The Titans weren't ready for the Jags, like they said they would be
By Zach Bingham This Christmas Eve in Titans history is a day that would rather be forgotten. The Jaguars, with an interim head coach and just two wins, beat Tennessee to a pulp, 38-17. This team has given their fans something to cheer about this season, but against Jacksonville, they just weren't ready to play. In […]
By Zach Bingham
This Christmas Eve in Titans history is a day that would rather be forgotten. The Jaguars, with an interim head coach and just two wins, beat Tennessee to a pulp, 38-17.
This team has given their fans something to cheer about this season, but against Jacksonville, they just weren't ready to play. In sports, you hear about the all mighty 'trap game'. Well, mark it down, the Titans got trapped.
It started with the absolute pathetic play of the secondary. Horrific coverage by cornerback Valentino Blake cost the team. Time and time again, they left Blake on an island with the Jags receivers and Jacksonville kept racking up yards.
Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee ate the Titans lunch, accounting for 184 yards and two touchdowns, including a Lee TD pass.
To make things worse, the offense started just as slow as the defense. Before this season ending ankle injury to Marcus Mariota, the franchise quarterback was just 8 of 20 passing, throwing for 99 yards.
I feel for Marcus and hate that his season had to end this way. He's one of the main reasons the Tennessee Titans were even in the position they were in. However, his play against the Jags put the team in a tough spot, starting the game 2 for 8 passing.
On Wednesday, Mike Mularkey told the media that he would have his team ready to play. He felt like they would take care of business and make a statement. He was wrong.
I stand by my tweet and am disappointed in the coaching staff and the players for not doing the job to beat a sub-par Jags team, that didn't deserve to even be in the game.
In understanding the Titans are in the midst of a rebuild but beating the teams you are suppose to beat is a trait of a postseason team. The Patriots do it, the Packers do it and the Seahawks do it. Those teams never let you down and always take care of business at the end of the regular season. The Titans just aren't there yet.
The loss hurts and will linger for a short time because the franchise quarterback will have to fight his way back from injury. But, the future is bright for the Tennessee Titans. This year just doesn't seem like the year we all thought it could be before the Jags game kicked off. It now feels like the offseason is closer than expected.
