If you watched the Titans - Colts game last night, you would have seen the two-headed monster that is the Tennessee Titans.
In the first half they looked great, they looked like the team that opened the season 3-1 and made it seem like they were bound to make the playoff. Their balanced offensive attack looked amazing. Fitzpatrick was able to make first down after first down, finding Kendall Wright and Delanie Walker open consistently. Then, Chris Johnson finally looked like the back that carried for 2000 yards just a few years ago. Also, their defense only allowed 6 points all half to an offense that saw the field for only 3 snaps through the 1st quarter.
The second half was nothing like that team. The defense struggled to get off the field. They allowed Luck and the Colts offense drive all the way down the field on their first possession. The run game that had totaled 38 yards in the first half was able to get 36 yards on that opening drive. The score was then 17-13. I wasn't too worried at that point because of how good the offense looked. Then, the bad luck of this team came back to bite them. The one inconsistent position on the team ruined the confidence. The newly acquired kick returner, Devon Wylie had a terrible grip on the ball and fumbled it at the 20 yard line. This gave all the confidence to the Colts and Luck took advantage. He ran a 15 yard in for the score to take a 20-17 lead and never looked back.
After that point, the Titans looked half of what they did in the first half. They couldn't run the ball, Johnson ran 9 for 16 after opening 8 for 70. They didn't have anything like the efficient passing game they had earlier and couldn't for the love of them stop Donald Brown. Being a Titans fan, it was hard to watch that game. The one point where I felt we had a chance to make a comeback they were down 23-20 and just regained the ball with 8 minutes left to play. They ran 2 plays for 2 yards and had a 3rd and 8. Fitzpatrick found Wright running a route in front of him and he got tripped up just before the first down. 4th and 1 with 8 minutes left and the defense mightily struggling. Munchak made the decision to punt the ball. This disappointed me. I was really hoping he could finally take a chance and put some confidence in the offense but they rushed off the field and Luck and the Colts got the ball back, only to run 6 minutes off the clock and score a TD putting the game too far out of reach.
I think that this Titans team is a great team, they just can't find consistent play out of their offense and defense. Also, as much as I like Munchak, I believe they need to get a new coach. He doesn't seem to show any enthusiasm to the team and is too conservative in my eyes. Another thing I believe the Titans should do is use Chris Johnson differently. If the Titans don't want to trade him, they are going to need him to start moving the ball. The best way for him to get some yards is to put him in the open field. I think the only way they can do that is if they start using him on screens, tosses, and sometimes as a receiver out on the edge. Another thing they could do is line him up in the slot and cut him loose. If you watch him make moves from the middle of the field, this is where he can break a big play and run for 50 or more yards.
We'll just have to see if they figure out what they're doing in the next few weeks and hopefully string a few wins together. The Titans next play the Raiders at 4pm on Sunday, the 23rd of November.
Friday, November 15, 2013
The Martin - Incognito Story
You can look at this story from plenty of different perspectives and in some way say that Incognito did no wrong and Martin is just a cry baby, but you'd be wrong.
Sure, the NFL is full of tough-minded players that need to be able to handle their own in order to compete at that high level. That still does no justice to someone completely disregarding normal human behavior and threatening / abusing another player.
I think this story makes the entire Dolphins organization look bad. Their players or coaches put Incognito, a man who was previously brought up for harassing a woman with a golf club, into a position of power. If this is the kind of person you want mentoring the younger players and getting them into a football state of mind, then you should expect this sort of story to come out.
That's besides the point though. What I'm really trying to say here is that there is no excuse for bullying. It doesn't matter where or how it happens. If you heard on the news that a man was bullied in his company so bad that he had to go to a hospital to deal with emotional distress, what would you think? Are you going to think "Oh well he's a grown man, he should be able to deal with it." or do you think "That person who bullied him must be a terrible person." I take the latter.
If you think deeply about it, what is Martin to do in the situation besides just leave the team? He tries to stand up for himself, he gets his ass kicked. He tries to talk to the coaches? They were the ones who were telling Incognito to man him up so that wouldn't work. Leaving the team seems like the only option, especially when the man is put under this much pressure to have to check himself into a hospital.
The one thing that I really can't catch my head around is how Incognito thinks that they're playing around. If this man is really under this much stress to have to leave the Dolphins and check into a hospital, as a man who thinks they're joking around, you have to notice something.
Sure, the NFL is full of tough-minded players that need to be able to handle their own in order to compete at that high level. That still does no justice to someone completely disregarding normal human behavior and threatening / abusing another player.
I think this story makes the entire Dolphins organization look bad. Their players or coaches put Incognito, a man who was previously brought up for harassing a woman with a golf club, into a position of power. If this is the kind of person you want mentoring the younger players and getting them into a football state of mind, then you should expect this sort of story to come out.
That's besides the point though. What I'm really trying to say here is that there is no excuse for bullying. It doesn't matter where or how it happens. If you heard on the news that a man was bullied in his company so bad that he had to go to a hospital to deal with emotional distress, what would you think? Are you going to think "Oh well he's a grown man, he should be able to deal with it." or do you think "That person who bullied him must be a terrible person." I take the latter.
If you think deeply about it, what is Martin to do in the situation besides just leave the team? He tries to stand up for himself, he gets his ass kicked. He tries to talk to the coaches? They were the ones who were telling Incognito to man him up so that wouldn't work. Leaving the team seems like the only option, especially when the man is put under this much pressure to have to check himself into a hospital.
