The Las Vegas Raiders kept the momentum going in week 2 with a tremendous victory over the Buffalo Bills.  The game was a challenge for the Raiders, as they struggled to get any traction with their run game.  However, with the help from the Raiders defense, the Raiders were able to do all they needed to come out victorious, 30-24.

The Raiders secondary tallied 5 interceptions on the day, giving Jordan Love all sorts of fits.  This included a pick six by CB Ahmad Gardner, proving to be all the difference needed on the scoreboard.  On offense, rookie quarterback Darrell Barnes was in survival mode for the majority of the game.  The defensive front for the Bills was tough, moving the line of scrimmage almost every snap.  Barnes ended the day with a modest performance, 17/30 with 311 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.  The Raiders rushing game also took a small step back from their week 1 performance, averaging a modest 3.2 YPC combined for all their running backs.

While the victory may be sweet, the Raiders have no time for rest.  They match up against the 2-0 Cleveland Browns in what some are considering the game of the week.

The Las Vegas Raiders opened the season in an impressive fashion, defeating their division rival Denver Broncos.  It was the premier of rookie quarterback Darrell Barnes, and he looked sharp in his first career start.  The 22 year-old managed the game efficiently, tallying 274 yards on 68% completion percentage, with three touchdowns and an interception.  His performance was aided by a solid rushing performance from Ronald Jones II and new Raider Justice Hill.  Both backs combined for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

On the defensive side of the ball, second year pro Kayvon Thibodeaux opened the season with an impressive performance, with two sacks and a forced fumble.  In his rookie season he was late to get up to speed, but this season he's seemed to get off to a strong start.  Another notable performance was from SS Jonathan Abram, who had three solo tackles, an interception, and a sack.  

The Raiders host the Buffalo Bills in week 2.

The New York Jets began their road trip with a flight to Carlsbad, California to meet up against a Los Angeles Chargers team in mid-season flux.  The Chargers recently hired a new coaching staff, an unusual move for sure.  However, the Chargers played a tough game and the Jets needed extra time to seal the victory, 30-27. 

The Jets offense once again was carried on the legs of running backs Isaiah Crowell and Jarmon Livings. Both backs combined for 156 yards and a touchdown on 25 rushing attempts.  Rookie Jarmon Livings was the largest contributor to that total and has really taken well to the starting role.  Sam Darnold continues his great play and efficient decision making at the quarterback position, going 18 of 29 for 302 yards two touchdowns and an interception.  WR Robbie Anderson was his favorite target, hauling in 6 receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown.  WR Josh Gordon was the hero though, scoring a big time touchdown to tie the game and send it to overtime with under a minute left to play. 

The Jets defense was problematic for the Chargers offense, doing an excellent job of containing the run.  However, they continue to struggle with defending the pass.  This made it difficult for the Jets to separate themselves, but easy to keep the Chargers from bleeding the clock when they needed to most.  In fact, it was because of this that the Jets were able to climb back in it. Knowing that the Chargers would have to pass to convert, the Jets dialed up the pressure and got the interceptions when they needed them. 

The Jets continue their road trip with a visit to Baltimore to matchup against the Ravens in week 7. 

After a dumbfounding performance in week one, the New York Jets traveled to Philadelphia to meet up against the Eagles.  In a game where defense was merely a formality, both teams lit up the scoreboards and sent fantasy teams across the nation into overdrive.  The Jets were down 28-7 at the half, but stormed back to tie the game late.  It took extra time, but in the end the Jets soared, 49-43. 

Very few quarterbacks can say they had a six interception game in their career.   An even smaller percentage of them can say they had a bounce back performance like Sam Darnold did in Philadelphia.  Darnold had a eye-popping game, as he surgically dismantled the Eagles secondary for 452 yards on 21 of 30 attempts, with five touchdowns and zero interceptions.  He went from dud of the week to stud of the week and earned AFC OPOW for week 2.  WR Josh Gordon tallied 8 receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns, and WR Robbie Anderson chimed in with 6 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown.  The Jets rushing game was able to find a groove, amassing 141 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries between the three backs. 

