The dream scenario for the Tennessee Titans 2020 season
By Brady Akins
An Offense Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Seen
Derrick Henry had a rough start to the 2019 season. Even coming off a four-game stretch the year prior where it looked like he had finally broken out as a legitimate star, Henry couldn’t quite find his legs as an elite running back until the back half of 2019. That doesn’t happen again in 2020.
Especially considering the run defenses the Titans will face in their opening three weeks. The Broncos (Week 1) and the Vikings (Week 3) aren’t bad by any stretch, but neither were the Patriots and Ravens in the AFC playoffs. Peak Derrick Henry ran through New England and Baltimore, and he can certainly run through Denver and Minnesota. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s Week 2 opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, are pretty much a lock to give up at least 125 yards and two touchdowns to the King.
And once Henry gets going on the ground, he brings the rest of the offense along with him. Now more experienced in the offense, Roger Saffold and Nate Davis shouldn’t have the growing pains they went through to start the year last season, paving the way for Henry and the ground game to keep rolling through even the tougher defenses on the schedule– with the help of Ryan Tannehill and the passing game, of course.
Tannehill proves his 2019 Pro Bowl season wasn’t just a flash in the pan and uses his veteran skill set to excel in the play-action heaving passing schemes that the Titans offense loves, giving the Titans 16 games worth of accurate passing and explosive deep balls to a cast of pass-catchers that might sneakily be one of the best groups in the NFL.
A.J. Brown is able to crush the label of ‘exciting young rookie’ and breaks out into one of the best receivers in the NFL. With much more volume than 84 targets, Brown is able to use his after the catch ability to crack the top five in receiving yards while leading the league in touchdown catches.
The rest of the pass-catching cast follows suit, using the attention that AJ Brown has drawn from opposing defenses to create a name for themselves. Corey Davis looks like one of the best WR2’s in the league. Jonnu Smith has a breakout year, looking like a ‘2015 Delanie Walker’ as he proves to be a home run threat with reliable hands every time he touches the ball. Even Adam Humphries has a mini breakout, looking more like the sure-handed WR3 he was brought in to be.