NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans sent a statement to the league on Sunday with their 27-3 defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs. Holding Patrick Mahomes and Co. to just a measly field goal is one thing, but it's another to do it on a short week after beating the respected Buffalo Bills on a goal-line stand.
The Titans have now defeated the two teams who were regarded as the best in the AFC in less than a week. The same Titans team that lost to the previously winless New York Jets not long ago. In the midst of a three-game win streak, this fan base is juiced up. But the team? Not so much. Collectively -- from the coaching staff down to the practice squad -- this team understands that every week will be a battle, and that there's no reason to celebrate just yet.
Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown has been a huge part of Tennessee's offensive success over the past week. He caught seven passes for 91 yards against the Bills on Monday night and then ratcheted things up another level -- making eight catches for 133 yards and one touchdown on Sunday against the Chiefs. Brown was asked about how he felt after notching his two best performances of the season, and he responded saying, "It mean nothing." Brown has the same attitude about his team. He understands that more people are going to talk about the Titans, but that he and his teammates have to remain focused, humble and ready.
"I definitely think we are moving in the right direction," said Brown. "This is one game, we didn't win the Super Bowl today. We're not going to get big-headed about one win."
"The league is going to do its thing, they're going to say 'Look out for the Titans. They beat the Chiefs, they beat the Bills.' But for us, it's a week-to-week league and it's tough. We gotta come in and we gotta go to work every week. No matter what the game plan is, like nobody knows who's going to win when you go out there. You could have the perfect game plan and it could all go wrong. Like I said, it's a week-to-week league, and we're going to try to stay focused and worry about next week against the Colts."
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill echoed Brown's statement, saying that the Titans are going to have to stay focused if they want to do any celebrating at the end of the year.
"There's nothing to get carried away about," said Tannehill. "We're seven games into a 17-game season. (We) have a lot of football left in front of us, we just have to stay the course, enjoy the wins, keep building, grow as a team and be able to put a good team effort out each and every week."
The Titans want their play to do the talking, and their play did plenty of talking on Sunday. Tennessee's offense has the potential to be one of the best in the league, and the defense should not be overlooked either. It certainly says something about this team that they understand meaningless outside hype is coming, and they are ready to brush it aside.