The one thing that I really can't catch my head around is how Incognito thinks that they're playing around. If this man is really under this much stress to have to leave the Dolphins and check into a hospital, as a man who thinks they're joking around, you have to notice something.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Why the Chiefs are the best team in the NFL
You might say that after the Chiefs came so close to losing to the Bills and had less than half the yards the Bills did, they looked vulnerable. My thoughts were the exact opposite. NFL teams always have teams that they don't show their best and lose even when they're better (ie. Broncos loss to the Colts). That seemed to be the kind of game the Chiefs were in for.
It was nothing like that. They took advantage of opportunity on their brutal defense and somehow came out with a 10 point victory. If any other team in the NFL had that lack of offense along with the bad play of their run defense, you could never see them win. The Broncos would have gotten blown out if Manning had the kind of offensive game that the Chiefs did in that game.
My point being as the saying says "Defense wins championships." The fact that the Chiefs don't need to get 30-40 points a game to win games makes them the best. The Chiefs allowed 470 yards of total offense and yet only allowed 13 points in the game.
If you look at the Seahawks - Buccaneers game this week, the Seahawks managed to get 490 yards, only 20 more than the Bills last week and managed 33 points.
Another factor is the Chiefs ability to get turnovers. They've turned the ball over 8 times. Compare that with the Broncos, who have turned the ball over 17 times before this week and had played one less game.
I can't see them going undefeated all the way, but I think they'll win a close game next weekend vs. the Broncos. I'll give it a 24-20 win.
It was nothing like that. They took advantage of opportunity on their brutal defense and somehow came out with a 10 point victory. If any other team in the NFL had that lack of offense along with the bad play of their run defense, you could never see them win. The Broncos would have gotten blown out if Manning had the kind of offensive game that the Chiefs did in that game.
My point being as the saying says "Defense wins championships." The fact that the Chiefs don't need to get 30-40 points a game to win games makes them the best. The Chiefs allowed 470 yards of total offense and yet only allowed 13 points in the game.
If you look at the Seahawks - Buccaneers game this week, the Seahawks managed to get 490 yards, only 20 more than the Bills last week and managed 33 points.
Another factor is the Chiefs ability to get turnovers. They've turned the ball over 8 times. Compare that with the Broncos, who have turned the ball over 17 times before this week and had played one less game.
I can't see them going undefeated all the way, but I think they'll win a close game next weekend vs. the Broncos. I'll give it a 24-20 win.
Titans need to start over on offense
After today's 29-27 loss, to the previously winless Jacksonville Jaguars, you have to notice something is off about the Titans. The same team that dominated the Jets and began 3-1 are now 4-5 after losing the last 4 of 5. The big difference that I see is their turnovers. They began the year 3-1 because of their ability to hold onto the ball. They had no turnovers in those games and since then, have turned the ball over 14 times. You simply cannot win turning the ball over so much.
This is clearly due to the inconsistencies of Jake Locker who began the year with 6 TD's and 0 INT's as well as the lack of run game with Chris Johnson. Johnson exploded in their 28-21 win with 150 yards but is due to the Rams inefficient run defense that ranks second worst in the NFL. Other than that one game, Johnson has carried it 115 times for 366 yards. That's 3.1 YPC. For the money he's making and the high level of play he's expected to be at, this is unacceptable. The fact that the Titans are supposed to be a run-first team makes this even more obvious. Locker's also been inconsistent. After his great opening, he got injured in a Jets game where he looked unstoppable that took him out for 2 games. After his return, he now has thrown for 2 TD's and 4 INT's and not looked good doing so.
The Titans need to get rid of their once prime-time RB Johnson and get what they can for him. An idea I brought up a few times would be to give up Johnson and Britt for a good draft pick. There are plenty of teams that could use a quick running back who is great in the open field. Kenny Britt would just be a shoo-in but he has the ability to have great upside. Britt needs to find a new home and start over as a receiver. My thought is they give them to a team like the Falcons who are dying for some sort of offense with White and Jones on and off with injuries as well as their terrible run game starring the veteran Steven Jackson.
With the two 1st round draft picks, the Titans could draft a late first round quarterback in any of the great quarterbacks coming out of college in Louisville's Bridgewater, LSU's Mettenberger, or any of the other quarterbacks as insurance purposes for the injury prone Jake Locker.
This is clearly due to the inconsistencies of Jake Locker who began the year with 6 TD's and 0 INT's as well as the lack of run game with Chris Johnson. Johnson exploded in their 28-21 win with 150 yards but is due to the Rams inefficient run defense that ranks second worst in the NFL. Other than that one game, Johnson has carried it 115 times for 366 yards. That's 3.1 YPC. For the money he's making and the high level of play he's expected to be at, this is unacceptable. The fact that the Titans are supposed to be a run-first team makes this even more obvious. Locker's also been inconsistent. After his great opening, he got injured in a Jets game where he looked unstoppable that took him out for 2 games. After his return, he now has thrown for 2 TD's and 4 INT's and not looked good doing so.
The Titans need to get rid of their once prime-time RB Johnson and get what they can for him. An idea I brought up a few times would be to give up Johnson and Britt for a good draft pick. There are plenty of teams that could use a quick running back who is great in the open field. Kenny Britt would just be a shoo-in but he has the ability to have great upside. Britt needs to find a new home and start over as a receiver. My thought is they give them to a team like the Falcons who are dying for some sort of offense with White and Jones on and off with injuries as well as their terrible run game starring the veteran Steven Jackson.
With the two 1st round draft picks, the Titans could draft a late first round quarterback in any of the great quarterbacks coming out of college in Louisville's Bridgewater, LSU's Mettenberger, or any of the other quarterbacks as insurance purposes for the injury prone Jake Locker.
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