Titans are still in denial

The Tennessee Titans walked out of LP Field in last year's home playoff loss to Baltimore feeling like the best team didn't win. Defeat was blamed on a missed delay of game call on rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. That critical third down conversion late in the game lead to a winning field goal for the Ravens. Coaches, players, and fans alike dismissed it as such, eagerly awaiting a 2009 season full of promise and unfinished business for the Titans. No one would have predicted a league worst pass defense and 0-2 start.

Even more alarming than the 0-2 start for Tennessee is the cavalier attitude they have about losing. After their week one overtime loss to Pittsburgh, several Titans players were quoted as saying the Steelers got lucky and would lose that game nine out of ten times. Fans bought their story, after all, Tennessee did beat the Steelers convincingly last season. That's...last season. Everyone (including me) thought the Titans would bounce back and crush the Houston Texans in week two. After all, Tennessee was 13-3 last year. Houston laying a Texas sized egg in a week one fiasco against the New York Jets only helped that feeling. The Texans erased a 14 point deficient and all world performance from Chris Johnson to win the game late. How did the Titans respond? Deny, deny, deny. Corner back Chris Hope went as far as to say that the coaches were unable or unwilling to make adjustments when Matt Shaub and Andre Johnson torched the Titans secondary all game long. It was the scheme. It was the weather. The dog ate my homework. Hey Tennessee, no one is buying it anymore. You've lost your last four games dating back to last year. The best team is not winning.

Ground Hog Day for Titans

The Tennessee Titans lost 13 - 10...again. The Titans turned the ball over and beat themselves...again. Head coach Jeff Fisher is crying about a game changing blown call after the game....you guessed it, again. Didn't we see this the last time the Titans played a meaningful game? You know, that divisional round debacle against Baltimore. The ghost of the Ravens continue to hover over this team. It's something about the style of play of Baltimore, a psyche if you will. Whatever it is, it gives the Titans fits. Not many teams are equipped to punch the Titans back in the mouth. The few that do and Baltimore specifically, seem to have Tennessee's number. Pittsburgh is a team that can punch back. For a minute, I forgot it was the Steelers. Tight end Bo Scaife fumbled the ball in a crucial part of the game last night. The same way fellow tight end Alge Crumpler did in last year's playoff loss to Baltimore. The defense could not get off the field on third down late in the Baltimore game, the same as last night. It's one thing to be physically outclassed. It's another thing to "give away" games to the same types of teams. I had the same sickening feeling about Tennessee's chances as the game wore on last night. I couldn't put my finger on it, I just felt it. I just knew it. Everything in the Titans body language said "we can't beat Baltimore" last night. They have 10 days to understand that Houston is the opponent next week.