Mloe68

I’m sure the Ravens thought that same thing. Two biggest keys to January are being hot and healthy. They’ve got both. But other than Jones so de we. And I agree we are better. Let’s do this!

What he did is pretty easy to do if you don't take a close look at it.

Titans defense is better across the board than the Texans but very average overall. I will say over the last month the Titans were number 4 in red zone defense and number 1 in red zone offense. This is a bigger threat than the Texans. And Vrabel looks much more competent than OBrien. Its a definite contrast of styles which can sometimes mitigate a talent advantage (which we have). Spags was SO good at coming up with schemes to stop those vaunted Patriots offenses. The looks he gives here on defense are so crucial. As well as the Chiefs limiting mistakes and finishing in the red zone.

You need to read those stats closer. According to that list the Patriots have the worst defense in the NFL and the Cardinals have the best. Its being ranked by yardage given up. The most yardage allowed is 1st.

Not sure where your getting your stats. The Texans were 19th in total D, 29th vs the pass and 32nd in the red zone. Tennessee was a better defense across the board.

I think there's no way Leigh Steinberg is going to let this thing get past this offseason especially after the dislocated kneecap scare. Just too much money on the line for Mahomes to risk a major injury and lose the big pay day. They basically know what the new CBA will look like. And also realize we are just a few years away from a TV/streaming contract which will likely mean another big bump to the salary cap pool. I think both are served well to get this done sooner rather than later. The contract can easily be structured to give the Chiefs much of the CAP relief they already had in the rookie deal too. Keeping that wide open Super Bowl window though 2021.

While true I also believe you have to put yourself in a position where one bad call doesn't end your season. I still think we would have won that day with Mahomes at QB. But I'm very glad they let Alex play it out.

From my perspective at the game all I could say at the time was what? Forward progress? That can't be the right call. It was so unfathomable that I really thought people heard it wrong and were confused. When I found at later that indeed was the call. I was floored. That's beyond awful.

No.

It dawned on me we are kind of playing a version of the 1991 Chiefs without quite as good of a RB or QB. Martyball led us to 11 wins and our first playoff win since the 1960s. But we also had a great play action deep passing game that capitalized on so much attention going to Okoye. DeBerg finished with 23 TDs, 4 INTs in the best season of his long career.

I just saw 22 at kickoff. Partly sunny. Wind 10-15. Wind chill in the teens. Cold. Running game weather. But then again I saw the Titans haven’t played a game below 45 all year. We’ve been playing in some bad/cold weather pretty much the last month.

His annoying habit of going MIA in January probably is not making Veachs decision easy.

What scares me about Chris Jones being out again is how bad our rush defense was in the second half of that last playoff game after he left with injury. 130 yards, TD. Gonna take a major group effort.

I disagree. This year with a young cheap QB we only have one WR with a CAP hit of more than 2.1 million this year. Watkins won’t be back next year as Hardman and Hill take over as starters. We likely sign a cheaper veteran and draft a developmental guy later. And Mahomes will still be cheap. Really good blend of money spent in my opinion. And notion a good QB doesn’t need weapons is very flawed. Ask Aaron Rodgers.

Starters under club control in 2021 and likely to be here based on contract offense: Schwartz, Fisher, Hill, Hardman, Kelce, Mahomes defense: Clark, Nnadi, Saunders, Okafor, Mathieu, Thornhill kicker: Butker CAP space 89 million

I don’t agree at all. I think we will have a loaded roster through 2021. I think we are better next year as defensive turnover continues and that’s SPAGs MO as well. If Mahomes deal is extended this offseason the big CAP hits are not coming during this 5 year stretch we have rookie contract control. After 2021 we will likely see a younger team. Until then expect us to be one of the favorites if not the favorite every year. It wouldn’t surprise me to see 4 straight AFC Title games here.

LJ only getting 13 carries against the leagues worst run defense was grounds for termination in itself. That Colts team was loaded with pass rushers who just teed off on Trent Green.

