Curse Of The Titans?

[darklight1216]

[img]http://jeremylatham.com/images/vancouver-halloween.jpg[/img]
By now everyone has probably heard about how the Titans are trying to [url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/30/titans-try-to-break-terrible-towel-curse/"]reverse the curse[/url] of the Terrible Towel. However there seems to be another curse that may have befallen them.

Last year, the Tennesse Titans finished with a league high 13 wins and just 3 losses. There appears to be an unfortunate trend for teams with a 13-3 record.

From 2000-2008, 12 teams finished exactly 13-3 and not one of them won the Super Bowl. That's remarkable in and of itself, especially when you consider that every Super Bowl champion over this period, except for the 2003 and 2004 Patriots (both 14-2), failed to win as many as 13 games.

Even more surprising is the fact that all but three of those teams failed to make the playoffs the following year. Only the Indianapolis Colts won 10 games in the year following a 13-3 record. The average number of wins was just 7.6 (that's a 5.4 game regression, for those of you keeping score).

Let's look at three notable 13-3 teams:


2001 Titans. Tennesee opened the decade with a superb record of 13-3. They followed their success with a not so lucky 7 wins. They were basically healthy that year, but their defense ended up 25thin both scoring defense and total defense.

2004 Chiefs. Talk about cursed. This 13-3 Chiefs of 2003 finished 7-9 in 2004, despite matching the 2003 team with an offensive average of 30.2 PPG. Again, it was the defense taking a step back, from a respectable 20.8 PPG in 2003 to 27.2 PPG in 2004. The 2004 Chiefs had one thing going for them: they were one of the most exciting teams of all time, with an average of 57.4 total points scored in their games and 14 of 16 decided by 11 points or fewer.

2007 Ravens. The 2006 Ravens went 13-3 behind a stubborn unit that led the league in both scoring defense and total defense. The collapse of the Baltimore defense in 2007 was unexpected and complete. After allowing a historically excellent 12.6 PPG in 2006, they were gashed for 24.0 PPG a year later and finished 5-11."

More info:
http://coldhardfootballfacts.com/Articles/11_2864_The_Titans_and_the_Curse_of_13.html


The Titans are following the same course as these previous teams. They were second in scoring defense, and allowed just 14.6 points per game and 4.6 yards per play in 2008. This year, only the lowly Cleveland Browns have a worse overall defense than Tennessee. The Titans have allowed an abysmal 33 points per game and 407 yards per game.

Incidentally, the Tennessee Titans are the thirteenth team of thirteen wins this decade.

So, is it the towel or the so-called "curse of 13?" [i](Or neither)[/i]

[JoeFlax]

that is funny, but no, no curse.

[J-man]

It's the Terrible Towel. I hate that thing so much, and yet it is so cursed with evil Steeler spirits.

[Moderator 2]

I think they got real old real quick like the Ravens did in 2007. Recycled QB.

[thewarden86]

I voted Terrible Towel just for farts and grins, but I think the players thought they could just pick up where they left off last year. That is not how it works and every once in a while a team come along that forgets that.

On another note, I read that Bullock and White signed a terrible towel recently and gave it to the Allegheny School. lol.

In fact (3rd para):

[url="http://shop2.tennessean.com/article/20091030/SPORTS01/910300359/0/shop06"]"Curse lifted?"[/url]

[darklight1216]

[quote name='thewarden86' date='01 November 2009 - 09:29 AM' timestamp='1257082190' post='269050']
I voted Terrible Towel just for farts and grins, but I think the players thought they could just pick up where they left off last year. That is not how it works and every once in a while a team come along that forgets that.

[b]On another note, I read that Bullock and White signed a terrible towel recently and gave it to the Allegheny School.[/b] lol.

In fact (3rd para):

[url="http://shop2.tennessean.com/article/20091030/SPORTS01/910300359/0/shop06"]"Curse lifted?"[/url]
[/quote]
Is that right?


[quote name='darklight1216' date='31 October 2009 - 11:55 PM' timestamp='1257047745' post='268978']
By now everyone has probably heard about how the Titans are trying to [url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/30/titans-try-to-break-terrible-towel-curse/"]reverse the curse[/url] of the Terrible Towel.
[/quote]

[thewarden86]

LMAO. Calm yourself there cranky-pants. I read the thread, just not the link. Did someone pee in your Cheerios this morning Dear? ;-)

[mhead66]

Can't say I'm a "believer" in the TT curse, but if the Titans win, after "placating the TT gods"...

Then we'll talk.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='mhead66' date='01 November 2009 - 09:12 AM' timestamp='1257084766' post='269064']
Can't say I'm a "believer" in the TT curse, but if the Titans win, after "placating the TT gods"...

Then we'll talk.
[/quote]

I believe that when someone does what the Titans do then play US again, it's a great motivator and I can't think of a single time we didn't exact some revenge. To say that it has an impact on a teams season, IMO, is a bit much. But, who's to say; there have been "curses" in sports for as long as there have been sports. i.e. the Goat Curse in Chicgo, the Curse of the Babe, etc..

They are fun to buy into sometimes tho.

[mhead66]

[quote name='thewarden86' date='01 November 2009 - 09:25 AM' timestamp='1257085548' post='269069']
I believe that when someone does what the Titans do then play US again, it's a great motivator and I can't think of a single time we didn't exact some revenge. To say that it has an impact on a teams season, IMO, is a bit much. But, who's to say; there have been "curses" in sports for as long as there have been sports. i.e. the Goat Curse in Chicgo, the Curse of the Babe, etc..

They are fun to buy into sometimes tho.
[/quote]
How about the curse of Marian Hossa?

BlackHawks, beware...

[darklight1216]

[quote name='thewarden86' date='01 November 2009 - 10:06 AM' timestamp='1257084389' post='269062']
LMAO. Calm yourself there cranky-pants. I read the thread, just not the link. Did someone pee in your Cheerios this morning Dear? ;-)
[/quote]
You continue to misconstrue innocuous statements... *Sigh* Three words and I'm a "cranky-pants."

[thewarden86]

[quote name='darklight1216' date='01 November 2009 - 02:41 PM' timestamp='1257104461' post='269916']
You continue to misconstrue innocuous statements... *Sigh*[/quote]

Not at all.

[quote name='darklight1216' date='01 November 2009 - 02:41 PM' timestamp='1257104461' post='269916']Three words and I'm a "cranky-pants."
[/quote]

Yep.

[Sub-Zero]

losing Schwartz and Haynesworth was a bigger loss than they expected

[thewarden86]

[quote name='mhead66' date='01 November 2009 - 09:12 AM' timestamp='1257084766' post='269064']
Can't say I'm a "believer" in the TT curse, but if the Titans win, after "placating the TT gods"...

Then we'll talk.
[/quote]

Well?

lol