By: Chris Thomas

Not too long ago the Tennessee Titans came within eleven points from completing their Cinderella story, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship, and making the Super Bowl. Instead, the Chiefs went on to defeat the San Fransisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV and representing the AFC in the Super Bowl this past season. At this point, Kansas City appears to be the odds on favorite to win the AFC and appear in the Super Bowl for the third year in a row. However, the Tennessee Titans may have the best chance of making sure that doesn’t happen. Here is why the Chiefs should be considered with the Titans more than any other team in the AFC. 

Outstanding weapons 

It wouldn’t be shocking if Tennessee finished the season as the league’s number one offense. It would be extremely shocking if they finished outside the top-10. The Titans not only have the back-to-back rushing champion in Derrick Henry but they also have two Pro Bowl-caliber receivers in A.J. Brown and Julio Jones. The Titans acquired Jones from the Atlanta Falcons after the draft for a 2022 second-round pick. He is not only a replacement for Corey Davis, who signed with the Jets in free agency, he is a major upgrade. If the Titans’ three offensive playmakers stay healthy they should be able to rack up 1,000+ yards rushing/receiving. 

It is fair to say that the Titans have passed the Chiefs as the team with the best offensive skill players. The Chiefs along with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two offensive skill players on their roster that are capable of being named All-Pro at the end of the year. The Titans are not only the only other team in the AFC in that category but are the only team with three players capable of being named All-Pro at the end of the year. Kansas City hasn’t played a team with as much if not more firepower as them in the Patrick Mahomes era. That will change this season when the two meet in Week 7. The Chiefs’ defense features a few great players like Chris Jones, Tyrann Mathieu, and Frank Clark. However at best they are middle of the pack and do not have enough talent on that side of the ball to minimize the production of all three. 

Ability to control the clock

The Super Bowl this past year exposed the weaknesses that the Kansas City Chiefs had not exposed to the rest of the league the last few years. The way to beat the Chiefs is with a stout pass rush, not allowing Patrick Mahomes to make dynamic plays, and keeping the ball out of the offense’s hands. The Buccaneers’ pass rush did not allow Mahomes to make plays downfield and he had to resort to checking the ball behind the line of scrimmage or tossing it up hoping his receivers were in a position to make a play. While Tom Brady and the offense were able to hold the ball to control the clock more than the Chiefs during that game. Holding onto the ball and taking advantage of their offensive opportunities allowed them to dominate the Chiefs the way they did during that game. 

The Titans are well equipped to control the clock better than any other team in the league. They have the league’s most dominant running back over the last two seasons in Derrick Henry and a quarterback who is extremely smart with the ball in Ryan Tannehill. They have the firepower to get a lead early then hand the ball off to Henry over and over until the clock runs out. That has been the Titans’ bread and butter over the last two seasons. That firepower was just Henry last year and now it is their elite offensive trio that could get the Titans a lead early in games. Henry averaged a career-high 5.4 yards per carry last season. So if need be the Titans can rely on Henry to get them a first down in two or three downs, keep the clock rolling, and keep the ball out of the opponent’s hands. 

A lesser-discussed part of the Titans offense is how efficient Tannehill has been as a passer. Since taking over he is well aware that the passing game comes second behind their rushing attack. So he does not feel the pressure to make big plays that other quarterbacks do. Tannehill has only thrown 13 interceptions over the last two seasons because he doesn’t have to make the risky plays other quarterbacks do. Rather than making big plays downfield, Tannehill could throw short passes to move the chains and keep the clock moving. 

Similar Quarterback Production

The Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is more than a game manager. He has shown the ability to make big plays and big moments, especially in the playoffs. In late December, CBS compared the statistics of Tannehill’s first 24 games as the Titans starter and Patrick Mahomes’ statistics last 24 games. The results of this comparison are shocking enough and help the argument that Tannehill should be considered one of the better quarterbacks in the league. 

Tannehill’s 114 passer rating beats Mahomes 105.9 passer rating during that span. However, Mahomes’ 6,983 passing yards is higher than Tannehill’s 6,080 passing yards. Shockingly Tannehill beat out Mahomes in total touchdowns with 61 to Mahomes’ 56. They both only threw 10 interceptions during that span. Finally, Tannehill had a higher completion percentage completing 67.7% of his passes while Mahomes completed 66.4% of his passes. If this was a competition Tannehill beat out Mahomes with a final score of 3-1-1 out producing him in three categories.

Now it is unlikely that Tannehill will join Mahomes in the best in the league conversation unless he takes home the league MVP this season. But the stats do show that the two are closer than many think. If it came to a battle of the better quarterback it may end up being a toss-up between the two.

Revamped Defense

This offseason the Titans have focused on retooling their defense. Last year the Titans’ defense was not good enough to get the team back to the AFC Championship. So they got rid of multiple starters including Jadeveon Clowney, Kenny Vaccaro, Adoree Jackson, Desmond King II, and Malcolm Butler. They went out and added big-name free agents like Bud Dupree, Denico Autry, and Janoris Jenkins. Then Tennesee drafted three defensive players with their first four selections including first-round pick Caleb Farley, second-round pick Monty Rice, and third-round pick Elijah Molden. 

