reach the .500 mark with a win on
Sunday.

The Titans controlled the game from the outset and built anearly 10-0 lead led by a Matthew Hasselbeck 55 yard touchdown pass to Jared Cook. I asked in a previous blog, why Cook wasn’t a bigger part of the offense. I have read that he the coaching staff concludes that he lacks the necessary blocking skills to be an every down TE. The guy has tremendous upside and is a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators. He had 8 receptions for 169 yards which translated into a 21.1 yards/catch average. The Titans were led in the passing game by Hasselbeck as he completed 24 passes for 350 yards. Chris Johnson contributed with 56 yards rushing on 15 attempts. The running game still remains very inconsistent. I am very surprised that a Hall of Fame offensive guard is unable to fix the running game. The offensive line and the running back have lacked the cohesiveness to be counted on week to week. Even if the Titans squeak into the playoffs, I think they will be one and done.

The Titans defense played well and limited the Jaguars to 17 points and limited them to 300 total yards. The defense was lead by Derrick Morgan who led the team with 7 tackles and 1 pass defended. They continually get excellent play from their young defenders who are either in their first or second season. The future looks really bright when it comes to their defense. The Jaguars were led by their all everything running back Maurice Jones-Drew. He continues to rack up yards and leads the NFL in rushing this year, even though he continually faces 8 man fronts. MJD rushed 24 times for 103 yards. Blaine Gabbert continued to struggle during his rookie season. He completed 21 passes for 198 yards. I am not sure the Jaguar fans think he is the answer but we will have to wait and see.

Here are the Titans playoff scenarios:

1) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + OAK loss or tie

2) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + DEN loss or tie

3) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ loss or tie + OAK win + DEN
win

There are two common components in all three scenarios listed above; a Titan win and a Bengal loss. The Titans need to handle their business on Sunday and hope for a little help.

The Tennessee Titans (7-7) will play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10) at LP field on Saturday.  The Titans will look to revenge a week 1 16-14 defeat to the Jaguars. Additionally, the Titans will need a win for their slim chances of making the playoffs.

The Titans will need a lot of help for any chance of making the playoffs this season. A loss last week to the then winless Indianapolis Colts all but buried the Titans playoff chances. There are six teams (Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers) fighting for the last playoff spot, win one of those spots going to the AFC west winner. Stranger things have happened, so you just never know.

The offense desperately needs a spark this weekend. The Titans running game has been so inconsistent this season and it’s easy to place blame on the Offensive Coordinator, the offensive line and Chris Johnson.  Matthew Hasselbeck will guide the 13^th ranked passing offensive against the 4^th ranked Jaguars pass defensive. The loss of Kenny Britt has been huge as Hasselbeck and Jake Locker miss his height and jumping ability the key situations and especially in the redzone. I often wonder why they don’t use Jared Cook like the San Diego Chargers use Antonio Gates.  I see Gates split out wide all by himself against a safety and Phillip Rivers will lob the ball up there, Gates will block out the defender and catch a touchdown. Oh well, easy for me to play armchair offensive coordinator. Additionally, the offense will need to sustain drives; run the ball effectively and convert on 3^rd down. They lack the explosive type of offense to outscore anybody, so ball control is a huge component to a win this weekend.

The defense has been tolerable this year, playing that bend don’t break style of defense. The good: The Titans rank 19^th in yards/game but rank 8^th in points/game on the season.  The bad: The Titans rank at or near the bottom in three key defensive categories: sacks/pass attempt, 3^rd down percentage, and interception rate. The Titans will definitely look to stop Maurice Jones Drew as he has rushed for over 1,330 yards on the season and helped the Jaguars control the clock during the last meeting. The Jags held the ball for over 39 minutes back in week 1.

This should be a typical game between these two AFC south opponents. Both will look to put together long scoring drives, control the ball and play a 17-13 type of game.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Prediction: Titans 20 – Jaguars 16

What the heck happened? The Titans visit to Lucas Oil Stadium could not have gone worse than it did. The Colts (1-13) handed the Titans (7-7) a 27-13 beat down yesterday. The Titans led at the half 6-3 and outscored 24-7 in the second half. The Titans were hurt by three costly turnovers, highlighted by a Jacob Lacey interception return for a touchdown. That play signified Chris Johnson’s season….LACK OF EFFORT. Johnson nonchalantly reached for the pass and didn’t put forth the effort to knock it down. That play turned the momentum to the Colts and they never looked back. After trailing late in the game, Coach Mike Munchak hoped to spark something, turned to Jake Locker who led the Titans to their only touchdown of the game. He brought a spark to the Titans offensive. It could have been an component of the Colts playing a conservative defense, however Locker does have the mobility to make plays.

