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Preseason Lowdown : Tennessee Titans

What’s the story?

It’s been a rough few years for the Titans ever since the Jeff Fisher era came to a close. This year’s fate is sitting squarely atop the shoulders of QB Jake Locker, who will be playing his first full season (barring another injury) as a starter in his third year in the league.

Leader and commander:

Mike Munchak, who is in his third year as head coach and is probably coaching for his job this season (although, isn’t everyone?). Here’s your random trivia fact for the day: The Oilers (who are now the Titans – here’s a history refresher if you need one) retired Munchak’s number after an illustrious career as a player – so illustrious that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

New kid on the block:

The Titans brought in a lot of new talent in this year’s draft, but perhaps the best of the bunch was their first round pick, Chance Warmack, out of Alabama. Tennessee thrives on it’s running game (and will need to rely on it if Locker struggles early) so bringing in a talented guard like Warmack for run blocking was a great move.

Last year was…

…fairly abysmal for a 6-10 season. The low point might have been their 55-7 loss to the Packers, in which they gave up 55 consecutive points en route to their 5th loss by 20 points or more…that season. Let’s just say no one was happy (except for Packers fans) after that game.

Survey says:

The Titans are perched at 27th in the preseason power rankings, which seems like the right landing spot for a team that has been less-than-mediocre for the past few years. It could be another rough ride with veritable rookie Locker at the helm, or it could be smooth sailing.

Isn’t that helpful?

Preseason Lowdown : Jacksonville Jaguars

What’s the story?

Let’s just suffice it to say that when everyone is talking about your new uniforms rather than your team, it’s probably not the best omen. In other off the field news, the Jaguars have been voted most likely to move to Europe should NFL Europe take off, so there’s that.

Leader and commander:

Gus Bradley, a first time head coach who will hopefully fare better than the previous two head coaches, both of whom only lasted a single season. Apparently there is no room for error, Gus. Good luck!

New kid on the block:

Remember Marcus Trufant? He is now a Jag, and will be reunited with his former Seahawks defensive coordinator for the past 4 years: Gus Bradley.

Last year was…

…a new low. The team finished 2-14, the worst they’ve ever finished in franchise history.

Survey says:

Maybe fans should just be excited about the new uniforms and potential European travels and leave it at that. The Jags are currently holding down the 31st spot on the preseason power rankings. Just like last season’s record, they’re not at rock bottom…but they’re pretty dang close.

Preseason Lowdown : Indianapolis Colts

What’s the story?

The Colts took everyone by surprise last year, and have every intention of solidifying their status as real contenders again this year. With head coach Chuck Pagano back in good health and QB Andrew Luck getting into the groove of his second season, the Colts are poised to do battle with the Texans once again for the #1 spot in the AFC South.

Leader and commander:

Chuck Pagano, everyone’s favorite guy. It’s technically his second year as the Colts head coach but since he missed the majority of last season battling cancer this will be his first full year at the helm.

New kid on the block:

Pep Hamilton, the new offensive coordinator, will be taking over for now Cardinals head coach and former Colts OC Bruce Arians. Those are big shoes to fill, but 38-year old Hamilton already has a head start: he was Andrew Luck’s quarterbacks coach during his senior year at Stanford.

Last year was…

…a dream season. With a rookie QB and a rookie head coach who had to leave the team early in the season to fight cancer, no one would have guessed that the Colts would advance to 11-5 and challenge the Texans for the top spot in the AFC South.

Survey says:

The Colts have a good thing going. They are ranked 10th right now in the preseason power rankings. And aside from matchups with the Niners, Broncos, and divisional rival Texans, they have one of the easiest schedules in the league. It could be another magical season in Indy.

Preseason Lowdown : Houston Texans

What’s the story?

The Houston Texans are relevant. The first decade was rough on the new(ish) franchise with no winning season to be seen until 2009. But they’ve made it to the divisional round of the playoffs for the past 2 seasons and have continued to rise as the star in a division whose only real competition comes from the Colts (we’ll talk about the Jags and Titans tomorrow…prepare to not be amazed). Now that they’ve proven they can play with the big kids, they need to start consistently beating the big kids. This could be a make it or break it season for the Texans.

Leader and commander:

Gary Kubiak, who, after 7 seasons with the team and much success, could find himself looking for a job if this season falls on the “break it” end of the spectrum. He has a reservation for one on the hot seat unless the Texans advance further into the playoffs than ever before.

New kid on the block:

Ed Reed, former Ravens stalwart, will be holding down the defense at safety. Which means with J.J. Watt up front and Reed in the secondary and Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator…well, good luck, offenses of the world.

Last year was…

…under appreciated, only because the Texans are capable of so much more than losing two consecutive divisional title games. They started off fast and furious and ended with the best record in franchise history at 12-4. Not too shabby, but also not fully living up to potential.

Survey says:

The Texans can win the division. They’ve proven that. But they’ll need to prove more than that to solidify their status as a real threat in the AFC (and for everyone to keep their jobs at the end of the season).

Side note: be on the lookout for current defensive player of the year, J.J. Watt, to break Michael Strahan’s sack record. Just for practice, he also breaks the laws of physics, as seen here.

Preseason Lowdown Roundup : AFC East and North

It’s been so good to return to normal around here. If you missed any of this week’s Preseason Lowdown posts, here’s the roundup:

Preseason Lowdown : Buffalo Bills

Preseason Lowdown : Miami Dolphins

Preseason Lowdown : New England Patriots

Preseason Lowdown : New York Jets

Preseason Lowdown : Baltimore Ravens

Preseason Lowdown : Cincinnati Bengals

Preseason Lowdown : Cleveland Browns

Preseason Lowdown : Pittsburgh Steelers

ALSO:

If you find yourself needing a refresher on something specific before the season gets underway, be sure to check out the Sitemap to quickly find what you’re looking for! All of the posts are laid out clearly and organized by category. From advanced to basics to definitions to teams and beyond, you’ll find a whole heap of information from previous posts.

Looking for something that isn’t in a previous post? Tell me! Leave a comment on this post or shoot me an email. I’d love to learn more about your question and answer it in an upcoming post.

Hope everyone is having a great Friday! See you all next week for the lowdown on AFC South and West.

Preseason Lowdown : Pittsburgh Steelers

What’s the story?

The Steel Curtain might be showing some signs of rust. The team is aging. Big Ben is banged up. Free agents fled like the building was on fire. And they’ve decided to subject fans to the vertigo suits again…which just seems like cruel and unusual punishment. But in Pittsburgh, as in most franchises with a history of prolonged success, the framework is solid and the “next man up” philosophy reigns supreme. The potential for catastrophic failure is low.

Leader and commander:

Mike Tomlin (who is always a favorite of mine when he’s wired for SoundFX)

New kid on the block:

Rookie linebacker Jarvis Jones has quite the shoes to fill. He’ll likely earn now-Bengal James Harrison’s starting spot. But he’s a great fit for their system, and with coaching from the legendary Dick LeBeau, he has a chance to shine in his NFL debut.

Last year was…

…a surprise. The Steelers missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record – the first losing season for the Black & Gold since 2006.

Survey says:

This year could be similar to last year. The Steelers are currently holding down the 16th spot – smack dab in the middle of the pack – in the preseason power rankings. The division is getting tougher for the perennial contenders, and they’ll need to prove that they are still the team to beat.