By Ryan Van Bibber

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Nov 11, 2011 – If the NFL looked a little less interesting to you last week, it might have had something to do with Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton being on a bye week. Newton and the Panthers get back to action this week as they host the Tennessee Titans. 

As for the Titans, a 1-3 streak has marred their recent play after a promising start to the season. Most notable among their troubles is the disappearance of running back Chris Johnson. 

Pete Prisco at CBS picks the Panthers. 

The Panthers are coming off a bye, and the Titans are coming off a loss to the Bengals. The Panthers have trouble stopping the run, which could mean Chris Johnson gets it going. But I don’t think the Titans can keep up with Cam Newton. The Panthers take it.

The ESPN panel has one holdout for the Titans. Peter King goes with Carolina this week. 

For more on the Panthers, check out Cat Scratch Reader. Head over to Music City Miracles for all things Titans. 

Read More: Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans at Carolina Panthers, Nov 13, 2011 1:00 PM EST

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The Tennessee Titans were banged up following their Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on November 6, 2011. Dave Ball(notes) suffered another concussion after his head snapped back against the turf. Jason McCourty(notes) and Michael Griffin(notes) were involved in a collision but both returned to the game. Ahmard Hall(notes) had to leave the game after he re-aggravated a back injury. Nate Washington(notes), Lavelle Hawkins(notes) and Jared Cook(notes) were other players who were considered as questionable immediately after that loss.

The Titans received good news on those last three players: all of them are expected to return for their Week 10 matchup with the Carolina Panthers on November 13. According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean via Twitter:

Munchak said he expects Cook, Washington and Hawkins should all play vs Panthers.

The Titans can’t afford to lose Washington for any amount of time. At 4-4, the Titans have five of their remaining eight games on the road. They have a brutal schedule over the next four weeks that includes three road games against the Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills. They’ll host the New Orleans Saints after that stretch.

The Titans have already lost their go-to receiver after Kenny Britt(notes) suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. The offense has essentially flat-lined since then. Damian Williams(notes) and Hawkins haven’t evolved into the No. 2 receiver that the Titans desperately need. Chris Johnson finally showed some of his original burst that earned him that $53.5-million contract extension during training camp.

The Titans will need Johnson to build off of that performance if they want to defeat the Panthers. The Panthers are currently ranked 27^th in run defense as they’re surrendering over 133 yards per game. The Panthers’ run defense has struggled after season-ending injuries to linebackers Thomas Davis(notes) and Jon Beason(notes).

The Titans will need to score points or limit the offensive possessions that Cam Newton(notes) has. Albeit a rookie quarterback, Newton has led the Panthers to an offense that is fifth in overall yardage and passing yards. He’s getting better and starting to eliminate the turnovers that plagued him through the first few weeks. Barrett Ruud(notes) will be heavily relied upon as the Panthers feature Greg Olsen(notes) and Jeremy Shockey(notes) as tight ends.

The Titans just lost to one rookie-of-the-year candidate in Andy Dalton(notes). A loss to Newton could be the deathblow to their 2011-12 season. The Houston Texans already have a 1.5-game lead on the Titans.

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network

Nashville Predators Sign Goaltender Pekka Rinne to Seven-year, $49-million Contract: Local Fan’s Take

Mike Munchak Insists that Chris Johnson is the Tennessee Titans’ Starting Running Back: Local Fan’s Take

What is the Beef with the Chicago Cubs and Ryne Sandberg? Fan’s Perspective

Dan Marino, Not Peyton Manning, Should Be NFL’s 2011-12 MVP: Green Bay Packer Fan’s Take

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The Tennessee Titans were looking for their second straight win at home but the Bengals dashed their hopes and won 24-17 Sunday.

Andy Dalton threw for three touchdowns and 217 yards, and the Cincinnati Bengals rallied from a 10-point deficit and beat the Tennessee Titans for their fifth straight victory and longest winning streak since 1988.

The Bengals (6-2) hadn’t won five straight since 1988 when they won the AFC championship and went to their second Super Bowl.

They also improved to 4-1 on the road with the rookie quarterback leading the Bengals to 17 unanswered points as he tossed TD passes to three different receivers.

