Maybe The Tennessee Titans Should Deflate Their Balls

Upon reflecting on the 2014 Tennessee Titans season I have decided that maybe they should have deflated their balls too. The New England Patriots have been crowned the AFC Kings yet again, and again are being challenged on their ethics. Or in this case, the lack thereof.

There have been a number of questionable things since “The Hoodie”, Bill Belichick started in New England that raise eyebrows among football fans. Just his hiring in New England caused a stir to begin with. Belichick was coaching for the New York Jets, but resigned to take the Patriot job. It was not a popular with Jets fans, and they still can’t stand this guy to this day.

Then it was Spygate in 2007. Again the Jets were involved in the unethical doings of the Patriots. Belichick had the defensive coaches signals filmed and deciphered. This was clearly an illegal act carried out by the Patriots, and gave New England a advantage offensively.  Belichick and the Patriots admitted to the NFL that they had been doing this since the 2000 season. Belichick was fined $500,000 (not one win was forfeited however) and their first round draft pick was taken away in the 2008 draft.

Now it is Underinflate-gate.  After the AFC Championship game it was found that the Patriots footballs were inexplicably under-inflated significantly. This would of course allow Pats QB Tom Brady to grip the ball better in the cold, rainy conditions of Foxboro, and also allow his group of receivers to catch the ball better.

It was not the only time this was done this season either. The Colts actually had a ball checked in their first meeting when Brady was intercepted by Safety Mike Adams twice. This game was played on November 16th (See Story Here From ABC) The ball was found to be under-inflated.

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It is clear to me that Belichick, Brady, and the entire Patriot organization are similar to a Nascar Team. They try to find any small thing they can tinker with to get an advantage. Fair or unfair. Just look at the confusion they are creating now with using tackles and guard sometimes reporting as eligible, and sometimes ineligible receivers. It is just tweaking that fuel injection system or making that air-dam a little lower. Pretty soon I think you will see Belichick and Brady look more like Duvall and Cruise in Days of Thunder. Can you imagine the sponsors waiting to put their patch on these guys fire suits?

So what about the Titans? Should they deflate their balls? Here is what I would like to see as a Titan fan. I do not want my team to do anything to break the rules of the game. Ethics in sport should be sacred. But as a fan, I would like to see this team and organization act like they want to win. At least the Patriots are doing everything they can to gain an advantage. I don’t see that in the Titans. Try to get an advantage in some aspect of the game.

This season was a bust. The offense was less than vanilla this season. It was more like Tapioca. Like, what is that anyway? Coach Ken Whisenhunt came in touted as an offensive genius. It did not register at LP Field, or on the Titan side of the field at any of their away games this season. It was ugly.

The Titan offense had no identity, no imagination, and no direction. It was just kind of there. It was three and out with properly inflated footballs, and no videotaping of the opposing teams defensive signals. Would Titan QB Zach Mettenberger have benefitted from a softer football? Possibly. It may have cushioned him better from the ground when opposing defensive ends planted him in the turf. I’m not sure how much else it would have helped this past season.

I do not question the Tennessee Titans’ players efforts on the field. I saw a lot of guys giving it their all, even when the season became disastrous. They played hard. But did the Coaching staff give that effort as well? I don’t think so. I didn’t see schemes that could cause problems offensively or defensively. I did not see this group out-coaching anyone. Most importantly I did not see a sense of urgency.

A sense of urgency is what Whisenhunt must have this season. He must appear to want to win, and he must do everything in his power to make sure this team has advantages to help them win. You do not always have the best talent. But you have to make due with that talent, and get them in position to win. Again, look at the Patriots. It is not a team that overwhelms you with their talent.

I will say that again. They do not overwhelm AFC teams with their talent. What they do overwhelm teams with is a sense of urgency, and a sense of desire to win. That is taught, and that is instilled. Take a page from the “Hoodie” Coach Whisenhunt. It is not how the Patriots deflated their balls. It is “why” they deflated their balls.

If you are like me around my house, those needles that inflate and deflate footballs and basketballs are hard to find. They come with the pump, but never seem to be around long. I suggest you do everything possible to find that needle, and let your team know you are doing everything in your power, ethically, to win.