The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a 41-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, in a game that probably wasn't as close as the score indicated. The Falcons were up 27-0 at halftime and 41-0 in the middle of the third quarter, before the Jaguars made the scoreboard on a blocked punt return for a touchdown.
What I did see that game, and what else I've seen from the Jaguars of late, after the jump.
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What I did see that game, and what else I've seen from the Jaguars of late, after the jump.
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As usual, we'll do a question and answer exchange this week with someone who blogs about the Titans' upcoming opponent. This week, we'll turn again to The Jaggernaut, the Jacksonville Jaguars blog here on the Bloguin network. If you have any questions you'd like for me to ask the Jags blogger, please leave them in the comments section.
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One of the thing last week's game against the Colts highlighted for me is a number of veteran players were likely playing their next to last home game. As the Titans head into the final home game of the year against the Jaguars on Sunday, it's time to highlight a few players who may not be back in two tone blue for 2012. We'll be breaking down these players' fates in more detail in our positional analyses after the season is over, but these are starters or regular starters who
Ken Amato: Yes, I'm mentioning the long-snapper. Would you have guessed, though, he's the longest-tenured Titan? He's been around so long, he was actually on the team the last time they won a playoff game! Picked up as an undrafted free agent in 2003, it's not out of the question he could be back next year.
Jordan Babineaux: The first, but not the last, secondary starter to show up on this list, Babineaux's been mostly solid but unspectacular. He probably has a good chance at returning for 2012, but is not currently under contract beyond this year.
Dave Ball: A great scrap heap redemption project by Jim Washburn, Ball's been a valuable secondary rusher for the Titans and even this year is tied for second on the team in sacks. (With 3.0. Yes, really.) As with Amato, there's a chance he'll be back, but I suspect this will be Dave Ball's last home game at LP Field as a member of the Titans.
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Ken Amato: Yes, I'm mentioning the long-snapper. Would you have guessed, though, he's the longest-tenured Titan? He's been around so long, he was actually on the team the last time they won a playoff game! Picked up as an undrafted free agent in 2003, it's not out of the question he could be back next year.
Jordan Babineaux: The first, but not the last, secondary starter to show up on this list, Babineaux's been mostly solid but unspectacular. He probably has a good chance at returning for 2012, but is not currently under contract beyond this year.
Dave Ball: A great scrap heap redemption project by Jim Washburn, Ball's been a valuable secondary rusher for the Titans and even this year is tied for second on the team in sacks. (With 3.0. Yes, really.) As with Amato, there's a chance he'll be back, but I suspect this will be Dave Ball's last home game at LP Field as a member of the Titans.
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I made one of my trips to Indianapolis for this Sunday's game. I've skipped the Week 17 games that don't matter for the Titans (2008, 2010), but otherwise have made it an annual trek since I started traveling to games in 2006. I wasn't sure how to turn the trip into a post, whether a modified ("enhanced," I like to think of it) recap, as a series of points about what I saw (didn't really take that many notes this time), or write about some other issue.
Right now, though, the big topic in Titans land seems to be the offense, specifically the quarterback situation. Well, that's a good thing to write about, since I see the offense as where Sunday's game was lost. Sure, the scoreboard says the Colts scored 27 points, more than they scored in any previous game, but I really see the defense as giving up 13. The other two scores came on the pick-6, obviously not the defense's fault, and Donald Brown's long run that was a touchdown instead of, say, a 15 or 20 yard gain as the product of a defense playing in response to the game situation. Both field goals came from outside the red zone, and the touchdown drive covered all of 43 yards.
Were there some things the defense can do to improve? Absolutely, and they had some issues with Donald Brown and Delone Carter (two 3&1 conversions == bad MANBALL), but none with Joe Addai, and Dan Orlovsky had one decent throw the entire game. What I saw Sunday, though, was first and foremost a terrible offensive performance against a bad but not awful defense.
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Right now, though, the big topic in Titans land seems to be the offense, specifically the quarterback situation. Well, that's a good thing to write about, since I see the offense as where Sunday's game was lost. Sure, the scoreboard says the Colts scored 27 points, more than they scored in any previous game, but I really see the defense as giving up 13. The other two scores came on the pick-6, obviously not the defense's fault, and Donald Brown's long run that was a touchdown instead of, say, a 15 or 20 yard gain as the product of a defense playing in response to the game situation. Both field goals came from outside the red zone, and the touchdown drive covered all of 43 yards.
Were there some things the defense can do to improve? Absolutely, and they had some issues with Donald Brown and Delone Carter (two 3&1 conversions == bad MANBALL), but none with Joe Addai, and Dan Orlovsky had one decent throw the entire game. What I saw Sunday, though, was first and foremost a terrible offensive performance against a bad but not awful defense.
