Coming off a year where the Tennessee Titans finished second in the AFC East to the Houston Texans with a 9-7 record, and missing the playoffs by being eliminated due to the tiebreaker rules, the Titans are looking to improve in the 2012-2013 season. The biggest story going on with the Titans this year is how long they will keep Matt Hasselbeck as the starting quarterback, and when they will turn the team over to second year quarterback Jake Locker. Matt Hasselbeck is a fourteen year veteran that has a dual role on the team. He is in charge of running the offense, while grooming the younger Locker into a formidable quarterback for the future of the franchise. At 36, Hasselbeck does not have much left in his career, but is still the best option for the team at least for one more year. We got a small dose of Jake Locker last year, while Hasselbeck was hurt, and he did not produce very much as a starter. He went 0-2 as a starter, but those two losses came to the Falcons and Saints, both of which are very good teams. For now, I believe that Hasselbeck's job as a starter is safe, but if he doesn't perform well this year the Titans may play for the future and replace him with Locker, in order to get him game experience.
As for the rest of the Titans team, they return most of their team with just a few changes . Tennessee added wide receiver Kendall Wright from Baylor to a very good receiving core that includes Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and tight end Jared Cook. Wright brings a deep threat into the equation, and gives the quarterbacks another good target to throw to. You can't talk to about the Titans without talking about running back Chris Johnson. Johnson who has been one of the elite backs in the league the last few years, has a down season last year where he had barely over 1,000 yards, but claims that he is still one of the top backs in the league. The defense stays pretty much the same, but they did lose their top corner in Cortland Finnegan to the Rams. The Titans were able to add linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to help the front seven on the defense.
Tennessee went 9-7 in 2011, with a 3-3 record in the AFC South. Their schedule gets a little easier in 2012 where they only have four games against teams that made the playoffs in 2011. They still have some tough games against teams that have improved, like the Bills and Lions. The Houston Texans are by far the biggest competition in the AFC South, with the Colts and Jaguars both in a rebuilding process. The Titans went 1-1 last year against the Texans last year, their loss a 41-7 beat down and their win a one point win in the last week of the season. The good news for the Titans is the Texans lost Mario Williams on defense and did not get much better in the offseason. The other plus is that the Texans typically under produce and are very inconsistent. With the easier schedule and improved offense the Titans have a very good chance of making the playoffs in 2012, as long as they stay healthy and Chris Johnson returns to his previous form. Hasselbeck is a good leader that should keep the team focused throughout the season and can get the ball to the receiving core to make plays. If they make the playoffs, they probably will not be a championship contender, due to the other top teams in the AFC. They are a young team that has potential to cause problems for other teams this year and have a bright future ahead of them in the years to come.
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