Category: Latest News

Former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher fires back at 7-9, 8-8 trolls

Jeff Fisher’s GIF game is strong.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher recently welcomed a granddaughter into the world, announcing her birth via a post on social media.

Unfortunately, there were some trolls out there ready with their 7-9, 8-8 jokes to try and spoil the feel-good moment.

Of course, the joke originates from Fisher saying “I’m not (expletive) going 7-9 or 8-8 or 9-7” in an episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” when he was the head coach of the Rams.

But Fisher was having none of it.

Who knew Fisher had such a strong GIF game?

Putting the trolls aside, congratulations to coach Fisher.

Fisher is having a pretty awesome year so far. On top of welcoming in a new grandchild, Fisher was also notified that he’d be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

Fisher spent 17 seasons as the head coach of the Houston Oilers/Titans, taking the franchise to a pair of AFC Championship Game appearances and one Super Bowl berth. He later moved on to coach the Rams from 2012 to 2016.

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Do Bengals have a surprise OT to consider at No. 33?

Could the Bengals make a surprise move to start the second round?

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Unlike their first-round pick, what the Cincinnati Bengals should do at the top of the second round has been debated vociferously within the fan community over the past few months. As I mentioned in my seven-round mock draft some time ago, the options at 33 are plentiful, and according to Daniel Jeremiah, another name could be staking a claim to be selected in that range. Isaiah Wilson, the colossal right tackle from Georgia appears have some helium at the moment.

If that momentum is real for Wilson in team offices, he could present an interesting option for the Bengals at 33 (should he just miss slipping into the first round). Setting Burrow up with a pair of young tackles for him to grow with (along with Jonah Williams) would be an ideal way to kick off this new era of Bengals football in theory, and would ensure that the most valuable asset in the organization is protected for years to come.

The question then becomes whether or not Wilson is actually worthy of that lofty draft perch.

As you see with the way Jeremiah phrased his tweet, he doesn’t appear to believe that Wilson’s film warrants that type of selection. He also references Wilson’s upside, inferring that while Wilson doesn’t quite deserve to be picked that high presently, that his tools and potential might make him appear to be a wise selection in hindsight.

That’s a gamble the Bengals might not be willing to make at 33 on the 24th given the options that should be available at the time of their selection. If the Bengals decide to take the plunge with Wilson, they’ll be betting that his size, strength and physicality will help him evolve into a fixture on the right side of their line for years to come.

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Best Tennessee Titans option at CB for each round of 2020 NFL Draft

One corner the Titans can take in every round they have a pick.

The Tennessee Titans are going to be in the market for a cornerback in the 2020 NFL Draft, which will take place virtually from April 23 to April 25.

It would be shocking if general manager Jon Robinson doesn’t nab a starting-caliber corner in either of the first two rounds, but there’s also the possibility he takes multiple throughout the draft if he doesn’t feel comfortable with the situation at slot corner or with the team’s depth at the position overall.

With that said, we’re going to take a look at a cornerback the Titans could take in each round that should be available when the team’s pick comes up.

Just a reminder: the Titans don’t have picks in the fourth or sixth rounds, so we didn’t include those rounds here.

TCU CB, Jeff Gladney.
Mar 1, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Texas Christian defensive back Jeff Gladney (DB10) goes through a pass catching workout drill during the 2020 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1

Jeff Gladney | TCU

The former track standout has the kind of speed cornerbacks need in this day and age, but also has the size and strength to hang with big-bodied receiver on the outside and is a good tackler.

While he is versatile enough to play in any scheme, he really excels in man coverage. He’d serve as top-notch depth in his rookie season, however he has the potential to be a top-notch starter for the Titans after that.

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Geno Atkins’ Hall of Fame resume boosted with All-Decade team nod

Geno Atkins just received a massive honor.

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Geno Atkins could easily end up being Hall of Famer No. 2 for the Cincinnati Bengals, joining Anthony Munoz in Canton.

This idea was already a prominent one before this week given Atkins’ incredible career pace. But Monday, Atkins found himself listed on the NFL’s official 2010s All-Decade Team.

And as The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. noted, this is a big deal for the long-term resume: “I hear All-Decade teams referenced a lot in discussions of older HOF candidates.”

The running resume? A fourth-round pick in 2010, Atkins has made eight Pro Bowls, two first team All-Pro selections and has 75.5 sacks. He was already named the 12th best defensive tackle in history by Gil Brandt in 2017. He’s currently 81st all-time in sacks and counting and in a slapfight with Carlos Dunlap for the franchise record. He has 100 career tackles for loss and 171 quarterback hits — and those are just the quantifiable stats, never mind his non-statistical impact on an entire unit and game.

At this pace, it won’t take long for Atkins to make the hall once he retires. That said, he could still play for a long, long time, as the new coaching staff’s plan is to reduce his role, making him even more effective when he’s on the field.

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Several Ravens featured on NFL’s All-Decade team

The Baltimore Ravens have had a ton of great players over the years with several earning praise on the NFL’s All-Decade team

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The Baltimore Ravens have had a ton of success over the last decade. All under coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have gone 98-62 with six of their 10 seasons ending in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl victory. Most NFL teams would love to have that resume and it’s largely thanks to the excellent players Baltimore has featured on their rosters over the years.

NFL.com released their All-Decade team and several Ravens players — past and present — made the cut.

  • G Marshal Yanda
  • DE Calais Campbell
  • S Earl Thomas
  • S Eric Weddle
  • K Justin Tucker
  • KR Devin Hester

It’s probably unfair to consider Campbell, Thomas and Hester as Ravens making this list though they’ve all been on the roster at some point. Campbell has yet to even put on the uniform after being traded to Baltimore this offseason, Thomas was signed last offseason and Hester played just 12 games for Baltimore. All three players really earned their place on the list well before joining the Ravens. Still, Campbell and Thomas are on Baltimore’s roster for the 2020 season, hopefully helping push the team towards a Super Bowl this decade.

