The playoff narrative is perfect for the Tennessee Titans
What a time it is to be a Tennessee Titans fan. For the first time since the 2008 season, the team has clinched home-field advantage in the AFC.
As tumultuous as the season has been, things seem to be clicking at the right time for the Titans. The overall team is getting healthy, the offense is playing more disciplined and has not committed a turnover since the debacle in Pittsburgh, Ryan Tannehill is playing his best football recently, and (knock on wood) Julio Jones has shown no signs of injury since going out in the second half against the Steelers.
Oh and have we mentioned that Derrick Henry is coming back?
The teams that have momentum on their side are the ones who usually do well in the NFL and other sports, and the Titans currently have momentum at the right time. But that is not the only – or maybe even the biggest – reason to be excited about their chances during the postseason.
2021 Tennessee Titans are not your typical one-seed
The Titans finished the season with a 12-5 record, and in most years, a five-loss season is not even good enough for the second seed in the conference. Heck, last year, the 10-6 Miami Dolphins did not even make the playoffs, and even for as rare as that is, it still goes to show that five losses usually does not come close to cutting it for the top seed.
For that reason, some people are calling the Titans the worst one-seed in the history of the NFL. That is not necessarily a stretch of a statement, but it actually is likely to benefit the team.
As has been well documented, the Titans oftentimes crumble in situations in which they are expected to win easily but thrive in those in which everybody counts them out. Just this year, we could see that in their games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and L.A. Rams.
Despite being counted out weekly and despite a roster that seemed to get injured in new and creative ways each week, they still finished as the best team in the AFC.
light. Related Story. Who will the Tennessee Titans play next weekend?
The Tennessee Titans are likely to be favored in their playoff game(s) this year, but that does not mean that they will not be doubted due to the trouble they faced during the regular season. Believe me when I say that the team knows that, and they are going to be hungry to prove that their seeding is not a fluke.
That is not even getting into Henry, who is the heart and soul of this team. How angry do you think he is about not only missing the entire second half of the season due to an injury but also having an abysmal performance in the team’s playoff game last year?
There is definitely a chance that he struggles due to rust, but you know that he is salivating at the thought of taking his anger out on opposing defenses. He has a huge chip on his shoulder, and there is every bit as good of a chance that he comes out and is dominant once again.
Being an overwhelming favorite for the Super Bowl likely would not bode well for the Titans, but they have everything to prove here, and they know it. They should also know not to make the mistakes of a certain one-seed they dominated in the playoffs two years ago. Let’s hope all of this makes a difference.