Dec 23, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker (10) lines up under center during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
One team… one goal.
That’s still the message just four months after the Tennessee Titans finished a 2012-13 NFL season with glaring deficiencies on both sides of the football. Many new faces have been acquired through free agency and the 2013 NFL Draft. Titans head coach Mike Munchak won’t use that as an excuse or allow it to alter his expectations for the upcoming season. According to Jim Wyatt from The Tennessean:
New #Titans guard Andy Levitre said Mike Munchak told team today the goal is to win now. Super Bowl is the expectation in 2013, he said
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) April 22, 2013
What else can Munchak say? His job largely depends on whether this team takes a step forward in 2013. At age 90, owner Bud Adams will become increasingly impatient with a team that shows mediocre results. There’s no excuse for this team to not compete for a wild-card berth, even the AFC South title. And once a team reaches the playoffs, anything can happen.
Bovada.com has a Super Bowl XLVIII odds list for all 32 teams. The Titans were one of four teams who came in at 100-to-1 odds. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars had lower odds. They had 200-to-1 odds. The Indianapolis Colts had 35-to-1 odds. The Houston Texans had 18-to-1 odds.
Is it just me, or should the Colts and Texans flip-flop those odds? With Andrew Luck, the Colts are better-positioned to win a Super Bowl in the near future. Maybe they’re projecting that the Colts overachieved and that they’ll take a step back in 2013.
Back to the Titans. These odds are a testament to how the general public feels about Jake Locker and the lack of star power that has come out of L.P. Field the last few seasons. There’s no way that the Cleveland Browns (75-to-1), New York Jets (75-to-1) and Kansas City Chiefs (50-to-1) should have that much greater odds than the Titans.
I’m not guaranteeing Super Bowl. With that said, there’s no excuse—and I mean no excuse—for this team not to reach the postseason and play competitive football once they’re there. Give this roster to the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff—and this team would soar. It’s up to Munchak and his assembled staff to get the most out of this talent.
Munchak expects a Super Bowl. What about the fans? Don’t mix up “hoping” with “expecting.” After the 2013 NFL Draft, what are your post-draft expectations for the Tennessee Titans?