(no subject)
Has anyone else noticed how much this year's Titans are an opposite mirror image of last year's Patriots? Last year's Patriots went through the regular season winning all of their games by large margins, throwing the ball most of the time, running up scores and putting on an offensive show every week. Tom Brady and Randy Moss were the superstars of the show, and hooked up time after time. They set touchdown records and lit up the highlight reels. Bill Belichik lurked on the sidelines, and the team was surrounded by news stories about Spygate. Everyone who wasn't a New England fan was fascinated by their potentially unbeaten season, but loved to hate their unbridled success. The Patriots were the prototypical team from the North.
The Titans, on the other hand, are without doubt the team of the South. The coach, Jeff Fisher, is respected throughout the league and has been with the Titans since they came to Nashville. These Titans rely on the run game, and on defense. They grind out victories week by week, but never run up the score and don't do anything flashy. They don't have any star players...the closest you could get would be Albert Haynesworth, a defensive lineman. Their running back tandem, Johnson and White, is solid, but neither is really a true feature back, and they work better in combination. Their quarterback is Kerry Collins, who should be well past his prime by now. The receiving corps is nothing to sniff at, but there's no great talent or spectacular playmakers. This team is quietly winning week after week.
The Titans' closest game this season came in week 9, in an overtime victory over the Packers (19-16). Last year, the Patriots got a scare in week 9 from the Colts, winning 24-20. Their next close game came in Week 13, against the Ravens, which they won 27-24. The Titans seem poised for another close game, maybe even a loss. Perhaps the Jets in week 12? The schedule doesn't really heat up again until the end of the season, when they face the Steelers and Colts in the closing 2 weeks. Perhaps they'll have a late-season scare like the Pats 38-35 win over the Giants in week 17 last year, preserving their perfect season. Last year everyone expected the Patriots to run the table after they got going. It was always a question of if they could hang on. This year, no one expects the Titans to be able to do it. The question has always been, when will they finally lose?
Two teams built on very different foundations, achieving very similar results. Will the Titans be able to run the table? How will they fare in the playoffs? Will they bow out in the first round, or like the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl. And will their different formula for winning allow them to win it all?
Let's go Titans.
The Titans, on the other hand, are without doubt the team of the South. The coach, Jeff Fisher, is respected throughout the league and has been with the Titans since they came to Nashville. These Titans rely on the run game, and on defense. They grind out victories week by week, but never run up the score and don't do anything flashy. They don't have any star players...the closest you could get would be Albert Haynesworth, a defensive lineman. Their running back tandem, Johnson and White, is solid, but neither is really a true feature back, and they work better in combination. Their quarterback is Kerry Collins, who should be well past his prime by now. The receiving corps is nothing to sniff at, but there's no great talent or spectacular playmakers. This team is quietly winning week after week.
The Titans' closest game this season came in week 9, in an overtime victory over the Packers (19-16). Last year, the Patriots got a scare in week 9 from the Colts, winning 24-20. Their next close game came in Week 13, against the Ravens, which they won 27-24. The Titans seem poised for another close game, maybe even a loss. Perhaps the Jets in week 12? The schedule doesn't really heat up again until the end of the season, when they face the Steelers and Colts in the closing 2 weeks. Perhaps they'll have a late-season scare like the Pats 38-35 win over the Giants in week 17 last year, preserving their perfect season. Last year everyone expected the Patriots to run the table after they got going. It was always a question of if they could hang on. This year, no one expects the Titans to be able to do it. The question has always been, when will they finally lose?
Two teams built on very different foundations, achieving very similar results. Will the Titans be able to run the table? How will they fare in the playoffs? Will they bow out in the first round, or like the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl. And will their different formula for winning allow them to win it all?
Let's go Titans.