It appears that Tennessee swapped out their strength in the secondary to increase the talent level of their pass rush. Four members of the Titans starting secondary were cut during free agency but they signed two high caliber pass rushers to go along with the pass rushers they already had on their roster. Harold Landry has had 14.5 sacks for Tennesee over the last two years and former first-round pick Jeffrey Simmons is closing in on becoming one of the best defensive tackles in the league after his play the last two seasons. Now the Titans added Dupree who could very well have double-digit sacks and be named to the Pro Bowl this season and one of the most underrated pass rushers in the league the last couple of seasons Denico Autry. Dupree has had 19.5 sacks over his last 27 games. While Autry discretely had 20 sacks over the last three seasons in Indianapolis. The Titans should have no problem getting after opposing quarterbacks next season and beyond. 

The reason why Tennessee may have changed the emphasis of their defense from an outstanding coverage team to a dominant pass rush likely has to do with the Super Bowl. Todd Bowles’s defense in Tampa Bay relies more on the play of their front seven than back seven. Their defensive line, pass rushers, and linebackers are all Pro Bowl-caliber players while their secondary is made up of young early draft picks who are capable of playing good enough coverage but are not considered lockdown. A defense with that makeup was able to defeat Tennessee’s biggest rival in Kansas City in the Super Bowl. So Titans’ general manager Jon Robinson decided to remake their defense in Tampa Bay’s image to get past the team standing between them and the Super Bowl. 

The post Why the Tennessee Titans can upend the Kansas City Chiefs appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Will Baptist

The Tennessee Titans are much-improved heading into Ryan Tannehill’s third season under center. They had a successful offseason, making multiple splashes via free agency and through a blockbuster trade. They now have the pieces in place to make a deep run in the postseason, and Tannehill has a legitimate chance to win the MVP award in 2021.

The Titans have a three-headed monster on offense after their trade for Julio Jones. A.J. Brown paired with Jones will be one of the best WR duos in the NFL, along with arguably the best RB in the NFL, Derrick Henry. This could be the most physically imposing offense in the NFL, and Tannehill should be able to torch opposing defenses with the weapons he has in place.

The Titans will also get back their star LT Taylor Lewan, who suffered a torn ACL in week 5 last season. The stars are aligning for Tannehill to have a dominant season in Tennessee, and with how effective and efficient he has been through his first two years, he should be able to make another leap in 2021.

Tannehill’s career thus far

Tannehill’s career has been rejuvenated in Tennessee, after six disappointing seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After being selected eighth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, Tannehill was the starter from day one in Miami. He never had much success with the Dolphins, partly because he had a poor coaching staff from the day he arrived, and because they never surrounded him with the type of talent that he has with the Titans.

The best season he had during his tenure in Miami was 2014. The Dolphins went 8-8, but Tannehill showed real improvement, completing 66.4% of his passes for 4,045 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His improvement earned him a new contract after the 2014 season, signing a six-year $96 million extension. It looked like Tannehill was on his way to being their franchise quarterback for years to come.

He went on to have three up-and-down seasons after his extension, and the Dolphins could never surround him with the right talent. After Adam Gase became the Dolphins head coach in 2016, Tannehill and Gase were never on the same page, and the blame was put on Tannehill.

In 2018, Tannehill struggled with a shoulder injury, and only played 11 games. He finished the season completing 64.2% of his passes for 1,979 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. It became clear that Tannehill needed a fresh start after never coming into his own and struggling with injuries for his last two seasons in Miami.

Tannehill’s career as a starting QB was in jeopardy, even though he was still relatively young. Along came the Tennessee Titans who traded a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick for Tannehill and a sixth-round pick. After the trade was completed, he agreed to a one-year deal worth $7 million, with up to $12 million in incentives.

He was the backup for Marcus Mariota when he arrived, but in week 6 of the 2019 season, Tannehill replaced a struggling Mariota at halftime and took over as the starting QB. The Titans lost 16-0 against the Broncos, but Tannehill showed promise. He went 13-16 for 144 passing yards and an interception.

After being named the starting QB moving forward, Tannehill never looked back. He propelled the Titans to a 7-3 record to finish the regular season, and was one of the most efficient QBs in the NFL. His strong finish led the Titans to the playoffs, where they beat the Patriots and the Ravens, before falling to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

He completed 70.3% of his passes for 2,742 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2019. He led the NFL in passer rating, earned his first Pro Bowl selection, and was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

It became clear Tannehill was part of the future after the 2019 season. He inked a new contract extension in the offseason for four years’ worth up to $118 million, with $62 million guaranteed. Tannehill had another stellar season in 2020, completing 65.5% of his passes for 3,819 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Tannehill has redefined himself, becoming an extremely accurate and decisive QB. He is extremely mobile, and is the perfect QB to pair with Henry in the backfield. He will look to build off his last two seasons and become even more lethal in the passing game in 2021.

Titans new Offensive Coordinator

The Titans had to find a new offensive coordinator after Arthur Smith departed and became the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. This happened in 2018 as well, when OC Matt LaFleur left the Titans and became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers.

The Titans believe in promoting within, and they did just that when they named Todd Downing their new OC. Downing was hired as the tight ends coach in 2019, and worked with Smith and already has an understanding of the personnel in place. Head coach Mike Vrabel praised Downing throughout the offseason, and he seems like a perfect fit to run this offense.

