2001 Titans Named the Sixth Most Disappointing Team in the Last 25 Years

ESPN.com did a list of the most disappointing teams of the past 25 years (In$ider), and they had the 2001 Titans in the #6 spot.  That season was particularly tough for the city of Nashville because before the Ravens playoff game the season before we as a city though the Titans were going to make a Super Bowl run every year.  Think about it, the first season here they came up a yard short of forcing overtime in the Super Bowl.  The second season in Nashville they were the best team in the NFL but played a terrible game in the playoffs. 

Everyone in the city just figured that game was a fluke and that the team would bounce right back.  Unfortunately that wasn't the case.  Injuries to Eddie George hurt the team that year, but also helped Steve McNair come into his own as a quarterback.  It also didn't help, as the article mentions, that the secondary couldn't cover anyone all year.  Why?  Two words- DeRon Jenkins.

Here is the blurb from the article about that team:

The Titans went 26-6 in 1999-2000. They were particularly unbeatable at home, winning 16 of their first 17 games played in (then) Adelphia Coliseum. But a shocking 24-14 loss to the Ravens in the playoffs took the shine off their new digs, as Tennessee would go on to lose five home games in 2001 on its way to a disappointing 7-9 record. Injuries to star running back Eddie George were a major culprit, as he managed only 3 yards per carry while playing through toe and ankle injuries. An even bugger culprit was a defense that couldn't get to the quarterback and couldn't cover receivers … any receivers. The Titans' defensive DVOA ranked 30th against No. 1 receivers, 28th against No. 2 receivers and 30th against all other receivers. The bright spot was Steve McNair, who turned in his best season to date and whose development ensured that Tennessee wouldn't stay down for long.