Tennessee Titans: Flip The Script

I feel for Lions fans.  I really do.

If anyone can empathize with the loss they suffered this last Sunday, it's Titans' fans.  The Lions started their year out with a big win over the Colts in a tough fought game that they won with a last second field goal.  All they had to do was take down the Titans the following week to start the year out a solid 2-0.  With Green Bay having problems and Teddy Bridgewater out for the season, this could be their year.

The Lions were able to claw ahead of the Titans and get ahead 9-0, and eventually to 15-3, but every time they tried to close the door on the game, they couldn't help but get in their own way.  Touchdown drives were moved back due to holding calls and first downs were repeatedly dropped by receivers with the ball bouncing off their numbers.  The Lions let the Titans hang around, and for once, the Titans made the best of it.

In 2013, The Titans started the year off with a bang taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers.  They followed that game up with an overtime loss to the division rival Houston Texans in a game where they had the win in their hands, and just couldn't seal the deal.

In 2014, The Titans went on the road to take down a very good playoff team in the Kansas City Chiefs.  The next week they hosted a Dallas team that looked horrible week one and many pundits said were done.  The Titans lost that game 26-10 and couldn't find a way to come back from an early deficit.  As we all know they only won one other game that year.

Last year, the Titans started again in dramatic fashion by dominating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a showdown of the rookie quarterbacks, only to have a Johnny Manziel led Cleveland Browns team take them down the following week.

The Titans were never really in the driver's seat during those second games, but there have been plenty of close losses over the years that they handed to the other team.  Much like the Lions did this last weekend. The inability to put teams away is one the traits that this team has needed to shake.  Just look back one week.  The Titans dominated the Vikings in almost every statistical category, but 2 defensive touchdowns allowed the Vikings to come from behind and steal the game.

The inability to come from behind has obviously been lacking as well.  The last three years, the Titans got down early in their second game and never could dig out of their hole.  This last weekend , the Titans were able to do what they haven't done in years and cause the opposing team to be the recipient of the bad beat.  The Titans hung around.  The Titans played smart football.  The Titans came from behind and won.

It may be cliche to point out that a team with 5 wins in 2 years needs to learn how to win, whether it's by keeping the lead or making a come back.  But at least for this week, the Titans did exactly that.  They flipped the script on the past, and can hopefully now write a new future.  Hopefully they can string 2 wins together for the first time in over 2 years.