Tennessee is Cooking Something Hot!
And it’s not chicken.
Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, I’ve been spending time home as it is advised to self-quarantine so we can “Flatten the Curve”. It means no hangouts and repeating the same routines over and over again, which obviously leads to boredom. You’ll also get tired of what you’re eating, since minimizing travels means more preserved or frozen foods.
This leads to me intensively watching food reviews on YouTube… And I’ve been worshipping fried chicken-related contents. As a southern state, Tennessee is one of the best who does chicken, especially hot ones. Their products have been compared with neighboring states like Kentucky, and here in Jakarta, it’s as close as we can get to it. Since I can’t cook and there’s no legit place in Jakarta for authentic, Tennessee-style fried chicken to satisfy my craving, my search goes on and instead, I find my satisfaction in discovering the heat Tennessee has brought in American sports, especially last season.
The Tantalizing Titans!
Before the 2019 season started, Indianapolis Colts are the main favorite to win AFC South with Pro Bowler Andrew Luck looking alive and well after recovering from his injury last season… Before he suddenly announces retirement in the middle of a pre-season game against my Chicago Bears.
This revamps the already packed and competitive division, which means the title is up for grabs. Blazing, hot Texans led by Deshaun Watson and future Hall of Famer wideout DeAndre Hopkins and the new, profound spirit emerges in Jacksonville after signing Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles makes the south even more fun to watch.
And there’s the Titans, who finished third in the conference with 9–7 record in 2018. Coach Vrabel looking for his first-ever playoffs appearance with the Nashville-based team, but his squad composition is not what I would say to be an ideal one to begin with.
It’s Marcus Mariota’s fifth season in the league yet they haven’t seen the best of him like what they would expect from a Heisman Trophy Winner back in 2014 with Oregon. They have a solid Running Back in Derrick Henry who can chunk some yards and break into tackles, but in the era of pass-heavy football, it wouldn’t suffice obviously. A receiving corps consisted of Corey Davis and Adam Humphries wouldn’t make Mariota’s job easier albeit having top pass protection in Taylor Lewan and co. With all being considered, Titans drafted Ole Miss’ stepson A.J. Brown to bring the “oomph” out wide.
Titans started the season awfully with a 2–3 record, with two losses to conference rivals (Colts and Jaguars). Derrick Henry only has one 100-yard game versus Atlanta. Mariota had 7 TDs with 61.89% completion percentage. He gained 1,116 yards which is not bad, but this is not the result Tennesse wants if they are aiming for playoffs contention.
Come week 6 against the Denver Broncos, Mariota threw two interceptions and Mike Vrabel decided he’s had enough of him. Enter, Ryan Tannehill…
The former Dolphin completed 13 passes out of 16 attempts. One out of three passes incompleted was an interception, but the other two were dropped by the receiver. He was sacked four times, but we’re seeing an improvement in passing completion percentage. Tannehill made quick passes through prompt reads and only scrambles when needed. A 7/10 performance from a backup.
Since then, Titans decided to stick with Tannehill and won seven of their remaining ten games. Ryan Tannehill finished the season as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year with a 9–4 record as a starter (7–3 in regular season, 2–1 in playoffs), racked up 2,967 passing yards, 27 TDs, and 6 INTs. Tannehill also had 216 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs.
Tannehill showed poise and composure in the pocket, threw the ball at the right time and placed it properly for his receivers to grab. Here’s an example of him throwing it early before Corey Davis made his route break for a completion:
Tannehill isn’t all razzle-dazzle like what Mahomes or Lamar would’ve brought to the field, but everything seems right in place. He knows how to place the ball, manipulate Defensive Backs with his eyes, and have a good feel of incoming pressure. It’s all fundamental but Tannehill did it right and that’s enough for the Titans to take. You can check out @TitansTape’s film analysis on Ryan Tannehill on his Twitter thread:
All the talk about Tannehill and we’re not on the best part yet.
Bow to the King.
We knew Derrick Henry is GOOD from this run against Jaguars in 2018. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime 99-yard rushing touchdown. He’s not the fastest runner, but looking at how easy for him to break tackles was satisfying and it’s all that he needs to score that touchdown. The question remains, is he good enough to sustain that level of performance next season?
