The Tennessee Titans took a big step forward in 2016, finishing 9-7 for their first winning season in six years. Marcus Mariota is progressing nicely, becoming the franchise quarterback many thought he would be when he was drafted second overall a couple of years ago.
The Titans slightly outplayed their pythagorean expectation, as they only outscored their opponents by three points a season ago, but the team has a lot of young talent that should continue to improve. Tennessee hasn’t won a division title since 2008 and would love to get over that hump.
It would be a huge ascension if the Titans surprised everybody and won the Super Bowl. It’s extremely unlikely it happens, but if a team in the middle of the pack in terms of favorites is able to surprise everyone in 2017, this is a legitimate candidate. Mariota would love to take a big step forward and become one of the dominant signal-callers in the NFL. If that happens, the ceiling for this team raises considerably.
Super Bowl 52 Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
New England Patriots +310
Dallas Cowboys +1000
Seattle Seahawks +1100
Green Bay Packers +1200
Pittsburgh Steelers +1300
Atlanta Falcons +1500
Oakland Raiders +1500
Kansas City Chiefs +2000
Denver Broncos +2500
New York Giants +2500
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2800
Carolina Panthers +3000
Houston Texans +3000
Arizona Cardinals +3500
Minnesota Vikings +3500
Indianapolis Colts +4000
Tennessee Titans +4000
Baltimore Ravens +4500
Philadelphia Eagles +5000
New Orleans Saints +5000
Cincinnati Bengals +5500
Los Angeles Chargers +6500
Miami Dolphins +6500
Detroit Lions +6500
Washington Redskins +6500
Jacksonville Jaguars +8000
Buffalo Bills +9000
Chicago Bears +12500
Los Angeles Rams +15000
San Francisco 49ers +30000
Cleveland Browns +30000
New York Jets +30000
Key Factors For Winning the Super Bowl
Mariota Becomes A Star – The Titans were conservative with the dual-threat quarterback early in his career and he’s still not a gunslinger like Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers, but he impressed in 2016. Mariota completed 276-of-451 passes for 3,426 yards with 26 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. Mariota added 60 carries for 349 yards and two scores, giving defenses another element to prepare for. If he continues to take care of the ball and increases that yardage total, the Titans should be better offensively in 2017. Most quarterbacks really begin to take off with a few years of experience under their belt at the NFL level, and Mariota seems headed down that path. The Titans beefed up the receiving corps this offseason, adding veteran Eric Decker as well as rookie Corey Davis. They will team with Delanie Walker to give Mariota some nice downfield options.
A Dominant Offensive Line - The Titans were much better last season in part because of the impressiveness by the group protecting Mariota. Jack Conklin and Taylor Lewan are a pair of recent draft picks who have slid in nicely at the tackle positions and are expected to play well once again. If the offensive line keeps Mariota upright and paves holes for the running game, the Titans could be tough to stop. DeMarco Murray ran for 1,287 yards with nine touchdowns a season ago, and hopes to put up more stellar numbers behind a talented group.
Bring The Pass Rush- The Titans finished in the middle of the pack defensively a season ago and can take a step forward if it consistently gets after the quarterback in 2017. Brian Orakpo made the Pro Bowl after registering 10.5 sacks in 2016, while Jurrell Casey was a difference-maker on the inside. Derrick Morgan was another player who regularly got pressure on opposing signal-callers, That trio will lead the way as the Titans hope to become one of the NFL’s better defensive units. There are a lot of things that need to go right for Tennessee to truly get into the conversation for a Super Bowl, but great quarterback play and controlling the line of scrimmage would go a long way in attaining that goal. The Titans are on the upswing, and they would truly speed up the timeline if those three facets clicked.
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