Face it Tennessee Titans fans, going into the 2014 season there really wasn't a reason to say, "Wow, I have to watch this team for all 16 game." To a non partial fan of the NFL the only reason to watch the game was to see if this team would get the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Well, the Tennessee Titans didn't get the first overall pick, but they sure made the most of their offseason. In just five months, the Tennessee Titans went from laughing stock, to a team that national media fall over their feet to discuss one way or another.
These are three reasons why the Tennessee Titans will be anything but irrelevant in 2015:
1. Marcus Mariota and Dorial Green-Beckham
Look, we all knew this was going to be the first reason on this list. The Titans have had a revolving door at quarterback that started when Jake Locker was injured the first time. Now that the Titans were in a position to replace Jake Locker, they had a choice between taking the safe player in Leonard Williams, or the player with more upside and flash in Marcus Mariota. For the first time in recent memory, the Titans decided to roll the dice and take a player that most people liked, but that everyone talked about.
Now the Tennessee rookie is being mentioned in talks for being one of the favorites to win rookie of the year (tied for second overall here).
Also, speaking of Tennessee taking flashy players over solid players, there was no move more evident of that than taking Dorial Green-Beckham over an offensive tackle like Jake Fisher or Donovan Smith.
The Tennessee Titans put a lot of effort and resources into making this team a very dynamic team to watch on offense, and they will definitely draw a lot of eyes nationally.
2. Dick LeBeau
If the national viewers come for the offense as I stated above, then they will stay for the defense.
Dick LeBeau hand picked the edge rushers and defensive backs for this team, in addition to inheriting one of the best defensive linemen in the league in Jurrell Casey. Dick LeBeau has made opposing offenses looks foolish for decades now, and the Titans are now lucky enough to have him in the building.
If the Titans can get anything out of him even remotely close to his elite level of production with the mediocre Pittsburgh Steelers defensive personnel he has had the past few years, then this team should be a significantly improved on defense and it will be very evident.
3. Jameis Winston
This may be an odd inclusion on this list, but hear me out.
Jameis Winston is the complete opposite of Marcus Mariota. He is loud, he has had his off the field issues, he is an interception machine, and people have no questions about the system he comes from (which they should considering that Christian Ponder and E.J. Manuel were also first round quarterbacks out of Florida State...) so he will always be compared to the Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback.
That combined with their week one match up has all the potential of something that the preseason media over hypes to promote this potential 10-year storyline.
Whether or not they want this, both Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston will be linked forever throughout their football career, and this race against Jameis Winston will make Marcus Mariota even more interesting.