Tennessee (4-4) has lost two of three to wrap up a three-game homestand. Chris Johnson had 110 yards from scrimmage, but the Titans blew a 17-7 halftime lead when the offense shut down in the second half.

Tennessee managed just 95 yards in the final 30 minutes with 30 on the final play that came up well short of the end zone.

Copyright 2011 WSMV, Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The confident Cincinnati Bengals keep building momentum with every win. The Tennessee Titans have been so up and down with Chris Johnson and their running game that they’re just trying to find their way forward.

Something will give Sunday.

The Bengals (5-2) can win a fifth straight game for their longest streak since 1988 when they went to their second Super Bowl with coach Sam Wyche. This is the franchise that has been 6-2 only twice since then in 2005 and 2009, when they won the AFC North both times for their only two winning records in the past 20 years.

“We knew we were going to be a good team,” Cincinnati centre Kyle Cook said. “If we could come together as a team and have good second halves and not make the same mistakes we had last year, we kind of knew we could be in this position or even better.”

Cincinnati is tied with Baltimore a half-game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North thanks to winning four straight, including last week’s 34-12 victory at Seattle. But the Bengals beat teams in that streak currently with a combined 9-21 record, and the schedule only gets tougher after Sunday with games against Pittsburgh, at Baltimore, Cleveland, at Pittsburgh and Houston.

“We can’t be satisfied with where we are, and we know that,” said Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. “The last game we played wasn’t perfect. There’s a lot of room for improvement and a lot of room to get better. It’s about taking the mistakes that we made in the last game and getting better from it.”

The game also features the return of Adam “Pacman” Jones to Tennessee to play the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2005. But Jones hurt a hamstring returning a punt in Seattle, so he may only stand on the sideline.

The Titans (4-3) wrap up a three-game homestand and are coming off a 27-10 win over Indianapolis.

They also have a big win over Baltimore. Being outscored 79-24 in consecutive losses before beating the Colts has them still tweaking their defence against the run and looking to run for more than 68.9 yards per game — if only to stop all the questions about why Johnson can’t run anymore.

“The inconsistency is probably the part that we are most frustrated with, and we hope that part is behind us and that we come out and play a game,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “It’s going to be a big game for us. Last week, we thought was a huge game for us because we couldn’t afford to lose that game, and this one is even bigger because one to show that we can take the next step up now, and we can win a game against a team that is a very good football team.”

Running won’t be easy against Cincinnati. The Bengals rank second in the NFL, giving up 85.4 yards rushing per game. They also are allowing only 17.6 points per game, fourth-stingiest in the league.

“We know that, which makes it fun,” Munchak said. “It makes it exciting, and we will be ready for the challenge. We will see on Sunday how we do and we are looking forward to obviously, playing a lot better than we have.”

The Bengals have been winning even with a rookie quarterback passing to rookie top target A.J. Green. There’s also the running of Cedric Benson, who returns from his one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan has been impressed with Dalton, who is completing 64.4 per cent of his passes for 760 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions away from Cincinnati.

“He’s excellent at what he does. He gets the ball out fast,” Finnegan said. “He’s three-stepping, he can put the ball on a dime on the deep ball. A.J. Green’s dynamic. They’ve got a really good football team.”

Cincinnati is protecting Dalton well, too, allowing one sack in the past two games and 12 this season.

“I think a lot of people expect us to be a run-only type team with having a young quarterback and young receivers,” Cincinnati left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I think teams are doing a great job of crowding the box and making it tough to run the ball, but we can still do it and we just have to do it more effectively and more efficiently. But we’re on our way.”

The Bengals did give up a season-high 350 yards passing to Seattle, and Matt Hasselbeck is playing pretty well for Tennessee with an 89.2 passer rating. The Titans are 4-1 when Hasselbeck has a passer rating of 90 or higher, and he has thrown six TDs in his two previous games against Cincinnati.

“Matt has really solidified that position for them,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. “They’ve played very, very efficiently and well offensively in all of their wins.”

