Week 3 Schedule Analysis

Week 3 Schedule Analysis

How about that win over the hated Ratbirds Titans fans? So. Awesome. Following the outstanding win over the Ravens not much has changed in my schedule analysis.

9/11/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Jacksonville Jaguars

LOSS

The Titans came out in week 1 looking remarkably similar to the team we saw in 2010. Penalties and generally lackluster play on offense paved the way for a loss to a team

9/18/11 Baltimore Ravens –vs- Tennessee Titans

WIN

Well, that was spectacular. No, really it was outstanding. And awesome. Can’t say enough good things about the Titans win over the Ravens. Dramatic improvement in the trenches and an offense that looked night and day different from last week.

Win

9/25/11 Denver Broncos –vs- Tennessee Titans

One of several games that could go either way but I'm picking the Titans for this one. Will this be the week where fans see Touchdown Jesus? Time will tell.

10/2/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Cleveland Browns

Win

I am still picking the Titans to win this game but I see a very good Cleveland team they must beat.

10/9/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Pittsburgh Steelers

Loss

The Steelers loss to the Ravens and the manner in which they lost give hope but the Titans have to get much better to win this game. A lot better. Game Steelers

10/16/11 BYE

10/23/11 Houston Texans –vs Tennessee Titans

Win

Titans win a sqeaker at home.

10/30/11 Indianapolis Colts –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

To say the Colts did look that good last week is an understatement but I still think they can pull it together and be a team that is hard to beat. Still home field advantage and game Titans.

11/6/11 Cincinnati Bengals –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

It is hard to figure out this Bengals team. They may be better than I expected but I still think the Titans will handle them quite easily.

11/13/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Carolina Panthers

Win

So, yea Cam Newton is good. Unfortunately, the rest of the team not so much. Titans defense will contain Newton.

11/20/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Atlanta Falcons

Win

My prediction for this game still looks solid at the moment. The Falcons looked much better but I am sticking with my prediction.

11/27/11 Tampa Bay Bucs –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

No change in my prediction. This is another game that could go either way. The Bucs have a tremendously talented QB in Josh Freeman. The defense is making strides as well. Are there enough offensive weapons around Freeman and can they protect the kid better than last year? Time will tell. Game Titans

12/04/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Buffalo Bills

Win

The Bills are looking pretty well under Ryan Fitzpatrick who I always thought was a solid quarterback who didn’t get enough respect. At this point I am still picking the Titans to win.

12/11/11 New Orleans Saints –vs- Tennessee Titans

Loss

The Saints are hard to figure this year. I think this will be a close game but I am still picking the Saints to win.

12/18/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Indianapolis Colts

Loss

Again, I think the Colts will pull together and be a competitive team. The Colts win this one at home.

12/24/11 Jacksonville Jags –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

Titans with home field advantage easily handle the Jags this time.

01/01/2012 Tennessee Titans -vs- Houston Texans

Loss

Titans split the series with the Texans winning a close one at home.

Week 1 regular season prediction: 11-5

Troy Davis is not alone

Troy Davis is not alone and that is true in more ways than you think. While most people probably know casually who Troy Davis is and what happened to him let me give a brief background. Troy Davis was 19 years old when he was accused of killing an off-duty police officer. The case was largely circumstantial and rested on the testimony of 9 witnesses. After Davis was convicted, 7 of those 9 witnesses recanted their testimony. There were allegations that the government knowingly presented false testimony and knowingly concealed exculpatory evidence.

The big problem in the case, and the travesty of justice that it raises, is the very high barrier a wrongfully convicted person faces when the evidence at trial is tainted. The bar is set pretty high for someone who has been convicted of a crime to obtain relief. For Troy Davis it meant his life because if the government knowingly presented coerced testimony to the jury which led to his conviction and knowingly concealed exculpatory evidence then they screwed him twice and killed him. Because once having wrongfully convicted him, that same government then forced him to "prove" his innocence in order to obtain a reprieve.

