Last Sunday kicked off with a bang but ended rather quietly, shattering not only our division championship dreams but also our playoff hopes. It was a depressing Sunday overall, but hey, at least we looked good in those uniforms, right? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Now, let's dive into the disappointment in this week's edition of 'The Good, The Bad & The WTFugly.'
THE GOOD
VRABES WAS LOOKING A BIT BUMMY
Ever since news broke that we would be donning our Oilers powder blue throwbacks this season, the burning question echoed through the sports media world... "Will Vrabel sport the classic Bum Phillips cowboy hat?" Atlanta came and went without a glimpse, but last Sunday, Mike Vrabel showed up to Nissan Stadium rocking that cowboy hat like the Bum we all knew he could be. Sure, we lost the game to our division rivals while wearing our Oilers throwbacks, but at least we looked good doing it. That's got to count for something, right?
TREYLON BURKS HAS BEEN SPOTTED
It was a breath of fresh air to not only see Burks back out on the field, but to see Levis slinging it to him with tenacity. Starting off strong, but like the rest of the Titans pass catchers that trailed off, Burks corralled 3 catches for a team leading 62 yards. It's unfair the added pressure this man receives due to the AJ Brown trade and inevitable comparisons, but the road for Burks hasn't been easy. A lot of Titans fans have chalked him up as a bust, but when healthy (I know that's more like an 'if') Burks has shown flashes of the dominant receiver we expect that can stretch the field in one play. I'm still in this mans corner and if you know what's good for this team, you should be too.
AWESOME-SAUCE AUTRY
Is there any other free agent who has made the impact Denico Autry has since he joined the Titans from our division rival? Colts fans laughed when we signed their "scraps," as they so eloquently put it. Well, since we got their "scraps," all Autry has done is relentlessly go after the quarterback. He's stacked up 28 sacks and counting in three seasons with the Titans, including an impressive 11 in 2023 alone. Let's raise a glass to Autry continuing to wreak havoc and hopefully finishing his career right here in Nashville. Cheers to the man disrupting opponents and proving that one team's "scraps" can be another team's treasure!
GEEZ, AZEEZ
We might as well make this a weekly Al-Shaair love fest because, week in and week out, this man clocks in and puts on a show. With a whopping 13 tackles this past Sunday, the former 49er has skyrocketed to the NFL's sixth-leading total at 137. At this pace, Al-Shaair is not just chasing but obliterating the all-time season leader Stephen Tulloch's 111 tackles in 2010. This kind of production for the Titans isn't just unprecedented; it's like having an infectious shot of motivation coursing through the entire locker room. With Byard off to Philly, where apparently "they do things differently," Azeez is evolving into the leader we desperately need. Ran hit the jackpot with this signing, and I'm hoping this is just the beginning of a long and illustrious career right here in Nashville.
THE BAD
INEVITABLE COACHING CAROUSEL
I know we have personnel concerns as well as coaching voids, but is this offseason going to bring sweeping changes across the franchise? Vrabel isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so y'all can go ahead and swallow your pride and save that conversation for another rainy day. Have Tim Kelly and Shane Bowen been that terrible? I personally can't say yes or no. It's been a season filled with confusion, head scratchers, eye-popping plays, and plays that make you want to vomit. Is it time to clean house, or is it that people are just tired of the Vrabel frat brothers that seem to populate the ranks of our staff?
PENALTIES AREN'T GOING AWAY
While there was a slight improvement this week, conceding only 50 yards to penalties, it remains an unacceptable aspect of our game. Currently ranked 22nd in the league with an average of 6.6 penalties per game, we're already facing the challenge of having placeholders in key positions. However, gifting free first downs like Christmas cards won't get us many victories in the NFL.
WE'VE OFFICIALLY BEEN TKO'D
It's truly remarkable how this season took an unexpected turn, and when you analyze it, two missed extra points are the thin line between us and a potential AFC South Championship and/or a Playoff bid. Eliminating those missed opportunities, we would be locked in a three-way tie with Indy and Houston, still facing critical games against Houston and Jacksonville. While our current form might not scream deep playoff run, real NFL fans prioritize witnessing their team in the Playoffs each year over fretting about draft status. Trading a top 10 pick for a Playoff berth any day is a sentiment many true fans share.
THE WTFUGLY??!!
Live Look At Our Offensive Line Come Game Time
TO BLOCK OR NOT TO BLOCK
Titans fans, at this point, it's almost comical to debate, but seriously, why is it so damn hard to block for our skill players? Dominant running back? Check. Young stud QB progressing every week? Check. Future HOF receiver running routes? Check. Offensive line to keep all of these players upright and active? (Cue the Travolta meme) Houston, we have a problem. It's like trying to build a sandcastle with spaghetti—just not holding up the way we'd like it to.
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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