The Tennessee Titans are rolling as we get deeper into December, and the question must be asked: are they contenders in the AFC?
Every NFL season, there is a team that starts off the season slow before getting hot right before the playoffs. It happens every season, and it usually is a team that looks lost after the first six or seven games. This season, the team that has a chance to get super hot in the second half of the season is the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans started the season off slow, losing four of their first six games. In those six contests, they failed to score more than seven points in half of those games. Eventually, they made a quarterback change, moving on from No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota in favor of Ryan Tannehill. That move saved their season as the Titans have won five of their last six games with Tannehill as the starter.
Tannehill has been rock-solid over the last six weeks, completing nearly 72 percent of his passes at 9.11 yards per attempt. He’s thrown 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions, adding three more rushing touchdowns on the ground. While it’s still too early to make any real conclusions about Tannehill and his play, it’s clear that he’s improving the quality of play of his teammates.
Look no further than running back Derrick Henry, who has been dominant over the last two months. In the team’s last six contests, Henry has rushed for 724 yards and seven touchdowns, adding another 98 yards and a touchdown in the passing game. Henry’s averaged a stunning 6.08 yards per rush as he seems only to grow stronger as the season wears on. With his ability to wear on defenses as well as hit home runs, the Titans’ offense as a whole looks a whole lot scarier.
The Titans also have a complete wide receiver group, which is something you haven’t been able to say about their franchise in awhile. Rookie A.J. Brown has emerged as the team’s No. 1 receiver, averaging an incredible 18.4 yards per reception. With his ability to move all around the field, he’s a mismatch for most cornerbacks in the NFL.
Corey Davis and Adam Humphries have both had their moments this season, and each is capable of making big plays at any given moment. With the flexibility of these three receivers, the Titans have the offensive personnel to match up with just about any defense. It’s not hard to see why this offense is averaging nearly 30 points per game over the last two months.
But it’s not just their offense that is playing well as their defense continues to create takeaways. Through 12 weeks, the Titans have forced the seventh-most with 17, and that number is only rising as they have playmakers on all levels of the defense.
One of the league’s most underrated players is edge rusher Harold Landry, who already has nine sacks this season. His ability to bend around the edge and create pressure has helped take this defense to the next level. Not only does Landry have speed and quickness, but he is starting to become one of the better hand-fighters in the NFL. He’s made a monster leap this season as he could potentially make the Pro Bowl in just his second year in the NFL. And with 2019 first-round pick Jeffery Simmons starting to get his feet under him, this defense has a chance to be dominant over the next month of the season.
While the Titans currently sit on the outside looking in for the final wild-card spot in the AFC, don’t be surprised if this team makes a run in December. They have all the pieces of a team that could get hot for a month or so as they can play several different types of games in order to secure a victory. They may just have the most “paths to victory” of any team in the AFC, outside of the New England Patriots. It’s just a team without many fatal flaws.
If the Titans can navigate through their tough schedule, they could be a team that does some damage in the playoffs with their suddenly balanced offense and playmaking defense. The Titans have the look of a team that could make a run in the playoffs, provided they get there. They have quickly become of the most dangerous teams in the AFC.