Unfortunately the news gets even more sad because Troy Davis is not alone. The cold hard fact is that there is a win at all costs mentality that is present if not pervasive in prosecuting criminal cases. Don't think prosecutors abuse the system or hide evidence? Think again. Also, do some research and you will find that it happens far more often than justice can and should bear. Just do a Google search of prosecuturial misconduct and see what you find. It's heartbreaking.

The convoluted post conviction process is beyond the scope of this blog but you will find a good discussion of it if you read the 11th Circuit's opinion in the Troy Davis case. You will also see how important it is to have access to good legal representation with the resources to conduct a very thorough investigation. For most death row inmates this is simply unavailable because of their economic status. They must hope that somewhere somehow their case draws attention. Even those that do obtain good legal representation face almost insurmountable hurdles in appealing their convictions.

Want more sad news? Well the trend is likely to continue until there is a good remedy to correct the situation. Forcing someone convicted and sentenced to death with perjured testimony to jump through nearly impossible legal hoops is the antithesis of justice. The post conviction process is hopelessly broken and must be fixed. It's time the legal profession took a cold hard look at itself. Accountability is a good thing.

What is most troubling about the Davis case, as well as any case where there is official misconduct, is the lack of a remedy. Forcing someone convicted through falsified evidence to jump through these hoops adds insult to injury. Where there is clearly official conduct there must be a better remedy other than forcing someone to prove "actual innocence" or to "prove" that the result would have been different. In my opinion, if there is sufficient evidence of official misconduct, it should automatically warrant a new trial. If the United States aspires to be a modern and civilized society doesn't justice require nothing less?

Reflections from Week 2

Reflections from Week 2

Well, that was awesome. I mean seriously awesome. Not too many people thought we would win this game

I have to give major props to the trenches. Games are won and lost there and both sides of the line played extremely well against the Ravens. I have been very critical of the interior line with good reason but the entire unit stepped up and brought their A game. Matt Hasselbeck enjoyed great protection and had an amazing day completing passes to 9 different receivers.

Speaking of the receivers it is good to see Kenny Britt mature and hopefully come into his own as a go to receiver. While his talent was always in play his decision making and maturity has rightfully been a question as off field issues accumulated during previous two offseasons. He appears to be maturing and putting those issues in his past. If he stays out of trouble and continues to grow he has the capacity to be an elite NFL receiver.

Major props also to new Dad Nate Washington who really came through in the passing game as well. Washington ended the game with 7 catches for 99 yards. When was the last time we had two wide receivers with 100 yard games? Let’s face it that hasn’t happened very often either.

I know fans are unhappy with Chris Johnson but I really wish they would chill out. The running game has struggled but it is not entirely CJ’s fault. Yes he is rusty from his holdout but the interior line has struggled as well. In any event, having CJ in the game completely changes the complexion of the defense you face as evidenced by the Ravens game. Be patient and I think you will see the running game continue to get better every game.

What can you say about the defensive line except welcome back Derrick Morgan and Jason Jones? Oh how missed you were on the defense. The defensive line got consistent pressure on Joe Flacco and got good penetration on the run as well. Just a really great overall performance by the defensive line. The rookie DT’s, especially Karl Klug, are playing very solid football. I continue to be very impressed overall by this year’s draft class.

The secondary also played very well. Jason McCourty is very underrated as a defensive back. He is really playing outstanding so far this year. Against the Ravens he had 4 tackles and 1 interception. Michael Griffin also had an outstanding game. Let’s hope that trend continues as I continue to believe he can be the best young safety in the league if he gets his game together. It was good to see him be more physical again. Although, maybe a little too physical on one play huh Griff?

Also the play of the linebackers has been great this year, although we still seem to have issues covering the flat. Barrett Ruud looks to be a nice addition at MLB. Akeem Ayers if he continues to grow and learn is going to be a star in this league. He is already playing solid football and I believe it is only a matter to time before he has a breakout game that will cause everyone to take notice. Will Witherspoon’s play has gone largely unnoticed which is a shame since he has played two excellent games.

