| Nashville Tennessean
So he took it all in, a week of mulligan with a lot of drama, busted leadership, delayed comebacks, a 2,000 yard rusher and a fill-in kicker hitting the game winner in an upright position against a four-game opponent.
But, boy, will they accept it. After a dozen years? Of course, they will.
It may be more of a hoarse whisper than a shout, but say to me:
Tennessee Titans, AFC South champions.
First time since 2008. It’s been a while, so long that the fact that it finally happened will end up overshadowing the crazy way it happened – which was close.
I suppose if this 41-38 victory against the Texans had been easier on Sunday, these Titans (11-5) would not have fit, with failures and undeniably difficult as they are.
“It’s never easy in this league,” said Titans coach Mike Vrabel, “and I hope everyone will appreciate it. You don’t take victory for granted. “
More: Titans win AFC South title in 2,000 yard season from Derrick Henry, Sam Sloman’s field goal
Easy would have finally overcome the divisional hurdle last Sunday in the Green Bay snow, which was adequate as it was to do under those Houston banners. Texans have won this division four of the past five seasons, but started to skid in 2020. The Titans took the torch directly.
The Texans and quarterback Deshaun Watson earned them, however. They kept coming. They drew with 18 seconds remaining, forcing the Titans to a 52-yard completion and Sam Sloman’s 37-yard field goal, with the kiss upright, to end the game.
“It almost gave me a marginal ulcer,” said safety Kevin Byard. “It was very intense.”
Wild, but strangely on the mark. The Titans won 11 games, and more than a few were the type that flies-in-the-seat-of-your-heel, heartbreaks that could have gone the other way, but in the end they didn’t – largely for cause of Derrick Henry.
We were also so used to Henry’s weekly brilliance that a 250-yard performance to guarantee a 2,000-yard season was totally credible, even before it was played at the same stadium where Henry won the first of his two NFL racing titles of the week 17 last season.
Upon reaching 2,000, Henry became the first NFL player to do this since Adrian Peterson in 2012 and the first Titans player since Chris Johnson in 2009.
That’s right: the Titans’ last 2,000-yard race season was more recent than the last divisional title.
And that was what Sunday was about, more than anything else.
It was about the fact that, since 2008, the Titans fought and rebuilt and watched each of the division’s other three franchises celebrate what they finally did on Sunday.
It was a franchise with a reputation – even in recent times of success – at least. The Titans made it to the playoffs two of the past three years with a 9-7 record and a wild card.
They could have gone in there this time too. By the time they started the regular season finale in Houston, they were sure they would at least be in the playoffs. The Colts, however, would certainly defeat the Jaguars (and they did), which means that the Titans needed to complete a season sweep against the Texans to win the division and take a playoff game to Nissan Stadium for the first time since … checks notes … the same season of 2008.
Then, once the game started, the Titans seemed to have everything under control. And then they didn’t.
Texans lost 31-15 with 4:29 remaining in the third quarter. But, for this defense of the Titans, few clues are safe. As soon as the momentum started to flow towards Houston, it was difficult to stop.
It didn’t help that Henry, no matter how good he was at this game, fumbled in the second half.
It didn’t help, either, that the Titans went to a quarter and 11 and Ryan Tannehill was fired close to midfield.
After the Texans jumped ahead, the Titans assembled a 19-game unit to retake the lead, leaving the defense to stop Watson with so much at stake.
They couldn’t do that.
But neither do the Texans’ defense.
Next up: The Ravens on Sunday. The playoff game won’t be easy either, but the Titans have earned the right to be there.
“They don’t give up. They don’t give up,” said Vrabel of his team, “and I know there are times when you could … They didn’t give up. They fought back.”
We will soon be approaching an era when the Titans can start accepting playoff spots and division titles, but we are not there yet.
This became clear on a Sunday that ended in a well-deserved celebration.
Finally.
Talk to Gentry Estes at [email protected] and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.