A wild rollercoaster ride went down last Monday at Hard Rock Stadium as our boys in two-tone blue conquered the top-seeded AFC team on their own turf. With just three minutes left, the outlook was grim. Thank the football gods we've got a dude named Will Levis. Let's dive into the spectacle that was the Titans' historic performance in this week's edition of 'The Good, The Bad & The WTFugly.'
THE GOOD
WILL LEVIS HAS ARRIVED
Sometimes, you need that signature win to kick things off, and boy, did Billy Jeans deliver just that. Overcoming a pick-six in the first four minutes, along with a late game-altering fumble, to lead two scoring drives in less than three minutes—now, that's not just good; it's the kind of moment legends are built from. Levis has already posted historic stats for a second-round draft pick, and he's poised to build on that success against our arch-rivals, the Houston Texans. Plus, it's an added bonus that he gets to torch them while sporting those Oilers throwbacks.
TYJAE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
With 118 total yards of offense and game-changing plays, Tyjae's confidence is through the roof, and the entire team is feeding off his enthusiasm and love for the game. Without his season-high performance, the Tennessee Titans would be heading back to Nashville with another L and a heap of questions. His work this season has been impressive, but his red zone efforts these past few games are the difference in our team improvements on the field. If you haven't already, check out his mic'd up segment from this week; it's definitely worth a watch before Sunday. You can find it below.
ROLLING THE DICE
Going for it on fourth down, let alone a two-point conversion, is something Mike Vrabel seems to shy away from as of late. However, when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, it was a breath of fresh air to see Vrabel pull the trigger and line up for two! Without it, we simply don't win that game. Let's hope this gives him a boost of confidence he needs next time to have some cajones to make the call!
PARKS & SEPERATION
Absolutely, Ran has hit a lot of home runs in his first year, especially when it came to our draft and free agency additions (aside from Dilliard, of course). None have been more special than landing linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. While well on his way to recording the highest season total of tackles in team history, Al-Shaair is the seventh leading tackler in the NFL right now with a total of 124 tackles and four games to go. He's currently averaging almost ten tackles a game, showcasing his dedication not only to this team but also to his craft. Here's hoping this is just the beginning of a long and successful career in Nashville.
THE BAD
THOSE TURNOVERS THOUGH
Absolutely, we secured the win, and the comeback was thrilling, but let's face it—it didn't exactly look like a surefire victory. Despite Will Levis embodying the incredible hulk and spewing motivation, he's still a rookie, and rookies are gonna rookie. If we hadn't scored the comeback victory, we'd be having a vastly different conversation about our future right now. I get that miscommunication and a lack of team chemistry often lead to those bonehead mistakes, but we need to eliminate that nonsense moving forward.
PENALTIES ARE STILL A PROBLEM
Nine penalties for 59 yards is equivalent to six first downs, and it's a concerning trend. While mistakes are part of the game, it seems like a recurring issue week in and week out. I understand we have a young team, especially with five rookies on offense, but if we aim to compete with the top squads in the league, we can't afford to be giving out freebies like this. It's an aspect of our game that needs dire attention and improvement moving forward.
SECONDARY, SECONDARY, WHERE ART THOU?
Losing Fulton for the rest of the year more than likely marks the end of his career in Tennessee. Moving forward though, one can only hope for improvement in the secondary. (I hope his mom and dad don't come after me) Personally, I'm skeptical that we'll see significant enhancements until we acquire a top cornerback in free agency or draft an absolute stud. The Titans' secondary's reputation for being unable to stop a nosebleed is well-known across the league. Changes are essential this offseason, whether they occur in the locker room, coaching staff, or on the field.
THE WTFUGLY??!!
(Tier Tart has been released by the Titans due to poor work ethic and attitude)
TT GOT POP TART'D
Titans fans, I get it—some of us are feeling the sting of TT's release. But let's face facts. When Big Jeff publicly calls you out for lacking effort and interest in being part of the team, the writing is on the wall, my friends. TT was disgruntled about his contract, but instead of proving his worth on the field and in the locker room, he opted for the diva exit. Even as he tries to put a spin on his departure, hoping his next team won't pay attention to "rumors," it's clear that cutting locker room distractions is a smart move. If you think otherwise, you probably haven't played organized sports at any level.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TI is the brains behind the "Titans Idiot Nation" and an avid sports fanatic and pop culture enthusiast who is unhealthily obsessed with football, especially the NFL. When he's not yelling at his TV, he enjoys running, spending time with his family and of course, yelling at his TV.
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