The New England Patriots are the class of the AFC, but they are not the only team worth watching next season.
The Oakland Raiders, the Denver Broncos, and the Indianapolis Colts are interesting teams. So are the Miami Dolphins, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens. But if there is one franchise that no one is paying enough attention, that’s the Tennessee Titans. The team has improved drastically over the past 15 months under the management of Jon Robinson.
Improvement on a steady basis
Robinson arrived to the franchise in 2016 and had a tough task: he needed to make the Titans competitive again. That was a hard task because Tennessee had been mediocre for quite a while now. But thanks to a good Draft and several solid free agent pickups, the Titans have everything in place to become a force in the AFC as soon as this season.
Most of the credit should go to Robinson, though. Robinson got rid of the last vestiges of Ruston Webster’s disastrous tenure in a 17-month span. And now the Titans are well-positioned for their first playoff bid since 2008.
Tennessee found a way to improve on both sides of the ball this offseason. Let’s start with the defense, because the Titans added some quality elements on low-cost moves.
The secondary will improve with the additions of cornerback Logan Ryan and safety Johnathan Cyprien in free agency. And they also drafted defensive back/return specialist Adoree’ Jackson with one of its two first-round picks. These three players will make Tennessee a tough team to beat for opposing offenses. But their main strength lies on the offensive side of the ball.
Tennessee Built An Explosive Offense
Tennessee already had Marcus Mariota, a young quarterback who’s on the verge of superstardom entering his third year in the league. The running game features Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray, two RBs who complement each other perfectly. And we haven’t even mentioned other established weapons such as Rishard Matthews or two-time Pro Bowler Delanie Walker.
Robinson wanted more and signed free agent Eric Decker on a one-year deal this past weekend. Decker won’t be a number one receiver, but he adds experience and consistency to a young attack. He is not a flashy player, but he can get the job done. And that’s everything the Titans need to make a leap on their quest to make a postseason return.
It seemed unlikely that the Titans were going to contend any time soon, but Robinson has transformed the franchise. And now they suddenly look like a potential favorite for the AFC South title. Will they respond to the challenge and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008?
Only time will tell. But there is no doubt they are well positioned to end that drought sooner than later.