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A week ago, the folks at PlayoffStatus.com calculated that the Titans' probability of postseason play was 19% and I wrote this about it. Following yesterday's crappy performance at Indianapolis, the probability is now only 5%.
More after the jump.
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| Team | Record | Conf | Remaining schedule |
| 5. Ratbirds | 10-4 | 7-3 | vs CLE, @ CIN |
| 6. Jets | 8-6 | 6-5 | vs NYG, @ MIA |
| 7. Bengals | 8-6 | 6-5 | vs ARI, vs BAL |
| 8. Titans | 7-7 | 5-5 | vs JAC, @ HOU |
| 9. Raiders | 7-7 | 5-5 | @ KC, vs SD |
| 10. Chargers | 7-7 | 6-5 | @ DET, @ OAK |
More after the jump.
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Pathetic. Pitiful. Embarrassing.
Just three of the many words that one can use to describe today's 27-13 Titans' loss to the previously-winless Colts.
In addition to serving as the silver lining to Indy's cloudy 2011 campaign, the Titans for all intents and purposes, probably tossed asunder their slim chances of qualifying for an AFC Wild Card spot.
More on today's devastating defeat...after the jump. no comments
Just three of the many words that one can use to describe today's 27-13 Titans' loss to the previously-winless Colts.
In addition to serving as the silver lining to Indy's cloudy 2011 campaign, the Titans for all intents and purposes, probably tossed asunder their slim chances of qualifying for an AFC Wild Card spot.
More on today's devastating defeat...after the jump. no comments
These are the inactives for today's Titans-Colts matchup in Indianapolis.
TITANS: LB Gerald McRath, RB Javon Ringer, S Anthony Smith, DE William Hayes, C Kevin Matthews, T Byron Stingily, DT Zach Clayton, WR Donnie Avery.
COLTS: QB Peyton Manning, TE Dallas Clark, LB A.J. Edds, LB Phillip Wheeler, DE Jamaal Anderson, CB Mike Holmes and T Quinn Ojinnaka.
McRath, Ringer and Smith had already been declared out for this game. Hayes was ruled out earlier this morning. QB Rusty Smith will be active today.
In other games around the league, if you're wondering who to root for as it regards the Titans' playoff chances, here's the short list - you’ll want the Iggles to beat the Jets. In other games root for the Lambs to upset the Bengals, the Lions to beat the Raiders, and the Ratbirds to beat the Chargers. I can’t root for the Ratbirds but will hope the Chargers find a way to lose.
Feel free to comment on the game here throughout the afternoon.
The Indianapolis Colts are coming off their thirteenth loss of the season, this one a 24-10 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Balitmore. The Ravens scored on their first three possessions to take a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter, and the Colts' touchdown came on the final play of the game. If this isn't as detailed as most of these pieces, I hope you'll forgive me.
For more on what I've seen from the Colts this year, please check out my Enemy Intelligence from the prior Colts matchup. After the jump, what I saw from the Colts against the Ravens.
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For more on what I've seen from the Colts this year, please check out my Enemy Intelligence from the prior Colts matchup. After the jump, what I saw from the Colts against the Ravens.
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To preview this week's matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium between the Titans and the Colts, we turn to our regular Indy correspondent, Nate Dunlevy of the great Colts blog 18 to 88. In addition to penning 18 to 88, Nate is the author of two books, including Blue Blood, a history of the Colts in Indianapolis, and the new novel Invincible, Indiana, about Indiana high school basketball.
If you'd like to read my answers to Nate's questions, including some overview thoughts on Jake Locker, check it out over at 18 to 88. I also tried not to duplicate questions from my earlier queries to Nate, so check out our previous Q&A session as well. For Nate's answers to my current question, check after the jump.
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If you'd like to read my answers to Nate's questions, including some overview thoughts on Jake Locker, check it out over at 18 to 88. I also tried not to duplicate questions from my earlier queries to Nate, so check out our previous Q&A session as well. For Nate's answers to my current question, check after the jump.
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So now that the Titans have lost to the Saints and fallen to a record of 7-6, can they still make the playoffs?
It's possible, but not probable.
The folks at PlayoffStatus.com say the probability of the Titans getting into the playoffs is only 19%. There's an 81% probability they won't be in the playoffs.
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It's possible, but not probable.
The folks at PlayoffStatus.com say the probability of the Titans getting into the playoffs is only 19%. There's an 81% probability they won't be in the playoffs.
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