The Tennessee Titans fell just short of making the postseason in 2018, finishing with an overall record of 9-7 for the third consecutive year.
And ESPN’s Football Power Index doesn’t exactly give the Titans the benefit of the doubt looking into the upcoming season.
It projected the Titans to do worse than last year, finishing with just eight wins and only a 35 percent chance of making it to the playoffs.
ESPN Titans reporter Turron Davenport had a much more positive outlook, predicting the team to finish out the season with an overall record of 11-5. Earlier in the year, we projected the Titans to end the year with a regular season record of 11-5 as well.
Looking at the schedule ahead, the team faces an immediate challenge with three of their first four games on the road. One of these will be against a what could be a majorly improved Cleveland Browns team that features quarterback Baker Mayfield and the former LSU receiver duo of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
The Titans will also have a trying six-game stretch at the end of the year, which includes four contests against division opponents.
One element that will be key to Tennessee’s success as they attempt to go from “good to great” and finish out with a better record than they have for the past three years is consistency.
The team had some wild ups and downs throughout 2018, falling to teams they should have beaten like the a Buffalo Bills, and capitalizing against stronger teams like the New England Patriots.
General manager Jon Robinson has taken the offseason to put all the right pieces in place for the Titans to finally get clicking on both sides of the ball in 2019.
The only question remaining is as to if the Titans can gain the momentum early on — and push it beyond 16 games.
