This offseason, many teams across the AFC have improved significantly, and it looks like at least half a dozen teams in the conference have a real shot at winning Super Bowl LVII.
Somewhat lost in the shuffle are the Tennessee Titans, who went 12-5 in 2021, winning the AFC South and suffering a tough playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The team dealt with some key injuries, and therefore has to be feeling good about its potential for the upcoming 2022 campaign.
Perhaps the Titans are not a viable championship contender, but they do have the potential to make some serious noise.
Will Derrick Henry Still Be A Monster?
In 2020, running back Derrick Henry had a season to remember, rushing for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns, leading all tailbacks in both categories while also being named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro First-Team.
It came on the heels of a very strong 2019 season in which he posted 1,540 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
This past year, Henry looked to be on his way to another beastly campaign when he accumulated 937 yards and 10 touchdowns in the first eight games of the schedule.
Then he suffered a Jones fracture in his foot, and although he returned in the Divisional Round playoff contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, he only managed 62 rushing yards in that game.
Tennessee will need Henry to return to at least the level he was at in 2019 in order to have a real shot at being the best version of itself in 2022.
This Derrick Henry hype video is well done: pic.twitter.com/2HYG074tKQ
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 20, 2022
Robert Woods Will Be Key
In A.J. Brown, the Titans have a Pro Bowl-level receiver who can help take some pressure off Henry and allow quarterback Ryan Tannehill to do his thing on a consistent basis.
But it takes more than one wideout to have a successful offense in the National Football League, and that’s why they went ahead and snatched Robert Woods from the world champion Los Angeles Rams.
In nine games this past season, Woods had 556 yards and four touchdowns, and he is a reliable playmaker, as evidenced by his low drop rate.
Welcome to the 615, @robertwoods! pic.twitter.com/GyCnvXl8if
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) March 29, 2022
However, he is coming off an ACL injury he suffered in November, and it is thought he won’t be ready to participate in football activities until training camp.
Tennessee also brought in tight end Austin Hooper, who is not only adept at catching passes but also at blocking.
Its passing attack, which was mediocre in many areas in 2021, should improve at least somewhat this coming year.
The Defense Is Still Strong
In 2021, the Titans ranked sixth in points allowed and second in rushing yards allowed, and there is reason to believe that they will repeat that type of defensive production.
They were able to re-sign linebacker Harold Landry, who had 12 sacks, 75 tackles (51 solo) and 22 QB hits last season en route to a Pro Bowl nod.
In Kevin Byard, Tennessee also has an All-Pro First-team safety, and Jeffery Simmons is a Pro Bowl defensive tackle who had 8.5 sacks in 2021.
In the end, the Titans are very capable of upsetting at least one frontline Super Bowl contender, and if all the stars align, they could get to the big game themselves.
Leave a Reply