The 2019 season was a roller coaster of emotions for the Tennessee Titans. They went from having a 2-4 record and benching a starting quarterback to having the AP Comeback Player of the Year under center and possessing a double-digit lead in the AFC Championship Game. They of course ended up losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, but it was a huge season nonetheless. General manager Jon Robinson gifted extensions to both Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry after career years, but does that mean we should expect the same level of success this team had late in the season in 2020?
Tennessee made some nice additions in both free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft, but the Titans did lose a couple of important players on both sides of the ball. Cornerback Logan Ryan, who led the team in tackles, passes defensed and forced fumbles, remains a free agent, while right tackle Jack Conklin cashed in on a nice deal with the Cleveland Browns. Still, this team has the potential to replicate the success they found last year.
Let's examine five bold predictions for the Titans entering 2020. It feels good to have Tannehill and Henry back in the fold, but will it be enough to win the division or make it to the Super Bowl? Let's find out.
1. A.J. Brown becomes a top-10 receiver
What can Brown do for you? It has been a long time coming, but the Titans appear to finally have found a true No. 1 wide receiver. In 2019, Brown became the only player in the Super Bowl era to record over 1,000 receiving yards while averaging over 20 yards per reception in his rookie season. Even in a talented rookie wide receiver class which featured the likes of DK Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Darius Slayton, Brown had the most successful season. He was fifth in the NFL in yards after catch among wide receivers, while also sporting a robust 13.2 yard average depth of target, and appears to be a star in the making.
Brown's 1,051 receiving yards ranked No. 24 last year and he was No. 2 when it came to yards per reception. Now with a full season under his belt, I think he can rack up between 1,100 and 1,200 yards in 2020 -- which should put him into the top 10. Brown possesses this unique combination of size and speed that allows him to be both a great wideout and a big play waiting to happen. We haven't yet seen all that he's capable of, so Titans fans should be excited about what he may be able to accomplish in the coming years.
2. Isaiah Wilson quickly evolves into a star
Wilson was selected out of the University of Georgia with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-6, 350-pound offensive tackle is an athletic specimen who moves better than you would expect for his size, and could be an anchor opposite of Taylor Lewan for years to come on the offensive line. Wilson was an All-SEC second team performer for the Bulldogs in 2019 after playing in 11 games. While many expect him to come in and start immediately, he's going to have to beat out Dennis Kelly for the job.
I predict that Wilson will indeed start on the right side in the season opener, but that he will struggle at first, as the Titans have to take on Bradley Chubb and Von Miller in Week 1. While he has all the tools necessary to be a great player at the next level, having to block some of the league's premier pass rushers is an entirely different ballgame. Those reps are invaluable, however, and Wilson will emerge into a star quickly as the season progresses. After his first 16 games, it will become clear that the Titans have two definitive starters at tackle and Conklin's name will be forgotten.
The Titans took a flier on Simmons with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft despite the possibility that he could miss his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL. He recovered quickly, however, and made his debut in the Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Not many were expecting him to make a major impact in his first game, but wow, did he ever.
Simmons finished with four tackles, including two for a loss, and a sack in his first game, and he made his presence known from the very get-go. In all, he recorded 32 combined tackles and two sacks in his first nine games, and proved he has legitimate star potential as a defensive lineman. With Jurrell Casey gone, expect Simmons to move around a bit on the defensive line in 2020. He's versatile wherever he lines up, and knows how to get after the quarterback even if he's lining up in the A-gap. My bold prediction is that he explodes for 10 sacks in his first full season. The former Mississippi State star showed that double-teams were not a problem for him and dominated against some of the best offensive guards in the league such as Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts. Vrabel calls Simmons a "naturally powerful athlete," and he got better as the year wore on. There's no doubt he was meant to play this game, and offenses will need to account for him in 2020.
4. Titans have a top-five rushing defense
Simmons certainly impressed in 2019, but he wasn't the only member of the front seven to register a great season. Both starting inside linebackers, Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans, recorded over 100 combined tackles for the first times in their careers and pass rusher Harold Landry recorded a career-high nine sacks. The Titans also added Vic Beasley opposite of him this offseason, and he should increase Tennessee's chances of getting to the quarterback on each play. The Titans' front seven is pretty impressive, and it's going to show.
Last year, the Titans allowed an average of 104.5 rushing yards per game -- which ranked No. 12 in the league. I believe this year that number will drop below 100 yards per game, which will place the Titans near that top five mark. There's more to this prediction than just the names the Titans have on paper when it comes to the defensive front, as both Henry and Tannehill will play a role in this as well. Henry chewed up clock and Tannehill provided an explosion at the quarterback position Titans fans haven't witnessed in quite some time. In the 10 regular-season games Tannehill started, the Titans averaged 30.4 points. If you measure that statistic against every other team in the NFL last season, it would come in second in the league behind the Baltimore Ravens, who averaged 33.2 points. Whether Tennessee tries to run out the clock on you or put up points with Tannehill, there's a decent chance opposing teams will have to throw the ball. Plus, if there's a weakness on the Titans' defense, it's at the cornerback position. All of this leads me to believe that the Titans will have one of the best run defenses in the NFL.
5. Titans win the AFC South
This doesn't sound bold to you? Well the Titans haven't won the division since 2008. That's right, 11 seasons have gone by since the Titans won the AFC South. Earlier this offseason, I wrote that the fate of the division rests on the arm of Philip Rivers, or the legs of Derrick Henry. With the Houston Texans losing DeAndre Hopkins this offseason, I'm skeptical they will be able to make it three straight division titles. The Jacksonville Jaguars are clearly still rebuilding, so that means it will be between the Colts and the Titans in 2020.
Rivers had one of his worst seasons last year with the Chargers, but Frank Reich is hoping a change of scenery will prove he still has some tread left on the tires. Indy truly is a talented team on paper, but how good they will be is still dictated by how well Rivers can play. The Titans are and should be the favorite to win the AFC South in 2020 -- and I believe it will happen. Once they make the postseason, how far will they be able to go? Unfortunately, I don't see them making the jump to the Super Bowl. That spot in my mind is reserved for the Ravens, who the Titans got the best of in the playoffs last year.
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August 17, 2020 at 07:08PM
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Five bold Titans predictions for 2020: A.J. Brown and young talent carry Tennessee to AFC South title - CBS Sports
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