In Tannehill’s third season with the Titans, he will be on his second offensive coordinator. The offense will not change drastically and Tannehill will not have to learn new vernacular. This should not be an issue for a veteran such as Tannehill, especially under Vrabel’s leadership.

Smith did an excellent job in Tennessee, and Atlanta was one of the many teams attempting to hire him as a head coach. It will not be an easy task to replace such a talented play-caller, but Downing will not make any massive changes to their run heavy offense, and he can now put his twist on the offense.

Downing was the OC with the Oakland Raiders in 2017, which bodes well for him moving forward considering he has prior experience holding that position. With the plethora of talent that Downing has at his disposal, it should be an exciting season for the Tennessee Titans offense.

Breakdown of adding Julio Jones

After the Titans lost their WR2 Corey Davis in free agency, they had a massive hole. They did bring in Josh Reynolds from the Rams through free agency, who is a talented WR, but not a huge threat. It seemed they were satisfied with Reynolds becoming the second option to Brown, until the breaking news was announced on June 6.

Jones and a sixth-round pick was sent to the Titans for a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick. Saying that this trade fills the need at WR for the Titans is an understatement. Jones is one of the most dynamic and electric WRs in the NFL, and has been since 2011.

Jones has 848 career catches, 12,896 receiving yards and 81 touchdowns. His versatility will prove to be just want the Titans need to take their offense to the next level. He can line up all over the field and take any catch to the end zone.

Jones is going to walk into the Hall of Fame whenever he retires, but he seems determined to show that will not be retiring any time soon. The 7x Pro Bowler battled injuries throughout the 2020 season, and only appeared in nine games. Prior to that season, Jones only suffered minor injuries, and only missed more than two games twice, back in 2013 and 2011 (his rookie season).

He is 32 years old, which by NFL standards is fairly old, but Jones is one of the most athletically gifted talents that the NFL has ever seen. Jones and Brown will be a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators to game plan around, and they are two of the most physical WRs in the league.

Tannehill has never had a weapon like Jones, and even though the offense is run through Henry, the Titans now have the firepower to score with anyone. When opposing teams stuff the box in order to stop Henry, Tannehill can fire it overtop to Jones or Brown with ease.

2021 season outlook

Tannehill has all the pieces in place to terrorize opposing defenses and win the MVP award. This offense has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL if Tannehill can continue to improve. He already has the efficiency, and if the Titans look to throw the ball down the field more due to the addition of Jones, then Tannehill could put up monster numbers.

The Titans division is weak outside of the Indianapolis Colts, which puts them in a perfect position to win lots of games. The Houston Texans are in disarray and the Jacksonville Jaguars have a rookie QB and rookie head coach. They both have awful defenses, which is four games on the schedule for Tannehill to light it up.

The Titans are much improved on defense as well, and if they can win 12 or 13 games this season, then Tannehill should be in the discussion for MVP without question, assuming he improves his numbers from last season.

The post Does Ryan Tannehill have a real shot at winning MVP? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Tennessee Titans have added future hall of fame wide receiver Julio Jones to their offense. The dynamic wide receiver has crafted a career that will make him go down as one of the greatest players to ever step on the field. The seven-time Pro Bowler will look to help the Titans make a legitimate push for a super bowl run. 

The Titans have built an offense that has three of the most explosive players in the NFL. Running back Derrick Henry can quite literally carry a team to victory. Young wide receiver A.J. Brown is arguably a top-10 player at the position and is just now entering his third season in the NFL. And well, Julio is Julio. His work has spoken for itself up to this point. 

But where do the Titans stand in the entirety of the AFC? Where do they measure up to the rest of the teams? Let’s take a look at the competition and breakdown all 16 teams in the AFC. 

The Non-Contenders (For Now)

Let’s start with the teams that are near the bottom of the division. Each team here has a distinct issue that causes them to be labeled as a non-contender. Whether that be problems at the quarterback position, a young roster, or gaps at valuable positions, none of these teams are prepared to make the jump to the top of the division just yet. 

Houston Texans 

The Houston Texans have assembled what may be the worst roster in football. This is not at the fault of the players themselves, but instead the fault of the front office. 

The team has gone all in at certain positions and left others untouched. There are currently six rostered running backs and each has a legitimate shot at making the final roster.
After adding running back David Johnson in the gigantic Deadre Hopkins trade last season, the Texans have gone on to add even more running backs to this roster. Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsey, and Rex Burkhead were all added to the team this off-sesaon. 

It is looking as if three-time pro bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson will not be suiting up for the Texans this season. As everyone knows, the former Clemson star quarterback currently has 22 active lawsuits against him ranging from sexual assault to inappropriate behavior. Due to these allegations and Watson’s expected absence from the team, we will act as if he is not a Texans player in this scenario. 

The QB position in Houston will be a problem this upcoming season. Veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor is the current QB1 for this team. Taylor may end up being one of the most unlikely players in NFL history. He is clearly talented but freak injuries have led to him losing his job on two different occasions in the last few seasons. Taylor started for the Los Angeles Chargers last season but suffered a punctured lung after receiving a shot to help manage pain. The punctured lung forced him to the bench and rookie QB Justin Herbert came in for relief and the Chargers never looked back. 

After not having a selection in the draft until the third round, the Texans chose to draft Stanford quarterback Davis Mills. While Mills could be the future QB for the Texans, they could have addressed positions that lacked depth and could help improve the team now. 

