The Official Tennessee Titans Thread II

[TOP]

Too early to tell at this point.


Also look at the weapons he had and the issues with the defense he was playing.

True but he was threading needles and placing perfect balls where only they could get when they were covered. I just thought his accuracy was excellent yesterday. And he appears to have a strong arm.

 

[vol4eva]

As much as I support Whiz, he clearly hasn't changed the culture surrounding this team. It's pathetic to watch.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

As much as I support Whiz, he clearly hasn't changed the culture surrounding this team. It's pathetic to watch.

I'm not sure of that. It's his third game. Can't win with a poor QB.

 

[firestorm]

I got stung by a bee on the hand yesterday.

I couldnt imagine this game would be more damn painful.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

Damn bees.

 

[firestorm]

Overaggresive bengals

 

[firestorm]

Damn bees.

I was shocked and then found why the pain stung by a bee.

 

[firestorm]

Bengals use the vols thing

 

[firestorm]

Finally at least we avoid the damn shutiut

 

[firestorm]

Boys lead sheep 34-24
Game is hot garbage with medocrity

 

[TrueOrange]

True but he was threading needles and placing perfect balls where only they could get when they were covered. I just thought his accuracy was excellent yesterday. And he appears to have a strong arm.

(I said in another post) I feel - especially with QBs - it's better to wait until combine, pro days, and invited workouts. It just gives the chance for the scouts - who know a bit better what being an NFL QB is going to require (I mean, it's their actual paid career; they have to spend all year doing such) - to give better analysis of the player, their abilities, possible issues, etc. (and things like abilities to read what NFL defenses will throw at them or will disguise - as opposed to college defenses, and so on)



The problem with just looking at college games for the position...some of it is the game can just show how well they're able to run the college coach's system, but just well as - with the talent around them - a lot of it can just be how well they're able to exploit the gaps/diffences in things like talent and athleticism between their team and the team they're playing...which happens a lot in college, and a lot less in the NFL.

 

[TrueOrange]

Who here's old enough to remember this being a divisional game in the AFC Central?

 

[GoBigOrangeUT]

Who here's old enough to remember this being a divisional game in the AFC Central?

Used to be Titans, Bengals, Browns and Ravens? Or Steelers?

 

[jjay2518]

Who here's old enough to remember this being a divisional game in the AFC Central?

Those Titans - Ravens games got nasty.

 

[TrueOrange]

Used to be Titans, Bengals, Browns and Ravens?

Forgot the biggest one - Steelers.

And Jaguars (though, clearly, they weren't in until after 1996...and I guess the Browns and Ravens wouldn't have been there at the same time until 1999 if I'm clarifying).




We were really separated from the teams we had the most history with during the 2002 realignment.

 

[firestorm]

Forgot the biggest one - Steelers.

And Jaguars (though, clearly, they weren't in until after 1996...and I guess the Browns and Ravens wouldn't have been there at the same time until 1999 if I'm clarifying).




We were really separated from the teams we had the most history with during the 2002 realignment.

I am born in 1985 been watching nfl since 1997 or 1998 i believe

 

[firestorm]

Boys 2-1 and 2-0 on road

South crowded texans 2-1 colts and titans 1-2 with jags in pit at 0-3

 

[TrueOrange]

I am born in 1985 been watching nfl since 1997 or 1998 i believe

I mean, yeah, we had rivalry with the Jaguars.


But so much more of the Titans/Oilers history were its match ups with the Steelers and Ravens/Browns (not the new one).


Not sure about the Bengals vs Oilers/Titans.

 

[CardsNVols]

Forgot the biggest one - Steelers.

And Jaguars (though, clearly, they weren't in until after 1996...and I guess the Browns and Ravens wouldn't have been there at the same time until 1999 if I'm clarifying).




We were really separated from the teams we had the most history with during the 2002 realignment.

I never understood why they put the Colts in the AFC South and the Ravens in the AFC North. Should have been the opposite. Not only is it more geographically accurate, but it would have kept the Titans, Ravens, and Jags together in the South and the Browns, Bengals, and Steelers together in the North.

 

[GoBigOrangeUT]

Does anybody think Whisenhunt will lead us to a super bowl during his time here?

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Does anybody think Whisenhunt will lead us to a super bowl during his time here?

Way too early to tell

 

[TrueOrange]

I never understood why they put the Colts in the AFC South and the Ravens in the AFC North. Should have been the opposite. Not only is it more geographically accurate, but it would have kept the Titans, Ravens, and Jags together in the South and the Browns, Bengals, and Steelers together in the North.

Well apparently, as part of a settlement by the NFL with the city of Cleveland following the whole 1995 incident with the move, the NFL was legally required (upon restarting up the franchise) that the Bengals, Browns, and Steelers all be in the same division as part of any NFL realignment proposal.


The Steelers also had a pretty strong rivalry/tradition with the Browns franchise that becomes the current Ravens franchise. (As well as, competitive-wise, there were still some strong ties to the Bengals, because of the Ravens having been previously the Browns. I'm guessing the Browns had a same-state rivalry with the Bengals based on the above settlement.)


