A couple of weeks ago, I sat down on this very website and hashed out a list of why I thought there were plenty of reasons for optimism for the Tennessee Titans heading into 2019. Now, I’m a good news first kinda guy – and there’s plenty of it. From the return of Dean Pees to the continuity on offense that Arthur Smith will (presumably) bring, there’s plenty of reasons to keep the arrow pointing up for this franchise.
But……BUT…..hear me out.
There are still a couple of things that are just sitting and permeating in the back of my mind. Let me get it all out so I can finally sleep at night again.
The quarterback situation
I’m a big fan of Marcus Mariota. I truly believe that if he can stay healthy and play to his full potential, then we have a bona fide stud on our hands. Now, don’t grill me for this one, guys…
BUUUUUUUUUT….
It hasn’t panned out for him yet.
Saying it makes it real, I know. But, it’s okay – this is going to be a make or break year for Mariota. I feel like I said that last year, but I really mean it this year. With some continuity on offense, the emergence of Derrick Henry, and maybe a few added weapons around him, it could be his biggest year yet.
Let’s hope that’s the case.
We can hope in one hand and shit in the other – see which hand fills up first. But, the reality is that there’s at least a chance that Mariota isn’t the guy.
If that ends up being the case, then the Titans are going to have quite the predicament on their hands. Blaine Gabbert was thought to have been an upgrade to Matt Cassel last offseason, but he just didn’t perform well. Another season of the quarterback carousel could make for a year of mediocrity for the Titans.
Stagnant offense
I love the potential of Corey Davis. The return of Delanie Walker should jump start the offense a bit. Jonnu Smith, Taywan Taylor, and Tajae Sharpe are all bright young play-makers. If the late-season Henry is the Henry we’re going to get moving forward, then that’s great! But, it’s all still up in the air.
In 2018, it didn’t all come together. The offense was a sputtering unit, the clear weakest of the three phases of the game.
WELL SHIT, y’all. What if it had nothing to do with the system or injuries? What if the Titans offense just isn’t good?
The state of the AFC South
Ain’t nobody goin’ anywhere. A healthy Andrew Luck that just won Comeback Player of the Year, plus a road grading offensive line that’s one of the best in the business, and a grizzled genius Harry Potter lookalike at head coach has me nervous as hell about a potential reign of terror from the Indianapolis Colts.
The Houston Texans have their shit sorted out at quarterback with the explosive and dynamic Deshaun Watson. They won the division in 2018, and you don’t see too many signs of them slowing down if they can improve their offensive line. They’re still loaded with talent.
And, the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite all the chaos of this past season, are still only a year removed from nearly winning the AFC Championship. There’s still a wealth of defensive talent on that team, so they probably aren’t going anywhere.
But, with that in mind, and this is probably the most serious thing I’ll type in this post today – fuck the Jags.
Anyway, all in all, I think it’s safe to feel more optimistic about the Titans than pessimistic. But, there are still a couple of glaring issues that could have an adverse effect on the team should things shake down in a certain manner.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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