Five reasons to feel bad about the Titans’ chances in 2010

1. Loss of leaders. Rosters change throughout the NFL every season. But for a team to lose a group of players such as Keith Bulluck, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Kevin Mawae all at once is a significant blow. Others will assume leadership roles and some probably will thrive in that regard, but it’s going to take time to build the type of credibility and impact provided by those three.

Read our five reasons to feel good about the Titans here

2. The passing game: Forget having a 1,000-yard receiver, the Titans have not had anyone catch 800 yards’ worth of passes in a season since 2004. That’s the longest current drought in the NFL. The four teams that played in the Super Bowl the last two years all had two 800-yard-plus receivers. None of the Titans’ current receivers ever have reached that mark in their career. What’s to make anyone think they’ll do it this year?

3. Division issues: Playing in the AFC South is no picnic. The Indianapolis Colts remain one of the premier teams in the league, the Houston Texans are a vogue choice for a breakout season, and the Jacksonville Jaguars remain competitive. As recently as three years ago, Tennessee finished 10-6 and was third in the division, and two of the three losses in 2008 came against teams from the division.

4. One-hit wonder?: Left tackle Michael Roos was a dominant player and a Pro Bowl selection in 2008. Last fall he was not nearly as effective, and he did little in the preseason to make anyone think that 2009 was the fluke. Next to quarterback, that is the one position at which every team must be good. If 2008 was an aberration, the Titans will struggle.

5. Vince Young. His best football always has come when the team has had nothing to lose. That was the case in 2006, when he took over at 0-3 but did not start to excel until it was 0-5. The same was true last year, when he came on at 0-6. Both times he helped the team get to 8-8 and almost into the playoffs. The truth is that he has not shown the ability to live up to expectations or pressure when it counts.