So where do the Titans go from here?

[Maple Leafs]

The over is looking pretty good right now...

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Under.

Come on guys, we've seen this far too frequently before:

2003: Kansas City Chiefs
2004: Pittsburgh Steelers
2005: Indianapolis Colts
2006: Baltimore Ravens
2007: Green Bay Packers

Every year, there's a team that seemingly rises up out of nowhere to have an incredibly strong season. Inevitably, that team runs out of steam before getting to the Super Bowl. Further, it usually happens when that super-awesome team clinches everything early, and has nothing really to play for for a few months.

The Titans may have everything wrapped up by Week 14 this year, so it seems they are doomed to follow the pattern.

Rather, at least one of the inevitable Super Bowl participants will likely be a team that flamed out after after a strong 2007 season and squeaks into the 2008 post-season.

Thus, I'd argue that I like the chances of the Packers or Colts to make the Super Bowl better than the Titans.

Bump.

Add the 2008 Titans to my above list.

Also, although I missed out on my Colts/Packers guesses, the Ravens fit my statement's mold as well (at least if it is a team that flames out after a strong "2006" season ).

[Buccaneer]

Titans far exceeded expectations this season. As long as they don't have to let VY QB, they'll do ok.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Izulde

I don't see the Titans even making the AFC championship game.

Wow, I actually called it.

[Jas_lov]

Maybe the Titans will realize now that they need a better QB. Anybody but a washed up alcoholic or Vince Young, and they should be in good shape.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Maybe the Titans will realize now that they need a better QB. Anybody but a washed up alcoholic or Vince Young, and they should be in good shape.

Tavaris Jackson? Brett Favre?

[Jas_lov]

You're right, I forgot about Favre who single handidly cost his team a playoff spot. The point was that the Titans need to upgrade their QB if they want to win a playoff game with this team.

[RainMaker]

I don't see how this one falls on Kerry Collins. Sure he's not an elite QB, but those are rare. They should have won that game. Two costly fumbles and a bad call on the final drive hurt them. Not to mention the loss of Chris Johnson.

I think people overreact to losses like this. If Alge Crumpler doesn't fumble there, we are all praising Tennessee and talking about how Baltimore needs to bring in some wide receivers.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Titans far exceeded expectations this season. As long as they don't have to let VY QB, they'll do ok.

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Maybe the Titans will realize now that they need a better QB. Anybody but a washed up alcoholic or Vince Young, and they should be in good shape.

As a longtime Titans fan yes I agree Young trade if they can for a third rounder tomorrow and let KFC take a walk. I will say though he played a great game and may almost no mistakes the bad penalties and fumble is what along with the cheap shot on Chris Johnson by Ed Reed cost them the game. I hope the Titans draft a CB and WR and round 1-2. The real reason they couldn't score is what haunted them since Derick Mason left no WR threat at all.

[Crim]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't see how this one falls on Kerry Collins. Sure he's not an elite QB, but those are rare. They should have won that game. Two costly fumbles and a bad call on the final drive hurt them. Not to mention the loss of Chris Johnson.

I think people overreact to losses like this. If Alge Crumpler doesn't fumble there, we are all praising Tennessee and talking about how Baltimore needs to bring in some wide receivers.

I suspect we might be talking about this next week.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think people overreact to losses like this. If Alge Crumpler doesn't fumble there, we are all praising Tennessee and talking about how Baltimore needs to bring in some wide receivers.

Absolutely. Tennessee's lack of discipline & ball security is what cost them the game, and that really shouldn't happen in a playoff game. I'll bet Jeff Fisher has been just sick since the game ended.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Absolutely. Tennessee's lack of discipline & ball security is what cost them the game, and that really shouldn't happen in a playoff game. I'll bet Jeff Fisher has been just sick since the game ended.

Not to mention the zebras pulling a few questionable flags on the Titans for unsportsmanlike conduct and not calling that delay of game after zero was on for 2 seconds. Still agree the Titans have no one to blame but themselves. Maybe they go after McNabb after he is jettisned by the Eagles unless they win the SB.

[albionmoonlight]

Hmmm...wonder what made me decide to go into a bizarre Kerry Collins defense in this thread. Must have been a weird mood.

[Buccaneer]

From Peter King, fwiw

Vince Young gives off about the worst body language of any backup quarterback I've ever seen.

I was in the Titans' locker room Thursday for 45 minutes and never saw a sign of Young, who lockers next to Kerry Collins and a couple of stalls down from third-stringer Chris Simms. Collins and Simms enjoyed the time in media-access, talking to an out-of-town reporter or two about their team, their old teams, Brett Favre, the Browns hiring Eric Mangini and anything else that came up. Nice, easy conversation. No Young. That's par for the course, one Titans source told me. Young's not one to pal around or shoot the breeze much with Collins.

On Saturday, a few minutes before the opening kickoff of the playoff game against Baltimore, there was Young, the once and perhaps future quarterback king of Tennessee, sitting alone on the bench. Out on the field, loosening up between the Martina McBride rendition of the anthem and the start of the game, was Collins, throwing to a receiver with Simms throwing the ball back.

Before the opening kickoff, Collins and Simms talked together, with Young still on the bench. And often during the game -- except when the three quarterbacks gathered between series with offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger -- Young was away from the action, just watching in his Titans' coat. Maybe there were times when he suggested something to Collins or Heimerdinger, but I never saw it.

