Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 1146: Heavy Sword Without Edge
In the 2017 wild card game, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Tennessee Titans with a last-gasp comeback.

That game was rarely mentioned later, because the Kansas City Chiefs made many wonderful comebacks afterwards; but if you think about it calmly, it was precisely this game that awakened the "Playoff Chiefs" and became the starting point for the Kansas City Chiefs to write countless glories.

Everything started with "Levi VS Henry".

However, the 2018 and 2019 seasons were not easy for the Tennessee Titans.

Last season, after careful consideration, the Tennessee Titans decided to replace the head coach. Houston Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel took over the team and tried to start with the defensive group and transform the team in all aspects.

Unfortunately, Vrabel lacked the wisdom and courage to make drastic changes in offense, and Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Mariota struggled.

The No. 2015 pick in the season started thirteen games, threw only eleven touchdowns and had eight interceptions. His poor performance cost him his starting position.

Where there is loss, there is gain. Precisely because of the quarterback's poor performance, the Tennessee Titans had a breakthrough in ground offense and Derrick Henry exploded.

In his third year in the league, Henry finally got enough opportunities to hold the ball and finally showed his abilities, setting a series of league records and team records, and ending the season with a thousand-yard rushing.

Amidst the difficulties and struggles, the Tennessee Titans finished the season with nine wins and seven losses, which was a good performance, but unfortunately missed the playoff spot.

It is worth mentioning that the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans at that time was Matt LaFleur, the current head coach of the Green Bay Packers.

In the Tennessee Titans, LaFleur was unable to make use of Shanahan's tactical system because Mariota's defensive reading and passing abilities were really poor. Even though the ground offense had created opportunities for the passing offense, Mariota's poor performance repeatedly ruined the opportunities.

However, LaFleur's tactical system focused on the role of running back, which allowed Henry to shine and finally restore the reputation of the Crimson Tide after Levi.

This season, after LaFleur went to the Green Bay Packers, Vrabel did not make drastic reforms to the team's offensive tactical system. Instead, he continued LaFleur's tactical system, focusing on Henry's ground breaking ability. The Tennessee Titans' offense played a wonderful retro style.

At critical moments, Derrick Henry repeatedly stepped forward to save the Tennessee Titans from danger. In the first five weeks of the regular season, he scored touchdowns in every game, which won unprecedented support for the title of "Henry the Great" in Nashville and brought his popularity to a new peak.

However, football is not that simple. Relying solely on Henry is not enough to carry the entire Tennessee Titans to the finish line of victory.

In the first five weeks of the season, the Tennessee Titans only had two wins and three losses.

In the sixth week of the regular season, when the Tennessee Titans challenged the Denver Broncos on the road, Mariota's terrible performance dragged the team into a nightmare. In the third quarter, facing the score of "0:16", Vrabel finally couldn't bear it anymore and pushed Mariota directly to the bench.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who joined from the Miami Dolphins during the offseason, took over the team and tried to find a solution.

Although Tannehill had more losses than wins in his seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins, with a winning rate of less than 50%, this quarterback had solid basic skills and seized the opportunity to demonstrate his ability as a quarterback when he was ordered to play in a critical situation.

Pass the ball.

16 of 13 passes were successful, with an impressive pass success rate of 81.25%.

Unfortunately, the Tennessee Titans lost the game with a score of "0:16", but Vrabel saw hope in Tannehill. Perhaps the partnership between Tannehill and Henry can bring out the advantages of LaFleur's offensive tactical system and inject a little vitality into the Tennessee Titans.

Vrabel’s judgment was correct—

Tannehill lived up to the head coach's trust, leading the team to consecutive wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and then a convincing complete victory over the Carolina Panthers. With three consecutive wins, the Tennessee Titans have regained their foothold in the playoff race.

Indeed, Tannehill is not a top quarterback and Vrabel is not good at offense, but Tannehill's steadiness and Henry's hammer complement each other. The Tennessee Titans' offense does not have explosive power but has strong offensive capabilities. It is heavy and solid, and it is always able to advance steadily.

At the same time, Vrabel is good at defense. The Tennessee Titans do not have superstar players like Watt and Donald, but rely on blue-collar players to form team strength. The current defense group ranks tenth in the league. It seems to be just in the middle, but Vrabel's ability to entangle in the game should not be underestimated.

Whether it's defense or offense, the Tennessee Titans seem to lack explosiveness and are not worth mentioning; but in fact, they are as tough as sticky candy, and they have the ability to entangle and drag the game on both offense and defense. As long as the opponent cannot open up the distance in one fell swoop, they may be involved in their rhythm -

Stuck in the mud.

Of the four losses so far this season, only the one against the Denver Broncos was a complete loss, which was also the fundamental reason why Vrabel replaced Mariota; the other three games were all losses within one possession of the ball, showing Vrabel's expertise in positional warfare.

It can be understood in this way that the Tennessee Titans are like a heavy axe, bulky, slow, steady, but powerful. They are very good at being light and agile, relying on strength and center of gravity to stabilize the situation. As long as the Tennessee Titans' heavy blow lands accurately on the opponent once, it is fatal enough.

Does this description sound familiar?

The Kansas City Chiefs are such a team, known for their speed, burst and rhythm. The core of their dazzling offensive layout is rhythm control.

It is precisely because of this that the Tennessee Titans are not afraid of the Kansas City Chiefs at all. To a certain extent, they are the team that specializes in restraining the Kansas City Chiefs.

Coupled with the second meeting between Levi and Henry in their careers, the topic of "Crimson Tide 2.0" has become much hotter than expected and has attracted much attention.

For the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks are a tough nut to crack, and their unbeaten streak could end if they aren't careful.

The same is true for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Tennessee Titans are also a tough stubble.

Mahomes is still absent, and there is no home field advantage this time, the Kansas City Chiefs must go to Nissan Stadium in Nashville to fight.

They need to stay focused, they need to give it their all, there is no room to slack off.

What lies ahead is not only a long-distance competition with the San Francisco 49ers, nor is it about continuing the aura of undefeated status, but a contest of momentum.

The entire league is eager to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. The entire league is eager to interrupt the Kansas City Chiefs' winning streak. As long as there is a slight crack, the entire momentum and state will begin to shake, and other teams will tear them into pieces like sharks gathering at the smell of blood.

Every game is a battle of momentum.

(End of this chapter)