The Power Play: Titans win a game...so now what? A look ahead
Chris Brooks
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: Sports
3. Other key injuries. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan missed three games, and his replacements have not performed well. The other starter at cornerback, Nick Harper, has missed the last two games. Having Finnegan back helps out the pass coverage, but it's not the whole answer. Defensive end Jevon Kearse has also missed the last three games, which has hurt the pass rush.
4. A tough schedule to start with. That overtime loss to Pittsburgh and the Houston game the following week were games the Titans should have won, for various reasons.
The Titans' first seven opponents (and that counts Jacksonville, who has the worst record among the bunch, twice) have a combined record of 32-19. Count the Jags' record just once, and it still comes out to 29-15. Brutal.
Things can get better for the Titans in a hurry. After a trip to San Francisco, the Buffalo Bills come into LP Field on Nov. 15. Two quick wins would put them at 3-6 with a favorable closing stretch to the season. Now, I'm not suggesting that the Titans finish the year with 10 straight wins, that's not likely.
But it's also not likely that they go back into the tank and win less than four games. The schedule's too easy the rest of the way for that to happen. Out of the final nine games, only four take place against teams with winning records. Only two of those (Indianapolis and Houston) come against teams with more than four wins.
So yes, the Titans are still a dismal 1-6. But it could be worse. You could be like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and sitting at 0-7, and have nothing to look forward to except next year's first draft pick.
4. A tough schedule to start with. That overtime loss to Pittsburgh and the Houston game the following week were games the Titans should have won, for various reasons.
The Titans' first seven opponents (and that counts Jacksonville, who has the worst record among the bunch, twice) have a combined record of 32-19. Count the Jags' record just once, and it still comes out to 29-15. Brutal.
Things can get better for the Titans in a hurry. After a trip to San Francisco, the Buffalo Bills come into LP Field on Nov. 15. Two quick wins would put them at 3-6 with a favorable closing stretch to the season. Now, I'm not suggesting that the Titans finish the year with 10 straight wins, that's not likely.
But it's also not likely that they go back into the tank and win less than four games. The schedule's too easy the rest of the way for that to happen. Out of the final nine games, only four take place against teams with winning records. Only two of those (Indianapolis and Houston) come against teams with more than four wins.
So yes, the Titans are still a dismal 1-6. But it could be worse. You could be like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and sitting at 0-7, and have nothing to look forward to except next year's first draft pick.
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