Special teams continue to be an area where we really need improvement. The unit gave up a 77 yard kickoff return that fortunately only lead to a Ravens field goal. The usually reliable Rob Bironas inexplicably misses a field goal. Punting was much better this week but then again we only punted twice. Not that I’m complaining. Nope, not me.

Finally, i have to give a major shoutout to the coaching staff. After the Jacksonsville game it was fair to question whether this was going to be the same team we saw in 2010. The Ravens game certainly laid to rest some of those concerns. Mike Munchak showed major cajones going for it on 4th down twice. The overall gameplan was outstanding. If the trend continues the future does indeed look bright.

In summary, this is a game I believed the Titans could play but just wasn’t sure after the Jacksonville game that they would play. The Titans dominated the time of possession which was a vast improvement over the Jacksonville game and was great to see. I would still like to see the Titans get better in the penalty department as we racked up 70 yards on 6 penalties. Still, again this game was a vast improvement over the Jacksonville game. All in all this was a great team effort.

Week 2 Schedule Analysis

Well, week 1 didn’t go exactly as Titans fans planned. A loss at Jacksonville sent an ominous message to fans that the so called “new era” in Titans football may be a mirage. Time will tell but the message so far isn’t looking very inspiring.

9/11/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Jacksonville Jaguars

LOSS

The Titans came out in week 1 looking remarkably similar to the team we saw in 2010. Penalties and generally lackluster play on offense paved the way for a loss to a team

9/18/11 Baltimore Ravens –vs- Tennessee Titans

Loss

Last Sunday’s game doesn’t bode well for a victory here. Let’s just hope we are competitive. The Ravens looked great last week. History does not bode well for the Titans in this match.

Win

9/25/11 Denver Broncos –vs- Tennessee Titans

One of several games that could go either way but I'm picking the Titans for this one. Will this be the week where fans see Touchdown Jesus? Time will tell.

10/2/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Cleveland Browns

Win

I am still picking the Titans to win this game but I see a very good Cleveland team they must beat.

10/9/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Pittsburgh Steelers

Loss

The Steelers loss to the Ravens and the manner in which they lost give hope but the Titans have to get much better to win this game. A lot better. Game Steelers

10/16/11 BYE

10/23/11 Houston Texans –vs Tennessee Titans

Win

Titans win a sqeaker at home.

10/30/11 Indianapolis Colts –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

To say the Colts did look that good last week is an understatement but I still think they can pull it together and be a team that is hard to beat. Still home field advantage and game Titans.

11/6/11 Cincinnati Bengals –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

Bengals may be better than expected but this is still a game I expect the Titans to win.

11/13/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Carolina Panthers

Win

Shoutout to Cam Newton for putting on a show to silence his critics. It won’t do it entirely but good to see the guy come out strong. Still, the team as a whole has a lot of work to do. I still think the Titans can win this game if they fix their mistakes and play disciplined football.

11/20/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Atlanta Falcons

Win

My prediction for this game still looks solid at the moment. The Falcons looked horrid last week.

11/27/11 Tampa Bay Bucs –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

No change in my prediction. This is another game that could go either way. The Bucs have a tremendously talented QB in Josh Freeman. The defense is making strides as well. Are there enough offensive weapons around Freeman and can they protect the kid better than last year. Time will tell. Game Titans

12/04/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Buffalo Bills

Win

The Bills are looking pretty well under Ryan Fitzpatrick who I always thought was a solid quarterback who didn’t get enough respect. At this point I am still picking the Titans to win.

12/11/11 New Orleans Saints –vs- Tennessee Titans

Loss

Before the game last week I thought the Saints’ secondary was suspect and it appears I am right. Still, the Saints are very talented and

12/18/11 Tennessee Titans –vs- Indianapolis Colts

Loss

Again, I think the Colts will pull together and be a competitive team. The Colts win this one at home.

12/24/11 Jacksonville Jags –vs- Tennessee Titans

Win

Can we protect our home? Let’s hope we can. Give this one to the Titans.

01/01/2012 Tennessee Titans -vs- Houston Texans

Loss

Titans split the series with the Texans winning a close one at home.

Week 1 regular season prediction: 10-6