Marcus Mariota's scintillating Week 1 performance has turned the spotlight on the Tennessee Titans, a franchise relegated to the basement and ignored the past several years.
However, the man protecting Mariota's blindside, former first-round pick Taylor Lewan, would like us to hold the hype train in the station.
"Don't start that. Please, dear God, no buzz," Lewan said Monday, via the Tennessean. "We're still the Tennessee Titans and people still think we're an Arena League team. Let us be and let us try to win games."
One example of the swift change in perception for Tennessee is the Around The NFL Podcast. Last season the gang had a running shtick wherein they wouldn't recognize the Titans as a franchise, instead jokingly referring to them as the "Titoons." This season, there isn't a team that has the room more giddy.
Lewan, however, would rather the young team be allowed to grow while staying in the darkness of the national conscious -- like mushrooms of the NFL, apparently.
"The worst thing is (the media) all of a sudden showing our highlights," Lewan said. "Look at any NFL commercial and tell me how many times you see of the Tennessee Titans -- of us being the highlight. You know? People don't like us. That's fine. We'll keep our heads down and work."
The 24-year-old offensive tackle pointed out that it was just one game -- against a team that also had just two wins in 2014.
"I think just going off one win, people all of a sudden want to say the Titans are back," Lewan said. "Let us establish something. Let us work. Let us keep going. Let us focus on our jobs.
"This is Week 2 coming up and the season has literally just started. We have so much more to improve on, and if we continue to do that, then we can talk in a couple of weeks."
Holy coach speak, Batman!
Lewan isn't wrong to tamp down the expectation. The Titans aren't in a position to challenge for the AFC title yet, but gosh dang it if they aren't exponentially more fun to watch.
With fun, comes the cameras. Sorry, Taylor.
