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Are the Tennessee Titans the fourth-best team in the NFL?

By Dale Lolley

Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) celebrates after a touchdown run with teammates wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) and tackle Taylor Lewan (77) during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego won 43-35. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) celebrates after a touchdown run with teammates wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) and tackle Taylor Lewan (77) during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego won 43-35. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tennessee Titans are a team on the rise, but considering them the fourth-best team in the NFL is a bit much.

Rankings are something writers do at this time of year to pass the time and create some buzz. After all, you can only write so much about football in shorts. This week, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King came out with his offseason power rankings and surprisingly had the Tennessee Titans at No. 4.

That’s right, fourth. Having met King on several occasions, I have a lot of respect for him as a fellow journalist, but that ranking might be a bit lofty.

“The way I look at it, every year there is a team or two or three that just comes out nowhere to shock the world,” King told Titans Online. “And look, there’s three or four teams that could be that team. But I really like Tennessee. I think they are going to win 10 or 11 games.”

I agree with King that the Titans could win 10 or 11 games this season. I think they’ve made enough improvements and growth to win a weak AFC South. But the fourth-best team in the league? Nope.

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Even King later in the same interview admits that, in a roundabout way.

“I don’t look at this as they are going to the Super Bowl,’’ King said. “If they win the division and win a playoff game or are representative in a playoff game, that’s a big step.”

Getting to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 would be a big deal for the Titans. It would be a nice next step. But to be considered one of the top four teams in the NFL, you’ve got to make the conference championship game. And if the Titans win “10 or 11 games,” they’re unlikely to need just one win to get to the AFC Championship. It will likely take two.

So while I, like King, think the Titans are the class of the AFC South, they have to prove that they can beat the other teams in the division first. Remember, they went 2-4 within the division last season.

Next: Early O/U win prediction for Titans, all 32 teams

As things currently stand in the AFC, New England and Pittsburgh — last season’s conference finalists — have to be considered the top two teams. Oakland is right there with them. And then the Titans. It’s not a stretch to say the Titans are the fourth-best team in the AFC. The pieces are in place. They should be in that conversation. They are a team on the rise.

But fourth-best team in the NFL? Right now, that is a stretch.

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