Shaun Calderon
If there’s one thing that the
Tennessee Titans’ fanbase is used to by now, it’s the constant disrespect from
outsiders that comes with supporting this franchise.
It’s
not exactly hyperbole to say that the Titans are one of the most disrespected
and overlooked teams in the NFL on a yearly basis.
Whether it’s the ridiculous
narratives that are constantly thrown around about them throughout the
offseason or the never-ending doubt people have in their potential, it seems
like the Titans always have something to prove.
Truth
be told, that’s the perfect spot for Tennessee, a team that historically thrives under head coach Mike
Vrabel when viewed as an underdog.
In fact, ever since Vrabel took over as head coach in 2018, the Titans have won a league-best 23 games as an underdog based on the betting odds, according to ESPN.
Win No. 23 came on Sunday against the Los
Angeles Chargers, a game in which the Titans were home dogs by 2.5 points.
Vrabel
and Co. aren’t perfect by any means, but the Titans are undoubtedly a gritty
team that is capable of rising to the occasion and standing toe-to-toe with
anybody on any given Sunday.
The Vrabel-led Titans are good at
dragging even the toughest opponents into four-quarter fist fights, and more
often than not those matchups are going to go Tennessee’s way.
A lot of outsiders
think the Titans overachieve when they win games as an underdog. In reality,
it’s really a sign of their ignorance about the team.
Only
time will tell whether or not this 2023 squad will be a legitimate Super Bowl
contender, or even as good as any of the three playoff teams prior to 2022.