The 2022 Titans have what you can't teach
Through the ups and downs of a roller coaster start to the season, the Tennessee Titans (4-2) are riding a win streak and continuing to show the world what they're made of. While the Titans "brand" of football is ugly, this team has something in their make-up that makes it effective. The Titans are set […]
Through the ups and downs of a roller coaster start to the season, the Tennessee Titans (4-2) are riding a win streak and continuing to show the world what they're made of.
While the Titans "brand" of football is ugly, this team has something in their make-up that makes it effective. The Titans are set apart by one simple thing:
Toughness.
That's a trait every football team wants, very few teams have, and nobody can teach.
For the Titans, toughness is engrained into their culture, and it's in the DNA of the players that take the field. Those who thrive in a Titans uniform are those who buy-in to always put the team first and always find a way.
By playing through both mental and physical adversity, the Titans have overcome major injuries to their first round wide receiver, starting left tackle, and star pass rusher, and once again landed in the driver's seat of the AFC South.
And head coach Mike Vrabel couldn't be more proud:
"I don't think people realize what they go through," Vrabel said. "They put a lot in. They compete. It's violent."
The fifth-year Titans coach said that, given everything the team has been going through, the gritty win over the Colts on Sunday was close to "as proud as he's been" as a coach.
"Just really got a lot of respect for a majority of these guys that are finding ways no matter what," Vrabel said. "Just each and every week, far less than 100 percent, you can just tell that it means a lot to them"…"So I'm grateful to be able to work with them each and every day."
While it can be easy to critique the style of football the Titans play each week, this team also deserves a lot of respect for their resilient attitude.
Even this week, both Jeffery Simmons and Ryan Tannehill have not participated in practice while nursing injuries suffered on Sunday, but is there any doubt they are going to play against the Texans? These guys have always found a way to push through.
Mike Vrabel and the Titans coaching staff do deserve some credit for putting together such a tough team and setting the expectations high. As Bud Dupree said, sometimes it starts at the top:
That being said, I don't think you can teach what this team has.
Each individual player has taken it upon himself to step up when the going gets tough. They embrace the next man up mentality, put personal achievement to the side, and do what it takes to get another mark in the win column.
That says everything about the men in two-tone blue, and regardless of how this season ends, that should be applauded.
Image via Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