The running game was a non factor once again.  Johnson was limited to 55 yards on 15 carries and if you take away the long run of 35 yards, he had 14 carries for 20 yards. I still can’t put my finger on whether it’s Johnson, the offensive line or Offensive Coordinator Chris Palmer. Regardless, there will have to be some changes going into next season. As a team, the Titans rushed for 66 yards on 19 attempts. The defense made Donald Brown look like Barry Sanders. Brown rushed 16 times for 161 yards, capped off by a 80 yard touchdown run that sealed the Titans fate. On that play, the defense had Brown stopped for a 5 yard loss, only to maneuver out of Akeem Ayers grip, circle back and go down the sideline for the score. The defense did limit the Colts to 10 first downs, 287 total yards and 4 minutes less of time of possession. However, two huge plays cost the Titans the game. The first was the interception return by Lacey and the second the Brown TD run. The Titans have been able to stay away from the huge plays this season. Those type of plays swing the momentum faster than CJ2K ran the 40 yard dash at the combine.

Where was the sense of urgency? The coaching staff has to be the blame. They had an opportunity to beat a winless team and keep their playoff hopes alive, only to stink up the place. Munchak has to light a fire under his team. He stands there stoic and expressionless regardless of the situation. Personally, I would like to see some emotion out of him. Additionally, I believe the play calling yesterday was terrible. It was too predictable. Palmer lacks the innovation and creativity. Maybe he is hampered by the personnel. Nevertheless, you have to put your players in position to be successful and I believe Palmer failed to do so.

Next Saturday the Titans will be back home to face Jacksonville.

The Tennessee Titans (7-6) travel to Indianapolis, IN to play the Indianapolis Colts (0-13). We all know the Colts will be without Peyton Manning, arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. The Titans beat the Colts earlier in the year 27-10 behind a Patrick Bailey blocked punt and two Rob Bironas field goals.

This is a must win for the Titans, as they need tostay in the wild card hunt. A loss to a winless team will all but eliminate them from any hope of the playoffs. As is stands right now, the Titans are out of the playoffs firmly trenched in the seventh seed. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, they win out and coupled with a New York Jets loss and the Titans are in based on a better conference (8-4) record relative to the Jets, Bengals, Raiders and Broncos.

Matthew Hasselbeck is expected to start on Sunday after he practiced Wednesday and Thursday. During Coach Mike Munchak’s press conference, he was asked if (he anticipates that Hasselbeck will be the starter on Sunday) “Well we are thinking that way. Jake (Locker) will prepare like he is the starter also. He is obviously taking advantage of the reps he got today, taking the majority of them. That’s good for Jake that he is ready to go and if Matt (Hasselbeck) is not, then we feel comfortable either way” This is good news for Titan fans. Jake Locker has looked good when he has had an opportunity to play. He lacks the experience but he has tremendous scrambling ability and throws well on the run. He definitely looks like an asset the Titans could build upon in the future.

The Titans offense will look to control the game as the Colts defense ranks near in the bottom in all major defense categories. The Titans running game seemed to be coming on as of late but after a miserable showing last week versus the Saints, you never know. The Colts on the other hand will be trying hard not to duplicate the 2008 Lions with a 0-16 record.

Go Titans!

Prediction: Titans 27- Colts 17

The Tennessee Titans lost their sixth game of the seasondropping a close 22-17 contest to the New Orleans Saints. The Titans record is7-6 on the season, 4-3 at home and 3-3 on the road. Once again their running game was putrid which has contributed to their inconsistent performance this season. Matthew Hasselbeck left the game early in the second quarter, and the reigns were handed over to Jake Locker.

Locker did his best to bring back the Titans. He completed 13 of 29 passes for 282 yards and rushed for 36 yards. After taking a 10-9 lead late in the 3^rd quarter, The Titans then gave up 13 points to trail 22-10 with 7:01 left in the game. The Titans were able to pull to within five points after a Locker touchdown pass to Nate Washington and had an opportunity to win the game with five seconds left, only to have Locker get sacked as time expired.

Chris Johnson rushed 11 times for 23 yards. This stat isvery frustrating for Titan fans (and fantasy football players). Just when we thought the running game was turning around, the franchise running back only gets 16 touches (5 receptions). The lack of touches was aided by the offense inability to sustain drives, which was evident by a miserable 22:27 in time of possession. Clearly the lack of offensive cohesiveness has had a serious impact on the team this season.

