2008 Tennessee Titans

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of the 2009 Super Bowl, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the Tennessee Titans, winners of the AFC South, for the amazing season they had!

Quarterback Vince Young has shown brilliance that we expect to continue in his third season leading the Titans offense. LenDale White has emerged as a true running threat, which has allowed Tennessee to show a varied, balanced offensive attack. The Titan defense is stocked with Pro Bowl talent. Albert Haynesworth needs to work out his contract dispute to anchor the defense, with Jevon Kearse back from an injury-plagued 2007. With the white-hot competition in the AFC South, the Titans will need to fire on all cylinders to advance to the Super Bowl. They’ll need the help of supportive fans to do it, so get your tickets to LP Field and cheer the Tennessee Titans on to a winning season in 2008!

Some Tennessee Titans history: The Titans began their history as the Houston Oilers and as charter members of the AFL in 1960, and that same year the franchise won the AFL's first championship. Houston won another AFL championship a year later under head coach Wally Lemm, who oversaw a powerful offense with lineups that featured quarterback-placekicker George Blanda, running back Billy Cannon, and wide receivers Bill Groman and Charley Hennigan.

Lemm left the Oilers after the championship but returned five years later to guide the club to the postseason in 1967 and 1969. A new Houston powerhouse emerged behind quarterback Pete Beathard, running back Hoyle Granger, and offensive guard Bob Talamini. Safeties Ken Houston and Jim Norton anchored one of the league's toughest defenses.

Houston joined the NFL in 1970 as part of the NFL-AFL merger. After four losing seasons under four different coaches, the Oilers posted their first NFL winning record in 1975. In 1978 Houston drafted Earl Campbell, who became one of the most prolific runners in NFL history. Campbell led the Oilers to consecutive appearances in the AFC Championship Game in 1978 and 1979, but the Pittsburgh Steelers, the eventual Super Bowl champions, defeated Houston in both of these contests.

As injuries slowed Campbell, Houston slumped during a six-year period from 1981 through 1986. The team began its turnaround by drafting quarterback Warren Moon from the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League in 1984. The move produced seven straight playoff appearances beginning in 1987. The team was stymied in the postseason, however, failing to reach the AFC Championship Game during that stretch.

Moon's favorite receivers were Drew Hill, Haywood Jeffries, and Tim Smith, each of whom posted multiple 1,000-yard seasons. Hill and Jeffries both reached that plateau in 1990, when Moon recorded the first of his two consecutive 4,000-yard seasons of passing and was named AFC player of the year. Tackle Ray Childress anchored the defense during this time, while guard Bruce Matthews and center Mike Munchak led an outstanding offensive line. Mike Rozier replaced Campbell as Houston's main running back. After Moon's departure before the 1994 season, Houston posted its worst record in 11 years.

In 1997 the Oilers moved to Tennessee, where they played in the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis. After the 1998 season the team moved to Nashville and was renamed the Titans. In 1999 the Titans finished with a 13-3 record, and in the postseason they ended up playing in Super Bowl XXXIV, where they lost to the St. Louis Rams (23-16). The Tennessee Titans lost seven more games in 2004 than in 2003, in part because of the loss of injured quarterback Steve McNair. McNair moved on to the Baltimore Ravens in 2006, and the starter's job shifted to Billy Volek.