Jan 22, 2018; Nashville, TN: New Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to the media during the press conference at Saint Thomas Sports Park. Photo by: Jim Brown, USA Today Sports
Hot damn, Uncle Sam, football is back and The Train Daddy is rolling! As always, sports news and life lessons will be discussed throughout this article in a politically incorrect, slap-your-mama kind of way. Football time in Tennessee: “Hip-hip, HOORAY!” Is there a better time of year than now? Summer is coming to an end, football is just beginning and the fall season is beautiful. Call me a romantic, but my mind is filled with visions of pots of chili, smoked sausages, the famous Me-Ma’s spaghetti, pulled pork, smoked chickens, cold beer and sweet tea, all while friends and family celebrate Tennessee football!
As the Tennessee Titans look to build upon last year’s playoff victory, they need to focus on Marcus Mariota. The Hawaiian may be the silent leader of this team, but his play is trending down. It’s simple—his play needs to trend up for this team to be successful. The Volunteers look to forget two decades worth of football. New head coach Jeremy Pruitt has a simple-man attitude and doesn’t deal with nonsense. That was lacking in the bumbling idiot we called Butch Jones. The 2018 season started off with a bad loss to West Virginia. Can they salvage it? The MTSU Blue Raiders look to improve after winning the Camellia Bowl last season. It’s the last chance for the daddy/son, coach/QB Stockstill duo. I read somewhere if MTSU happened to be stuck in a locker room, their game plan would be to throw quarterback Brent Stockstill against the door as many times as needed. That about sums up the Vandy loss. So let’s get into the heart of this article as we talk Titans football and, as always, throw in some random crazy. All aboard! The Train’s rolling out the station!
The Tennessee Titans! I truly believe this year will either justify the firing of Coach Mularkey or put major doubts in the hiring of a rookie in new Coach Vrabel. Let’s be real, owner Amy Strunk botched this situation. I don’t normally condemn my Titans, I always shout praise even when it’s hard, but this firing left a bitter taste in my mouth. Coach Mularkey was praised, belittled, praised again after beating the Chiefs in the playoffs, and then fired. To put it simply: he deserved better. I won’t babble on about that here and now; it is what it is. The Titans decided to skip out on hiring an offensive-minded guru and instead, in Mike Vrabel, hired a rookie defensive-minded coach with little experience. Maybe Coach Vrabel is a gift from the football gods; I hope so. But with such a small body of work for us to critique, I fear this may be a big mistake! I hope I am wrong, I hope new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur is the man to help Marcus reach his full potential. Matt has experience with young quarterbacks; he has worked with RG3, Matt Ryan and Jared Goff. Marcus is a timing passer whose best chance comes from the pocket. That’s why his passer rating was a league-high 122.8 last season on play-action passes. A comfortable Marcus can be a dangerous Marcus. Those legs need only be used when the pocket collapses.
In order for Marcus to be successful in the pocket he needs his receivers to step up. Possibly the most important offensive player on the field this season will be receiver Corey Davis. He has to become great, or Marcus will have little to build upon with his receivers. Tight end Delanie Walker is a monster, and I say the third best tight-end in the league. That said, he shouldn’t be the only option every passing down. The receivers need to step up this season. Big-time running backs Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis will be exciting to watch. Henry is strong yet graceful while Lewis is a sneaky little bastard! Both players can hurt you with their carries and Lewis’ ability to split out like he did in New England can create mismatches and big plays for the Titans.
Delanie Walker
To the defense! Kevin Byard is that dude making interceptions! Malcolm Butler joining Logan Ryan and Adoree Jackson is a recipe for one amazing cornerback trio. All three can play solo coverage, and that will open up the blitz! That works great for first-round pick Rashaan Evans and my man Wesley Woodyard at the linebacker position. I believe these two men could become the league’s most dominant blitzing linebackers. There is a significant lack of talent at the edge; the Titans have to find a way to get to the quarterback. Brian Orkapo and Derrick Morgan show talent sometimes, yet both struggle way too often. That explains the Harold Landry pick. Get healthy, bro! I fear injury may be Harold’s bugaboo. Get him on the field, and Mike Keith will be screaming “SAAAAACK” many times!