If the Titans can win out and with a little luck they just might find themselves in the playoffs. They have three games left; @ Indianapolis, vs. Jacksonville and @ Houston with the first two being very winnable. If they can win the first two, they will find themselves at 9-6 with a chance at revenge at Houston who clobbered the Titans earlier this season.  Currently the New York Jets (8-5) hold the last playoff spot. The Jets still have to play @Philadelphia, vs. New York (NFC) and @ Miami. It’s not out of the question. If multiple teams finish tied for the last playoff spot and if the Titans are able to win out; The Titans would receive that spot based on conference record.

Let us recap my keys to victory:

1. Control the clock - Fail (22:27 T.O.P)
2. Feed Chris Johnson - Fail (only 11 carries-See #1)
3. Pressure Brees – Fail (1 QB sack-Brees had all day)
4. Win the turnover battle – Push
5. No dumb penalties – Push

The Tennessee Titans (7-5) will host the New Orleans Saints (9-3) this Sunday at LP Field. The Titans will look to remain in playoff contention with a win. The Saints will try to stay alive for an outside shot at the number two seed in the NFC with a win.

The Titans, winners of three of the last four will try to exploit the Saints 30^th ranked D in rushing yards/play. The Titans running game struggled so badly earlier in the season but has picked it up as of late. Chris Johnson is hot right now. He has rushed for over 120 yards in three of the last four games. His yards per carry are up to 4.1 and he has rushed for 852 yards on the season. Feed this man the ball!!!

The defense will look to keep Drew Brees and company off the field. They can’t let him sit back in the pocket and pick the secondary apart. He has lots of weapons at his disposal; J. Graham, M. Colston, L. Moore and D. Sproles. The Titans inebackers’ pass defending will be a huge component in this game. A big concern is that two rookies will be starting at linebacker for the Titans. Both Colin McCarthy and Akeem Ayers have played good this year and hopefully that trend will continue this game. Look for Brees to manipulate them and exploit their lack of experience. He is so good about moving defenders with his eyes and then throwing to his 3^rd or 4^th option. They will need to stick with Graham and company like Nucky Thompson sticks with making money.

Another huge concern is the Titans pass rush or should I say lack thereof. They rank 31^st in the league with a 4.86% sack/pass attempt and playing against the first ranked passing offense equals uh oh…The Titans may be in for a long day. I hope Jerry Gray and his defensive staff come up with a good game plan. How about mixing in a blitz or two Mr. Gray!!

Keys to victory:

1. Control the clock-Time of possession will need to exceed 33 minutes.
2. Feed Chris Johnson-Titans are 5-0 when he exceeds 20 carries this season
3. Pressure Brees- Defense will need to record 3+ sacks and 8+ QB pressures
4. Win the turnover battle- Titans are +5 and Saints are -2 this season
5. No dumb penalties!
   

Prediction: Titans 27- Saints 24 (yes, I am a homer)

The Tennessee Titans took care of business with a 23-17 win over the Bills yesterday. The Titans (7-5) played well in all three facets; offence, defense and special teams. Although the Bills scored a late touchdown to pull within six points, the game was never in doubt.

Offense
The good was the CJ2K rushing for 153 yards on 23 carries, including a 48 yard TD run. That run reminded me of the CJ2K we are used to seeing. He looked patient and explosive, waiting for the smallest of holes to open, then the burst of speed that only CJ2K can achieve. The offensive line played great, they opened up running lanes and limited the Bills to only one sack of Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck played well; he managed the game, throwing for 140 yards. Damian Williams led the Titans with 4 receptions for 62 yards.
It appears that the Titans have finally figured out the running game. Johnson has rushed for over 100 yards in 3 of the last 4 games. He equaled the number of rushing touchdowns on the season yesterday with two, bringing his season total to four. They’ll look to continue the recent success when the host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Defense
The Titans appear to have found an emerging star with middle linebacker Colin McCarthy. He led the team in tackles yesterday with nine. He forced and recovered a fumble. He was all over the field yesterday and maybe he Wally Pipd Barrett Ruud. Coach Munchak will have a tough decision when Ruud is healthy. Overall the Titans forced 3 fumbles and recovered two of them. In addition, another rookie that played great was DT Jurrell Casey. He ended up with five tackles. More important than the five tackles and the will not appear on the stat sheet was when he snuffed out two different screen pass plays that resulted in two incomplete passes.
Where is the pressure? The Titans didn’t force Fitzpatrick into an interception and only managed to sack the QB once yesterday. That has been my concern this whole season so far, is the lack of a pass rush. I would like to see the Titans blitz more and be a more exotic in their defensive schemes.
As we head into the final quarter of the season, the Titans will need to continue to run the ball and play good defense if they want to make a playoff run. They finish the season with the Saints, @Colts, Jaguars, and finish up @Texans.
And down the stretch they come….