Every year there’s a ‘surprise’ team that gets all sorts of hype before the season, and in the case of the Tennessee Titans, it’s coming weeks before training camp even starts.
POLL: Which team in the AFC can go into Gillette stadium, in the playoffs and beat the @Patriots?
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) June 21, 2017
With the addition of DeMarco Murray and a breakout sophomore season from Marcus Mariota, the Titans eclipsed and almost doubled their win count from both the 2014 and 2015 season with nine last year. With such a drastic turnaround in one season, thanks to some new additions, the hype that’s surrounding the Titans could prove to be excessive – maybe!
There’s no doubting the Titans are competitive and have a serious chance of winning the AFC South. But does it go beyond that?
Should You Buy Into Tennessee Titans Hype?
There are surely determinants to support the hype; the skill positions are improving and the core players coming back are poised to have big years. The second easiest schedule also doesn’t hurt the chances of a ten win season. With all that said, there are a lot of factors to the team’s potential success. Let’s break it down by and see whether you should buy into the Tennesee Titans hype.
Quarterback:
Marcus Mariota hasn’t had a season that has ended without injury. Nonetheless, the hype will always be around Mariota and why not? The former Oregon Duck is a tremendous duel threat and deserves a lot of attention, but to what extent?
When it comes to touchdown rates against the blitz, Marcus Mariota keeps some elite company. pic.twitter.com/FG4OptZJyM
— PFF (@PFF) June 22, 2017
Clearly, his name gets thrown around with some of the best, and for good reason, as his numbers back it up. But is too much hype a good thing?
Mariota had a remarkable season and will improve with the new additions to the offense, but he is going into just his third year and coming off an injury. Clearly, one can buy into the hype with the season he’s coming off, but just don’t get ahead of yourself. Just because you see his name beside Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers on occasion doesn’t mean you can put him on their level.
Hype: Buy in at a reasonable price.
Running back:
DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry should be even better than they were last year. Murray should be as productive as he was last year and the only way he isn’t is if Henry takes some of his snaps – that’s not a bad thing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSEo41jlfJm/?taken-by=last_king_2&hl=en
It will be hard to keep the second-year back off the field due to how explosive he is and what he can do in both the running and passing game.
The Titans also added speedster Khalfani Muhammad from Cal, who by no means will make any real difference in the Titans offense, but he does add some serious speed to the backfield which will only compliment the “exotic-smashmouth” duo of Murray and Henry.
With that offensive line, get ready to see big numbers from both backs.
Hype: Buy in.
Wide receivers:
From selecting Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor in the draft, to signing veteran wideout Eric Decker, the Titans receiver group has some potential. But you can’t buy into it – yet.
Last season Rishard Matthews had a career-best season, but there’s no telling if he will repeat, especially with a more crowded group. Tajae Sharpe‘s name is getting thrown around as a potential cut. That leaves two rookies (Davis, Taylor), a seventh-round practice squad guy, Terry Robiskie‘s man-child, and a 30-year-old who is coming off a season where he suffered two separate injuries.
There is a lot of promise around this group, but it could go both ways.
Hype: None
Tight End:
Losing Anthony Fasano is going to hurt the Titans, as his blocking was a huge asset to the Titans’ run game.
on behalf of Anthony Fasano
Does it make the 'TE block database' cut?
(apologies for the jerseys) pic.twitter.com/Mrfk5W2Kpb
— Josh Cohen (@JCohen_NFL) January 4, 2017
However, Delanie Walker and Jonnu Smith will do. Their athleticism will make up for their lack of blocking and will be massive miss matches against opposing linebackers and safeties.
Hype: Yup
Offensive Line
Take a look at this:
Hype: Invest life savings
Run Defense:
Titans were second in the league last year against the run, and in the hopes to repeating that feat, they brought in nose tackle Sylvester Williams and strong safety Jonathan Cyprien. Williams, the 28th pick in the 2013 draft was expected to be a two-down plugger in the middle of the Broncos defense. But after a less than impressive 2016 campaign, Denver didn’t pick up his fifth-year option.
The Titans are hoping he can live up to his potential and perhaps Dick LeBeau‘s 3-4 will give him a chance to do so. The Titans line features some pretty hefty guys; DaQuan Jones (322), Antwaun Woods (323), Angelo Blackson (318). Williams (313) went from the heaviest guy in Denver to the third lightest in Tennessee. Does that result in less attention from the offensive? It’s hard to say, but playing under LeBeau can only help.
Cyprien loves playing near the line of scrimmage and loves contact. With 100+ total tackles in each season, expect to see him on the ball carrier A LOT.
Only concern: Avery Williamson had the lowest Pro Football Focus grade among the front seven (76.5). At first glance, North of 75 isn’t bad compared to other teams bottom players, but for a team’s middle linebacker to be your worst guy…… It’s not okay. Luckily other players make up for it.
Hype: Buy in
Pass Defense
Similar to the wideouts, there’s a lot of potential here. But that isn’t enough to buy in.
Best case scenario? The secondary is dependable enough that Kevin Byard can play single coverage over the top. Cyprien can play in the box and eat up the ball carrier. The only way this happens is if Logan Ryan and Adoree’ Jackson can play shutdown man-to-man ‘covfefe’.
Seeing how this won’t occur within the first couple weeks, the Titans front seven will need be better at pressuring the quarterback, so it takes stress off a secondary that was one of the league’s worst last year.
Hype: Don’t buy in
Even though you shouldn’t buy in, the secondary doesn’t need to be the best for the Titans to be successful. They just need to improve, which they likely will with the players they have added.
Final Thought
Listen there should be some hype around the Titans, but with still so many questions around them, they shouldn’t be getting this much of it. Teams like the Houston Texans who automatically improve with the departure of Brock Osweiler are going to be a dangerous team.
People like to forget how winnable that playoff game against the New England Patriots was for the Texans. They lost thanks to a 98-yard kick return and Osweiler’s three interceptions. No one is going to disagree that Deshaun Watson is already better than Osweiler and he hasn’t even played a snap in the NFL.
Jacksonville added more to their defense, and now have a ground game in Leonard Fournette.
The Titans can win the division; it just won’t be as easy as the hype surrounding the team is suggesting. It’s also worth mentioning the hype around the team goes as far as winning the division, which is bizarre, since the hype doesn’t extend past a single playoff win. Under those circumstances, can it even be called hype, then? The Titans are improving, but so are teams within the AFC South and top teams like the Oakland Raiders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Patriots.
Ultimately, it’s okay to buy into hype, but it’s important to make sure it doesn’t obscure the much more realistic expectations.
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