As stated above, Henry started slow. He had 388 rushing yards in his first five games with four rushing touchdowns. Among those five games, there’s only one with 100 yards against the Falcons. But in week 10, Henry unleashed the monster in him as he notched 188 rushing yards from 23 carries, which results in 2 rushing touchdowns. Since that game, he racked 896 rushing yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns. Henry wrapped up his regular-season conquest with 1,540 rushing yards (1st in the league), 16 touchdowns (tied 1st), 303 carries (1st), and averages 5.1 yards gained per rushing attempt (6th).
What makes Derrick Henry exceptional is his unbelievable strength to break tackles and gain yards after contact. Per PFF, Henry gained 1,268 yards after contact. That numbers alone would still make him top five in rushing yards in the 2019 season.
One of his best game in the season was when he showed sheer dominance with 195 yards from 30 carries in AFC divisional roundup against the Baltimore Ravens. And he topped it off with a display on what he’s been keeping in his bags of trickery:
About exceptional strength, did I mention that he stiff-armed Earl Thomas TWICE after the Ravens’ safety questioned Patriots’ defense on not being able to tackle Henry?
Aaaaaahhhhhhhh… Sweet revenge.
Tennessee Titans come as a surprise contender in the AFC South. With a decent roster to begin with, they are at least at the level of wild card competition. The resurgence of Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, rookie A.J. Brown showed promises of being their #1 wideout, solid pass protection under Taylor “Father of Nashville” Lewan, and an experienced, defensive-minded head coach in Mike Vrabel lived up to the fans’ expectation and became neutrals’ favorite as they came up big in the playoffs, beating last year’s champion New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens who holds the best record in AFC. Eventually, they fell short in their endeavor as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs showcased an offensive clinic and become the eventual Super Bowl champion.
There are questions looming about the decision of franchise tagging Derrick Henry and awarding Ryan Tannehill a hefty contract extension, but as long as they can keep the pieces altogether and made the right decision in the draft, they can go as far as they want to be. The Titans’ journey will be remembered as one of the best story in NFL 100th season and fans will have a lot to expect come next season.
Grit and Grind 2.0?
Last time Grizzlies basketball is relevant after the relocation from Vancouver was in 2010, which marks the era of Grit and Grind. Memphis Grizzlies embodies the definition of the words itself as they brought toughness to the court.
The 2010–2011 Grizzlies led the NBA in steals per game and points in the paint. There are no pretty, high-flying, dazzling superstars like that team in South Florida. But instead, the likes of Zach Randolph and Tony Allen will make your life miserable on both ends.
In the span of approximately seven years, Grizzlies had been the dark horse team that everyone respects. They never missed playoffs competition along the way, even reached the Conference Finals and eventually lost to San Antonio Spurs.
After that, things have been abysmal for them. Both Randolph and Allen left in 2017, and in that season they had the longest losing streak in history with 19 straight losses from January 31 to March 17, 2018. They finished the season with an awful losing record of 20–62, awarded them the fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft. They picked the right man in Michigan State Spartans’ forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (more on him later), but apparently it’s still not enough to compete. Rudy Gay is long gone, both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley Jr. are washed up and eventually got traded for numerous “assets”. In the 2018–2019 season they finished 33–49 and drafted Ja Morant from Murray State using their second overall draft pick. And things have been fun to watch ever since…
Selected second overall, Temerius Jamel Morant took the league by storm as he led in points (17.4 PPG) and assists (6.9 APG) among fellow rookies while shooting in 49.1% Field Goal Percentage.
What makes Ja Morant special is his surreal athleticism. Often compared to the likes of Russell Westbrook and John Wall, Morant attacks the rim with blazing speed and soars to the rim with ease. He also got a knack for open spaces as he is adept at making cuts as well. Insane air time combined with physical flexibility offers him options to finish the ball in multiple fashion and rim protectors got no choice other than watch in awe or draw a shooting foul. There are notable concerns on his perimeter scoring, though. Only 14% of Morant’s shot comes from beyond the line, which is the 2nd percentile relative to his position. The Ringer’s Rookie Report of Morant singles out his lanky mechanics but I believe it’s fixable.
Morant isn’t all about the finish, he also can create. He has a good sense of the game and elite court vision. He’s able to find a tight opening in a switchy defense and capitalize on the situation. This indeed makes him the leader in turnover per game among rookies with 3.2, but it only means that he’s been actively involved with the ball. Besides, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.2 is not bad at all!