And I presume they wanted to keep the Browns and Ravens in the same division, because of what all happened regarding the two franchises and the move.


Plus, our franchise didn't really have a strong enough tie/rivalry with the Ravens for it to warrant that much of a pull to move them to the AFC South.


I'm guessing that's mainly what did it, the Browns-Ravens ties and the lack of ties otherwise. The Colts though were pretty separated from all the teams in the AFC East they had history as well.





They did apparently also want to try to create more of a geographic organization of the new divisions.

(The NFL before that point had used the same 6 divisional set up, which apparently, was the same one created win the NFL and AFL merged.)


-----


Here were the realignment plans, though:

Seven plans under consideration for realignment when Houston rejoins the NFL for the 2002 season:

OPTION A1

NFC East: Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle

AFC East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, New York Jets

South: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee

North: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego

———

OPTION A2

NFC East: Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, St. Louis, San Diego, San Francisco

AFC East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, New York Jets

South: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee

North: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, Seattle

———

Option A3

NFC East: Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle

AFC East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, New York Jets

South: Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee

North: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego

———

OPTION A4

NFC East: Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle

AFC East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, New York Jets

South: Baltimore, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville

North: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tennessee

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego

———

OPTION A5

NFC East: Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle

AFC East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, New York Jets

South: Baltimore, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee

North: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Pittsburgh

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego

———

OPTION A6

NFC East: Carolina, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

South: Atlanta, New Orleans, St. Louis, Tampa Bay

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, Dallas, San Diego, San Francisco

AFC East: Buffalo, Indianapolis, New England, New York Jets

South: Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Tennessee

North: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, Seattle

———

OPTION A7

NFC East: New York Giants, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Washington

South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, St. Louis

North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota

West: Arizona, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle

AFC East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, New York Jets

South: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee

North: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego

 

[CardsNVols]

Does anybody think Whisenhunt will lead us to a super bowl during his time here?

Not unless he gets a good QB. Personally, I think he's a fine coach and a pretty good playcaller, but he's definitely not from the Fisher tree. We're not going anywhere under him w/o a legit baller at QB

 

[TrueOrange]

Always liked this article from 2001:

Steelers-Oilers/Titans rivalry plays its final act in Pittsburgh under the Monday night spotlight

Steelers-Oilers/Titans rivalry plays its final act in Pittsburgh under the Monday night spotlight

Monday, October 29, 2001

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Tonight, the best, most intense, most colorful and most important rivalry in Steelers history comes to a conclusion on this end of it.

No team -- not the Bears or the Eagles in the early days, not the Raiders in the Super Bowl years and not even the Browns -- meant as much on the field to the Steelers as the franchise that now calls itself the Tennessee Titans.

Born the Houston Oilers, the Titans end their 31-season history as the Steelers' twice-annual nemesis in the AFC Central Division this year (there was no division in the strike-shortened 1982 season). They play as division opponents for the final time in Pittsburgh when they kick off at 9 p.m. today at Heinz Field. Tennessee's next appearance in Heinz Field won't come until 2005 unless they would meet in the playoffs.

They play one more time, Nov. 25 at Nashville, and then the longtime rivals will go their separate ways -- the Titans to the AFC South and the Steelers to the AFC North.

The Central Division, which began play in 1970 after Dan Rooney's insistence that the Oilers join the Steelers in the division, will disband after the season. The Steelers will play in Nashville next season then not again for three years.

The rivalry between Houston and Pittsburgh ended when the team moved to Tennessee, first to Memphis in 1997 and then to Nashville, but the intensity between the two never waned on the playing field.

"It's certainly going to be different," said Titans General Manager Floyd Reese, who joined the franchise as an assistant coach in 1986. "The rivalry and 'Pittsburgh Week' as we call it, has always been something that you knew was not going to be comfortable but always looked forward to, going way back to when I was coaching and Chuck Noll was coaching. It was always a bloodletting on both teams' parts."

Consecutive AFC championship games, Crazy George driving Noll crazy in the Astrodome with his drum, Bum Phillips' inability to kick the door down, Bum's ropes and stolen cowboy hat, Noll and Jerry Glanville nearly coming to blows, the Briefcase Game, the Steelers improbable overtime victory in the playoffs, Bubby Brister's refusal to play, Bill Cowher's first victory, the Memphis Steelers, matinee melees and enough trash talk to fill a dumpster.

"Every time we played those guys it was like a blood bath," said Tunch Ilkin, a Steelers tackle from 1980-92 and now in their broadcast booth. "There were cheap shots, elbows -- we're cutting them because we know they hated it."

The Steelers have won more division titles than any other team in the Central, 14, and the Oilers/Titans won the fewest of the original four teams with three. But if it weren't for the Steelers, the Oilers might have two -- and maybe three -- Super Bowl championships instead of none. The teams met three times in the playoffs. The Steelers played only one other AFC Central team in the playoffs, Cleveland after the 1994 season.

The Steelers beat the Oilers in consecutive championship games after the 1978 and '79 seasons in Three Rivers Stadium and went on to win their third and fourth Super Bowls. "I think you'd have to say we were the two best teams in football," said Rooney, the Steelers' president.