I guess this is a simple biproduct of being one of the last four standing. If you can’t figure out an original storyline with all the extra media attention, you create one.

Again thats why that tweet was so short sighted to think at 14-0 against the leagues top ranked offense, the game was over. The Ravens responded with three straight drives into FG range and should have cut lead to 14-9. When they didn't. The closer did his job. The Ravens should have run the ball a lot more than they did. They became something they were not. And the Titans had them. I understand all that. And I do understand your point. I just think when a guy is running at 50-60 percent of your total offense and getting the ball 60 percent of the time....he's always one of the primary reasons for the result. The Titans MUST have a passing game too. Maybe more than we need a running game. But I have no doubt in the overall defensive game plan, that containing Derrick Henry is at the top of the list. Without Jones that becomes tougher. But hopefully Andy understands the offense may be the best defense against Henry. In the end. All I care about is finding a way to win this game. Orthodox or not.

I like the AS11 comparison. Alex would have been good enough to get to a Super Bowl if he was asked to do less as Tannehill does. Both are capable of spot big performances and delivering when the other team is really focused elsewhere. As we will certainly be. Maybe the best game to find a plan for other than the last Titans game itself was how we played the NFCs best running back Dalvin Cook. Clearly containing him was the focal point of the game plan. And like Tennessee we couldn't ignore the WRs. But we made Cook work for everything and put the game on the squarely on the shoulders of Kirk Cousins. If we can duplicate that effort in this game, we will be headed for Miami.

And this speaks to the heart of the importance of a complimentary passing game for them and running game for us. But also if you read about how Vrabel has adjusted to the way teams defend Henry, they adapted their play calling accordingly after 6 weeks. Specifically how they run the ball. Make no mistake. The number one reason the Titans win is Derrick Henry. It does not however mean others aren't heavily involved. This is a team game. The game was over? What? It was a one possession game for goodness sakes!! Baltimore had all the momentum they lost by going for it on 4th down. That's for sure. And Derrick Henry made them pay. 5 of the next 6 plays went through Henry who finished the drive with 75 yards and a TD pass of all things. Now the score is 21-6 and the Ravens were completely rattled. 31 of their 53 offensive plays went to Henry. His presence opened up major opportunity in the passing game early to take the lead. His running ability is what put the game out of one possession reach and of course milked the game away as it did in NE. Meanwhile the Ravens were taken out of the style that got them to where they were. WAY to much passing. That's how you beat the Ravens though. You make them pass. Do the same to the Titans and we will likely get a similiar result. In this league you try to minimize the damage the other teams best players have and put the game on the shoulders of the pawns rather than the queen. Tannehill hasn't thrown for even 100 yards in either playoff win. He's great in a limited role as a functional part of the offense that goes through Henry carrying the load. If he's asked to be focal point, they usually lose which is why he's in Tennessee to begin with. Its not about a yardage number or anything like that. Its about finding a way to minimize Henry's impact. And that could certainly mean taking away play action opportunities by scoring a lot of points too.

Based on what I've seen and heard though I do think Mahomes is really good at finding extra motivation and having fun with it while he pulverizes you.

I heard this and I think he was specifically talking about Watsons mobility in the pocket.

I just have to shake my head about the lack of perspective every time I read something like this. When the entire design and focus of a defense is to stop one guy it creates much easier opportunities elsewhere. Even as Henry didn’t have the big numbers yet, his impact was gigantic. I read some of the same stuff about Tyreek in last years AFC Title game. BB dedicated a corner and safety to him on every play. Fact he only had 1 catch doesn’t minimize his impact as Watkins and Williams ran free. And Tyreek is nowhere near the total percentage of our offense that Henry is to Tennessee. Difference between Henry and most players is you can scheme most guys out of a game and take your chances elsewhere. Bilechick and Harbaugh tried and failed.