This all sounds so exciting! I can’t wait for football to start; I can’t wait to see the dynamics between the cornerbacks and linebackers. Great play from both positions opens up so many opportunities for a victorious defense. That’s my Titans wrap up! Their season starts Sept. 9. Last year I predicted 9–7 and I was correct. This season I am going to say 10–6. There is a schedule and my picks posted below. If I had more space here I would explain the picks, but for now just trust me: 10–6, AFC South champs, possibly a wild card. Jacksonville is hardcore, and the Texans have Watson (if he can stay healthy). The Colts have bad luck, but I won’t read into that until I see him play. It should be an exciting division to watch.
Random Sports News
CrossFit recently announced that transgender athletes will be allowed to compete in next year’s games. Prior to this ruling an athlete was required to compete according to gender at birth. If it quacks like a duck it doesn’t have to stay a duck, it can become a dolphin or a horse, anything, as long as it’s happy. “This is the right thing to do,” CrossFit founder Greg Glassman stated at “The Big Gay Happy Hour,” an LGBTQ-sponsored event. Right or wrong thing to do, I don’t know. I do know it’s not the fair thing to do. Feelings matter more than fairness in today’s world, I guess?
More random news: this one truly is upsetting, sad even. Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman, two well-known ESPN personalities, decided to label Tiger as stupid and not black enough. Why? An entire segment was dedicated to bashing Tiger Woods for recently saying “we need to respect the presidency when it comes to Donald Trump.” Oh my God, That’s blasphemy! Tiger Woods refused to be baited by the media, even though they so desperately wanted a black man to say disparaging things about the president. If I were Tiger I would be furious with these crazed liberals for thinking they have the right to tell me how to think all because of my race. If Donald Trump, a white man, was racist for saying LeBron James and his politics aren’t smart; isn’t Max Kellerman, a white man, racist for saying Tiger Woods, a black man, is stupid for his opinions? Exact same logic, right? Stupidity! Thank God for double standards because without them ESPN would have no standards. My man Jack Nicklaus, 18-time Masters champion, stated he agreed with Tiger’s sentiment, saying, “Obama or Trump, you respect the office.” Maybe Stephen and Max should blast the 78-year-old legend also. We can’t have Trump supporters speaking their mind, right?
A man protesting Chief Wahoo, the Cleveland Indians mascot, has been sentenced for stealing from actual Native Americans. Ha! That’s almost as bad as #METOO activist and actress Asia Argento seducing a 17-year-old boy. Ironic, right? The man claimed the mascot was racist and was then caught stealing federal grants aimed at helping Native Americans. He has been charged and will face jail time and probation, and has to pay back the $77,000 he stole.
That’s it, the Train is rolling out the station! Let’s wrap this thing up, my brothers and sisters. Recently I have been watching King of the Hill reruns. I love old Hank Hill, a hard-working man who enjoys the simple things in life. He lives by a code of honesty and love for family. His son, Bobby, is special in more than one way and his wife, Peggy, loves him dearly. Hank’s best friends Bill, Boomhauer and Dale all respect him. Hank loves America, football, cold beer, propane and propane accessories, and above all else he loves family. Hank lives his life following my motto, the 5 F’s: Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends. Remember this season to hold family close, drink beer, eat food and watch football. Always stay honest to those you love, and speak your mind like Hank Hill! Choo-choo!
The Z-Trains 2018 TITANS PREDICTIONS:
Miami – WIN
Houston – WIN
Jacksonville – LOSS
Philly – LOSS
Buffalo – WIN
Ravens – WIN
LA Rams – LOSS
Dallas – LOSS
New England – LOSS
Indy – WIN
Houston – WIN
Jets – WIN
Jags – WIN
Giants – LOSS
Redskins – WIN
Indy – WIN
SEASON RECORD: 10-6