All in all, this Texans team is a mess. There seems to be no plan or future for the franchise. Instead, it is a collection of veterain players who may just be looking at an opportunity to improve on their stock and find new teams next season.

New York Jets

The New York Jets are full of hope. The trajectory of the team is going upwards but they are not in win now mode. The roster is full of young players, and if developed properly, could become a top team in the NFL.

The Jets chose to make a change at the quarterback position. They shipped Sam Darnold away and took his replacement with the second overall pick. Zach Wilson, former BYU quarterback, is set to be the future of the Jets. 

New York has already surrounded Wilson with more talent than Darnold ever had. They are slowly assembling an offensive line that could become the best in the league. Last year’s first round pick, Mekhi Becton has the size and athleticism to be the best left tackle in football. Alijah Vera-Tucker, who the Jets took with the 14th pick in this year’s draft, is the left guard of the future. Wilsons blind side will be protected and he should flourish sooner rather than later. 

The Jets have also put together a nice receiving group. WR1 will be former Titans receiver Corey Davis. Davis had his best season last year and showed that he has what it takes to be a capable target. They also selected Ole Miss Elijah Moore. Moore has been described as a “smaller A.J. Brown”. His athletic play could lead to a nice 1-2 punch for this wide receiver room. 

There is also a new head coach in New York. Former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator will be taking the reins of the Jets. His defensive mind could help this unit develop and be truly great.

The Jets are most likely a few years away from success but the foundation has been placed. The future is bright but it is still far off.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence. Urban Meyer. Jacksonville has made moves this off-season. They found a quarterback in Lawrence who is destined to be an all-time great. The excavations will be sky high for Lawrence, who is said to be the best QB coming into the league since the now retired Andrew Luck. 

Urban Meyer has had a long career and now has his eyes set on success in the NFL. He has put together a team full of players that he likes. Will this translate to success? Who knows. There is no guarantee that Lawrence will become this hall of fame quarterback. There is also no guarantee that Meyer will be successful in Jacksonville.

This Jaguars team is drastically different from the team that almost made a run at the super bowl just a few seasons ago. Very few players from that squad still remain. Many of the expected playmakers on this team are still very young. This means that they will have time to develop and learn. The Jaguars are in this for the long-term and instant success should not be expected.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos are a team that could be on the verge of success in the AFC. They have a roster that consists of great veteran players. The defense could be great. They are led by three-time all-pro linebacker Von Miller who will be coming back from a torn Achilles. The offense has strengths all over. A good group of young receivers, a strong running back in Melvin Gordon, and a rising tight end in Noah Fant. 

Everything on this team looks good on paper. Everything besides the quarterback position, and that is what is keeping this team as a non-contender. 

Young quarterback Drew Lock, while proven to be exciting to watch, has not yet achieved much of anything yet. He was 4-9 in his 13 starts last season and threw 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. 

Lock’s inconsistent team led the Broncos to trade for veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. While Bridgewater has proven to be a resilient QB, coming back from a devastating knee injury, he has also had poor production at the QB position. He, much like Lock, has looked good at times and at other times, has looked abysmal. But, the job could be jis to take. 

Uncertainty at the QB spot hurts this team. A team full of this much talent should be much more of a threat and a new QB might be in the future of the Broncos. 

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals may just be the team that makes the leap. They have the foundation to do just such. 

Quarterback Joe Burrow was on pace to have a historic rookie season until he suffered a torn ACL. But, Burrow has looked solid in his recovery and will look to make an impact as soon as the season begins. He is proving to be the leader that this team needs.

They have also built a very strong roster in Cincinnati. The wide receiver group may be regarded as a top-five unit by season’s end. Tyler Boyd, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are a trio that could explode this season. 

The defense has also made improvements since last season. The Bengals brought in Trey Hendrikcson, who recorded 13.5 sacks last season. They also drafted a quality definite end in Joseph Ossai. There are still holes on this defense and that could hurt the development of this team as well. 

The offensive line unit could prove to be the team’s true downfall. Burrow was under duress often last season and the Bengals did not make a massive change to this unit. If Burrow is not able to get the ball to his weapons on offense, then there is no point in even having them. 

The Bengals, led by Burrow, could soon take over the NFL. They just aren’t there, just yet. 

Teams with Potential

The teams in this section have potential. They each could make a jump into the next tier, but for now, they are unproven and haven’t done enough to be placed there yet. 

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are coming off of one their best seasons in recent years. The team finished with a 10-6 record and overall, looked and played very well. 

The Dolphins have made it a point of emphasis to keep their roster together. They also brought in both rookies and free agents that are expected to make an instant impact. They obviously wanted to surround young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with as many playmakers as they could.  

In maybe their best signing of the off-season, Miami brought in wide receiver Will Fuller on a one-year deal. Fuller, who is coming off of a career season, will be forced to miss the first four games of the season due to a suspension. But, upon his return, could be exactly what Tua needs. A strong deep field threat who can be a top-10 reciever in the league. 

The Dolphins also added Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the team. Waddle, Tua’s former teammate at Bama, will look to make an instant impact and help Tua improve in his second season. 

The defense will be the anchor of this team heading into next season. They are a strong unit led by cornerback Xavien Howard who hauled in 10 interceptions last season. They also added defense and Jaelen Phillips in the draft. He will be a day one starter and could help this defense get even better. 

