Titans might be the best team in AFC South

Though the Cleveland Browns entered as the favorites at home and were dubbed favorites to win the AFC North, the Tennessee Titans blew them out of the water 43-13 to show that they are a force to be reckoned with in the AFC South.

Following a confusing offseason from the Houston Texans, specifically due to head coach Bill O’Brien’s head-scratching general managing, and Andrew Luck’s retirement, the AFC South is absolutely wide open this season. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the defense and the upgraded quarterback to seem like favorites, but with Nick Foles injured, they could be behind the curve if Gardner Minshew doesn’t continue to shock the NFL world.

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans are coming off of a major victory over the Cleveland Browns, who are playoff contenders in their own rights. In their 43-13 victory at First Energy Stadium, the Titans not only made Baker Mayfield look entirely ordinary, but they also made several big plays on a Browns defense that boasts one of the league’s best defensive lines.

Cleveland gave Marcus Mariota and his overmatched offensive line everything they could handle with their all-out blitzes, but Mariota and the Titans outsmarted the opposition. They let the Browns ill discipline beat them, and instead used short passes into open space to carve the aggressive Browns up.

Mariota finished with 10.3 yards per pass attempt, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions against a Browns defense that was clearly playing for turnovers against a quarterback whose intelligence they vastly underestimated. Likewise, Mariota made great usage of his pass-catchers, with Derrick Henry and impressive rookie AJ Brown making big plays with the ball in their hands.

But Tennessee’s calling card – and the reason why they could return to the playoffs – is the defense. Cameron Wake looks as elite as ever when rushing the passer, Kevin Byard was all over the field, Malcolm Butler had a pick-six, and Logan Ryan was also immense.

The Titans suffocated Odell Beckham Jr. They picked off Mayfield three times. And most of all, they took advantage of their opportunities on offense to put 43 points on the board. Oh, and they were excellent on special teams, with Brett Kern booming punts, including a 70-yard beauty inside the five-yard line, and Cairo Santos nailing a 53-yard field goals.

Tennessee don’t have the most pure talent in the division. That honor belongs to the Houston Texans. But they can win plenty of games this season by playing clean, mistake-free football on offense, executing on special teams, and riding their impact players like Byard and Wake on a defense that has an excellent secondary and very few questions up front.

This team has used the formula of defense, running, and clean quarterbacking from the intelligent and accurate Mariota to make it to the postseason. And after completely dominating an exciting, optimistic Browns team in all phases, they look like they just might be the best team in the AFC South this season.

There’s still time for the Texans and Colts to make their Week 1 statements, but this 30-point victory on the road was definitely a statement on the part of Tennessee. They’ve been overlooked this offseason, but, well, it’s something they’re used to dealing with.

And it would be very unwise to overlook a team with their defense, especially since the offense seems to finally be making strides again.