Tennessee Titans 2002 Yearbook "The Rising"

[Applause] these guys out here every one of them selling out wanting a chance to go to the Super Bowl the AFC Championship was an unlikely destination for the Tennessee Titans after stumbling to a one-in-four start dropping sets but the 2002 season was that much sweeter simply because they came out of nowhere [Music] against the Raiders they grabbed a 17 to 14 lead late in the first half an upset was on the tip of everyone's tongue sad to say it was Tennessee's bubble that burst instead when Oakland pulled ahead in the second half and left the Titans pondering what might have been in San Diego yet it was bittersweet because while the year ended in heartbreak six months before most sports writers across the nation didn't even see the playoffs as an option following a seven and nine mark in 2001 the Titans run for a ring was yesterday's news thought they still had front-page potential surprise surprise those few who stayed true blue proved to be the true prophets they started one in four but managed to turn in one of the greatest seasons ever on defense they recaptured their dominating mystique of two years ago reminding opponents why they wear pants the offense which traditionally views time of possession as an extremely exciting stat also found new life behind a truly inspirational quarterback [Music] they found flux players and the locker room all of whom were somehow overlooked until they all pulled together as one unit working together rising back to the top from the national football team [Music] excitement of opening day was suddenly hushed when star defensive and Jevon Kearse broke his foot on the second play of the game but in the third quarter just as it seemed they were about to call it a day one quick slant cue to come back [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] then one more slash cut Phillies lead to 10 [Music] the defense doubled the number of blitzes on donovan mcnabb forcing three turnovers and 6x3 buy curses replacement rookie Carlos all [Music] first week going [Applause] 20 unanswered points in the last quarter and a half not Philly for a loop but in the weeks to come it was the Titans who'd be wondering which end was up the next Sunday in Dallas it was Steve McNair who got a taste of a nasty pass rush and Emmitt Smith who was dodging defendants to tackle losses to the Cowboys Browns Raiders and Redskins sentenced them to the basement of the AFC South behind even the expansion houston texans what happened was the comeback win against philadelphia a hoax maybe or maybe it was as simple as one reporter wrote this team is just not very good and far from a Super Bowl contender coach Fisher's solution was that turn up the heated practice reinforcing a blue-collar ethic bring your lunch pail every day because the season was far from over [Applause] tempo tempo he was convinced somewhere in this bunch lay the seeds of a team that could rival the Super Bowl Titans of 1999 those seeds began to sprout against their old friends the Jaguars who they beat me six of the last eight in 86 the dominance continued [Applause] for Georgians [Applause] the Titans tenacious defense shut down Jacksonville's offense holding them to 68 passing yards and intercepting them twice [Music] it was the beginning of Tennessee's long journey back to AFC preeminence week 8 Eddie George ran roughshod over Cissy adding to a career rushing total that would eclipse Earl Campbell's franchise mark later in the evening Steve McNair through three second half touchdowns to bring them back from 14 down the biggest story of the day though centered on the defense after surrendering to early touchdowns they tightened like a vise but in the waning minutes of the game with the Bengals deep in Tennessee territory the Titans needed four straight defensive stops to seal the win it's coming with all sorts of big people give Dylan running right he's trippy the dramatic goal line stand was just one example of the resiliency of Tennessee's defensive unit led by coordinator Jim Schwartz they were vital in Tennessee's turnaround they reduced their average points allowed from 32 to 15 and became the league's number one unit during the last 11 regular season games I would do is make plays beby we in it to win it and what first place in the division on the line the defense almost single-handedly won the game they held Indianapolis scoreless through three quarters and a punishing pass rush for three turnovers [Applause] keep [Applause] in three weeks they went from last to first place in the AFC South but if you think they were satisfied you've got another thing coming Tennessee's metamorphosis continued to show when the Houston Texans came to town in week 10 the Titans first drive lasted 13 plays and covered 93 yards but there who didn't practice much of the week because of a sore toe was good to go once he got his cleats off and late in the third he hit shad Meyer with one of his prettiest passes of the [Music] [Applause] the Titans victory over the Texans came relatively easy but the next week they faced a battle of epic proportions with the Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee's physical bruising defense manhandled Pittsburgh shutting down any potential big play opportunities [Applause] of the game for the tight he handed it did he got some good blocking on the left side line shot through their hand with airborne across the goal line the Titans were playing well in all phases of the game reminiscent of the 99 championship team now they were giving up towards getting that extra yard the Titans have had a guiding hand for years and Steve McMahon in 2002 he showed he still throw getting done McNair leads by example and this Mississippi country boy showed dedication hard work in sacrifice [Music] he demonstrated elusiveness and pine despite numerous injuries that took him out of practice for 41 days at the end of the season there was no question Steve McNair would be on the field come game day throughout those injury-riddled weeks McNair guided the Titans to an undefeated December this fierce competitor put himself on the line and refused to live his team down [Applause] irreplacable player there was overlooked everywhere except for the mid-south which was hard to believe after number nine walked the Titans into giant Stadium in week 13 coordinator Mike heimerdinger emptied the backfield and lined up five capable pass catchers allowing McNair to connect with nine different receivers for 334 yards [Music] the chair fainted at the it's under minute left side [Applause] still the Titans faced an eight-point deficit late in the fourth quarter