Titan Sized
FanSided

Tennessee Titans are the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL

By Michael Moraitis

Rodney Dangerfield celebrates his 80th birthday on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles, Ca. Wednesday, November 21, 2001. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
Rodney Dangerfield celebrates his 80th birthday on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles, Ca. Wednesday, November 21, 2001. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images. /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 8
Next
Tennessee Titans linebacker Jayon Brown.
NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 12: Linebacker Jayon Brown /

The Front 7

If you were going to pick an identity for this 2019 Titans team, you would certainly point to the running game as one part, but the defense reigns supreme.

Tennessee finished as the third-best defense last season based on points per game allowed, and ranked eighth and sixth in total yards allowed and passing yards allowed per game, respectively. The only lackluster stat was the team’s run defense, which ranked 18th.

There’s plenty of reasons to believe those mostly impressive and top-notch rankings can get even better.

Linebackers

Tennessee will sport one of the best front sevens in the league that has both youth and experience, as well as immense talent and depth.

In the middle of the linebacker corps. stands Wesley Woodyard, a respected veteran who led the team in tackles last season. Woodyard can still ball, but his leadership amongst a young group of linebackers will be invaluable.

Next to Woodyard, Jayon Brown is an absolute stud who finished second on the team in tackles and notched six sacks during his sophomore campaign. Brown is the real deal and is arguably the best player on this defense not named Kevin Byard.

And if that isn’t enough, Rashaan Evans is a freak athlete whose versatility can have him playing inside or out, and he has already proven to be a great run-stopper. With more time at EDGE, Evans has the potential to be a five- to 10-sack guy and has quickly shed the bust label after a sensational second half of last season.

On the outside, the Titans will sport Cameron Wake and Harold Landry. While Wake may not be the double-digit sack player he once was, the 37-year-old will be a shot in the arm for a Titans defense that finished tied for 16th with 39 sacks a year ago.

The 23-year-old Landry will get much more playing time in his sophomore campaign and already gave Titans fans something to salivate over late last season. In just three starts, Landry totaled two sacks and finished strong. He has the kind of flexibility in his pass-rush skills that perhaps this organization has never seen before.

The Defensive Line

Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey.
BUFFALO, NY – OCTOBER 07: Running back LeSean McCoy #25 of the Buffalo Bills is tackled by defensive tackle Jurrell Casey #99 of the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at New Era Field on October 7, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Along the defensive line, the staple is a perennial Pro Bowl-caliber player in Jurrell Casey, one of the finest defensive lineman in the league. Sure, there might be some concerns beyond him, but help is on the way.

No. 19 overall pick Jeffery Simmons, who could have been a top five to 10 pick in the 2019 draft, should return at some point this season after suffering a torn ACL in February. The Mississippi product brings with him a big body to stuff the middle of the line and an ability to get after the quarterback. If Tennessee needs reinforcements, Simmons might be it.

Home/Titans News