The Titans continued their late season slide, losing their third straight game to the Kansas City Chiefs 45-35. What was considered to be a daunting task for the defense proved to be even more so, as the Titans secondary got boat raced by the Chiefs blazing fast WR core. While KC boasts the most user friendly roster in the league (and it isn't close) the Titans held their own, keeping it within 2 scores until late in the second half. But it was clear from the first whistle that it was going to be an uphill battle. Now sitting at 7-5, the Titans must win out to even have a shot at the playoffs, and would almost certainly require some form of tiebreaker even if everything goes their way. If they miss the playoffs, there is still plenty of optimism for the future however. Standout 2nd round safety Aashari Crosswell is making a compelling case for defensive rookie of the year. And the Titans still hold a massive edge in the draft with 6 picks in the first 3 rounds thanks to the Jamal Adams trade. Not to mention a very generous amount in cap space. It would not surprise anyone if Tennessee is active in the trade market either, as they have shown they are willing to make a splash by trading for (or away) big name players. When asked for comment, ownership indicated they are still focused on closing out the season, but that they plan to be aggressive in making sure their roster is championship caliber for the 2023 season.
The Titans suffered an inexcusable mental lapse in the waning minutes against the Eagles that deprived them of a chance to send the game to OT and ultimately secure victory. Following a heroic effort by Jonnu Smith to fight off double coverage and haul in a 50 yard pass at the Eagles 35 with 30 seconds left, the Titans attempted to sneak in one more play instead of calling their last timeout. Despite AJ Brown catching a short crosser for a decent gain, the clock hit zero and the Eagles walked off with a 3 point victory, Tennessee denying themselves a chance to tie. While the Titans are in good shape at 7-3, the loss has to sting, as they are now a game and a half behind the division leading Jaguars. What's more, their schedule down the stretch doesn't get any easier, taking on the Cowboys, Chiefs and the aforementioned Jags in consecutive weeks. The AFC wildcard race has proved to be tight once again. If the Titans want a chance at playoff redemption, now is the time to prove it.
The Titans moved to 4-1 on the season after defeating the Texans 49-35 in week 6, however serious concerns remain about this team's ability to contend. Sophomore QB Jamie Newman has thrown a staggering 15 interceptions through 5 games, including 5 in the first half of the Sunday's game. To his credit, he did protect the ball during the second half but that can be chalked up to Derrick Henry completely taking the game over. Henry had started the season slow but broke out in a big way, finishing with 300 yards and 5 touchdowns. The lone bright spot in this passing game is the 2nd year standout receiver from Alabama, heisman winner Devonta Smith. Drafted in the 2nd round, Smith came over from Cincinnati in the blockbuster trade that saw Jamal Adams depart Tennessee. He has all the makings of an elite deep threat and the production is starting to match the talent (Smith had 6 grabs for 160 yards and a touchdown Sunday).
The other side of the ball is a different story. While teams have put up plenty of points on the Titans defense, they have been getting standout performances from their talented rookies. Safety Aashari Crosswell had 2 interceptions against the Texans and now has 4 on the season. Linebackers Braxton McFadden and Anthony Hines have impressed as well, completely reshaping the middle of this defensive unit.
The good news for the offense is there is plenty of time to figure things out and the 4 wins are banked for the season. Coach Herman Boone indicated that he planned to focus heavily on the passing attack in practice and he expressed confidence in Newman's ability to get the job done.
The Titans face off against Buffalo in week 7 and will look to keep pace with the Jaguars who are off to a 5-1 start and have some very impressive wins. This AFC South race promises to be just as intriguing as last season, so long as the Titans can find some harmony on offense.
The Tennessee Titans fell short of their season goal, losing in the divisional round to the eventual super bowl champion Baltimore Ravens by a final score of 33-30. The Titans will now look to regroup, and focus on the upcoming offseason in an attempt to build a championship roster. The team needs a lot of work on both sides of the ball, but in very different ways. The offense is built around one of the leagues top backs in Derrick Henry, however the passing game proved to be a pain point over the course of the year. Rookie QB Jamie Newman showed promise, and there could be big things in store for the future, but things simply have to improve upstairs. The scheme is not doing Newman any favors, and as evidenced by the AFC divisional round, as amazing as King Henry is, when left with no alternative this offense is in trouble. The defense has a lot of talent, especially young talent, but the front office has to be thinking that some personnel upgrades could set the team up for more success. With a bevy of draft picks thanks to the Jamal Adams trade, there could be very big things in store for the Titans, so long as the team owner doesn't screw it up.
The Titans showed up big in the wild card round, putting together a complete team performance and knocking off the AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars 37-12. Tennessee excelled in all 3 phases of the game. They scored on a punt return, took an interception back for 6, and kept the Jags out of the end zone, forcing them to settle for 4 field goals. To the surprise of no one, the Titans offense was powered by Derrick Henry once again. Henry finished with 129 yards and 2 touchdowns, a somewhat modern box score by his standards. Rookie QB Jamie Newman executed the game plan to perfection. He did throw one interception, forcing a quick throw to Jonnu Smith, however he consistently found open receivers and was able to move the ball efficiently, setting up Henry for his multiple scores. The Titans will advance to the divisional round, and earn a trip to Baltimore to face the top seeded Ravens. Let's just hope their team spirit can last.
