Tennessee Titans: 8 Positive Expectations for Next Season

With the pain of not winning the Peyton Manning sweepstakes finally subsiding, it's time to start thinking ahead to some realistic expectations for next season.

The Tennessee Titans made a ton of improvements last season that started with the passing game moving into the top half of the NFL.

The draft class also made very impressive contributions as rookies.

Finishing 9-7 last season and just short of an unexpected playoff berth, the Titans now have to be thinking playoffs in head coach Mike Munchak's second year.

The list is a mile long of different expectations for this team heading forwards, but here are the eight that realistic fans should expect.

A More Consistent Offense

The offense made a lot of improvements in 2011 thanks in large part to Matt Hasselbeck's veteran leadership, but there were still other critical times when the offense was a no-show.

One game in particular that cost the Titans a playoff berth was their epic loss to the winless Indianapolis Colts, and the offense managed just 13 points.

With Hasselbeck having a full year under his belt with the Titans, there should be a lot more consistency this season.

It will also help that there will be a full offseason of workouts for the younger players like Marc Mariani and Damian Williams.

Breakout Year for Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt has put up great numbers when he's been in the lineup, but the problem is that he hasn't made it through a full season since his rookie year.

Perhaps the biggest win of the year for the Titans came over the Baltimore Ravens, and Britt's performance of nine receptions and 135 yards was a big part of that.

Britt was well on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards in each of the last two season before being sidelined.

If the Titans are going to hang with the big dogs in the NFL, Britt has be at service to the Titans for a full 16-game slate.

Bounce-Back Year for Chris Johnson

I don't think we'll ever see the Chris Johnson that nearly broke the single-season rushing record in 2009, but rushing for more than 1,500 yards is a very realistic possibility.

Johnson has failed to reach 1,500 yards over the last two season, and last season Johnson barely reached 1,000 yards. Expect Johnson to come out feeling like he has something to prove this season, which should mean more production.

The Titans also added a new piece to the offensive line in veteran Steve Hutchinson, so Johnson will have no one to blame but himself if he has another below-average year.

Jake Locker Will Become the Starter at Some Point

If Jake Locker doesn't win the starting role in training camp, he'll be just a few bad showings by Matt Hasselbeck away from becoming the full-time starter.

Locker was drafted in the first round for a reason, and the Titans won't hesitate to move forward with Locker.

Hasselbeck will have to have one of his better years as a pro to keep the job for the duration of the season, and I'm just not sure he has that much left in the tank.

Owner Bud Adams can back track all he wants, but there was an underlying reason to why he made such a big pursuit of Peyton Manning.

Emergence of Jason McCourty

Jason McCourty has been one of the undervalued players on the Titans defense for quite some time now. The truth of the matter is that this guy is a solid cornerback.

With Cortland Finnegan one his way to St. Louis to join Jeff Fisher, we'll get a chance to really see how valuable McCourty is.

In limited action over his three seasons with the Titans, McCourty has tallied up 181 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and 23 pass deflections. Those numbers will multiply as the full-time starter and help Titans fans quickly forget about Finnegan.

A Bigger Role for Colin McCarthy

It's expected that Colin McCarthy will be one of the starting linebackers in Week 1, and he deserves it after how well he played in his rookie season.

McCarthy came on really strong towards the end of the season as he recorded 55 tackles over the last seven games. He also showed great leadership skills on the field.

Expect McCarthy to make a push for being the team's leading tackler in 2012.

At Least One Titans Pro Bowler

It's hard to believe the Titans didn't send one player to the Pro Bowl last season, but frankly no one really deserved it.

This season should be a lot different. Players like Kenny Britt, Chris Johnson, Jared Cook, Michael Griffin and Rob Bironas will all be in the running for a Pro Bowl selection.

If Jake Locker gets the nod as the Week 1 starter, he could also have a decent shot at making a Pro Bowl as a backup.

Another Strong Push at a Wild-Card Spot

With the AFC South being the weakest it has been in years, the Titans will have plenty of opportunities to get wins within the division.

The problem will be the rest of their schedule that will feature teams like the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.

However, I see the Titans being talented enough to win 10 games. If a few things bounce their way with a some other teams, then that could be enough for the Titans sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card.

It's safe to say the Houston Texans are by far the favorite to win the AFC South, but the Wild Card race is always more than just a two-team race. The Titans should be one of those teams in the hunt.