___

AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

___

Follow Teresa M. Walker on Twitter at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

By TERESA M. WALKER,

Associated Press

Updated 10:14 PM Thursday, November 3, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The confident Cincinnati Bengals keep building momentum with every win. The Tennessee Titans have been so up and down with Chris Johnson and their running game that they’re just trying to find their way forward.

Something will give Sunday.

The Bengals (5-2) can win a fifth straight game for their longest streak since 1988 when they went to their second Super Bowl with coach Sam Wyche. This is the franchise that has been 6-2 only twice since then in 2005 and 2009, when they won the AFC North both times for their only two winning records in the past 20 years.

“We knew we were going to be a good team,” Cincinnati center Kyle Cook said. “If we could come together as a team and have good second halves and not make the same mistakes we had last year, we kind of knew we could be in this position or even better.”

Cincinnati is tied with Baltimore a half-game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North thanks to winning four straight, including last week’s 34-12 victory at Seattle. But the Bengals beat teams in that streak currently with a combined 9-21 record, and the schedule only gets tougher after Sunday with games against Pittsburgh, at Baltimore, Cleveland, at Pittsburgh and Houston.

“We can’t be satisfied with where we are, and we know that,” said Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. “The last game we played wasn’t perfect. There’s a lot of room for improvement and a lot of room to get better. It’s about taking the mistakes that we made in the last game and getting better from it.”

The game also features the return of Adam “Pacman” Jones to Tennessee to play the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2005. But Jones hurt a hamstring returning a punt in Seattle, so he may only stand on the sideline.

The Titans (4-3) wrap up a three-game homestand and are coming off a 27-10 win over Indianapolis.

They also have a big win over Baltimore. Being outscored 79-24 in consecutive losses before beating the Colts has them still tweaking their defense against the run and looking to run for more than 68.9 yards per game — if only to stop all the questions about why Johnson can’t run anymore.

“The inconsistency is probably the part that we are most frustrated with, and we hope that part is behind us and that we come out and play a game,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “It’s going to be a big game for us. Last week, we thought was a huge game for us because we couldn’t afford to lose that game, and this one is even bigger because one to show that we can take the next step up now, and we can win a game against a team that is a very good football team.”

Running won’t be easy against Cincinnati. The Bengals rank second in the NFL, giving up 85.4 yards rushing per game. They also are allowing only 17.6 points per game, fourth-stingiest in the league.

“We know that, which makes it fun,” Munchak said. “It makes it exciting, and we will be ready for the challenge. We will see on Sunday how we do and we are looking forward to obviously, playing a lot better than we have.”

The Bengals have been winning even with a rookie quarterback passing to rookie top target A.J. Green. There’s also the running of Cedric Benson, who returns from his one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan has been impressed with Dalton, who is completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 760 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions away from Cincinnati.

“He’s excellent at what he does. He gets the ball out fast,” Finnegan said. “He’s three-stepping, he can put the ball on a dime on the deep ball. A.J. Green’s dynamic. They’ve got a really good football team.”

Cincinnati is protecting Dalton well, too, allowing one sack in the past two games and 12 this season.

“I think a lot of people expect us to be a run-only type team with having a young quarterback and young receivers,” Cincinnati left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I think teams are doing a great job of crowding the box and making it tough to run the ball, but we can still do it and we just have to do it more effectively and more efficiently. But we’re on our way.”

The Bengals did give up a season-high 350 yards passing to Seattle, and Matt Hasselbeck is playing pretty well for Tennessee with an 89.2 passer rating. The Titans are 4-1 when Hasselbeck has a passer rating of 90 or higher, and he has thrown six TDs in his two previous games against Cincinnati.

“Matt has really solidified that position for them,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. “They’ve played very, very efficiently and well offensively in all of their wins.”

•u2002——

Associated Press Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

•u2002——

Follow Teresa M. Walker on Twitter at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

By Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean

During the first month of the season, the Titans were the talk of the town. Their fast start raised expectations and temporarily tabled the discussions of a rebuilding year.

Back-to-back losses to the Steelers and Texans by a combined score of 79-24 quickly changed all that.

“It’s
been depressing around here,” safety Michael Griffin said. “It’s been
embarrassing. Just to walk around in public with everyone asking,
‘What’s going on?’ It hasn’t been fun.”

