Titans Get all the Breaks and Forget to Win

Coming into today, the Titans had won 6 straight games, and if they won another and had three games break their way, they would get the final wild card playoff spot in the AFC. They needed the Bengals to lose to the Steelers, the Chiefs to beat the Jaguars, and the 49ers to beat the Broncos. The odds against this happening were very long indeed, but that's exactly what happened, and all they needed was a win against a Patriots team at home with nothing to play for and they'd be in.

The weather was rainy and terrible in the first half, and the field was badly chewed up from the rain and the Music City Bowl earlier in the week. Other than one missed Titans' FG though, it didn't seem the weather had too much of an impact on the game. Tennessee just plain got beat and missed out on the playoffs in the process. Between a porous run defense, a non-existent pass rush, a pair of costly turnovers, and a handful of costly penalties, and an inability to score touchdowns instead of field goals inside the Patriots' 20 yard line, they had no chance to win against a superior team.

Thus, the Titans finish the season 8-8, which is remarkable given their 0-5 start, but they'll be left to wonder what might have been had they been able to execute and win today and get into the playoffs. They have momentum headed into the offseason and are looking at a mid-first round pick in the 2007 draft. If they expect to make the playoffs next year, in addition to better execution and less reliance on miracle comebacks, they have to upgrade their personnel at one safety and one CB position, both the offensive and defensive lines, and they need to find a #1 WR because they have a team full of second and third wideouts but no number one WR.

P.S.-- In the Capital One Bowl tomorrow, the Vols take on Penn State on New Year's Day. PSU RB Tony Hunt will get his yards and UT will miss slot receiver Bret Smith, but UT's team speed will be too much and they should take this one, 31-20.

P.P.S.-- I'm a bit under the weather and will likely be spending this New Year's Eve in as a result, but I'm wishing all my friends and family a happy, fun, and safe night ringing in 2007...love you all!