The Dolphins could make a legitimate run but it will rely heavily on the shoulders of Tua. If he is able to perform better than he did last year, which he is expected to do, the Dolphins could be on the verge of making it to the top-tier. But that is still yet to happen.

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are a team that could shock many come the start of the season. They have spent big money on both sides of the ball and have seemingly gone all in on this season.

New England signed big time free agents Matt Judon, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith. The addition of both tight ends can be related directly to Cam Newton being the quarterback. Newton has achieved success when he has two strong tight ends so the Patriots brought that back to him.

The defense, while young in some areas, could still be a top unit in the league. Veteran players are littered throughout the defense and will be ready to go come week one. 

An issue that plagued the Patriots last season was opt-outs due to covid. Many of these players have returned and will be ready to make an impact. 

Cam Newton has the QB1 job for now but the Patriots did select Alabama quarterback Mac Jones in the first round. All eyes will be on Newton and if he slips up, the job could be lost before he knows it. 

The direction that this season goes will be directly dictated by the offense. The offense struggled often last season and was their downfall in multiple games. With a retooled init, they should look different and perform better. But, for how they are only banking on potential. This is why they aren’t seen as a contender just yet. 

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are a very interesting team to look at. Newly brought in quarterback, Carson Wentz, will look to prove that he can still perform at a high level. After coming off of his worst season since his rookie year, all eyes will be on him and he will be the reason that their season goes the way that it does. 

The offense line, outside of Wentz, may be the most important piece of this offense. Led by guard Quenton Nelson, the line will be expected to perform every snap.

Running back Jonathon Taylor will be expected to expand on his strong rookie year and jis success will be directly related to this offensive line. They will also play a role in how Wentz performs. The blocking and protection for Wentz will allow for him to make plays and help this team.

The defensive unit is one of the best in the league. If young players such as rookie Kwity Paye can make an instant impact, this team could make their way to the top tier of the AFC. 

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders have remained an average team for the past few seasons. They have had moments of real potential where they look as if they can compete for a super bowl, and then they regress again. Their 8-8 record in 2020 is very fitting for how this team performs. 

Quarterback Derek Carr is the poster child of how this team has been since he has become the QB1. He has a starting record of 47-63. The mediocrity of Carr hasn’t necessarily even been what has harmed this team. While his record is not great, he has still performed on the field. He has thrown 170 touchdowns to 71 interceptions. The failure and success of the Raiders can’t fall directly onto Carr’s shoulder. 

The Raiders have made odd selections in the draft. They have continued to select players much higher than they should be taken and many of them have struggled to make the transition to the NFL. 

Even through all of this, the Raiders have continued to be competitive. They have a strong roster that could become great. Led by tight end Darren Waller, this unit has potential. This could be the year where they are able to finally flip the switch and begin to be better than average.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsurgh Steelers started the 2020 season off with 11 straight wins. They were running on all cylinders and looked to be headed towards a legitimate run at the super bowl. 

And then the Steelers lost their final five games. The losing streak extended into the playoffs where the Cleveland Browns dominated Pittsburgh at every level of the game. 

Even with such a poor ending to the season, the Steelers could still be a team to watch heading into this upcoming season. They will rely heavily on their skill players on offense, specifically the wide receiver group. 

It also can be ignored that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is getting older. He recently turned 39 years old and has shown some signs of slowing down. His arm strength has begun to lack in recent years and the Steelers have had to build around that. While he has made efforts to fix his arm, there is no guarantee that it will help in this upcoming season. 

Rookie running back Najee Harris will also look to carry much of the offensive workload. The Steelers brought him in to be a workhorse back and he seems to be up for the challenge. 

The Steelers offensive line will be where they struggle. They have one of the worst rated lines in football and have not made any efforts to improve it. If the line is unable to block, the whole season may be lost.

The Pittsburgh defense may be the best part of the team. The defense, led by T.J. Watt, performed extremely well and for much of the season, were the reason that they were winning as many games as they did. 

The performance in the last quarter of the season has led to the Steelers no longer being a true contender. The issues on the team are glaring and while the Steelers could perform well, for now they just have potential. 

Tennessee Titans

We have finally arrived at the Tennessee Titans. The Titans, while choosing to add Julio Jones, still have issues with this roster. 

Yes, the defense has been rebuilt and they will be running a new scheme, but there is guarantee that the defense will be solid. They could look like they did last year and underperform. The Titans will also have to ease this defense in. They have potential but are still very unproven.

The offensive side of the ball is currently the saving grace of this team. The trio of Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones could make this offense become one of the best units in the NFL. 

Led by quarterback Ryan Tannehill, this offense will be expected to carry this team on their back. A.J. Brown had the best season of his career last year while playing alongside Corey Davis. Now Davis has been swapped with Julio. No knock against Davis, but Julio is an all-time receiver and is an upgrade at the position. This added piece of offense could completely change the layout of this team. 

Running back Derrick Henry was able to still surpass 2,000 rushing yards last season. The addition of Julio will give him even more running room as defenses will not be able to key in on Henry. 

The Titans could become a top tier team in the AFC but their defense holds the fate of the team in their hands. If the defense performs even just average, this team will have an opportunity. But, there are questions on this defense that still aren’t answered. The reliance on that unit could make this entire season crumble. This is why they aren’t a contender just yet, but instead a middle of the pack AFC team. 