The Titans changed the conversation with a 27-10 win over the Colts on Sunday at LP Field.

It
was their first win in 28 days and it kept them in the thick of the AFC
South race, but the Titans (4-3) simply did what they were supposed to
do – win a home game against a winless team.

“I wouldn’t say there
is any relief at all,” guard Jake Scott said. “… We should have won,
and we did. Now we have to show some consistency. We think we are a
playoff contender, and to prove we are a playoff contender we are going
to have to be able to beat some playoff contenders coming up.”

The
Titans didn’t really resemble a playoff team against the Colts even
though they took control of the game early and were never truly
threatened. They led 20-0 at halftime and pulled away with a late
touchdown after the Colts cut it to 20-10.

By the end, a good
debate surfaced: Did the Titans win because they made marked
improvements from the previous two games or because they faced a vastly
inferior team that made things even more difficult on itself with mental
mistakes and penalties?

Titans Coach Mike Munchak didn’t seem to care, and neither did any of his players.

“We
needed it,” said quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who was 23-of-33 passing
for 224 yards and a touchdown. “I’ve had some years where you just
can’t get a break and then other years where, despite you kind of
shooting yourself in the foot early in the season, you’re still not out
of it, you’ve still got a chance.

“So for us, with nine games to
go, if you would’ve said at the beginning of the year, ‘Hey, will you
take this? Will you take 4-3?’ I think we would take that opportunity.
You can’t ask for a whole lot more, and we control our own destiny in a
way here, so I think we feel good about it. We’ve just got to improve and get better so that we’re not relying on other people to help us.”

The Titans did make plays against the Colts (0-8).

Wide receiver Nate Washington scored two touchdowns, one on a 14-yard catch, the other on a 3-yard run after catching a lateral from Hasselbeck.

The
defense forced two turnovers – interceptions by safety Michael Griffin
and linebacker Barrett Ruud – and the offense converted both into
touchdowns.

The special teams also produced a touchdown – Patrick
Bailey blocked a punt that Jason McCourty recovered in the end zone -
and Rob Bironas kicked field goals of 50 and 51 yards.

“We had a
lot of guys that stepped up and made plays, and this win says a lot
about us as a team,” said wide receiver Damian Williams, who had four
catches for 60 yards. “The true character of a team is how you respond
to adversity and I think we did that today. It changes the perspective.”

One
thing that didn’t change, however, was the conversation about the
running game. Chris Johnson managed 34 yards while backup Javon Ringer
gained 60 yards on the same number of carries (14). Ringer also saw more
action than Johnson in the second half, which is sure to spark more
talk about which back gives the Titans the best chance to win.

Munchak said he would leave that debate to the fans.

“Today,
I’m not troubled,” he said. “Today, I’m happy we won the game. I think
we ought to appreciate the good things that happened in the game.”

There may not be a lot of aerial fireworks when the Indianapolis Colts visit the Tennessee Titans on October 30, but there should be plenty of ground-rumbling running action for fans to enjoy. The Colts enter this game with the second worst run defense in the NFL, surrendering more than 150 yards per game so far this season. The Titans’ efforts at stopping the rush have been better, but not by much: they’ve given up nearly 125 yards per game. So, both teams will have a terrific opportunity to move the ball with their feet, but the Colts have always been a target for blockbuster running backs, and you just know that Chris Johnson has had this date circled on his calendar for quite some time. As a longtime Colts’ fan, I fear that their recent string of embarrassing performances will continue and allow Johnson to reclaim his spot among the NFL’s elite rushers.

Johnson infamously held out during each of the last two training camps until the Titans finally caved to his demands and made him the highest-paid running back in the game. So far this season, he has rewarded their largess with less than three yards per carry and one measly touchdown. That is a far cry from his breakout season in 2009, when he rushed for 2006 yards (5.6 per carry) with 14 TDs. Even last year’s dropoff (1364 yards, 1 TD) was a stellar performance compared to the current debacle. For Johnson, then, a tilt against the Colts comes at the perfect time, because Indy is a bona fide star-maker for opposing backs. Just ask Arian Foster(notes) about his affinity for this defensive unit.

