January 24 , 2000
Super Bowl, By George
By Pat O’Neill
HoustonProFootball.com
The Tennessee Titans defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-14 in Jacksonville Sunday; their second straight cover as a road underdog in this year’s playoffs. As a life-long Oiler fan, I am both angry and a bit shocked. Where were the playoff collapses of yesteryear? Where was our good buddy “Stagger Lee”? Where was the opposing veteran quarterback, leading his team on a 4th quarter drive that would seal our fate? Where was Kevin Gilbride and Buddy Ryan duking it out on the sideline? Where was the “clueless” Jack Pardee?
Not one of these tokens from our Oiler past was around on Sunday. That is what is different about this Titan team. And because of that, though it pains me to say so, they are well on their way to winning the Super Bowl this Sunday.
They are a veteran team, with a strong offensive line, a great running back and a fast, hard-hitting defense. Compare that with the teams we had here in the early 90’s: they were also a veteran team, with a veteran quarterback, but they never had a great running game. And all you Allen Pinkett, Lorenzo White and Gary Brown fans, pipe down… none of them could hold a candle to Eddie George, and that was their ultimate downfall back in the day. The run-n-shoot was too much shoot (in the foot) and not enough run. This Titan team has a typically conservative offense that isn’t pretty, but it produces the only result that matters… W’s in the playoffs. What a novel concept.
Let’s face it, who, besides Eddie George on offense, actually scares an opposing defense? Steve McNair? Yancy Thigpen? Come on, there are no opposing coaches planning their defense around Frank Wycheck. This Titan team, without all the fanfare, is a very solid group. We’ve all seen highlights of Jevon Kearse “freaking” havoc on opposing offensive lines, and most of us remember Blaine Bishop and Marcus Robertson, but for the most part, they are an unheralded defense that consistently keeps the plays in front of them and hits hard. Their coach, Jeff Fisher is a perfect fit for this team too. His personality is a mirror-image of it. He is quiet, unassuming and coaches with a real conservative attitude. He is one of the nicest guys in the league, a guy you can’t help but root for.
The only real problem I have with this whole situation is Bud Adams. How can I root for a team that is owned by the man who raped me of my football team? That sloth-like beast is now at the pinnacle of his sport. He is in a place that he has never been; a place that his team, when stationed here in Houston, never was able to take him: the Super Bowl. And that makes me sick.
Eddie George 
Return to Houston Pro Football 
Find out what other staff members thought of the Titans’ Super Bowl run. 