Julio Jones got his wish and was moved out of Atlanta for essentially a second-round pick from Tennessee. Now he will try to get another crack at a Super Bowl ring as he enters the twilight of what has been a stellar career. The question is, do the Titans have enough to be considered a championship-caliber team? Would you back them to win it all in your NFL picks?
Ryan’s Rebirth
Before we discuss Julio Jones, we have to consider his new quarterback, Ryan Tannehill. Without a top-notch QB, a wide receiver can only do so much, but is Jones getting a better passer in Tannehill than he had in Atlanta with Matt Ryan?
Let’s be fair and say that Ryan Tannehill has matured a great deal since he entered the league as a highly touted eighth overall pick out of Texas A&M back in 2012. Interceptions were a big problem during his tenure in Miami but he was serviceable enough to start for six seasons before he was shipped to Tennessee for a fourth-round pick.
Once in a Titans uniform, Tannehill came alive and was named the 2019 Comeback Player of the Year as well as making his first Pro Bowl. In 2020, Tannehill proved it was no fluke when he passed for 3,819 yards with 33 passing and 7 rushing TD’s while tossing only seven picks. And now, at the age of 33, Tannehill will boast a pair of superior weapons in Jones and A.J. Brown on the wings with Derrick Henry in the backfield.
As for developing chemistry with his new quarterback, Jones was matter-of-fact, “It’s just talking, communication,” Jones said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. “I don’t think it’s going to take no time at all. He’s a veteran player, I’m a veteran player. We’ve just got to go out there and it’s just repetition at the end of the day, really. Just going out there and [say], ‘This is where I want it at, can you put it here?’ And, where he wants me at, can I get there?
“It’s just us working together. At the end of the day, as long as we’re on the same page, we’re going to be successful.”
Did Jones Get an Upgrade?
At first blush, it’s a no-brainer. The Titans went to the AFC Championship game in 2019 and won their division last year but bowed to the Ravens in their first playoff game. On the flip side, the Falcons have had three consecutive sub .500 seasons with last year being the worst of them all, registering a dismal 4-12 mark.
However, one thing to consider is that the Titans’ offense was retooled by the offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who resuscitated a 27th ranked scoring offense in 2018 under Matt LaFleur to No.10 in 2019 and No. 3 in 2020. And just as Jones arrives, guess where Arthur Smith is going? Any guesses? If you said Atlanta to take the head coaching job then you get a gold star. Ironic to say the least but Todd Downing will be his replacement this season, elevated from tight ends coach last year.
Nevertheless, the NFL odds at all of the best online sportsbooks are dealing the Titans at +2500 to win the Super Bowl which places them in the middle of the pack.
And while Jones will have a stunning complement on the other side of the field in A.J. Brown which will virtually eliminate double teams, it should also be noted that Calvin Ridley in Atlanta isn’t exactly chopped liver. Perhaps the biggest upgrade will be in the Tennessee offensive line and having one of the most ferocious tailbacks running the rock in Derrick Henry.
As for his former QB, Matt Ryan, he’s a few years older than Tannehill but what Tannehill did over the last two years, Matty Ice has been doing since 2008. And as for defense, the Falcons were ranked 19th in points allowed last year while the Titans checked in at an underwhelming 24th. Unless Tennessee gets their D in order, and in a hurry, this team is not going to challenge for anything except an early vacation from the playoffs…if they even get there.
Tennessee could have landed a future star with their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft when they selected Virginia Tech cornerback, Caleb Farley. But they went with an offensive tackle in the second then followed up with a linebacker and another cornerback in the third round. I’m not sure if the 2021 Titans’ defense has the bones to be a whole better this year than last but if they’re not then Julio Jones will be waiting another year to grasp the ring he so desperately seeks.