While the scoreboard suggests that there was no defense, that was far from the case.  The Jets fell behind fast and trailed most of the game as the defense struggled to stop Eagles from getting big plays early.  Down 28-7 at the half, the Jets were not deterred.  They made several adjustments and found a way to crank up the pressure in the second half, finishing with 7 total sacks, 3 of which came from OLB Jordan Jenkins. His performance earned him the AFC DPOW, as he also contributed 2 forced fumbles, one of which led to a recovery touchdown by CB Morris Claiborne.  Free Agent acquisition CB David Amerson also came up big with a red zone interception to keep the Jets close.  This is his second interception in as many weeks, making his signing well worth the price.   

In week three the Jets hold their home opener by hosting their division rival and defending AFC Champion New England Patriots.

The New York Jets opened up season 81 with a visit to the Dallas Cowboys. It was an opportunity for the Jets to check out the new additions to their team, and for at least the first quarter they were in the match. However, late in the second quarter things started to fall apart for the Jets offense and the dominoes started to fall, as they eventually lost, 35-10.

Quarterback Sam Darnold had his worse performance of his career. He opened the game going 0-3, and finished 10 of 28 for 250 yards, no touchdowns and six interceptions. Each interception he threw seemed worse than the last, as it looked as if the Cowboys defense was in his head. Rumblings for Darnold's benching started to grow, but it wouldn't have made a difference. The receivers had their share of drops and could rarely win their matchups. The rushing game was just as bad, finishing with 37 yards on 19 attempts.

With the offense flailing, the defense was left on an island with no hope in sight. It's hard to defend when your opponent is average starting position is in your backyard, and the Jets are no exception. They struggled to cause any pressure against the pass and was picked apart by rookie quarterback Jeremy Archer for three touchdowns and an interception. They also got gashed on the ground for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 25 attempts between the Cowboys backfield.

For week two the Jets travel to the city of brotherly love for a matchup against the 0-1 Eagles.

For part one of our special two-part series, we focused on the New York Jets Free Agency.  For this second part, we shift focus to the draft.  The Jets came into the off-season with seven total picks, and the talk around the Meadowlands was that the Jets were focused on addressing three positions of need.  In this second part, instead of focusing on all seven picks, we'll take an opportunity to look at three of the Jets picks.  

Round 1, 6th overall

RT London Norwood

RT London Norwood (Florida) is a beast of man and an excellent pick by the Jets.  He brings a power and a real nastiness that is unrivaled.  Putting up 39 reps on the bench (T1st - all OL), combined with his 4.6 in the Shuttle (5th - all OL) and 7.48 in the 3-cone (T3rd - all OL), makes his unique combination of raw strength and speed a real presence in the run game.  He has an innate ability to seek out defenders and engage them with reckless abandon.  The Jets may have picked a perennial all-pro if they find a way to not keep him on an island.  

Round 2, 62 overall

HB Jarman Livings

HB Jarman Livings (Maine) is a young back with an impressive resume of making defenders miss with ease.  His coaching staff at Maine reported that Livings is a pinball with all of the cuts, spins, and bounce back runs.  His combine scores were respectable for a late 2nd pick, and any team that acquired him would be better for it.  However, Livings wasn't the player that the Jets needed, as they just spent money on signing HB Jalen Richard, an exact carbon copy of Livings.  We don't like the Jets going HB here, and if they had to then we'd rather see the power back that they've been missing for so long.  

Round 3, 70 overall

LE Keeshawn Gideon

LE Keeshawn Gideon (Maine) was an odd pick for the Jets here.  He's a great defensive end and an ideal fit for their scheme, but all the talk was that the Jets were going to look to shore up the other side of the trench.  In either case, Gideon is a pretty good pick for the Jets.  He provides a strong presence in defending the run game and consuming blocks.  He gained a reputation for his impressive power rushing skills, but has a concerning habit of running out of gas often.  While he will be in instant starter, his playing time will have to be heavily managed as the coaching staff looks to work on his stamina.  