They also stunned the Oilers in '89 on Gary Anderson's 50-yard field goal to win a playoff game in overtime in Houston.

The individual competition was just as intense since 1970.

"We used to laugh," Reese said, "that after our games, it didn't matter who won or lost that they'd both probably lose next week because we were so beat up after playing each other."

It was that way long before Reese became involved.

First, Rooney insisted that not only Cleveland join the AFC Central with the Steelers in their move from the NFL, but he also wanted the Oilers.

"Getting Houston was a big thing," Rooney said. "Al Davis tried to shoot it down. It was my first argument with him. He said it wasn't set. I said 'This is set!' He said, 'No it isn't.' I said, 'I'm out the door if it isn't set.' "

It was set, and so was the rivalry.

The Oilers, at first, were pathetic. But they made their move in the mid-1970s, just in time to run into the Steelers' dominance. They helped the Steelers into the playoffs in '77 by beating Cincinnati on the final day in a meaningless game for the Oilers. The Steelers' players were so appreciative they bought briefcases for all of the Oilers.

In '78 the Oilers made the playoffs as a wild-card team and lost to the Steelers in the AFC title game. In '79, Houston went 11-5 to make it as a wild card again and lost again in the title game in Three Rivers Stadium. That winter, Phillips, their affable coach, claimed the door to the Super Bowl went through Pittsburgh and promised the Oilers would "kick the damn door in."

They never did.

Phillips once had his famous cowboy hat swiped off his head by a fan after a game in Three Rivers Stadium. Other fans heard about it, and "he said he got 300 hats" in the mail from Steelers fans, Rooney said.

It was just as rough-and-ready in the Astrodome. One year, Oilers management distributed small ropes for the fans to swing during the game -- a Texas version of the Terrible Towel. Dwight White got hold of one and twirled it mockingly on the sidelines during a Steelers rout.

An Oilers fan known as Crazy George would pound on a drum every time the Steelers had the ball, trying to disrupt their signals. It upset Noll to no end. He complained about it to the league office, but George was right back banging away the next time the Steelers came to town.

Noll saved his real anger for Glanville, who coached the Oilers from 1985-89. Noll thought Glanville encouraged dirty play. Glanville once referred to Noll as a snake.

Noll could stand it no more, and in a particularly dirty game in '88 at the Astrodome, Noll stunned Oilers cornerback Steve Brown near the Steelers' sidelines when he told him: "Hey, tell your coach I want to meet him after the game and I want to kick his ass." Noll then turned to Ilkin on the sideline and said, "Who do you think would win?" Ilkin took the politically correct stance. "My money's on you, Chuck."

After the game, which the Oilers won, 37-34, Glanville came over to shake Noll's hand. Noll clasped it, wouldn't let it go and angrily jabbed a finger in Glanville's face.

The Oilers saw that confrontation as a stamp of approval.

"That was a favorite of ours, simply because we felt like we had arrived," Reese said. "Before that, I'm not sure many people thought enough of us to have any reaction. All of a sudden to see someone like Chuck get that angry, we thought, geez, if nothing else, we did something to rile up the best coach in the business so we must be heading in the right direction."

That didn't happen, though. Noll's Steelers exacted their revenge one season later when they upset the Oilers, who had won their first division title, in the playoffs.

Not all of it was painted in glory. In '91, Brister refused to go into a game in the fourth quarter of an Oilers 31-6 victory in the Astrodome when offensive coordinator Joe Walton told him to replace Neil O'Donnell. "I'm no mop-up quarterback," Brister said.

In '92, Cowher, in his first season as coach, ordered a fake punt that worked and upset the Oilers, 29-24, in the season opener.

The Oilers moved, temporarily, to Memphis in '97. They did not draw more than 27,000 until the played the Steelers in the final game of the season in the Liberty Bowl, where 50,677 fans turned out, an estimated three-fourths of them Steelers fans.

Tonight, they will play in Heinz Field. It will be the sixth different stadium in which the two teams will have played this rivalry in the past six years. Things have changed, in one sense. The Titans are the defending AFC Central champions, and they reached the Super Bowl as a wild-card team in the 1999 season. The Steelers haven't made the playoffs the past three seasons.

But the Steelers lead the AFC Central today with a 4-1 record and can help end the short playoff run of the Titans (2-3) with a victory. Maybe, one final time, the teams can stage an epic as a way to bid adieu.

"The real sad thing is we will not have the rivalry with Pittsburgh after this season," Reese said. "Even though it was often unpleasant, it was always something to look forward to."

The unpleasantness made it so.

 

[firestorm]

I mean, yeah, we had rivalry with the Jaguars.


But so much more of the Titans/Oilers history were its match ups with the Steelers and Ravens/Browns (not the new one).


Not sure about the Bengals vs Oilers/Titans.

Bengals titans have had some damn good games but rivalry to the same extent as jaguar steelers not really.
A wild one to start 1999 where titans nearly blew it at home in their debut.

As the bengals were either mediocre or putrid for all of the 90s.


Have the component chiefs finally emerged leading the fish in Miami 14-3 although it's third so still plenty of time for chiefs to blow it with the third and fourth.