Tennessee Titans

Every season, almost without fail, the Tennessee Titans put together a win streak. Sometimes they are recovering from an early season slide; sometimes they are leaping out of the blocks; sometimes they are mired in mid-season and emerge without warning as a potential playoff candidate when they were a mere afterthought but weeks before.

Fundamentally, there is no way to tell when the Titans will thump their chests and turn-over teams that aren’t accustomed to being turned over, but I think their run could come early, and if it wasn’t for the coming of age of the Houston Texans they’d be my hot favourites to win the newly softened AFC South.

Why do I think their run will come early? Here’s why: Matt Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck is a season pro, more than accustomed to game managing. The best thing about the Titans offense from the point of view of a veteran passer coming in to the system during a shortened off-season is that the aerial game is little more than a distraction and therefore simple, and doubly therefore the bread and butter of any NFL old boy.

Run-first offenses are tailor-made for the old guard, who can still throw a ball, but haven’t the time or energy to pick-up the nitty-gritty of the playbook. Look at how well Kerry Collins has directed the Titans offense in the absence (now permanent) of Vince Young; look at what Jeff Garcia did with the Eagles a couple of seasons ago; look at how Trent Dilfer won a Superbowl with the Ravens.

You see? Old guys love the run, because it means they can throw!

You see it especially with guys like Hasselbeck, who have been heading a genuine contender for the best part of their career. A pass-first team has to be tight; it has to be extremely precise and coordinated, for the simple matter of risk. And that means you can’t go lobbing the ball to just anyone, like Big Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been known to do when a play breaks down – it means you have to hit your man on the numbers every single time. But a run-first offense buys you time. And old guys love time…

As with all diversions, the Titans passing game has the potential to blow the field wide open. Hasselbeck can still launch the pigskin – no doubt. With him under centre and CJ2K in the backfield, the Titans are more dangerous than ever.

So why does their run come at the start of the season? Good as Hasselbeck is, his back is a wreck and the Titans O-line has to ensure nobody lays a finger on the guy or it could be bye, bye matt; bye, bye season.

Will Hasselbeck end the season on his feet? I hope so – with him healthy and the Titans streaking they could be an outside shot for the playoffs (they may even pip the Texans for the division, but let’s not mention that possibility).

Verdict: a healthy Hasselbeck is a happy Nashville. My prediction is that he won’t play 16 games. A strong start followed by a stumbling finish. I think they will probably need 11-5 to make the playoffs if they are in contention with the Jets/Ravens/Steelers and I think that may be a game or two too far: 9-7 or 10-6 depending on Hasselbeck and no playoffs this year.


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