Rams QB Matthew Stafford

The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! The football season is almost over. The big game will be played the day before those of us lucky enough get our boom-boom on with our valentine.

This year’s Super Bowl will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the home of the Rams and the Chargers. Like 2-Pac said, Inglewood always up to no good. RIP Pac, that thug life was no joke!

The Bengals will represent the AFC. Led by QB Joe Burrow, the sensational rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and rookie kicker Evan “Money Mac” McPherson, Cincinnati got their first playoff win in over three decades. Then they went on the road to beat the #1-seeded Tennessee Titans, only to follow that up with another road victory versus the #2 seed Kansas City Chiefs. I was rooting for the Bengals over the Chiefs because I didn’t want to see the Chiefs in a third straight Super Bowl. And, let’s be honest—seeing Mahomes’ fiancée, Brittany, and his brother, Jackson, crying afterwards was worth it . . . they aren’t exactly the most popular NFL duo.

The NFC will be represented by Matthew Stafford’s L.A. Rams, playing a Super Bowl in their own stadium. I have no love for this team. It’s a team of superstar players who came together to create a super-team, and lo and behold, they made it to the Super Bowl. Surprise? While I have much respect for Matt Stafford, who persevered with the Detroit Lions from 2009–20 with no playoff dubs, I just can’t respect this goofy paid-for team. The Bengals did it the honest way, while what the Rams did just feels dirty to me—ring chasing!

Ja’Marr Chase

Are you wondering why the big game seems to be a little later into February than normal? That’s because each team played a 17th regular season game, extending the NFL season to 18 weeks. Super Bowl LVI will be played Sunday, Feb. 13.

Since the Super Bowl is taking place in Inglewood, it only makes sense we all get our gangster on! Compton and Long Beach together, now you know you in trouble! Ain’t nothin’ but a G thang, baby, two loc’ed out . . . WHOA . . . I can’t type that out, I might get canceled.

The halftime show this year is going old-school, and I can’t lie—I am intrigued. Not really a show for my grandparents, but us ’70s and ’80s babies can at least appreciate this one. Because let’s be honest, today’s hippity-hop is garbage in comparison to old-school hip-hop.

Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar will perform one of the most-watched shows of the year. I personally prefer more of a rock or blues type show, but I can appreciate these artists I used to bump with in my teenage years: ’84 baby here! It’s like this and like that and like this and uh, so just chill ’til the next topic! Titans football.

Snoop Dogg

Am I still bitter about the Titans loss to the Bengals? Hell, yes, I am! I was at Nissan Stadium that cold Saturday afternoon with a crew of my people. We arrived early for some tailgating, someone brought doughnuts, and then we had barbecue all while listening to Titans Talk. We had a little Jack Daniel’s, a little football toss, and we were freakin’ ready! Unfortunately, the Titans offense and coaching staff weren’t. Mad respect to the Titans defense for a masterful performance—it was sack city in Nashville.

The Titans join the ’84 San Francisco 49ers, the ’86 Browns and the ’93 Chiefs as the only teams in the history of the NFL to have nine sacks in a playoff game. Unlike the Titans, those three teams won. The amazing defensive performance was sadly overshadowed by three turnovers, all three interceptions courtesy of Ryan Tannehill.

Let me say this with pure honesty, though. The Titans will be a better team in 2022 than the team that just secured the #1 seed in the AFC and were knocked out at home in the divisional round. The Titans have the tools on offense and defense and, for the most part, will retain most of those pieces. This is why the Titans will more than likely be rather quiet in the free agent market this off-season. General Manager J-Rob will look at adding a few pieces, but it won’t be Julio Jones or Bud Dupree explosive-type signings. The NFL Draft will be where the Titans acquire any major pieces this off-season, and with the offensive line and its starters getting older, I would expect the Titans to be looking at adding some youth on the line. Tannehill was sacked far too often, and it was clear as day this season, and alarmingly clear in the playoff loss, that Tannehill didn’t have a short pass option in the middle of the field. The Titans must find a tight end that can do more than block.

I could go on a rant about Ryan Tannehill. Yes, he regressed, and yes, he had another disappointing playoff performance, but at the end of the day the Titans dealt with more injury than any team in the history of the game. Players like A.J. Brown, Julio Jones and Derrick Henry were on injured reserve a good bit of the season. What was Tannehill doing? He was out there every single week, fighting! So let the haters hate, I without doubt still have respect for my quarterback.

The fact is, love or hate Tannehill, given his salary cap situation in 2022 he will be QB1 in Tennessee for at least one more season. With that said, it’s about time the Titans found a solid QB2. I wouldn’t be mad at all if the Titans used a first or second round pick on the position. Titans have ignored the backup spot since the day they signed Tannehill to backup Mariota. Ryan Tannehill is a mid-level QB, and while he had excellent 2019–20 numbers due to his lack of mistakes, he isn’t exactly blowing the stat sheets up.

With that said, I have faith in Ryan for the upcoming 2022 season. The system is in place for Tannehill to succeed. The Titans defense should continue its dominance up front with the secondary improving, and I believe the offense will plug in a few pieces around Tannehill. More than likely, that will have the Titans competing for a third-straight AFC South title. The haters will tell you this team is doomed with Ryan at the helm, but I believe he will come back hungry. If his line can keep him clean and his skill-position players can stay healthy, we will once again see the Tannehill that Titans fans fell in love with back in 2019.

Regardless, congrats to the Titans on an impressive season. AFC South champions. Colts suck! The Titans persevered and beat some solid teams this season, including three out of the four who were competing on Championship weekend—Chiefs, Rams and 49ers.

It was a bitter end to the season, no doubt about it. But at the end of the day, I love this team and I will be ready to run it back in 2022 and cheer my Titans on once again. I will continue to do that until I am an old man at the end of my road. But dammit, Tennessee Titans, at least let this superfan experience it one time! I probably have just a little over 30 more seasons or so left in me. So please make it happen one time and bring a Super Bowl championship to Tennessee!

All right, my friends, it’s time for the Train to roll into the station. Hope you all enjoy the BIG game. And yes, while it is 100 percent fair to blame slow, bumbling Joe Biden for the ridiculous rise in the price of chicken wings, that still didn’t stop me from buying 30 pounds of them at Costco for my Super Bowl gathering!

My motto has always served me well. I live my life by it—the 5 F’s: Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends!

Until next time, choo-choo!