Let’s get detailed on his playmaking ability. Morant is an elite while operating in Pick-and-Roll situation. His numbers compared to other notable rookies are top-notch:
Grizzlies had been using Morant as their main P&R operator this season as the number shows. In the 51.5% of time Morant in P&R, 42.4% of it results in a score with 46.3% Field Goal Percentage.
Check out the full report of Morant from The Ringer in this video below:
There’s so much more to talk about Morant but best believe, Grizzlies isn’t all about him. Jaren Jackson Jr. has proved himself to be the solid big man they need post Z-Bo & Gasol era. After a solid rookie season, Jackson notched 16.9 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game and 1.5 blocks per game with 47.3% Field Goal percentage. I know those numbers aren’t stellar but please hear me out.
Jackson is a different breed of big. He has the physical tools like long limbs, quick and jumpy feet, etc., but his main threat on the offensive end comes from three-pointers. Yes, you read that right. Jackson is a 39.7% shooter from behind the line with 6.3 attempts per game. It’s not often to have a 6'11 Power Forward as a 3-and-D player, ain’t it? And with teams in respect of Jackson’s ability to shoot from deep, this opens up close-out opportunities for an easy lays or dunks.
Jackson has good awareness defensively. He always tries to locate the ball and reads the opposition like a middle linebacker. As he read the situation, he acts accordingly and utilize that athleticism he has to make the play. Let’s look at a clip from Thinking Basketball’s analysis of Jaren Jackson Jr.:
It’s a Pick-and-Roll situation with DeAndre Jordan rolling to the rim. Jackson was guarding Maxi Kleber but he keeps his eye on the ball handler. He noticed the roll, switch from the weak side and it’s a blocked shot. A good sense of the game combined with that physical gifts makes him a well-respected defender in the league who can guard multiple positions.
There is room for improvement on this already impressive defensive traits, though. Jackson often gives unnecessary fouls, one of the reason is because of his body momentum. He has 4.1 fouls per game this season, which is quite concerning. On the offensive ends, Jackson has to pick up his post-up game. He got quick motor and long limbs but not enough strength to hold his own ground against bigger forwards and his lack of moves sometimes frustrating.
Memphis Grizzlies plays an exciting and eclectic basketball with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. as their centerpieces. They utilize Morant on the Pick-and-Roll, and this is where the other steps up. Jonas Valanciunas is Morant’s favorite roll man as 23% of Morant’s pass is to him, and when things go south in the paint you can always rely on Jackson from deep. Not to mention they also have solid prospects in Brandon Clarke and De’Anthony Melton. To put the statement into context, you can check out Melton’s impact translated in numbers:
Having all the pieces, Grizzlies are now eighth in the Western Conference. If the NBA decides to resume the league straight to the playoffs, Grizzlies are already in playoffs contention with only two years of “tanking”. If that’s not incredible, I don’t know what is.
The spirit of Grit and Grind basketball is alive and well in Tennessee!
Wait… Don’t they have another team?
Oh yeah… They have another professional sports team in Tennessee. Sadly, it’s not the sport I’m following (yet). But talking about them a bit won’t hurt, I guess?
Nashville Predators are the official Ice Hockey team that represents the state in the NHL. As the season currently postponed, they are fifth in the Western Conference Central Division, fighting for playoffs contention through wildcard.
Since I know nothing about Ice Hockey, I asked Alderwan Putra Wicaksono, a friend of mine which is an avid Ice Hockey fan about how the Preds are doing. Here goes:
“The Preds are not the strongest contender for Stanley Cup, but they definitely can be in the mix for conference’s semi-final. Based on statistics, Predators are not being effective on Power Play situation as they have 39 PPG from 200-ish Power Play situations. On the defensive side, it’s ironic to say that they are getting abused when the opposition in Power Play. They definitely have to work on their defensive schemes.”
I might have to ask him to write a bit about Ice Hockey anytime soon…
There you have it. Two teams (plus a bonus one!) from TN that brought the heat in their respective leagues. With the NFL season already in the book, it’s exciting to see what the Titans will bring come 2020 season. As for the Grizzlies and Predators, we’ll probably have to wait a bit until both the NBA and NHL decides the continuation of the currently postponed league. Rest assured, I believe the spark from each team is still there and it will bring joy to us fellow fans from the rest of the world.
And for me?
My southern-style fried chicken journey continues…
