I was talking to a Titan's fan yesterday and I made the comment that I thought Jacksonville & Houston were on their way up and that they could challenge Tennessee this season. He looked at me in amazement as if that was an impossibility and began ranting how Billy Volek was great off the bench, that the Titans were one of the best at scouting and developing talent, that Kearse & McCareins weren't big losses, and how none of the coaches left. And I began thinking even more about why I thought the Titans would lose a step. And I came up with several factors that can effect even the best teams. * Predictability - Teams that have success like the Titans and Patriots certainly get more looks as far as teams trying to figure out what they are doing to be successful. It's only a matter of time in this day and age that teams figure it out and slow them down. Or figure their defense out and exploit the weaknessess. * Injury - Obvious and uncontrollable, but can destroy even the best team's ability to go deep into the playoffs. * Chemistry - The smallest changes can effect team chemistry in a negative way. It can create confidence issues and even conflicts causing a lack of production. * Competition - In the Titan's case, they have to play the Colts who have an amazing offense and up-and-coming defense, the Jags who will have a top 5 defense soon and Leftwich & company and soon to be high powered Houston. As the competition gets better, wins come harder to come by. * Age - The Titans made very few changes and the team is aging. This has various effects that will show as the season wears on. Sometimes it is unnoticable.
* Predictability - Teams that have success like the Titans and Patriots certainly get more looks as far as teams trying to figure out what they are doing to be successful. It's only a matter of time in this day and age that teams figure it out and slow them down. Or figure their defense out and exploit the weaknessess. An area were we just got even harder to predict is on offense now that we have three TE's that can be a threat in the passing game and two o them i know for sure are great blockers (see: A. Smith touchdown XXXVIII...Peppers dominated 1 on 1 by Graham to open hole) plus all our 5 wide variations and we all know the unpredictablility of our defense which is Belichick's specialty. * Injury - Obvious and uncontrollable, but can destroy even the best team's ability to go deep into the playoffs. We proved to be deeper than anyone can imagine last season and I believe we only got deeper especially on defense and in the WR/TE core this season. * Chemistry - The smallest changes can effect team chemistry in a negative way. It can create confidence issues and even conflicts causing a lack of production. Dillon is the only change that could affect this but I'm not worried about this season * Competition - In the Titan's case, they have to play the Colts who have an amazing offense and up-and-coming defense, the Jags who will have a top 5 defense soon and Leftwich & company and soon to be high powered Houston. As the competition gets better, wins come harder to come by. If anything I think the Jets (no defense) and Bills (as long as Cementhead is QB) just don't have it but the Phins never go away...at least for the first half. * Age - The Titans made very few changes and the team is aging. This has various effects that will show as the season wears on. Sometimes it is unnoticable We are old at LB right now and RB considering Dillon but we have succeeded at getting younger each year and won with plenty of Rookies or young guys that haven't played getting playing time and even starting time in some cases last season. Overall I agree that the Titans may have taken a step back but when I look at my own team it at least appears we have taken precautions against these types of things and are more conscience than some other organizations about these intangilbles.
And this is why Belichick is a great coach. He's trying to minimize problems caused by intangibles. I think he's one of the best at "mixing" it up as far as the offense goes. Talent goes only so far. The strategy and scheme is very important to keeping opposing defenses guessing.
I assume you meant Defense in your post SF because although Bill has final say I think alot of the offense has more to do with Weis than Belichick seeing as wise is the guy who has been a huge part of grooming Brady and the passing game into what it is. When we lose him after this season either to a head job in the NFL or college I see that as a big ? for the next season though I assume belichick has someone either on his staff being groomed or and outside person he has in mind already. Either way I would rather just give him Top O-Coordinator money to keep him around because This staff as a whole is solid and changing Coordinators especially on the Offensive side will be scary.
I did mean offense, but only because I think it's a general philosophy of Belichick to "mix" it up. Yes, he's a defensive guy, but I think his overall philosophy is to keep changing so that your opposition never gets comfortable... and that's what I respect the most.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>...none of the coaches left.</div> Their LB coach left. Cunningham is once again our defensive coordinator. (thank God!)
Ok well Rob Ryan left...ooooooo We are all done. I meant Coordinators smart ass. Yes Gunther should be an upgrade there but lets just hope the stopless game VS. the colts didn't crush their confidence.
I don't know Pats... that one coach could have been the glue holding your team together! The Pats are going down!...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pats37)</div><div class='quotemain'>Yes Gunther should be an upgrade there but lets just hope the stopless game VS. the colts didn't crush their confidence.</div> Remember for as bad as it looked, it was still only a 7 point game. The ineptitude of the Colts defense has gone largely overlooked. One Holmes fumble could've cost us getting to OT in that game. Besides, I don't really think Vermeil will allow it to become a mental block.
it very well could be...but there are still many possibilities... Carolina came out of nowhere last year(i called em goin to the super bowl)
KC, Oh the colts were equally terrible on defense that never went overlooked on our side because after that game I was worried about Peyton but knew that Brady would be able to put up plenty of points on Indy's swiss cheese defense. Indy has just as many ?? on defense going into this season though and it's time for Dungy to earn back that Defensive coach title he has from Tampa.
I have to agree. The Colts defense looked great in spots this year and that wasn't one of those times. If Dungy can pull it together over the next few seasons though, watch out! I will surprise me if the Pats don't make it to at least the second round of the playoffs. From there, it's anyone's game.
I agree Pats37. Dungy is a pretty good defensive mind. I keep waiting for him to turn their bad fortunes around on that side of the ball. Maybe he will wait one more year and let my Chiefs sneak in a bowl before Priest and Trent Green are all used up!
How bout you hope we let you sneak in first....because it's coming through New England again. haha I hate the colts!!!! for bitching after losing the AFC champ game. The Colts and Rams could dissapear and I would not be fazed. Also the Oakland A's can go cry a river as well. Another team that claims we cheated everytime we beat them.
You did cheat to win against the Raiders... and since you bring up cheating, the Raiders have never cheated to win. They are the most upstanding franchise in the NFL... maybe even squeaky clean... Ok, my fingers hurt from too much sarcasm....
I see SF is in a mood since this is the second wise ass remark I've read from you this HUMID friday morning. First the redheaded crack which I'm not....but my goatee is...go figure. But anyways The raiders game was the only one there is a case though they had 8-9 more plays to stop us and overtime so....no excuses.
lol... hornery... yes, in a mood, never. What am I a woman? Ok, don't answer that... I'm just playin' Pats... it's not like I can make fun of the Patriots.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>What am I a woman?</div> Well, you did play fantasy football like a girl!