When Collins took Young's job early in the season, I wrote that Young was rebuffing Collins' attempt to take him under his wing and show him how to rebound from adversity and become a better player. From what I saw this week, Young's still not willing to listen. A shame. It'll be interesting to see how the Titans, with the sudden arrival of the offseason, handle the Young story. I'd be surprised if they didn't aggressively try to re-sign Collins, whose contract is up. Where would signing Collins leave Young? My feeling is the Titans will look to move him. That's going to be the big story of the Tennessee offseason.

Salary cap-wise, the Titans are under no immediate pressure to move Young. The third-year quarterback's 2009 cap number is a very palatable $4.6 million, but it jumps to $14.2 million in 2010. And if they either cut him or trade him in 2009, he would count as $7.74 million on their cap in 2009 because of the pro-rated signing bonuses and guarantees that would come due immediately. The Titans haven't reached the point of no return with Young the way they did with Pacman Jones a year ago; it's not even close. But they might figure that a $7.74-million cap hit would be a small price to pay to be rid of the Young distraction if they can re-sign Collins.

One big factor in Young's future: Owner Bud Adams, a Texan through and through, loved the pick of Young in the 2006 draft. I doubt he'd be happy with giving up on Young after three star-crossed years. Would he draw a line in the sand and say to Jeff Fisher and GM Mike Reinfeldt, "You can't trade or release Young?'' He might.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Maybe they go after McNabb after he is jettisned by the Eagles unless they win the SB.

McNabb and Andy are safe for next season after winning the Minnesota game (perhaps before with the Dallas thrashing).

Not even McNabb haters (except for the really dumb ones) can deny that five NFC Championship appearences in eight years is pretty good for a QB/Coach combo.

[RedKingGold]

Also, Donovan's performance over the past three games has been really underrated, if anything.

After watching quite a few Eagles games over the McNabb era, I can't remember Donovan ever making as good of reads or throwing as accurately as he has against Dallas, Minnesota, or New York. Even with TO, McNabb still was horrendously inaccurate at times and forced the ball a bit too much.

We've actually seen a glimpse of the old McNabb recently. He has had great escapability and only a handful of sacks against the three best NFC defenses in 2008. Comparing McNabb's velocity to Manning's on Sunday proved that Donovan still has a pretty underrated arm.

All told, I think that if the McNabb of the past few weeks shows up in Arizona, Philadelphia will win the NFC Championship quite easily.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

From Peter King, fwiw

Vince Young gives off about the worst body language of any backup quarterback I've ever seen.

I was in the Titans' locker room Thursday for 45 minutes and never saw a sign of Young, who lockers next to Kerry Collins and a couple of stalls down from third-stringer Chris Simms. Collins and Simms enjoyed the time in media-access, talking to an out-of-town reporter or two about their team, their old teams, Brett Favre, the Browns hiring Eric Mangini and anything else that came up. Nice, easy conversation. No Young. That's par for the course, one Titans source told me. Young's not one to pal around or shoot the breeze much with Collins.

On Saturday, a few minutes before the opening kickoff of the playoff game against Baltimore, there was Young, the once and perhaps future quarterback king of Tennessee, sitting alone on the bench. Out on the field, loosening up between the Martina McBride rendition of the anthem and the start of the game, was Collins, throwing to a receiver with Simms throwing the ball back.

Before the opening kickoff, Collins and Simms talked together, with Young still on the bench. And often during the game -- except when the three quarterbacks gathered between series with offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger -- Young was away from the action, just watching in his Titans' coat. Maybe there were times when he suggested something to Collins or Heimerdinger, but I never saw it.

When Collins took Young's job early in the season, I wrote that Young was rebuffing Collins' attempt to take him under his wing and show him how to rebound from adversity and become a better player. From what I saw this week, Young's still not willing to listen. A shame. It'll be interesting to see how the Titans, with the sudden arrival of the offseason, handle the Young story. I'd be surprised if they didn't aggressively try to re-sign Collins, whose contract is up. Where would signing Collins leave Young? My feeling is the Titans will look to move him. That's going to be the big story of the Tennessee offseason.

Salary cap-wise, the Titans are under no immediate pressure to move Young. The third-year quarterback's 2009 cap number is a very palatable $4.6 million, but it jumps to $14.2 million in 2010. And if they either cut him or trade him in 2009, he would count as $7.74 million on their cap in 2009 because of the pro-rated signing bonuses and guarantees that would come due immediately. The Titans haven't reached the point of no return with Young the way they did with Pacman Jones a year ago; it's not even close. But they might figure that a $7.74-million cap hit would be a small price to pay to be rid of the Young distraction if they can re-sign Collins.

One big factor in Young's future: Owner Bud Adams, a Texan through and through, loved the pick of Young in the 2006 draft. I doubt he'd be happy with giving up on Young after three star-crossed years. Would he draw a line in the sand and say to Jeff Fisher and GM Mike Reinfeldt, "You can't trade or release Young?'' He might.

Thanks Buc good article. I have really soured as most Titans fans on VY and am like alot of Giants fans have of Buress (for obviously different reasons) gone tired of VY and just as soon be rid of him. I am guessing we at least try to trade him for anything maybe a 4th rounder if we are lucky. Maybe the Lions would be willing to gamble on him ad it might be a good fit with low expectations there and a few offensive weapons it might work. I hope either they sign Collins and if not let Sims take over but either way we need to draft a QB in the 4th 5th round who can start to learn from a veteran and then take over in a couple of years.