The only Titans to make the Pro Bowl… Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Me:  “Hi, my name is Phill.”
Support Group: “Hi Phill.”
Me: “I am a Tennessee Titans’ fan.”
Support Group (slightly embarrassed): “Oh…sorry.”
Me: “It’s ok. I have come to terms with it.”
Support Group (sympathetically): “That’s good.”
Me: “I just wanted to say a few things…get a few things off my chest. You know?”
Support Group: “That sounds fine. This is a safe environment. A judgement free zone. Share whatever is on your heart.”
Me: “Ok. Just warning you guys, this is might be a little long.”
Support Group: “That’s ok.”
Me: “Great. Where should I start? I’ll start from the top and work my way down. First, is it just me, or is Bud Adams seriously in need of a new hobby? Because let’s be honest here, he treats the Titans like a hobby. It’s like he is a really bad fantasy football owner – you know the guy. He’s the guy that drafted Devin Hester in the first round a few years ago, because Hester was going to light it up on offense and special teams. He’s the guy that forgets to adjust his lineup and ends up starting a few guys that are on their bye week. Bud Adams is that guy. He pays little to no attention to the Titans for most of the year, then he happens to stay awake for most of an embarrassing loss, and then he goes crazy with demands and ultimatums. But then he doesn’t really follow through on anything.

He demanded accountability from this team a few times, and the only accountability we have seen so far is Chris Palmer’s head on a plate. (Not literally, because that would be horrifying…but pretty effective.) Jerry Gray still has a job. If that is not the complete opposite of accountability, then I don’t know what could be more oppisite. (I guess he could have promoted Jerry Gray to Head Coach. That would be more opposite. Let’s be thankful that didn’t happen, because with Bud Adams, it was on the table more than likely.)

Evidently, Bud Adams decided to yell and fume to the media, but then he just left everything and everyone on the team alone after that. And perhaps that is for the best. (Before you yell at me and remind me that I am forgetting the fact that Bud Adams fired Mike Reinfeldt, believe me, it was an intentional oversight. If there was anyone with this franchise that was less effective in their job than Bud Adams, it was Reinfeldt. His drafts were awful. Most of his contracts make my brain hurt. All in all, letting him go was the one smart thing Bud Adams has done for this team in years.)

Like I said, this team would be better off if Bud Adams discovered a new hobby. Something to keep him entertained and out of the way. I hear bingo is really big with his age demographic.  He might even be able to work in a few double bird salutes into his bingo repertoire.  It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Come back next week for more of my support group rant. On deck: The coaching staff.

Nov 25, 2012; Jacksonville FL, USA; Tennessee Titans linebacker Zach Brown (55) sacks Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne (7) in the first quarter of their game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

I guess we all know who the biggest loser for the Tennessee Titans is this week…Chris Palmer.  I won’t even include him in the Winners and Losers section below.  He got fired because he was not doing his job very well.  The offense has been erratic and frustratingly inconsistent all season.  He was able to install “his” offense this season and it has looked worse than the offense the team ran last season.  That’s a pretty big sign that things weren’t working out for the team.

Besides Palmer, there were plenty of other losers this week.  Thankfully, there were some good performances in this game as well, so this article won’t be all doom and gloom.

Winner:  The Pass Rush.
I won’t single out any one player because so many of them played really well. Jerry Gray used a lot of effective blitzes and even when he didn’t blitz the front four were able to generate a lot of pressure all day against the Jags. If we see this kind of intensity and aggression from the D-Line the rest of the season, then the future will look a lot brighter.

Loser: Safety Play.
I might as well make Michael Griffin a permanent member of the “Losers”. Sadly as bad as he was on Sunday, he was probably the best safety on the field for the Titans. Clearly, this is a big area of need in the 2013 draft.

Winner: Alterraun Verner.
He is quietly having a very good season. He’s not playing at a Pro Bowl level, but he is not that far off either. I think it is safe to say that the cornerback position is pretty stable going into 2013.

Loser: Wide Receivers not knowing where the out of bounds line is.
These kind of mental lapses are completely unacceptable. If you want to be a good NFL receiver, you have to know where you are on the field. If the Titans make those plays, they win the game. Simple as that.

Winner: Jerry Gray.
Chris Palmer got fired first which buys Gray a little more time to show that his defense is headed in the right direction. Use your time wisely Jerry.

Loser: Jared Cook and his stupid demands to be traded or used more in the offense.
Jared, the team will use you more when you prove that you won’t drop easy balls. The problem is, you seem to drop easy balls every single game. This is not rocket science. Believe me, the Titans would really love to take advantage of all the mismatches you create. But until you can convince them that you will not choke, you aren’t getting more opportunities.

So, that about sums it up for this week. Watching the Titans lose to one of the worst teams in the league has become an annual tradition. I for one hope it’s a tradition that dies a painful death very, very soon.

Nov.11, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt (18) is unable to make the catch as Miami Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith (24) defends during the first quarter at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

That might be the longest title for any article I have ever written.  But trust me, it will be worth it.  Or don’t trust me…I don’t care.  As the title so clearly indicated, I have 5 suggestions for the Tennessee Titans on their off week.  Usual disclaimer:  This is not an exhaustive list.  I’m sure there are plenty of other things they should do this week.

1.  Bud Adams needs to call out the team again.
They should have beaten the Miami Dolphins by more than 34 points. How dare this team let the Dolphins score at all? We see how the team responded to Bud’s first smack-down. The Bud Adams’ crazy rant needs to become a weekly tradition. Win or lose. If it inspires the kind of performance we saw from the Titans last week, then I’m all for it.

2. Kenny Britt and Jared Cook need to practice catching footballs.
I realize that it might be asking a lot for two of the more talented receivers on the roster to consistently catch the ball, but I’m dreaming big here. I know that Britt and Cook are both open a lot, and don’t always get thrown to, but that is no excuse for dropping catchable and crucial passes.

3. Jamie Harper needs to get a new profession.
That might sound harsh, but can you really disagree? He’s just not very good at his current job. And that is being kind. I really wanted to see him take a step forward this year, but instead, he has taken a bunch of steps sideways and a few tripping-over-his-own-feet backwards.

4. The Titans need to come up with a really great nickname for their starting linebackers.
I’ve got a few, but I’m not sure if any of them really do this trio justice:

• The Trinity (only not blasphemous)
• Ayers, McCarthy, and Brown will crush their enemies, see them driven before them… and hear the lamentation of their women!  (Perhaps that is too long.)
• The Alphabet.  (A through Z and all that.  I did say that these weren’t that good…right?)

5. Jake Locker is awesome.
I know. That’s not a suggestion, just a certifiable fact. Look it up.

So, there they are.  Five timely and important things for the Titans to consider this week.  Of course, the most important thing for this team to do this week is to rest and get healthy.  And the coaches need to spend every hour they can figuring out what has worked and what hasn’t this season.  And then start doing the things that worked, pretty much exclusively.  I guess they could work in a few of the things that haven’t worked, just to keep their opponents guessing.  Just don’t make a habit of it.

So, let me know what you think the team needs to do this bye week.  I would love to hear what other fans are thinking about this team right now.