NFL Network analyst and former linebacker Willie McGinest thinks the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys could both have what it takes to make it to the Super Bowl in 2020.
McGinest was asked for a dark-horse candidate from each conference to make it to Super Bowl LV, and he chose the Titans and Dallas Cowboys as the matchup.
“And you see right here King Henry just signed that major deal right there, running through everybody. The Titans went deep in the playoffs last year. And they showed that they can win. They kept the important pieces in place. They got the confidence.
“They’re only going to get better going into it. So if there’s two dark horses I had to pick, from the AFC, it’s the Titans. They showed they can play with the best of them, knocking the Ravens out last year. And the Dallas Cowboys– a lot of people underestimate them and a lot of guys will be playing with a chip on their shoulder, especially a running back, MJD, Ezekiel Elliott.”
It certainly isn’t outlandish to think the Titans can get that far in 2020. After all, Tennessee was one step away from the big game in 2019 after making an improbable run to the AFC Championship Game.
Simply pointing to Tennessee’s 9-7 record as a reason this team is nothing special just doesn’t do how good they finished the season justice.
After Ryan Tannehill took over for Marcus Mariota in Week 7, the entire offense — including Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown — improved, en route to becoming one of the most explosive units in the NFL.
The Titans went 7-3 (9-4 including the playoffs) after the switch, making it quite conceivable this could have been a double-digit win team if Tannehill started the entire season.
Of course, there will continue to be doubters until the Titans can do it again and people will once again take this team lightly, but we saw how well that worked out for Tennessee’s opponents last year.
Just ask Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson if it’s a good idea to underestimate the Titans.
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