The True Contenders

The big ballers of the AFC. These five teams could all be legitimate super bowl contenders. Each could bring a lombardi trophy joke and no one would be particularly shocked. Here is the group with an explanation of why they are deserving of being here. 

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers may be the most shocking group on this list. They finished with a 7-9 record last season and failed to make the playoffs. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. 

When looking deeper at the Chargers, you see a young team that was repeatedly hindered by injuries last season. Star defensive end Joey Bosa appeared in 12 games but dealt with injuries for much of the season. Safety Derwnin James, who could be one of the best secondary players in the NFL, missed the entire season due to a knee injury. Running back Austin Ekeler, who is a prominent player on this offense, missed six games last season and never performed to his normal standard when he was healthy. All three of these players will return to the field, healthy and ready to make an impact.

The Chargers also made moves in free agency by signing both defensive tackle Linval Joseph and center Corey Linsley. Linsley, who is arguably the best center in the NFL, will be an anchor of this offensive line. 

Los Angeles also spent their first round pick on left tackle Rashawn Slater. Slater will be a day one starter and will help protect Herbert’s blindside. 

The true key factor of the Chargers season will be Justin Herbert. The second year quarterback is an MVP favorite and will lead the Chargers team. The offensive rookie of the year will look to build on a rookie season that saw him throw 31 touchdown passes. He will dictate how this season goes, but he has proven that he should be built for this. 

The Chargers have done nearly everything right. A young quarterback on a rookie contract. An offense full of talented skill players and a solid offensive line. And a defense that could be one of the best in the NFL. This team is a true contender and will look to prove that in 2021. 

Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will look to build on a season that saw them go 13-3 in 2020. They have built a solid foundation, led by coach Sean McDermott. There is a new culture in Buffalo and they are quickly becoming a team that many people root for. 

The Bills season came to an end in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship. Up until that loss, the Chiefs looked unbeatable. They will look to build on the 2020 season and have a bright 2021. 

The dynamic duo of Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs will look to pick up right where they left off last season. Diggs finished the season with 127 receptions and 1,535 receiving yards, first in the league in both stats. Diggs and Allen have found a clear connection and will undoubtedly look even better together next season. 

At times the defense struggled but is overall a solid group. They will also be even better heading into 2021. 

This unit remains very much unchanged since last season. As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, dont fix it.” This Bills team is far from broken and should be looked at heavily to win the super bowl. A true contender coming out of Buffalo. 

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are coming off of a 2020 season where they finished with a record of 11-5 and second in the AFC West. They played well and for much of the season, the offense was firing on all cylinders. They scored more than 30 points in nine games and were explosive when they wanted to be.

Much of this offensive success can be credited towards quarterback Lamar Jacksoj. Just one year removed from his MVP season, Lamar proved to still be capable of performing and performing well. The third year quarterback put up 33 touchdowns last season and still proved to be an effective running threat, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive season. 

While Lamar had less touchdowns in 2020 than he did in 2019, he is still the leader in Baltimore. He is the guy on that tem and no one is taking that title from him. At times he played like a superhero, making plays out of nothing and single handedly moved the team up the field.
The Ravens have also surrounded Lamar with even more weapons. The Ravens address the wide receiver position in this year’s draft, selecting two receivers in the first four rounds: Rashod Bateman out of the University of Minnesota and Tylan Wallace out of Oklahoma State. 

Rashod Bateman could fill the role of WR1 for this team, something they have not truly had during Lamar’s tenure with the team. If Bateman can become a high caliber receiver, the Ravens offense can become even better. 

First year running back J.K. Dobbins played a pivotal role in the success of the Ravens offense last season. His nine rushing touchdowns helped this offense be one of the highest scoring groups last season. 

The defense Baltimore has assembled is also a force to be reckoned with. They have established players at nearly every position and there is no glaring weakness within this unit. The potential of this unit is unmatched and they could arguably make a case for the best defense in the NFL. 

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns were a top team all throughout last season. Quarterback Baker Mayfeld orved to be the real deal. Both the offense and defense performed at a high level and looked good on a consistent basis. 

So what did the Browns do this off-season? Well, they went out and got even better. Through both the draft and free agency, the Browns grabbed players that could make an instant impact. 

Their 2021 draft was regarded as maybe the best of any team in the NFL. In the first round, the Browns selected cornerback Greg Newsome II out of Northwestern. In the second round, they selected Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

The Browns added notable players such as Jadaveon Clowney, John Johnson III, Troy Hill, and Takkarist Mckinley. Clowney, Johnson III, and Hill will all be starters on this defense. Clowney will play alongside star defensive end Myles Garret. 

The secondary that is assembled here may be the best in the NFL. Denzel Ward, Troy Hill, John Johson III, and Ronnie Harison Jr are slated to be the starters. This means that Greg Newsome II, Grant Delpit, and Greedy Williams will all be available in backup roles. These players will all play massive roles on this team. 

Injuries were an issue for the Browns last season. Many high caliber players were forced to miss time. The already mentioned Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams were both sidelined during last season. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr suffered a torn ACL and it is still undetermined when exactly he will be ready to go, but from what has been shown lately, he looks to be on the right path to being 100% again.

