Titans Double Up on Division Titles

For the first time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the franchise has finished first in consecutive seasons.

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA Today Network

NASHVILLE – For the Tennessee Titans – and their earlier incarnation, the Houston Oilers -- division titles hardly have been plentiful.

Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the franchise has finished first just six times.

Make it seven. The Titans clinched the AFC South for the second consecutive year with their 34-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Nissan Stadium. At 11-5, Tennessee is now guaranteed to win it outright because the Indianapolis Colts lost 23-20 to the Las Vega Raiders on a last-second field goal.

It is the first time as an NFL franchise that Tennessee has finished first in consecutive years. The Titans won two in three years in 2000 and 2002, and the then-Oilers did the same in 1991 and 1993. In the franchise’s earliest days as one of the founding members of the AFL, Houston finished first in each of its first three seasons (1960-62) and again in 1967.

"I think when you do this, you want to do it and you want to create a family that has a common goal of winning and understand that every member of that family or this team is going to be different, is going to be from somewhere else," coach Mike Vrabel said. "And it's our job to try to bring everybody together for a common goal of winning, and that's what we've always tried to do."

As an NFL team, the Oilers often played second fiddle to the great Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970s and 1980s. Since the creation of the AFC South in 2002, the Titans rarely got the best of the Colts, particularly when Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck were the quarterbacks.

A first-place finish, however, has not been a harbinger of postseason success. The Titans got past the divisional round only once in the six tries to date. Four times they were one-and-done, including last season when they fell 20-13 to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild card round and in 2008 when they had the NFL’s best regular-season record.

A rundown at the Tennessee Titans’ first-place finishes as an NFL franchise and how they fared in the postseason in each of those years: 

Year	Division	Record	Playoffs
1991	Central	11-5	Lost in Divisional Round
1993	Central	12-4	Lost in Divisional Round
2000	Central	13-3	Lost in Divisional Round
2002	South	11-5	Lost in AFC Championship
2008	South	13-3	Lost in Divisional Round
2020	South	11-5	Lost in Wild Card Round
2021	South	11-5-*	TBD

(•-one game remains)

“It’s awesome,” outside linebacker Harold Landry said. “A winning culture has been built here. I’m so appreciative to be a part of it. We just have to keep on, keep cranking, doing what we’re doing and I think we’ll be all right.” 

The Titans have won consecutive games for the first time in more than a month. This one followed their 20-17 triumph over the San Francisco 49ers a week earlier. Before that, they lost three of four.

Last season, the Titans won three of their last four and five of their final seven to finish in a tie with the Colts. Then, they claimed the top spot by virtue of the better division record.

“It’s fun as hell to win," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "I love winning. I love competing. But winning is why you’re out here. I love doing that, and I’m proud of our guys and the way we’ve fought through a lot and continued to find ways to win.”

All that remains on the current schedule is a trip to Houston and an opportunity to finish as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Thanks to Cincinnati’s 34-31 victory over Kansas City, Tennessee needs only to win against the Texans.

"When you win a division, obviously it’s a great reward for all the hard work we put in this year, all the adversity we’ve faced," safety Kevin Byard said. "You definitely (saw) that as the locker room exploded as we came in.

“... We’re not done yet. The season’s just getting started and there’s a lot more meat out there on the bone.”