in the clutch the quarterback called on mr. reliable [Applause] [Applause] the wincing in pain from a rib injury he battled during the week McNair had just enough left in his tank in overtime to lead Tennessee down field and set up their third double-digit comeback of the season [Music] holding trick history Sam get God the way [Music] for nearly two decades Bruce Matthews help make the Titans contenders ironically the team honored him on a week when the national press labeled the 2002 title pretenders they sought to disprove their detractors with a fast time like their got them going when he found rookie running back John Simon streaking down the left sideline [Music] [Applause] [Music] Tennessee's defense faced a challenge as Peyton Manning attempted to confuse them with his line of scrimmage audibles but there was nothing manning to do to stop the tightness from keying in and intercepting him three times hey crops looks left suppressor right fires - filled in to the Enzo where did the nose man you were two things my bowling with the Colts offense stifled Tennessee's offense took advantage of Indies defense Eddie George ran in for two short stores pumping Tennessee in a twenty seven to seventeen victory they had won seven of the last eight games leaving them with only one question for their critics loser pretend as a who's that contenders now presents the greatest call of the season Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher dialed up Steve McNair to Kevin Dyson against the Blitz [Music] the six [Applause] [Music] pushed around the defending Super Bowl champs opening holes for Tennessee's committee of running backs number 35 Robert hokum provided a breather for Eddie George the Titans also got valuable yardage from John Simon Mike Green and even Steve McNair the defense held the Patriots to just seven points sacking Tom Brady three times crazy for the gun takes the stand [Applause] which Cody's 24 yard interception return was the icing on a 20 47 New England grubbing in Jacksonville the Titans again steamrolled the Jaguars when two early touchdowns put the Jags into a hole they couldn't escape Tennessee abused Mark Brunell wrapping up the game with a defensive score he got tired of getting beat up the whole game and he just flung that ball across the villain sermon just steps in front of it makes a nice easy interception then takes it all the way back more importantly they took a quick second to celebrate they've just won the AFC South title and a spot in the playoffs someone must have told the special teams that one more win meant a week on to block kicks in the first half elf Tennessee jumped to a six to nothing lead while the defense held Houston 228 yards rushing all game and reminded rookie David Carr he might want to keep working on that deep ball [Applause] on a key third and long McNair was nice enough to show him how it's done winning 10 of the last 11 games the father's team in football got their well-deserved week off before a classic postseason showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers Beth me ready kept by 60 minutes aggressive hits you in the face football if they do that they can baby where the stators am 68 thousand fans bundled up for a history-making afternoon [Applause] only one team ever studied women for and maybe farther than the tightness were at that moment it was time to make it to day were ready snatching the momentum on the second play from scrimmage big deer takes the stamp quarterback draw the offense was inspired and followed their first floor with a marathon drive that lasted the lest of the first quarter and pounded Pittsburgh's pride in the dirt [Music] 14-8 [Music] but the Steelers didn't roll over soon the elite just one and pulling the Titans into one of the most specific aims the week saw all year both teams felt the effects but when Eddie George suffered a concussion at the start of the second half it looked like the Titans had gotten the worst of its burg soon held the lead and all the momentum but Tennessee's ace in the hole was as always they're banged up signal caller McNair takes a straight drop looks left looks looks looking looking looking deep looking deep rolling [Applause] all season McNair and Joanie and the smarts and the guts to get the job done and just in case anyone wasn't looking then he did it again first by trucking down an old friend to the after nearly disappearing from the offense why check had a career day then McNair despite losing a chunk of his thumb pulled the offense together yet again and drove Tennessee back into the lead [Music] [Applause] it's a fact but while the defense turned the black and gold black and blue Pittsburgh had just enough tricks up its sleeve to not the game at 31 and sent up one of the wildest finishes in playoff history as he tries to win the game and the Steelers has four time it doesn't count the Steelers did answer type out the nobody told the fireworks man Zipporah the quick and the itchy trigger finger [Applause] they'll try again after the Pittsburgh timeout and Stan sand kick on the [Applause] running into the kinder Pittsburgh kicker nippy has one more chance to lift the Titans to the AFC Championship game is the third time gonna be the charm stamp set [Music] [Applause] they did make history and joined ironically the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers as the only other team to start woman four and go on to play for the conference title that was incredible incredible the way this game went like this and like that like this every single person just remember remember where we were at one in four and where you are now okay because it makes it that much sweeter that much sweeter there's an old army save the difficult can be done immediately the impossible takes a little longer for the Titans going from the bottom of the barrel to the top of a mountain took a Herculean effort but only 12 games they were a symbol of what is possible underestimated or simply overloaded they were the league's comeback kids who grew up and proved favorite contenders No in 2002 they did do it as the NFL witnessed the rising of the Tennessee Titans [Music] FL faceplates ringtone spring

Channel: Zach Crutcher

Views: 10,360

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Tennessee Titans, Tennessee, Titans, AFC South, Steve Mcnair, Jevon Kearse, Eddie George, Eddie George A Football Life, Jeff Fisher, Derrick Mason, NFL, NFL Football, Football, NFL Yearbook, Titans Fans, NFL Postseason, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans

Id: F86w6QWdr7I

Length: 22min 17sec (1337 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 15 2017