The Titans fell short in the season finale, falling to the Niners 63-56 in a matchup that saw the best of what smash mouth football has to offer. The Niners ground attack was all world, and despite Derrick Henry's absurd total 7 touchdowns, the Titans couldn't come home with a win. The outcome did little to impact playoff seeding however, as Tennessee is locked into the 7 seed and will face off against the divisional rival Jacksonville Jaguars for a rubber match from the season series. They may be praying for a similar effort from their superstar running back, is it may be their only hope for a super bowl run. Henry will now doubt be showing up hungry and ready to eat.
The Tennessee Titans knocked off the Buffalo Bills 38-21 on Thursday Night Football, improving their current win streak to 6 games. Derrick Henry continues to be a one man show for the Music City gang, as he once again topped the 200 yard mark, finishing with 241 yards on 29 totes and a whopping 5 touchdowns. Rookie QB Jamie Newman struggled, throwing 3 interceptions, but it simply didn't matter on a night where the Bills couldn't stop Henry. The Titans defense did their part, forcing 5 turnovers, including 2 picks from star safety Kevin Byard. Shaun Wade also continued to show impressive consistency, snagging his 7th pick on the year. The Titans inproved to 9-4 with the victory and with a rematch against the Jaguars on deck, firmly control their own destiny in the AFC south. Their first contest against Jacksonville proved to be a thrilling affair, coming down to the final play, and there is little reason to expect anything different this go around. Tune in after advance for more fireworks.
The Titans and Jaguars are preparing to face off 2 times over the next 3 games, which will all but decide who takes time the AFC South division title this season and locks down a spot for the playoffs. Tennessee is coming in hot, winning 4 straight, while the Jaguars just dropped a tough matchup against the defending AFC champs. However, Jacksonville still holds a 1 game advantage in the standings, so the Titans are entering must win mode. When asked how he feels about the upcoming matchup, Jacksonville owner responded "I expect our team to lose. Definitely by at least 3 scores." The Titans owner was slightly more confident, stating "if our team doesn't play like dog shit, which they are more than capable of, we might actually win this one." The Titans have been bolstered by their ground attack led by Derrick Henry. Rookie QB Jamie Newman has been inconsistent at best but has gotten the job done lately. The Jags have found success, in large part due to their defense and takeaways. Both teams should be taking the field shortly after advance. May the ever so slightly better team win.
The Tennessee Titans improved their win streak to 4 games, knocking off the Colts 32-29 at home. Derrick Henry was nearly unstoppable, racking up 312 yards on 26 carries and a lone touchdown. Henry plowed through the Indy defense, logging 11 broken tackles and 120 yards after contact. He now leads the league in both categories on the season. While rookie QB Jamie Newman and the passing game struggled, just barely eclipsing 100 yards, it simply didn't matter on a day when Henry was at his best. The defense continued to play well with 5 takeaways. Standout rookie CB Shaun Wade snagged his 6th interception on the season and has put together a very impressive DROY campaign. The Titans will now prepare for their biggest game of the season, a battle with the first place Jaguars, that will likely be a key factor in deciding what is becoming a very close divisional race.
Coming off their worst loss in 2 seasons, the Titans bounced back against the Texans, sneaking out a narrow 42-39 win thanks to a missed FG from Kaimi Fairbairn in the final seconds. Taking advantage of the momentum gained from the dramatic victory, the team then went out and posted perhaps its strongest performance of the season, a 55-25 thumping of the Miami Dolphins. Rookie QB Jamie Newman threw for 3 touchdowns and rushed for another, and now has 6 passing scores over the last 2 games. Star running back Derrick Henry again was a force to be reckoned with, posting 191 yards on the ground. Possibly the most positive sign was the defense, coming up with 6 total turnovers against Miami (4 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles) including 3 touchdowns. The Titans move to 5-4 on the season and will look to keep rolling when they take on the Patriots next week in Foxborough.
The Titans and star linebacker Harold Landry have agreed to a 4 year extension, ensuring the speedy edge rusher stays in Tennessee for the remainder of the league cycle. A key part of the Titans front 7, Landry posted double digit sacks in the 2020 season and added 3 forced fumbles. Off to another solid start this year, he has shown his consistency to be a valuable part of his game, recording a sack in every single contest so far this season. There was some back and forth before the two sides were finally able to agree to a deal, but both sides are assuredly happy with how things ended. The Titans retain one of their top defensive players and Landry cashes in at over $15M APY.