This Browns roster may be the most complete unit in the NFL. It is win now time for the Browns and they are set to do just that. There is only one team that can get in their way. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The AFC still runs through the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have made it to the superbowl for two straight seasons and they don’t look to be slowing down. As long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback in Kansas City, they will have a chance.

Not much needs to be said regarding the Chiefs. Their high powered offense has returned and ready to show that they haven’t slowed down. Mahomes is healthy again. The team has come back and are ready to run it up again. 

They lost to the super bowl largely to a depleted offensive line. A string of injuries and forced out of position play proved to be their downfall. So what did the Chiefs do? They crafted an offensive line that is arguably even better than the one they sent out last season. The Chiefs traded for Orlando Brown Jr., who has proven to be a top-five tackle in the NFL. They signed guard Joe Thuney, one of the best receivers in the NFL, and center Austin Blythe. These are three new starters for this offensive line. 

But the Chiefs were not done yet. With their second round selection, they took center Creed Humphrey from the University of Oklahoma. They then pulled retired guard Kyle Long out of retirement. 

They chose to also improve their defense through the draft. They selected linebacker Nick Bolton out of Missouri in the second round. Outside of Bolton, much of the defense from last year is returning and will be ready to go.

This Chiefs team will be just as good as they were last season and the AFC will be theirs to lose. A true contender and a team that could find their way to another super bowl sooner rather than later. 

The post Where do the Titans stand in the AFC with Julio? A breakdown of the AFC appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

It has finally happened, The Atlanta Falcons have traded wide receiver Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans. The seven-time pro bowler cost the Titans a second round selection in 2022 and a fourth rounder in 2023. 

Julio will now be added to a Titans team that went 11-5 last season and finished first in the AFC South. He will also be joining an offense that already has a rising star in wide receiver A.J. Brown and an all-time running back in Derrick Henry. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has also found his spot in the NFL with the Titans and has begun to look like a top-tier QB.

The duo of Brown and Henry combined for 3,216 yards from scrimmage last season. Brown hauled in 1,075 yards and 11 touchdowns over 14 games last season. Henry had one of the greatest rushing performances ever with 17 rushing touchdowns and over 2,000 rushing yards. 

Julio appeared in just nine games last season but proved to still be a threat and a legitimate number one receiver. In those nine games, he caught three touchdown passes and had 771 receiving yards on just 51 receptions. 

If Julio can return to the form that he was in during the 2019 season this Titans offense can be a juggernaut and one of the best, if not the best, offense in the league. Here’s what the addition of Julio can do for this Titans offense. 

A.J. Brown Potential

A.J. Brown has proven to be a top talent in the NFL since his rookie season in 2019. After a fantastic season stat wise in his first year, Brown improved in nearly every way during his second season. His 11 touchdown receptions ranked tied for fifth in the NFL. Brown grabbed 70 receptions last season while being the main receiving threat. He should see an increase in both receptions and touchdowns with Julio playing alongside him.

Julio, throughout his entire career, has been the focal point on offense and receives the bulk of the attention. Brown has received this sort of treatment during his time in Tennessee. With both players being legitimate number one receivers, defenses will be forced to figure out how to defend them. On any given play, one of the two should be able to make a big play.

With apparent claims that Julio wanted to play with a quarterback that can push the ball down field, he has gotten that with Tannehill. 

Tannehill has proven that he can push the ball down the field and both Julio and Brown have shown that they can make plays down the field. Julio will allow for the offense to stretch the field even more. With how accurate Tannehill is when throwing the deep ball, both Julio and Brown should produce even more big plays down the field. 

More Running Room

Titans running back Derrick Henry became just the seventh rusher in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season. He has crafted an all-time career up to this point. There came a point over the course of last season where teams were able to stack the defensive box due to a lack of offensive threats on the Titans. That won’t be possible now with both Julio and Brown on either side of the field. A box of seven or eight defenders with only three to four players in the secondary will be shredded by this offense. 

While it is unlikely that Henry will reach the sought after 2,000 yards rushing again, he will most definitely benefit from the addition of Julio. The added talent on offense will not only take carries off of Henry but will also give him more opportunities to make plays. The field will undoubtedly be stretched and Henry will flourish off of the space that defines will be forced to give him. 

The NFL should be put on notice with this trade. With the addition of Julio, the Titans are true threats to bring a super bowl to Tennessee. This revamped offense with a completely rebuilt defense could be a terror for opposing teams. The team will look much different than what we saw at season end. Improvements have been made throughout the roster. Expect every skill player on the offensive side of the ball to see improvements in some aspect of their game. A.J. Brown said it best. 

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Chris Johnson, the legendary Tennessee Titans running back that broke the 40-yard dash record at the NFL combine (4.24) in 2008, hung up his cleats in 2017 as an Arizona Cardinal. The RB referred to as CJ2K put together one of the best RB careers in NFL history.

Johnson may not have tried to keep a career pace with Tom Brady, unlike Frank Gore, but he put together some of the most electric single-season performances in NFL history. Johnson shocked the football world with 2006 rushing yards in 2009 while registering 503 receiving yards in the season. Johnson became one of seven RBs ever to eclipse 2k rushing yards in a single season. His total yard count of 2,509 yards was also a record for most total yards in a season.

