Tennessee Titans earn top-ten, AFC South-best finish in triplets ranking

Finally! They’ve been disrespected and thrown behind lesser teams like the rival Indianapolis Colts on more than their fair share of NFL Power Rankings, but it appears that the Tennessee Titans are finally getting some well-deserved burn in the national media.

What began with questions that were asked about the wide receiver corps ended eventually with an answer that came in the form of a trade that landed Julio Jones. He and A.J. Brown will tag-team to form one of the more impressive wide receiver duos in the NFL.

Ryan Tannehill has been disrespected for months, but anyone that’s paying attention should be able to see how he’s elevated the offense since taking over for Marcus Mariota. Derrick Henry is, well, Derrick Henry. He returns to defend two consecutive rushing titles and will attempt to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns for a third consecutive season.

There’s also that matter of whether or not he can run for 2,000 yards again in 2021. Yes, the Titans are stacked on offense, and even though this team doesn’t get the love that the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, or Kansas City Chiefs get by simply waking up in the morning, someone with an opinion we respect finally took notice of how good this team is capable of being.

The Tennessee Titans earn a top-ten finish in a rather unique NFL ranking.

Here’s something that you’ll want to check out if you missed it. Around The NFL Writer Nick Shook took an interesting angle recently as he released his 2021 NFL triplets rankings. Tennessee finished with a top ten ranking, landing ahead of the Cleveland Browns, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Minnesota Vikings.

Here’s what Shook offered as his defense for the decision.

"Just as they are on the field, the Titans are carried here by the wide, imposing shoulders of Henry, the rushing yards leader in 2019 and ’20 whose massive carry volume pushed him past the 2,000-yard mark last season. Add in new arrival Jones, who, at 32 years old, is still seen as a premier pass catcher when healthy, and the Titans boast a pair of top-five playmakers. Tannehill has become an above-average quarterback in this run-heavy attack, managing the game well and making the necessary throws effectively enough to log consecutive seasons with a passer rating over 106. With the AFC South clearly now a two-team race going into 2021, Tennessee should be fighting for the top spot in the division — and the biggest of this trio will again play an essential role."

Individually, Ryan Tannehill finished 12th among quarterbacks. Derrick Henry is the game’s top-ranked running back (as he should be). Julio Jones is ranked fifth among wide receivers.

Finishing ahead of the Tennessee Titans were, as mentioned, six teams. Here they are from top to bottom: Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills.

Tennessee’s seventh-place ranking is good for the best among AFC South teams. Just in case you’re interested, the Jacksonville Jaguars finished 25th. The Indianapolis Colts ranked tied for 26th and the Houston Texans finished at 31. Sure, NFL games are played on football fields and not on paper, but as we move towards opening day, this is still reason for Tennessee Titans fans to smile.