The Tennessee Titans have a date with the Chiefs on Saturday in Kansas City. By now, you already know this is the first trip to the postseason for the Titans since 2008. As an admitted Titans fan, it feels good. What doesn’t really feel good is that most of the pundits act as though the Chiefs are playing the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech. Las Vegas currently has the Chiefs at around -8, but that number seems to be going up.
Thankfully, the team probably doesn’t really give a shit about point spreads and what all of us talking heads are saying.
This team has some swag. Some grit – a definite chip on its shoulder, if you will.
First of all, the win against a Jacksonville team that was, for some reason, playing its starters for the duration of the game, was huge. They’ve beaten them twice this year in convincing fashion. And, yes, Sunday’s game was domination – don’t let the final score fool you. If Jacksonville doesn’t score a defensive touchdown, the perception of that game is totally different.
But, the Titans were in full control of that game, and they completely destroyed the Jags the first time they played. Sunday’s game shows that when they’re winning, they’re a completely different team. They were fired up, they played inspired football, and when they do that, they have the ability to hang with just about anyone in the AFC.
Case #1: Marcus Mariota’s stiff arm of Barry Church.
Marcus Mariota just buried Barry Church. pic.twitter.com/TY2EToZni3
— Jake (@SeedsofJake) January 1, 2018
Damn, Marcus – that man has a family!
I don’t really know if he has a family or not. Just commenting on his near-death experience there. Church was talking a little too much trash and our guy wanted to put him in his place a bit.
Look, it’s no secret that Mariota has had a bit of a regression this season. But, overall – you still like what you see from the guy, and Sunday was a fine example of how he can take games over with his dynamic playmaking ability. “Backyard football,” as people are calling it.
Asked Barry Church if he’d ever seen a QB with a stiff arm like the one Mariota put on him in the fourth quarter: “Naw.” #Jaguars
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) January 1, 2018
Case #2: Jurrell Casey calls Blake Bortles a choker.
Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey laid another hit on the Jacksonville Jaguars, this time calling out quarterback Blake Bortles for choking in key moments.
“As long as Bortles is back there, if the ballgame is in his hands, he’s going to choke,” Casey told 104.5 The Zone in Nashville on Tuesday.
Casey’s most recent comments come two days after he challenged the Jaguars’ credentials as true contenders following the Titans’ 15-10 win to complete a regular-season sweep of the AFC South champions.
That’s cold-blooded, but when you can walk the walk, you have a free ride to talk the talk. Casey’s right. That Jags offense was held completely in check.
The question is, of course, whether or not the Titans can ride this momentum into Kansas City and get a win. That, I don’t really know. I’m scared of Tyreek Hill. Speed has killed the Titans in the past, and I’m not sure they’re over that hump just yet.
Still, gotta show some love for these guys going out and getting it done. We all expected playoffs back in August, and guess what – we got fucking playoffs. Titan up!
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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