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Titans still need to be careful to avoid a familiar 9-7 fate

By Brady Akins

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 12: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans warms up before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Colts defeated the Titans 34-17. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 12: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans warms up before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Colts defeated the Titans 34-17. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Nov 12, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel against the Indianapolis Colts watches from the sideline during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel against the Indianapolis Colts watches from the sideline during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s all just a little bit of history repeating

This one has taken me a while to write. I really didn’t want to spill ink, once again, about the Titans being just a step above mediocre. For the longest time, I didn’t think I had to. Things used to feel so much different than they do now.

All was quiet in the peaceful little town of the 5-0 Titans locker room. I mean, sure, the road to 5-0 wasn’t one without its speed bumps. But 5-0 is 5-0, and Tennessee could always hang their hat on the pride of a 42-16 blowout against a Super Bowl contending Buffalo Bills. Things were good, actually, no, things were great. And then, 5-1.

But I’m sure it’s not a big deal, right? It can’t be. Any kind of loss is a loss you would like to avoid, but how much trouble could there be from one three-point loss to a really good team. No trouble in our quiet little town. Nothing to worry about. And then, 5-2.

It’s probably an accident though. This was one of the three last unbeaten teams in the NFL just two weeks ago. Granted, this loss was pretty bad. But sometimes these things happen. Both teams that played in the 2019 Super Bowl had losses to teams with losing records in their seasons, right? I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, this quiet town is, well, a quiet town after all. And then, 6-3. 

 

Loss number three should be the tipping point. No longer is this a team on a five-game winning streak with a few irritating quirks that never seemed to get in the way of winning. This is a team that seemed stuck in a rut in the middle of their 34-17 loss to the division-rival Colts just a few short weeks ago. Even in a win against a tough-out Baltimore Ravens team on Sunday, issues in how the Titans are built made themselves frustratingly evident. I had bought into the optimist’s take, but it gets harder each week to ignore the issues.

 

This is a team who’s glaring faults are becoming more and more troublesome as the weeks progress– and they’re starting to mask the things the Titans used to do well. No longer does this team look elite, but they still don’t look hopeless. They look as they have for the last half-decade– like a 9-7 football team.

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