Normally, a game pitting the Colts against the Titans would have implications for the AFC South race, and that may still be true, but not in the typical manner. At 3-3, Tennessee still has designs on competing this year, but their recent slide puts those ambitions in jeopardy. Indianapolis is clearly playing out the string, already, and the only question is just how bad the team can get. This game represents just another afternoon to slog through for the Colts, but a chance to save the season for the Titans. Don’t be surprised if Tennessee, and especially Chris Johnson, come up really big on Sunday.

Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a Colts fans since the team arrived in Indianapolis on a snowy morning in 1984. The Blue and White eventually replaced the Chicago Bears as his #1 team, and Super Bowl XLI was a dream come true.

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It was difficult, as a fan of the Tennessee Titans, to narrow down the five greatest moments in team history. If you combine the histories of the Titans and their parent, the Houston Oilers, you would span over 50 years, back to 1960. Since I did not follow the Oilers before the move to Tennessee, I will limit my selections to after the transition to Tennessee. This is not out of disrespect for the Oiler history, but rather I don’t think I can do proper service to it having not actually witnessed those moments.

Football History
sxc.hu/supercolor

#5) Rob Bironas kicks eight field goals in one game

On October 21, 2007, Rob Bironas(notes) kicked an NFL-record eight field goals, including a game-winning 29-yarder, as the Titans defeat the Houston Texans 38-36 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX.

#4) Chris Johnson rushes for 2,006 yards in a single season

With a 134-yard rushing performance in the season finale at Seattle January 3, 2010, running back Chris Johnson becomes the sixth player in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a season. Totaling 2,006 yards on 358 carries, he joined Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis(notes), Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and O.J. Simpson as the only players to accomplish the feat.

#3) Joe Nedney Kicker-gate

On January 11, 2003, place kicker Joe Nedney(notes) missed a potential game-winning FG in overtime against the Pittsburg Steelers in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. Pittsburg was called for roughing the kicker thanks to a great acting job by Nedney. Thankfully the ref bought it and he then hit the next kick for the win, 34-31, to advance in the playoffs. The Steeler-nation erupted in anguish but hey, those are the breaks.

#2) The Longest Yard Super Bowl XXXIV

The Titans learned the importance of every yard on January 30, 2000 when Kevin Dyson fell one yard shy of tying the game and forcing an overtime shootout against the St. Louis Rams in their quest for the championship, 23-16. It is a play which still brings a tear to eye for Titans fans and that Super Bowl is still considered as one of the most exciting in history.

#1) Owning the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1999-2000 season

The Jacksonville Jaguars record in the ’99-’00 season was 13-3. Who was the one team they lost to that year three times in a row? The Tennessee Titans. This season holds a special place in my heart just because I know it make Jaguars fans so mad. They still foam at the mouth at its mention. That was to be the Year of Destiny for the Jaguars. They had their ticket punched for the Super Bowl. Too bad they had to play they Titans that year, twice during the season and once again in the AFC Championship game.

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The Indianapolis Colts could be without their top running back when they look for their first victory of the 2011-12 NFL season in a game against the Tennessee Titans on October 30, 2011.

Joseph Addai(notes) was held out of practice on October 26 because of a nagging hamstring injury that has flared up on him. Addai had missed the Colts’ Week 6 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. He re-injured his hamstring after he returned during the Colts’ 62-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. The Colts may want to proceed cautiously because it seems like Jim Caldwell is rushing him back.

This injury shouldn’t mean much for the Colts. Addai hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards in a single season since 2007-08. 2009-10 was the only season where he had more than 750 all-purpose yards since that time period (rushing and receiving). He also missed half of the 2010-11 season because of injuries. Addai has basically regressed into a decoy running back who has had difficulty with remaining healthy.

Delone Carter(notes) and Donald Brown(notes) combined to have 136 rushing yards on 19 carries against the Saints. At the least, I feel like both running backs have performed on the same level as Addai has for the past few seasons. Both are eager to prove themselves so that they may get more playing time even when Addai returns.

