This Team Could Learn From Mistakes The Last Few Seasons And Be Better Going Forward

The first ten years here from 1999-2008 were mostly a success.We had one of the best records in the league during this timespan 96-64 including best record in the league twice,a trip to the Super Bowl,Two AFC championship games and six seasons where we made the postseason.We made some good decisions and some bad ones during this time but one thing our GM Floyd Reese did right was he had us constantly in the mix as having one of the best rosters even if in the end we were in cap hell and had to let some good players go and reload.We always seemed to be bringing in the best players in free agency during this period of time to come in and help like Lance Schulters,Randall Godfrey,Kevin Carter,Kyle Vanden Bosch,Kevin Mawae,David Thornton,Fred Miller,Lorenzo Neal,Neil O’Donnell,etc. During this time through the draft we brought in Jevon Kearse,Keith Bulluck,Albert Haynesworth,Michael Roos,etc.

The last five years have been as disappointing and a big reason why in my opinion is bad decision making by the higher ups in this organization and the record during this span was 29-35.The main mistake i think was making Mike Reinfeldt the GM because he tried in every way to be the exact opposite of his predecessor Floyd Reese.The whole time Reinfeldt was making decisions we quit going after good players and started going after the bargain bin after all the talent was gone in free agency.Bringing in players like Jovan Haye,Barrett Ruud,Shaun Smith did nothing at all to help our defense after Haynesworth left in 2009.Also in the 2009 draft Senderrick Marks,Gerald McRath,Ryan Mouton,Robert Johnson were all pretty much busts for the defense as well.The same could be said about the running game as well Javon Ringer and Jamie Harper never did much either.I do think this conservative approach was the wrong way to go as the teams record dipped but unlike in the past we didn't bounce back and stayed mostly under .500 and a lot of that had to do with the quality of players we had.Having to give TE Bo Scaife the franchise tag showed just how much we started to lack good players.We also lost some good position coaches along the way as well as some coordinators and didn't bring in good replacements.

We now seem to be finally correcting a lot of the mistakes that have been made the past few years this season.We have a much better GM Ruston Webster now who in my opinion is trying to correct a lot of things within the roster that have been weighing this team down.Of course last year Bud Adams pursuit of Peyton Manning was the reason we missed out on a big part of free agency in 2012 but finally this season Ruston Webster has been able to bring in some talent that has been sorely needed for quite some time.One of the best things i've seen happen is getting rid of Javon Ringer and Jamie Harper because both of those players didn't do much of anything and he went out and got Shonn Greene who should immediately help make an impact along with Chris Johnson at RB.We also brought in some help on the offensive line drafting Chance Warmack and bringing in Andy Levitre in free agency while letting go Eugene Amano and thats the second example already of how the roster immediately got much better.Robert Turner and Chris Spencer were brought in for depth on the offensive line.In his first two drafts he has brought in Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter at WR and Wright already is making an impact as he was the leading receiver with 64 catches in his rookie season.Webster brought Delanie Walker in from the 49ers to replace Jared Cook at TE.Also Ryan Fitzpatrick will replace Matt Hasselbeck as the backup QB.He has brought in Bernard Pollard at safety and hired coach Gregg Williams to come in and help as well and together they could help the defense regain the tough identity it once had.George Wilson was brought in from free agency to help at safety and provide leadership.Sammie Lee Hill from Detroit and Ropati Pitoitua from Kansas City were both brought in to help Jurrell Casey and the run defense get better.

The bottom line is for the first time in quite a while the team has a respectable roster a chance to make something happen.For this to take place mostly depends on the progress of Jake Locker now in his third season.We will find out this year if Locker is the future or not here in Tennessee.A lot is at stake in the best case scenario Locker and the team plays well and everyone is back next season while the worst case is if Locker struggles and the team doesn't play well then Head Coach Mike Munchak,QB Jake Locker and a lot of others will be on the way out and most likely there would be a new head coach hired as well as a new face at quarterback.In my opinion a lot of this depends also on how well the team responds to the schedule as the first two games are on the road at Pittsburgh and at Houston.I think the best way to come out of that is to at least win one of those games.The next three are all home games against San Diego,N.Y. Jets,Kansas City and in my opinion i think we have a good chance in all those.I think one of the hardest parts of the schedule is right after the three game homestand when we go to the far west coast to play Seattle one of the best teams in the league not to mention one of the loudest stadiums.We then come home to face the Super Bowl runner up San Francisco another really good squad.In my opinion the rest of the schedule after the bye we go against Jax twice,Indy twice,St. Louis,Oakland,Arizona and a home game against Houston i think we could win most of those if we play well.The game at Denver against Peyton Manning will be probably the hardest one of all the contests after the bye.

In my opinion i like the job Ruston Webster has done so far since he started as GM around a year and a half back.The one thing i think he learned from watching Reinfeldt is that the conservative approach he took the last few seasons was a failure.I think he has done a really good job of finding talent to help us out at RB and especially along the offensive line.He also has brought in a suitable backup QB if something should happen to Locker such as an injury.He brought in a pretty good TE to help replace Jared Cook.In his first draft he brought in WR Kendall Wright who in his rookie year led the team in catches.He has brought back coach Gregg Williams to help with the defense and this season brought in Bernard Pollard to help toughen up the defense as well.I think he has done a good job trying to improve the roster.We also trying to bring in better position coaches such as Sylvester Croom who immediately brought forth the idea of a two back system which led to the team getting Shonn Greene who will be able to convert those third and shorts into first downs something C.J. struggled with but an area where Greene excelled.Coach Jefferson has done a pretty good job with the WR as well as trying to help rookie Justin Hunter transition from college to the pros.We haven't really seen what Dowell Loggains can do for the offense and Jake Locker but its been said the plays will be fairly easy to run.This will be Mike Munchak's make or break year and he has been given everything he needs and a fair chance to succeed.

 

Lol, i can't seem to edit has that feature quit working recently?

 

I looked under thread tools but can't seem to find an option for audio files.

 

I just hope if by some chance things don't go well and they do let Munchak and Locker loose that they don't give Webster a pink slip as well because he really hasn't been given enough time to really show what he can do.I agree they should let him get the coach he wants.