Tennessee Titans defeat Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

The Tennessee Titans returned Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers again to the land of disappointment, profitable by way of their ordinary blueprint. They continued to transform goal-to-go conditions into touchdowns, Derrick Henry did King Henry issues, and the protection held the Pack to 271 yards of complete offense.

At 7-3 and on the very least tied for second within the AFC after this weekend, Tennessee is on an analogous path as final yr. If Mike Vrabel’s group takes care of enterprise within the South and might go .500 in opposition to the Bengals, Chargers, Cowboys, and Eagles, they may have a path to the Super Bowl that takes place largely in Nashville.

I do know mentioning Tennessee and the Super Bowl in the identical sentence induces eye-rolls from common NFL followers. They had been a high seed a yr in the past and yakked throughout themselves at residence in opposition to Cincinnati. And then there was the collapse in opposition to Kansas City that was extra Patrick Mahomes than something they did mistaken.

The Titans, to me, are the AFC’s model of the 49ers with the good thing about being in a horrible division. They’re well-coached, bodily, have a good-to-great protection, and lean on the run as a result of they don’t have a quarterback.

Having a choice between Jimmy Garoppolo and Tannehill is like saying you’ve gotten a pre-packaged fuel station sandwich, and none of that artisanal shit both. You know those within the triangle packaging which might be like a few slices of lunch meat and a bit of cheese between two slices of white bread that persist with the roof of your mouth? Those sandwiches.

Both QBs have performed eight primarily serviceable video games, accomplished an honest clip of passes, and stored the ball out of the opposing secondary’s arms for essentially the most half. So why isn’t Tennessee a stylish dark-horse choose to go on a playoff run?

Kyle Shanahan’s profession profitable share is 2 video games beneath .500 in his sixth season, and Vrabel is coming away victorious about 64 % of the time in his fifth yr. Is it as a result of San Francisco has a Bosa?

If Tennessee was in a convention with washed Tom Brady and Rodgers coming down from a foul journey as an alternative of 1 with Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow, they’d be getting slurped at an uncomfortable price. I do know that. It simply feels just like the Titans are due.

Maybe not due for a Super Bowl title, however an AFC championship recreation is definitely doable, after which something is feasible when you get there, proper? … Right?! Here’s one other comp for Tennessee: Poorish man’s peak Joe Flacco Ravens. While that Baltimore group didn’t personal Brady, they had been one of many few AFC groups to knock off New England within the postseason throughout peak Patriots.

The largest indication to me that the Titans ought to begin being seen dangerously yr after yr is the best way they responded to getting uncovered as a No. 1 seed and beginning off 0-2 this season. A lesser group would’ve flatlined just like the Bengals did after sufficient unhappy Andy Dalton playoff losses, or the Texans earlier than all that was mistaken with Deshaun Watson was his supporting forged.

Bill Belichick wins ugly with a Country Crock of a quarterback, and he’s a genius. That’s all Vrabel has ever completed. No one is bad-mouthing the Hoodie’s most profitable disciple (enjoying for him, not teaching), however nobody is speaking about him like one of many brightest minds within the recreation both.

I’m not going to take a seat right here and inform you Ryan Tannehill is elite after going 22-for-27 for 333 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night time as a result of I additionally noticed the horrible interception he threw. The Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals have all seemed weak at occasions, and the Dolphins don’t have battle scars but.

We’ve seen how the Titans win video games. They’ve gained seven of their previous eight. If they preserve profitable and making the playoffs, one in every of these seasons a bounce goes to interrupt their method — and so they’re ok to reap the benefits of it.