We all know the year of 2020 has sucked as a whole. For the Tennessee Titans, however, this year has had some special moments.
The latest of those moments was Tuesday’s 42-16 win against Buffalo. Considering the circumstances – going 16 days without a game due to their COVID-19 outbreak – it was one of the most impressive performances in Titans history. One that has many believing this could be a special season, on the heels of a memorable playoff run to the AFC Championship when the world was normal back in January.
By no means is this Titans team perfect. While the offense has never been better, the defense – particularly the pass rush – has some work to do in the final 12 games. The run game still needs to find its groove. But it’s hard to ignore the “special” feeling surrounding this Titans team right now.
Despite multiple notable offseason losses, this team sits at 4-0 through the first quarter of the season. They could easily be 2-2 or even 1-3, but they won the first three games (by a combined 6 points) that in past years they likely would have lost.
Mike Vrabel’s squad is also 4-0 without fielding a full roster. Talented cornerback Adoree Jackson hasn’t played a game yet and still resides on IR. No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown missed two games with a knee injury. Franchise tackle Taylor Lewan has missed portions of the last two games. They were without many key players Tuesday night due to COVID-19.
Yet, they are still doing what good teams are known to do: find ways to win games, no matter who is in the lineup. That’s a testament to the coaching job Vrabel is doing as the leader of this resilient team and the winning pedigree he wants to build.
Ryan Tannehill is proving 2019 wasn’t a fluke. The offense as a whole has picked up where it left off last season. Jeffery Simmons is emerging as a stud on the defensive line. The entire team is playing with a swagger and a chip on their shoulder, not satisfied with their playoff success in January. They are dreaming bigger… Super Bowl big.
The AFC South is as winnable for the Titans as it’s been in a long time. Philip Rivers looks every bit his age (38), limiting the potential of a Colts team that sports a rock-solid supporting cast. The odds are against the Texans of making the playoffs following their 0-4 start. And it’s becoming clear the Jaguars are who we thought they were.
The Titans haven’t won the division since Kerry Collins quarterbacked them to a 13-3 season in 2008. Tannehill was a freshman playing wide receiver for Texas A&M that fall.
It’s hard not to like the direction these Titans are headed and how this 2020 season is shaping up thus far. They are finally getting national respect. They may actually finish better than 9-7! There are questions beyond this season, however…
What’s the future of offensive play caller Arthur Smith? The offense has clicked on all cylinders since the change from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill a year ago this week. That side of the ball is averaging 30.4 points per game in 14 regular season games since the quarterback switch. During that time they’ve scored 40-plus points (3) more times than they’ve scored less than 20 (1) and have scored touchdowns on 85% of their red zone appearances. That’s borderline insane.
We’ve never seen this from a Titans offense. Not in Steve McNair’s co-MVP season of 2003. Not in 2008 when they started 10-0 and won the division. Not ever.
Smith deserves his fair share of the offensive success and could be rewarded with a head coaching position elsewhere in the NFL.
What about the free agent class for 2021? The Titans have key players like Jayon Brown, Corey Davis, DaQuan Jones and Jonnu Smith without contracts for 2021 and beyond. Let’s not forget Jadeveon Clowney was only signed to a one-year deal. It will be difficult for Jon Robinson to retain all of them this offseason.
How much longer will Derrick Henry be Derrick Henry? He’s averaging a career-low 3.7 yards per carry through four games, but it’s obviously early in the season. Henry has proven he tends to get stronger as the season goes along. However, we all know the shelf life running backs have in the NFL and you can’t count on Henry being the bell-cow running back forever.
There’s a lot to like about what the Titans have going for them in 2020, but as highlighted above, the future is always an unknown. Things can change on a dime in the NFL. A team’s window to win rarely remains open as long as expected. Just ask our resident GM, Floyd Reese, who thought his Titans would certainly return to the Super Bowl after Kevin Dyson came up one yard short against the Rams. They are still waiting to get back to The Big Game.
The road to get there would obviously go through Kansas City and Baltimore once again. Maybe even Pittsburgh or Buffalo. The Titans have proven since Tannehill took over under center, though, they can beat anyone, any time.
The time for the Titans to win big (Super Bowl big?) may never be better than the present.
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