Tennessee Titans: Following Win vs. Raiders, Everything Is Coming Together
The Oakland Raiders aren't very good. The Tennessee Titans are. It showed when the two teams faced off on Sunday afternoon. Facing their final "you should win this one" game of the 2019 season, the Titans did more than take care of business. They kept up the remarkable offensive pace they've established over the last […]
The Oakland Raiders aren't very good. The Tennessee Titans are. It showed when the two teams faced off on Sunday afternoon.
Facing their final "you should win this one" game of the 2019 season, the Titans did more than take care of business. They kept up the remarkable offensive pace they've established over the last month, pounding the Raiders with a 21-0 second-half run.
Heading into the final three games of the season, everything has come together very nicely for the Titans when it comes to the team's playoff chances. They're playing at a high level, and the playoff picture itself has some favorable scenarios for them.
COMING TOGETHER ON THE TITANS OFFENSE
The turnaround of the Titans offense since QB Ryan Tannehill took over as the starter has been remarkable. Once a unit that could barely seem to muster multiple touchdowns in a game, it's now scored at least 30 points in four straight games.
As for Tannehill himself, he's playing out of his mind.
He's gone in just seven games from a backup to someone who's leading the NFL in multiple major passing categories, pushing for a spot in the Pro Bowl and a legitimate candidate for 2019 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Derrick Henry has also had a great deal of success, notching yet another 100-yard performance and scoring two touchdowns against Oakland.
His 1,243 rushing yards through 13 games give him a real shot at leading the NFL in rushing at the end of the season.
PLAYOFF PUSH COMING TOGETHER
When it comes to the AFC playoff picture, the Titans are in a good position to compete for both the AFC South title and a wildcard spot, with the former obviously being the preferred outcome for the team.
Now 8-5, the Titans are tied with the Houston Texans atop their division. Those two teams will face off next week and again two weeks later.
A sweep of the Texans, regardless of what happens in the Titans' Week 16 game against the New Orleans Saints, would be enough for the Titans to win the division.
While it has been seven years since the Titans have won in Houston, the Texans were steamrolled at home by the Broncos on Sunday. They're certainly beatable.
The Steelers, who are also 8-5 but currently lead the Titans in the wild-card race due to a tiebreaker, have two tough games remaining on their schedule against the Buffalo Bills (9-4) and the Baltimore Ravens (11-2).
The 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons all saw the Titans finish with a 9-7 record. In order for the team to finish with that same mark in 2019, it would have go 1-2 over its final three games.
That's pretty wild, considering how "blah" the Titans were during the first half of the season.
It's a testament to the position the team has put itself in as it heads into the homestretch.
Cover image: Kyle Terada/USA Today
