Titans trying to avoid worst season since going 4-12 in 1994
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans are about to find out what kind of team they really are.
Tied for the NFL’s best record between 1999 and 2003 with playoff berths in four of those five seasons, the Titans (3-6) are living through the worst season since going 2-14 in 1994 because of an injury bug that just refuses to stop.
The Titans thought a three-game road trip through the AFC South that starts Sunday at Jacksonville (6-3) would help them play their way back into the playoff chase. They aren’t ready to give up hope, but they will be without five defensive starters and possibly both offensive tackles.
Defensive lineman Kevin Carter said Wednesday that it’s easy for someone to shine when everything goes well. He thinks the challenge is playing that well every game when the chances of a playoff berth are dim.
“That’s faith. That’s trust. That’s heart,” he said.
“That’s what it takes to truly be a professional, and I think we’re going to find out we have a lot of guys who do fit the bill of being the kind of players we want. We have a lot of good people in this locker room, and I think we’re going to see it.”
The Titans aren’t ready to give up their postseason dreams even though they haven’t been able to win consecutive games this year and have only one victory over a team above .500. Those Green Bay Packers, now 5-4, were 1-3 when they lost to the Titans on Oct. 11.
Pro Bowl receiver Derrick Mason, who leads the NFL with 59 catches, said teams decide their fate in November and December.
“If Indianapolis loses two to three times or Jacksonville loses two to three times, we’ll still be in position to possibly make the postseason,” he said.
This franchise has a history of being strong down the stretch and ranks behind only Green Bay and San Francisco (65-33) with a 60-38 record in the final seven games since 1990.
When Houston was still home, the 1993 Oilers won seven straight games to finish 12-4 before losing in the divisional round of the playoffs. The 1990 team was 4-5 after nine games and finished 9-7 to earn a wild-card berth.
A run isn’t completely out of the question. The Titans only face three teams currently with winning records — Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Denver, all at 6-3.
But their best route at this point would be winning the AFC South where they trail both Indianapolis and Jacksonville by three games because five AFC teams are fighting for wild card slots at 6-3.
Keeping Steve McNair healthy would be a big help. He has missed three starts, trying to heal up his bruised chest. The Titans also must stop hurting themselves.
“We have to play flawless football,” Mason said. “We can’t have mental mistakes, we can’t have turnovers, we can’t have penalties because we’re at a disadvantage.”
Coach Jeff Fisher has been busy since training camp trying to get players ready to play unexpectedly because of injuries. Now he will be without his top two safeties, two of his three linebackers and a defensive tackle.
He points out the Titans beat themselves in their 15-12 loss to Jacksonville on Sept. 26, and he doesn’t expect any letdowns at this point.
“A letdown is when guys don’t show up. Guys are going to show up, and they’re going to play hard. We’ve fought, and we’ve played hard. We’ve played hard every play this year. Nobody’s let down. Nobody’s taken a play off. I don’t anticipate that to happen,” Fisher said.
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