The Titans mustn’t overlook any opponents now that they’re 3-3 after getting outscored 79-24 by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans in their past two games. The Titans’ run defense has been gashed during that time period. Jonathan Dwyer(notes) and Isaac Redman(notes) combined to have 156 rushing yards on 26 carries in the Steelers’ Week 5 victory. Arian Foster(notes) and Ben Tate(notes) both had over 100 yards rushing for the Texans in their Week 7 victory.

Run offense and run defense should play a critical factor for the Colts and Titans in their Week 8 meeting. The Colts have also surrendered over 150 rushing yards per game. The St. Louis Rams are the only team who has allowed more (183.8). However, Chris Johnson hasn’t been able to rediscover his groove since he sat out of training camp. The Titans are averaging fewer than 65 rushing yards per game. That’s 15 fewer yards than the Seattle Seahawks and at least 25 fewer yards than anyone else.

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network

Fan’s NFL Prediction Against the Spread: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans (Week 8, 2011-12)

Tennessee Titans’ Mike Munchak Doesn’t Think Personnel Changes Are Needed: Local Fan’s Take

Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson Won’t Accept Blame for NFL’s Worst-ranked Run Offense: Local Fan’s Take

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In week 6, I ran the table with a perfect 3-0 mark with my picks for the AFC South division and I was in position to accomplish the feat again in week 7. As predicted, the New Orleans Saints beat up on the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans defeated the Tennessee Titans. With the Jacksonville Jaguars playing against the Baltimore Ravens, I figured another perfect week was in the bag. However, the Jaguars played very well defensively and beat the Ravens 12-7. Despite being in a state of disbelief, I have to put it behind me and look ahead to week 8, where all four teams in the division will face each other.

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans:

Both teams are coming off disappointing losses from last week. With first place on the line in the division, the Titans were defeated at home by the Texans 41-7 while the Colts were completely dominated by the Saints, to the tune of 62-7. Everyone figured the Colts would be a different team without Peyton Manning(notes) under center, but to lose a game by 55 points is just unacceptable.

The Colts have yet to win a game this season and they will face a Titans’ team that will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss at home. Simply put, the Titans should win big in this one and maybe Chris Johnson will finally have that big game that everyone has been waiting for. Maybe.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans:

The Jaguars made me look bad last week to say the least. I gave them absolutely no shot against the Ravens but they proved me wrong. I guess anything is possible when you hold a team to -1 passing yards in the first half. Despite a decent showing against Baltimore, I think the Texans are more than capable of moving the ball efficiently against a Jaguars’ defense that has been average at best this year.

Arian Foster(notes) caught and ran for over 100 yards against the Titans last week and I think it’s safe to say, he will have another good game against Jacksonville. Look for the Texans to win their second straight game against a divisional opponent.

James Tillman is a resident of the Chicago-land area who has been watching NFL games for over 20 seasons. For interesting discussions about the NFL, NBA and MLB, follow on him on Twitter @jtillman9693.

Sources:

Week 8 Picks and Predictions

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Read More: Terrell Owens (WR – CIN), Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals

Terrell Owens has had quite an interesting off-season as the All-Pro wide receiver went to Korea for knee surgery, pretended he retired during an interview with ESPN and was recently rushed to the hospital for reasons unbeknownst to the general public. After all of that, however, the Tennessee Titans are still considering adding Owens once he is healthy according to head coach Mike Munchak.

Muchak did his local radio show earlier in the week and the topic of wide receivers was brought up in the wake of the season-ending injury to Kenny Britt just a few weeks ago. The Titans head coach revealed that he was interested in trading for Brandon Lloyd, which makes sense, and that the team’s next option might be to take a look at Owens.

“That’s something that at some point when (Owens’) health is better and he can pass a physical – people thought the midpoint of the season, maybe – he might be a guy that may be able to to work out to prove where he’s at,” Munchak said. “So of course us, or whoever else, is going to take a look, just like we have with other free agents, to see what kind of shape he’s in.”

As Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith notes, this apparently means that the 3-2 Titans are in win-now mode — a spot not many onlookers thought they might be through six weeks of an NFL season that didn’t look promising this summer.