Titans for real?

[msdmnr2002]

No matter who you've played (opponents combined 17-33 I think?), 7-0 is pretty good.  I think their club matches up well against Indy.  They play the style that the Colts hate - Tough defense, smashing offense. 

That overall record is deceptive, also.  Cincy and KC are a combined 1-14.  The other 5 opponents are all either 4-3 or 3-4.

Looks like they're setting up well for a bye week in the playoffs.  That matchup with us in the second to last week will be a good one.

[jonzr]

Yeah, 12/21 is looming much larger than when the season started.  I think they're for real.  The defense is back and the offense is good enough.

They're still built to play in the AFC Central.

[Preacherman0]

Honestly?

No, I'm not buying it, even after last night.

I'm sorry but I think Kerry Collins is the white Kormel Sewarrd.  You can cover for his faults with a great running game for a while, but eventually it's going to bite you in the butt.  Keep in mind that it wasn't so long ago that he was replaced by Vince Young. 

The Colts did not do a horrible job defensively vs. their running game, and they moved the ball in pretty big chunks at times, on the ground and through the air.  The ball bounced their way a lot, and eventually that's not going to happen in more than one game.

I like Jeff Fisher, love their defense/oline, but I don't think they are as good as their record.  They're a contender, but they're not that far ahead of anyone else.

[msdmnr2002]

I like Jeff Fisher, love their defense/oline, but I don't think they are as good as their record.  They're a contender, but they're not that far ahead of anyone else.

I agree, I'm not handing them the AFC championship yet.  But I think that style, plus their remaining schedule, will get them to at least 12 wins, possibly as many as 14.  That will get them a top 2 seed.  After that, who knows.

Basically, they aren't going to beat themselves.  The question remains to be answered whether or not they can come out and beat someone.  Down 8 early in the 3rd doesn't qualify as a "come from behind" win IMO, especially when you come out and tie it on the next drive.  Let's see how they do when trailing by double digits.

[aj_law]

The Colts did not do a horrible job defensively vs. their running game, and they moved the ball in pretty big chunks at times, on the ground and through the air.  The ball bounced their way a lot, and eventually that's not going to happen in more than one game.

I like Jeff Fisher, love their defense/oline, but I don't think they are as good as their record.  They're a contender, but they're not that far ahead of anyone else.

I'll sheep it up here.

If you look at the Steeler/Giant and Colt/Titan games from this weekend, I'd say that both the Giants and Titans were the beneficiary of several fortuitous bounces.  I'm not making an excuse, I'm merely bringing it up to illustrate how close these games really are.

The Titans put the ball on the ground, what once, twice, I think?  Colts got zero recoveries.  Deflected INTs too.  Who knows what happens if Harrison doesn't snap that one through the uprights.  And, FWIW, I thought the Gints broke the plane on that goalline stand.  IMO, Pittsburgh was fortunate that the call on the field was he didn't get in.

A bounce here.  A call/non-call there (read:  Kemo holding on the Nate TD that was brought back.  I've seen the referees let much worse go uncalled.  You could read Kemo's lips too.  He kept saying, "I let 'em go.  I let 'em go."  Yes, that infers that he was holding, but it was so brief.  IMO, DT did more jersey grabbing throughout the game.) 

It's such a fine line.

But, that's football, I guess.  It all evens out in the end, right?

[Preacherman0]

But, that's football, I guess.  It all evens out in the end, right?

Honestly, most of the time, I agree.  There are a few egregious calls here and there that you can point to and say, "That may have cost the team the game!"  But for the most part they balance out. 

However, you often have one or two teams in a season that seem to get all the bounces.  Great example from college this year is Vanderbilt.  They were 5-0, with good wins over Auburn and Ole Miss.  Looked to be on their way to a bowl game for sure.  Played tough against Georgia in their first loss. 

Then, they lose to Miss. St. and Duke.  What changed?  Well, they had the worst-ranked offense and worst-ranked defense in the SEC going into those games, but they were leading the league in one stat-- turnover margin.  When they weren't getting turnovers, the losses started coming.

I'm just saying that, at some point, the breaks don't go your way.  I don't see the Titans as a team that can make it happen when they aren't getting the breaks.

Kemo holding on the Nate TD that was brought back.  I've seen the referees let much worse go uncalled.

I've got one major gripe with that call:

WHEN WE GONNA GET SOME LOVE FOR JAMES HARRISON?