Tennessee Titans: Surprise Playoff Team?

The Tennessee Titans can win the AFC South in 2007. The Titans have a tiny bit of a problem with the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts being apart of their division. Then there is the Jacksonville Jaguars that have one of the NFL's best defenses year in and year out. Besides the Jaguars and Colts the Titans should not have a problem at all with the Houston Texans who they beat twice in 2006. It is important to remember that Tennessee lost to the Colts 14-13, but later in the season beat Indianapolis 20-17. This year the Titans catch a break by playing the Atlanta Falcons without Michael Vick and Tampa Bay with an aging Jeff Garcia at QB. The key to the Titans making the Playoffs is winning the AFC South. The question is how can the Titans win the South win they were last in the NFL in total defense in 2006? Their plan will be to control the clock with a punishing running game and keep the defense off the field.

One of the main reasons that the Titans will rise in the AFC South is because the Colts will fall. The Colts will be one of the NFL's best offenses in 2007, but their defense will not be up to par. The Colts have to replace too many holes on a defense that was horrible in 2006 until the Playoffs started. The Colts cut DT Corey Simon, lost DT McFarland too injury. CB Nick Harper now plays for the Titans and LB Cato June went to Tampa. They also lost CB Jason David and S Mike Doss. The formula to beat Indy will be to pound the ball over and over. The 2007 NFL season will be a breakout year for Titans RB LenDale White. Last season White ran for 244 yards and averaged 4.0 YPC. LenDale should be the starter this year and he is an inside the tackles runner and that is the exact place all NFL teams will attack the Colts.

In 2006 the Titan defense was not that good at all, but most of the defenses shortcomings can be blamed on the secondary. One thing the Titans do have is a solid d-line. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch only had 6.5 sacks in 2006, but Kyle had 12.5 in 2005 and he is capable of getting double digit sacks. DE Travis LaBoy is a speed rusher and should be ready to have a breakout year. Tennessee is stout at the DT positions with Albert Haynesworth and Randy Starks. The loss of CB Adam Jones will take a lot of big plays away from the defense, but if the offense does its job by controlling the clock the defense won't look as bad as it did in 2006.

The offense will be very solid in 2007. Most people felt it would take Vince Young a few years to get adjusted to the NFL. In 2006 Vince went above and beyond what most people expected of him. Everyone knew that Vince could run, but he was very successful throwing the football last season. Vince threw for 2,199 yards, had 12 TD's and completed 51.5% of his passes. Vince put up these numbers with virtually no help from his WR's. Drew Bennent the Titans leading receiver in 2006 only had 46 catches and 3 TD's. The Titans will be led in 2007 by Vince Young's legs and LenDale White's ability to carry the ball 20-25 times per game. Young ran for 552 yards and 7 TD's in 2006. At one point in the 2006 season Vince Young led the Titans to six consecutive victories and that is not easy for a rookie QB to accomplish. Tennessee added WR's Paul Williams and Chris Davis in the 2007 NFL Draft and they expect both players to be big contributors this season. Right off the bat the Titans will let the entire NFL know if they are for real or not. The Titans start the season at Jacksonville, Indy at home and at the Saints. After a bye they get Atlanta at home. If the Titans plan on making the Playoffs at worse they have to be 2-2 after their first four games. The Titans will build on their success from 2006 to propel them into the 2007 NFL Playoffs.