2009, first 6 to Make or Break us

i am not afraid of a slow start... even if we come out 3-3 from our first sex games i would be happy. 4 of 6 on the road is hard for anyteam. the south is still a tough division but i dont think it will be the toughest this year. the colts are going through some growing pains with new coaches in every major area...manning doesnt have is go-to guy anymore (harrison) while everyone is saying that they are going to be great..i look for them to be average this year. you cant change everything on your team and expect to keep going at the clip you were at...the last time they missed the playoffs???the last time dungy wasnt their coach..
while the texans are improving i dont know if they are the "powerhouse" everyone says they are. yes they have johnson, williams and slaton...but they have alot of youngins and really no experince when it comes to must win big games...
the jags just suck...they let there all time leading rusher go in hopes that MJD steps up...i dont think that is going to happen. he is used to a two RB progam...he doesnt look tough enough to handle being "the guy". not to mention they dont have a wr to save them from anything...teams will be stacking the box which will clog up MJD..

i really think whoever has 11 wins will take this division.

 

I've thought this myself, but it doesn't matter how we start so long as we finish the regular season strong. Taking the winning momentum into January is huge this year for us. I completely agree that we have gotten off to a weak start in most games that we should own teams in.

As for seeing our team during pre-season; should be good with five games this go around. Problem is that teams don't care about the pre-season so you don't seem to get the 'heart' with the play, making it tough to gauge where our team really is.

I'd like us to knock away these 2nd tier teams like the Jets, and Texans early if we can otherwise look for a struggle.

 

Fitantitans, thanks for starting a decent thread during the dead time.

Psychotic, I don't see why this isn't as good a time as any to talk about the start of the season. Yes, we can't control injuries, but other than that, it's not like that much is changing between now and the end of preseason. Odds are that not one starter will change, certainly not more than one. (yes, injury is the exception)

This is something that I've been thinking about since the schedule came out in April. Not only do we have our two hardest games in this stretch (@Pit and @Pats), but we don't really have any room to let down. All six of these should be a challenge. I think that we'll beat the Jags twice this year, but playing them on the road in the middle of this stretch makes that one tougher. This is also basically a list of teams that are gunning for us, or at least their fans are. While I hope for a strong start, I'd be perfectly fine with getting through to the bye at 3-3. I could see a slow start being good for us, to take us off the pedestal and make us work for it through the season. I could see us emerging next January as a tough, tested team ready for the playoffs.

The upside of the schedule is that after the bye, it gets so much easier. @Colts, @Texans, and Chargers may be our three toughest in that stretch. We also have 3 home games in December, which is great. I could see us winning 7 or 8 out of the final ten fairly easily.

I have high hopes for this team, and cannot wait to see how it actually plays out. It's hard to predict, since we don't really no much about all of these other teams. I was incredibly happy with our starts both of the last two years. They really exceeded expectations, and I'm hoping that this year's will too.

 

I'm all for talking about the season but when it comes to predicting records i tend to be a little more cautious thats all. I have high expectations for this team just like everyone else and believe the Titans have a very good chance at ending up in Miami in Feb. But every year theres a few teams in TC that get hit with the injury bug at key positions and has set teams back,so i just want to make it through camp healthy and be full strength come week 1. I know alot of people like to go by the saying "its not how you start,its how you finish." IMO i'm a big believer in starting the season off hot and building the confidence of the team early and thats where a healthy roster comes into play. I know injuries are something you cant control and thats probably why its so nerve racking,for me at least.

 

Anything under 4-2 would be a failure in my eyes seeing as we were the best team in the NFL last (regular) season however you may look at it.

I think we'll win a game that we aren't supposed to (Steelers/Patriots) and lose a game we aren't supposed to (Jags/Texans/Jets)... not sure who will be favored in the Colts game, but we're taking that one... no doubt.

 

I like your way of thinking.

Though I'd settle for 3-3 after looking at our first six games. And, after that, the rest of the season should get easier.