CJ2K wasn’t just a ball carrier with blazing speed, but he was very reliable & durable. Johnson didn’t miss one game from 2009-2013. That’s very impressive for a player that averaged 1,374 rushing yards and roughly eight rushing touchdowns a season during that span.

The elite RBs in today’s league has struggled more to maintain excellence and the ability to stay on the football field. Alvin Kamara has missed four games in four seasons, Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey are coming off season-ending injuries, and Adrian Peterson has never had a three-year span without missing a game. The King himself, Derrick Henry, who became the seventh RB to run for 2,000+ yards in a single season last year (also for TENN), missed a game last year.

Johnson didn’t quite hold his reputation as a home run hitter at RB and lead bell cow after leaving the Titans. The monster Titan RB signed with the New York Jets in 2014 and didn’t find continued career success. For the first time in his career, he didn’t have a 1,000 yard rushing season (663 yards). He also notched a mere one touchdown on the ground. It wouldn’t be the first time that a Hall of Fame-caliber RB hits a wall in MetLife stadium. Ladainian Tomlinson played his last season in the league as a Jet, where he unveiled 280 rushing yards. The Big Apple just might be where elite RBs allow their elite production to come to an end.

CJ2K and the legendary dual-threat QB, Michael Vick held down the Jets huddle in 2014. The aging duo led the Jets to a disappointing 4-12 record. If the future HOF QB-RB duo performed together a couple of years prior, they would undoubtedly go down as the most efficient rushing offense in NFL history.

After his one-year stint in New York, Johnson played two more years in an Arizona Cardinals uniform. His production took a bump from 2014 to 2015, where he clocked 814 rushing yards. The legendary RB then struggled to get involved, as he surfaced in four games in 2016 and four matchups in 2017. On April 24th, 2019, Chris Johnson announced his retirement as a Tennessee Titan. It was a quiet finish to a career for a player that holds a nickname for prolific magic done in one season: CJ2K

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Daniel Racz @Danny___Dimes 

Introduction

The Tennessee Titans’ defense last year was nothing short of appalling. The group finished the season as the fifth-worst team in terms of yards allowed. The four teams that allowed more yards were the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and the Atlanta Falcons. All four of these groups had top seven draft picks, while the Titans won their division. The defense desperately needed help, so general manager Jon Robinson added Jim Schwartz to the defensive staff as a senior defensive assistant. 

On January 7th of 2021, Schwartz stepped away from his defensive coordinator position with the Philadelphia Eagles, citing that he needed a break from coaching. On April 7th, the Titans hired Schwartz with the hopes of fixing their defense. Though one coach can not single-handedly solve all the Titans’ defensive woes, Schwartz has an impressive track record. Coupled with an offseason filled with defensive additions, the Titans’ defense could creep back to league average in 2021. 

Disruptive Defensive Tackles

In every one of Schwartz’s stints as a head coach or defensive coordinator, one of his defensive tackles has made the pro bowl and received first-team all-pro honors by the National Football League. The list currently includes Albert Haynesworth, Marcell Dareus, Ndamukong Suh, and Fletcher Cox. While this does not guarantee that Tennessee will produce an elite interior rusher if Schwartz is on the staff, it is a good sign that one of their defensive tackles could develop into a star. 

The Titans’ best interior defensive lineman is 2019 first-round pick, Jeffery Simmons. The Titans drafted Simmons even though he had an injury that forced him to miss almost half of his rookie season. During his nine games in 2019, Simmons earned an above-average grade of 70.4 from Pro Football Focus. Last year, PFF gave Simmons a borderline elite 83.9 mark. Simmons’ trajectory suggests that he is due for yet another step up in the 2021 season, and hopefully, Schwartz can maximize his talent.

Free Agency Additions

The Tennessee Titans knew that they had to spend most of their available resources on the defensive side of the field. Though the Titans had to let weapons Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith walk, they added elite pass rusher Bud Dupree in free agency. Dupree is coming off a torn ACL from week 12 of the 2020 NFL season, but he is expected to make a full recovery and likely be ready by week one. Dupree’s 5-year, 82.5 million dollar contract was the biggest edge contract of free agency, suggesting that the Titans think highly of the former Steeler. Dupree has a chance to revitalize the Titan’s lackluster edge rush unit, and his pairing with Harold Landry makes the Titans a formidable group on the edge. Schwartz and the Titans staff will have a great time coaching Dupree, Landry, and Simmons, and they could wreak havoc on opposing offenses. 

Defensive Draft Haul 

The Titans also revitalized their defense, specifically their secondary, during the 2021 NFL draft. Robinson used the 22nd pick to select Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley. Farley, a 2020 opt-out, was touted as a top ten player in the class. The high-school wide receiver possesses elite athleticism and has shown promise in coverage. His injury concerns pushed him down draft boards, but there is a chance Farley is looked at as the steal of the draft in five years. 

Tennessee added more defensive help during the third round of the draft. The Titans drafted Georgia linebacker Monty Rice with the 92nd pick and Washington defensive back Elijah Molden at pick 100. Rice profiles as a depth linebacker who can take over if either Rashaan Evans or Jayon Brown do not re-sign after 2021, but is not a day one starter. Molden is a chess piece of a player. He can play box safety, corner, or cover the slot. If used correctly, Elijah Molden could be a cornerstone of the Titans’ defense for years to come. 

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