2005 Tennessee Titans NFL Handicapping Review Part 1

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

The Tennessee Titans were coming off back-to-back winning and playoff seasons entering 2004. In fact, to end 2003, they had barely lost (14-17) at New England in the playoffs the previous season and many online sports betting blogs touted the Titans as super bowl material. It didn’t take long, however, for sports handicapping opinion to change dramatically on Tennessee in 2004.

After an uneventful 17-7 win at Miami, the Titans came home to host Indianapolis, who was coming off a close and emotional loss at New England. Sports handicapping opinion was quite split on this seemingly even game and the sports betting odds makers installed the game as a pick’em. Indianapolis dominated the Titans 31-17, which caused some concern amongst the more astute of the sports betting fraternity.

Many sports betting players, however, hung with the Titans in their next game at home versus a 2-0 Jacksonville team that was still lightly regarded. The conventional “wisdom” that could be found at online sports betting blogs was that Tennessee would bounce back and that Jacksonville was “due” to fall. A lot of football picks and bankrolls were blown away in Tennessee’s stunning 12-15 home loss as 6-point chalks and the online sports betting blogs were blistered with angry posts. At this time, REAL doubts began to surface about Tennessee.

Doubts were turning into more of a sports handicapping conviction the following week when 1-2 San Diego clobbered Tennessee 38-17 as 3-point home dogs. By now, even the general sports betting public was having serious concerns about making football picks on the Titans.

At this point, with most everyone in the sports betting community having turned on them, Tennessee went up to Green Bay for a Monday Night game against the struggling Packers. If you ever want to see how blinded public opinion can get this game is a great sports handicapping lesson. It was assumed that Green Bay would make a HUGE effort and would not possibly lose in a “must-win” Monday Night home game against a reeling Titan team. The 3-point spread seemed like a gift to many online sports betting players that posted this game as a “lock” and “can’t miss” on the Pack. Incredibly, Green Bay turned in a disgraceful performance, losing 48-27 with streams of fans shown exiting Lambeau Field in the 3rd quarter.