Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

This is the hardest Silver Lining to post to write yet.  The Tennessee Titans came out strong in the first half and went up on the Colts 20-7 with impressive offensive play coupled with a defensive pick 6.  A couple people tweeted that they had a bad feeling about it at half time, but I reserved hope and faith that the Titans could finish the job.  I was wrong.

After unraveling in the second half and letting the Colts exercise their will over the Titans, it’s hard to find something good to write about.  Yet, in an attempt to appease the eternal optimist, I am here to serve.

Defensive Front

The Tennessee Titans defense played another good game yesterday, but the defensive line played great.  They came away from the game with 4 sacks, 9 hits on Luck, and caused an interception returned for a touchdown.  This group is really coming along well and helping mask serious issues in the secondary.  Every week that goes by like this, the Titans front office moves further away from an edge pass rusher with the first overall pick in 2013.

Kenny Britt

The Titans have been patient with Kenny Britt, and rightfully so.  He has shown flashes of brilliance during his short career marred by off the field issues and injuries.  During the Colts game Britt came away with 143 yards on 8 receptions.  More important than the stat line however was that the 8 receptions came of 9 targets.  Some of the catches Britt made during the game were catches only the elite wide outs in the league make.  Britt being a big play maker and a go to guy will g a long way in helping young Jake Locker develop   It was great to see Britt bounce back with focus and determination after last week.  Now let’s see it again this Monday night.

Jake Locker vs. Andrew Luck

Okay.  I know Jake Locker made two completely boneheaded throws that cost the Titans 10 points, but before you start screaming for a new quarterback, let’s compare Locker and Luck’s stats from the game.

Luck had 1 touchdown, 196 yards off 34 attempts, had a completion percentage of only 47%, and 2 interceptions.

Locker had 1 touchdown, 262 yards off 35 attempts, a completion percentage of 63%, and 2 interceptions.

There was no “junk time” or garbage stats to inflate these numbers.  Andrew Luck made some great plays, but also missed wide open receivers, and made some poor decisions.  Just like a rookie should.  Jake Locker did the same.  Luck did not come back to win this game for the Colts and engineer some amazing drive.  If anything it was the Titans penalties, inability to stop the run, and poor offensive play that gave the Colts a win.

I know that stats aren’t everything and I’ll be the first to preach that as a backer of Locker.  They also don’t show the will power and determination that Locker had pin balling off 7 Colts trying to get in the end zone at the end of a drive.  Locker made mistakes, but he has also shown that he doesn’t make them twice, and can still be the quarterback of the Titans for years to come.

Hopefully next week the Titans can give us a win to write about!

Did you see any good in the Titans this weekend?

You can follow me on twitter @gunnelsj

Dec 9 2012, Indianapolis, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker (10) argues an intentional grounding call during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

It was a close game between the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts, though the first half belonged largely to the Titans. It was a different story after halftime when the Colts came out and turned things around, eventually turning the score around and beating the Titans 27-23.

The Titans defense harassed the Colts better than they have any team this season, during the first half of the game. The second half saw them getting carved up by all of the Colts running backs.

Penalties were also a big problem, costing the Titans over 90 yards throughout the game, most of which came, once again, in the second half.

The Titans offense was once again a problem, though the first half was fairly good, having Locker pass for over 200 yards and Kenny Britt with over 100 yards receiving. It was, I can’t believe I have to say it again, the second half that they seemed to step off a cliff. Locker became sloppy with the ball throwing two interceptions, one being at the Titans own one and being returned for the quick TD. His last interception came while trying to rally the Titans on what would be their second to last drive.

While the Titans showed up to play in the first half, the Colts really took control in the second and left the Titans in their dust. It was a good performance by a Colts team who has had an amazing turn around and another lesson for a young Titans team who continues to disappoint fans after barely missing the playoffs last year.

It was certainly hard to watch a a Titans fan. One has to hope Locker looks over that tape and learns from those mistakes. This one should have been the Titans.

Luck 1 – Locker 0

You can find me on Twitter @JustinLStewart

Dec 2, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker (10) drops back to hand off against the Houston Texans during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-US Presswire

Amongst the Tennessee Titans struggles and the success found by the Indianapolis Colts, there seems to be a large hype that has been forgotten by nearly everyone. This game marks the first time that the Titans’ QB Jake Locker and Colts’ QB Andrew Luck will meet “on the field of battle.”

A Titans offense that could best described as impotent seems to have stolen all wind from the hype sail. Instead, the Colts are the focus of discussion, having

Dec 2, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Colts won 35-33. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

had an impressive season for a team that finished last in the NFL last year. How insane is it that they could be making it to the playoffs this year? They deserve the talk, certainly, but come on, who isn’t at least a little excited to see two young QB’s, who could be battling it out in the AFC South for the next decade, face off on Sunday?

Sure, the Titans offense has been bad, but with another week under their belt with the changes that have come under a new OC, the Titans could put up a much better show this week. The fact that the offensive line is in shambles does undercut that idea a bit, but if the Titans are as good at finding decent offensive lineman late in the draft as they like to think they are, it might not be as horrible as people may expect.

As a Titans fan, one has to hope so. It’s been a rough year for all of us, watching the Titans perform far below our expectations. Seeing Jake Locker beat Andrew Luck could be the one really great moment as a fan this year. We’ve been shamed so much by our rivals, having just one thing to rub in their face would be nice.

Especially when it’s the Colts. I mean, how unfair is it? They went right from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck. We’ve had to wait nearly a decade to find our next Steve McNair. At least now, I think we’ve got him.

You can find me on Twitter @JustinLStewart