Draft Grade: C+

The Jets absolutely won with their first pick.  The only negative that we can see with this pick is that unfortunately he is only one man, and cloning technology hasn't been mastered.  But beyond the first round, the Jets made some eyebrow-raising decisions.  They spent heavily in Free agency on WR and HB, only to turn around and draft at those positions as well.  They also picked CB for two consecutive rounds.  While they are serviceable players, neither of which are true scheme fits and will be projects at best.  Finally, the Jets didn't address that second offensive lineman like they needed to.  All in all, the Jets definitely couldn't done a better job, and the strength of Norwood is the only them giving the grade they have.

Folks, thanks for your time this off-season.  Week 1 is right around the corner and the Jets will travel to Dallas to match up against the Cowboys.

Season 81 starts outside of lines, with brilliant planning and careful execution. It is imperative for the coaching staff and front office to get in sync as they look to prepare for both the long term and near term challenges that face them. For the New York Jets, this is no different. They find themselves at a pivotal juncture within their division, primed to take advantage of a potentially great opportunity. But it has to start in the off-season. How did the Jets do? In the first of this two-part special, we'll look to grade out the Jet's performance starting with Free Agency.  The Jets acquired 8 new players, but we'll instead choose to focus on three of them.

The Good

Muhammad Wilkerson was a great acquisition for the Jets.  He provides a much needed presence in the middle for the Jets defensive line.  Wilkerson is an ideal scheme fit and is familiar with the system.  He will have an immediate impact as a run stopper and a lane clogger, eating up blockers with ease.  

The Bad

So this pick wasn't necessarily bad, but more so bad fortune.  The Jets really sought after Wilkerson, and were in a hotly contested bidding war for him with other teams.  As a fall back option, the Jets provided Bennie Logan an offer sheet.  Don't get it twisted, Mr. Logan is a solid veteran with a strong presence in the interior.  However, with the signing of Wilkerson, Bennie Logan merely represents a strong presence in the Jets' wallet.  This could've been money spent elsewhere.  

The Ugly

Josh Gordon is a talented wideout with a troubling past, but has made great strides in moving past is indiscretions.  When he became a free agent this off-season, the Jets made him a top priority with the aging Jermaine Kearse exiting the team.  Unfortunately, there were other teams interested in him as well, and a bidding war quickly ensued.  While the Jets came away victorious, they also grossly overpaid for him and will be hamstrung moving forward in seasons to come.  Furthermore, the draft was deep in talent at this position, making Gordon's uniuqe-ness a lot less unique.  This signing will haunt the Jets as each season passes.  

Grade: B- The Jets get a B- on their Free Agent acquisitions.  They did a great job in filling needs with talented players, shoring up their depth chart as well as finding starters.  The problem is that they severely overspent.  Also, hindsight being what it is, the Jets spent on some players that they could've easily got in the draft.  While the Jets made all the right moves, its difficult to give them credit for making all the smart moves.  

Check out Part 2, where we take a look at the Jets draft.

There were high hopes that all Pro HB Darius Jackson was going to carry the Titans to victory this season, with his personal goal of 2000 yards from scrimmage being the catalyst for great things to come. That all came crashing down as Jackson was lost early in the season to an eight week injury after week 5. While his week 13 return was more than welcomed by the Titans, it wasn't enough to keep the Titans playing in the off-season. Jackson finished with 1024 yards and 8 TDs on a career best 7.4 YPC. He's determined to keep up his hot pace next season for one final run for the 'chip.

The same, however, can't be said for Titan great Jurrell Casey. It was known that Casey's time with the Titans was coming to an end this season and he voted to help take the Titans to glory. While he did post double digit sacks for the third consecutive season and the Titans total defense improved their pass defense remained one of the worst in the leagues. Casey will move on to FA knowing that more could've been done.

Moving into the off-season the focus of the Titans is to address their D line needs as well as shore up their secondary and LB corps to replace aging players and departing FA's. More on their off-season goals will be discussed after the Super Bowl.

The Tennessee Titans took a little road trip to close out their season series against the Indianapolis Colts in week 13. The last time these two meet the Colts came into Nashville and never gave the Titans a chance. This time around it was the Titans turn to control the show as they defeated the Colts 46-29.