Yanda and Tucker are the two homegrown Ravens — drafted or signed as a UDFA — to make the cut. They’re also two of the eight unanimous selections, joining players like quarterback Tom Brady and defensive end J.J. Watt as the obvious best players at their positions.

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Former Titans RB Chris Johnson is mad he didn’t make All-Decade Team

Johnson believes he should have made the cut.

Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson was certainly a candidate to make the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team, but he ended up not making the cut.

Johnson’s best season came in 2009 when he totaled over 2,000 yards rushing, but of course that season was right before the start of the decade.

Even so, Johnson believes he should have made the team.

Unfortunately for Johnson, two of his six straight 1,000-yard seasons occurred before the 2010s, so obviously that isn’t counted.

Each of the backs who made the cut — LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson — each had at least four 1,000-yard seasons in the decade, albeit not all of them accomplished those in a row.

Perhaps if Johnson had started his run of six straight 1,000-yard seasons in 2010, he might have made the list.

Not a single Titan, whether past or present, made the 2010s All-Decade Team. Guys like defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, punter Brett Kern and  tight end Delanie Walker were all possibilities.

Johnson spent six seasons with the Titans after being drafted in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He totaled 1,000 yards or more in each season and we recently ranked him as a top five first-round pick of the franchise since 1999.

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Zac Taylor says ‘every option for Andy Dalton is on the table’

The Bengals remain firm in their stance on Andy Dalton.

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The idea the Cincinnati Bengals could keep Andy Dalton behind Joe Burrow in 2020 continues to pick up steam.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor hinted at this in a new interview with WLWT’s Elise Jesse:

“Every option for Andy Dalton is on the table. We’re doing everything we can to make sure that we are prepared for next season with the best assets we can have.”

This comes on the heels of us wondering whether Dalton could be the team’s next cut after the release of Dre Kirkpatrick. Ideally, the team would probably like to trade Dalton and get something in return for his departure — but the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jay Gruden might be the last realistic option there.

The Bengals were always going to have a tougher time than usual trading Dalton this offseason because so many quality quarterbacks were available. Remember, this offseason even included Tom Brady leaving New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This sort of note from Taylor classifies as a double win though. It continues to send out the idea to other teams that they won’t just cut Dalton. Want him? Trade for him. And as far as veteran mentors go, it’s hard to imagine a better guy teaching Burrow the pro ways.

For now, it feels like the Bengals will hold onto Dalton and try to get a strong deal either during the draft or if/when an injury occurs and another team gets desperate. It’s not the worst position to be in, provided Dalton isn’t disgruntled over it.

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In heartfelt letter to fans, Bengals offer interesting note about No. 1 pick

A letter to fans has an interesting note worth seeing.

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Katie Blackburn, executive vice president of the Cincinnati Bengals, sent a letter to season-ticket holders and fans Monday.

Within, some heartfelt messaging about COVID-19 was the strong backbone. But there are also hints of the team getting creative with the draft process — which the NFL just announced would be entirely online.

Also present in the letter? The following statement: “We have been hard at work improving our football team during free agency and look forward to continuing that momentum when our No. 1 overall pick is announced on April 23.”

Plans can change, yet it sure sounds like the Bengals don’t intend on trading the pick.

Besides the kind nature of the outreach, it’s important to note this is just another hint of change from the Bengals. Letters to fans aren’t uncommon — and Mike Brown himself responds to written letters personally. But given the global circumstances and uncertainty in life, not just football, it’s a touching bit of outreach the Bengals might’ve passed on doing in prior years.

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Ex-Titans DB Myron Rolle is on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight

Rolle likens the adjustment to playing football.

Former Tennessee Titans safety, Myron Rolle, is now a neurosurgery resident at Mass. General and Harvard Medical School who is on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

According to Erik Bacharach of the Tennessean, the neurosurgery floor that Rolle works on has been turned into a COVID-19 floor because of the influx of patients coming down with the virus in the area.

The former Titan and Pittsburgh Steeler likens the adjustment he has had to make to his football days.

“Obviously, neurosurgery is not directly connected to this upper respiratory illness,” Rolle said. “But just like in football, if you’re called to do something different that you weren’t expecting, you adjust. You adapt. They’re showing us a new formation that we didn’t see on tape? You’ve got to hunker down and get the job done. In my opinion, this novel disease is something like that. A formation, a personnel package that we haven’t seen before. We have to meet the challenge, and I’m happy to be able to join the fight.”

Tennessee selected Rolle in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Florida State, but he never played in a single regular season game in the league.

However, that short-lived NFL career has allowed him to make an important contribution to society that he couldn’t have made otherwise from a football field.

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Bengals and probably Joe Burrow up first in NFL’s new virtual draft

The NFL solidified its draft plan this week.

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Monday, the NFL cemented details surrounding the 2020 NFL draft as the globe grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.

According to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s memo sent to teams, the league will hold its first — and perhaps only — virtual NFL draft.

Translation: It’s going to look quite a bit like a typical fantasy football draft.

League and team facilities remain closed indefinitely, so team personnel have been advised to prepare to participate in the draft individually and virtually.

It’s not a shocking turn of events considering the league had already prohibited prospect-team meetings. That restriction hasn’t stopped the Bengals from seeing plenty of Joe Burrow.

The Bengals — and likely Burrow — will be first up leading the way for the NFL in this new virtual format. The actual broadcast itself will also be virtual, spanning multiple networks with some innovative ideas to keep fans engaged with the process as usual.

Though actually earning the first pick wasn’t fun, it should be interesting to see the Bengals leading the way in this twist to the usual draft format.

 

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