After a lengthy trade negotiations, the Tennessee Titans agreed to send SS Jamal Adams to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for 6 draft picks, one from each of the first 3 rounds in the next 2 drafts, plus rookie WR Devonta Smith, a 2nd round selection in last years draft and a standout at Alabama. While a huge loss for the Titans defense, especially for the immediate future, at the end of the day the Front Office simply felt they could not pass up the type of return that a player of Adams caliber commands. Still only 25 and in a contract year, the Titans acquired Adams last season in a blockbuster trade that sent Jadeveon Clowney and Adoree Jackson to Seattle. There is no question Adams provides an immediate upgrade to the back end of Cincinnati's defense. Now 6-0, this is definitely an all-in type of move for Codie's Bengals. Tennessee will now look to build on a roster already stocked with a fair amount of young talent as they eye the upcoming draft. Smith also provides an immediate upgrade at WR, especially in the speed department, an area that the top of the depth chart was sorely lacking. Rookie QB Jamie Newman has struggled at times but has shown a lot promise and will surely appreciate having the speedster Smith added to his arsenal.
In a tough road matchup against the NFC North Vikings, the Seahawks were able to squeak out a victory by a final score of 31-26. Rookie running back Royce Freeman lead the way for the Seattle offense, piling up 196 rushing yards on 24 carries. He also added 38 yards through the air on 3 catches. Quarterback Russell Wilson again struggled for the Hawks, throwing 3 interceptions, increasing his total to 9 through 5 games. “Our passing game is too sloppy” said head coach Shawn Springs, “We got a tough win, but if we don’t cut down on the mistakes, we are going to be in trouble.” After a disastrous performance against New York, Wilson settled down against the Cardinals, but again had trouble making reads vs. Minnesota. He did compile 240 yards and a touchdown, but the turnovers are definitely a concern. “We’ve gotta get this fixed. If that means going back to the drawing board and revamping the playbook, so be it” said Springs.
The Seattle defense had their fair share of problems as well, giving up a number uncharacteristic chunk plays. While they did secure 2 turnovers, they do not look on brand with what we have come to expect from Springs’ defensive unit. The Seahawks do sit atop the NFC West however, and will look to improve on their 4-1 start against San Francisco, but with a number of tough matchups down the stretch, this team better find a way to get back to the punishing style of football that they are known for.
Meanwhile, Minnesota falls to 3-3 and will face a tough interconference Colts team next week.
Seahawks Offseason Report & Season Preview
Following a lost season due to management complications, the Seattle Seahawks enter the 2020 season in great shape. After being able to retain all of their key players, they entered the offseason with very few holes in their roster. They addressed a few areas where depth was needed, but for the most part they were quiet in free agency. The main questions swirling around this team was what they would do on draft night. With all of their core players retained, the Seahawks were in a great position to take the best players available instead of just focusing on need. They held the 14th overall pick in the draft, and after sending stud LT to the Vikings at the trade deadline, they were able to acquire an additional first rounder (#30 via CLE). Let’s take a look at a few of the top prospects headed to the Pacific Northwest:
Round 1
Pick 14: Royce Freeman, RB, University of Oregon
Though Thomas Rawls has generally played well for Seattle, his durability has been a major question mark. Having missed part of each of the past 3 seasons due to injury, it was clear Seattle felt that the talented back just may not be someone they could count on as a contributor. So they selected star running back Royce Freeman out of the University of Oregon. Built like a tank (5’11” 235), Freeman will add some serious punch to the Seattle offense, as the team looks to take some of the pressure off of Russell Wilson. One anonymous source out of the Seahawks front office told us that Freeman was very high on their draft board and that they were thrilled to land him at 14.
Pick 30: Marcus Davenport, DE, University of Texas-San Antonio
With no glaring roster needs and mainly drafting for depth, Seattle was in the fortunate position of being able to go best player available with their second 1st round pick. They selected Marcus Davenport out of UTSA, one of the highest graded prospects going into draft night. Most draft pundits did not expect the mammoth defensive end to last late into the first round, so Seattle has to be excited about the value here. At 6’5” 280 lbs. Davenport will add fantastic depth to an already loaded defensive front.
Round 2
Pick 46: Trey Adams, LT, University of Washington
After making the tough decision to trade Ethan Pocic during the season, Seattle spent their 2nd round pick along the offensive line, bringing in Huskies stalwart Trey Adams. Though Adams needs some development, he has fantastic potential and was a great get in a very deep offensive line class.
Round 3
Pick 78: Micah Kiser, LB, University of Virginia
Another great value pick, many expected Kiser to be long gone by the middle of the third round. The rich get richer here, as Seattle again adds depth to the league’s best defense. While Seattle had to have been pleased with the production they received from first year pros Kendall Joseph and Rashaan Evans at linebacker, they were definitely lacking depth at the position. By bringing in Kiser, they have yet another elite level prospect to build on. Kiser may have trouble seeing the field right away, but he should be an immediate contributor on special teams and as a rotational player.
After being touted as one of the winners of draft night, Seattle enters the season with lofty expectations. They are considered by many to be the favorites to win the NFC West, but when asked for comment, coach Shawn Springs had this to say: “We never take any opponent lightly. Our division may have struggled the past few years, but you have to bring your ‘A’ game every time out, or else you find yourself in trouble. We look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. That said, we have every intention of bringing a championship home to Seattle.” The Seahawks have a tough schedule outside of their division, as they face the NFC East and AFC East. Though they claimed a decisive victory the last team they squared off, the Philadelphia Eagles will be a very tough matchup right out the gate. We are eager to see how the Seahawks respond to the pressure this season.
Go Hawks!