The Titans played a well balanced game this week, finding ways to move the ball through the air and the ground. In Darius Jackson's first game back, he took it slow only rushing for 64 yards and a touchdown in 16 attempts. Levy and Cloud filled in the rest rushing for 42 yards between them. Marcus Mariota had a great game, going for 18/28 for 332 yards and two touchdowns.

Defense and special teams played a huge party in their won as well. It's started early as the Titans special teams blocked an XP attempt and returned it for two points, shifting a would-be 7-7 game to a 9-6 score. Brett Kerns made some big punts, with one pinning the Colts on the 1 yard line. The Titans defense followed that up with a sack, fumble, recovery for a touchdown. Special teams play also caused a fumble in a kickoff return that went all the way to the house for six. The defense has three interceptions and two sacks on the day.

This win brings the Titans to 6-6, and still in the wildcard hunt as they host the Buffalo Bills for week 14.

In week 12 the Tennessee Titans hosted their rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both teams were needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, but only one could prosper. It was a hard-fought game as both teams played each other well, but in the end it was the Jaguars who won, 17-9.

The Titans defense played with a one-sided fury, as they held the Jaguars to just 26 yards rushing on 24 attempts. However, this was of little consequence as the Jaguars surgically removed the heart of the Titans with their passing attack. While the Titans were able to create occasional pressure with their pass rush, their coverage was completely absent. The Jags finished with 256 yards and a touchdown, going 15 for 15 in their attempts. Both man and zone were exposed as the Titans failed to stop them when they needed it most.

The problems were only compounded when the offense failed to put points on the board. The Jags defense played extremely well as they never broke. Marcus Mariota finished with 254 yards on 19 of 36 attempts, with his lone interception coming in a backbreaking moment late in the final quarter. The rushing game, while effective in mid field, was stalled in the money zone just like the rest of their offense. It was a shower of dropped passes and blown blocks.

At 5-6, the Titans need to string together a series of wind to keep their wildcard hopes alive. They travel to Indy to meet the Colts in week 13.

The Tennessee Titans traveled out to Pittsburgh in week 11 to meet the Steelers and attempt to keep their good fortune rolling. Unfortunately the game was far more challenging and ugly than anyone would have anticipated. And while it seemed that the Titans offense did all that they could to try to lose the game, it was the Titans defense that once again carried the load and ensured their 17-16 victory.

For the second consecutive week the Titans defense stole the show as they continue to roll on this late-season run. This game marks the second in a row where they have not allowed an offensive touchdown. It also marks the second consecutive week of keeping opponents to 50 or less rushing yards. But it wasn't only the Titans defense that played well on a day. The Steelers defense played tough as well, forcing Marcus Mariota to throw five interceptions, matching his career low. The game was ugly and hard to watch for any fan, but intense for any player or coach.

The game opened with an impressive interception return for a touchdown by the Titans MLB Brent Brackins on the Steelers first possession. Things were promising when on the following drive the Titans kept the Steelers to a field goal, but such wasn't the case. The Steelers went on to score three total FG and a defensive touchdown of their own. With the score 16 - 10 with 3:51 to go in the 4th the Titans pieced together a long masterful drive that ended in the game's lone offensive touchdown, which happened to be the one for the win.

After this week's harrowing escape from defeat in Pittsburgh, the Titans host the Jaguars in the week 12. Here's to hoping that the offense fixes there woes

The Tennessee Titans closed out their series against the NFC North with a week 10 matchup against the winless Chicago Bears. Continuing on their stellar performance of week 9, the Titans D once again stole the show as they lead the team to a 33-12 victory.

The Tennessee Titans play the ultimate version of Bend but don't break as they didn't allow the Chicago Bears to reach the end zone once all game. The Bears, led by the future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, found ways to move the ball effectively early early-on, getting deep into the red zone. However, the Titans defense played tough all game and refused to yield as they forced the Bears to kick field goals instead of extra points. As the game went on in the Titans offense continue to find ways to put points on the board, the defense began to let loose on their reins a bit and pin your ears back as they conducted a sack party on the Chicago quarterback, causing five sacks and several knockdowns on the day.

On the other side of the ball the Tennessee offense did their part by not losing it for them. Marcus Mariota finish today with two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and one interception. His performance was neither exciting nor horrendous, but simply safe, completing 13 for 21 passing attempts for 191 yards. When it comes to the rushing attack of the Tennessee Titans being part of the conversation, it appears to be completely a non-starter. With the exception of a 74-yard sprint off of a QB option by Marcus Mariota, the Titans were held to just 72 yards on 20 attempts by their four different running backs. The running game, needless to say, left a lot to be desired. Fans and coaches alike can't wait for Darius Jackson's return.

"This is the kind of performance that you would want from your team" said Coach Coachy McCoachface, "with a defense that doesn't get beat for big plays and believes in the system, and offense that doesn't go out of its way to throw away a win.". The Titans travel to Pittsburgh to meet the Steelers in week 11.

As mentioned, the story of this week is the Titans defense who decided that they weren't going to be pushed around by another NFC North opponent. The defense played well, led by second-year middle linebacker Brent Brackins who finished the day with 12 total tackles, one sack, and one interception. The defense caused four turnovers on the day including a fumble return for a touchdown by Frank Wansley, who also had an interception and a pass deflection. The Titans held the Pack to under 70 total rushing yards and disrupted Aaron Rodgers all game long, with four sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles while keeping him to a pedestrian passer rating of 75.

Tennessee success wasn't all because of their defense. The offense played extremely efficient on the day and made no mistakes, which made it an easy win for the Titans. Marcus Mariota finished with 198 yards on only 13 attempts, finishing with one touchdown and no interceptions. The burden of the offense was carried on the backs of the three-headed rushing attack, A.K.A. the Law Firm. Levy, Cloud, & Searcy finished the day with 147 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.

Off the field, the Titans made some personnel moves right before the close of the trade deadline. The moves were expected by those who follow the Titans closely, as the year of contract reckoning for the defensive lineman was coming. This season their two lynchpin linemen, DE Jurrell Casey and DT Josh Nielsen, are up for resign but the organization has not been clandestine about moving on without them. The Titans traded Nielsen and a seventh round pick to the Panthers for a second round pick. They drafted DT Chance McCauley this season with the goal of starting him soon, and his time is now. The Titans also traded their second, fifth, and sixth round picks to the Bengals for OLB Juan Byars. Byars has all the tools to be a strong presence on the line, and the Titans moved him to the right end position with the goal of replacing Casey come the offseason.

The Titans close out there matchups with the NFC North in week 10 when they host the winless Chicago Bears.

The Tennessee Titans rolled out the red carpet for the Cincinnati Bengals as they welcome them to beautiful Nashville, Tennessee. The Monday night matchup was set to be an opportunity for the Titans to grasp at their ever dwindling playoff hopes, but what ensued was a Music City Shoot-out. The Titans in the Bangles combined for over 100 total points in what was undoubtedly the highest scoring affair in the OMFL this season.

The defense of both teams took a backseat as the offenses lit up the scoreboard like a pinball machine. In fact, the only time the Titans defense showed up was during costly penalties they only kept the scoring Bonanza going strong. The teams combined for over 1000 yards of offense comma and gave the fans something to talk about for years to come.

Marcus Mariota found himself way behind the 8-ball early as the Bengals jumped out to an early 35 - 7 lead in the second quarter due to their defense playing way too soft. In what was arguably a matter of sheer will, Mariota mustered up the performance to bring the Titans back into contention by closing out the second quarter with a score of 35 to 21. However, offensive Onslaught continued and Mariota had to match each Bengals touchdown with a strong performance of his own. He finished with over 400 yards and four touchdowns on 43 attempts. The Titans rushing offense was completely absent and left it up to Mariota to carry the load.

The Titans defense played poorly all game comma giving up costly roughing-the-passer penalties that extended Drive and gave the Bengals extra yards. But the sloppiness was found in the Bengals defense as well. In the game there were 11 total penalties with each one adding a great deal of yards that weren't reflected in the final stats.

The Titans host the Green Bay Packers in week 9. Let's hope that the Titans invite their defense to show up to the game this time.