When I think of great rivalries for the Tennessee Titans, I immediately go to the Baltimore Ravens. Before the AFC South pitted the Titans against the Colts, Texans and Jaguars two times each season, the AFC Central cultivated the Titans and Ravens rivalry. When you love a football team, you are inevitably going to hate a team (or two… or three…).

Well for me, it’s always been the Ravens. I could probably rant for hours about why their purple and black jerseys make my blood boil (if you don’t believe me, ask some of the people “blessed” with the opportunity to talk football with me). Suffice it to say, I used to look forward to the Tennessee/Baltimore match-ups each year because I wanted to see my Titans embarrass Ray Lewis and whatever no-name quarterback happened to be under center that week. Even if the games went horribly, horribly wrong – and trust me, that was often the case – they gave me more fuel to add to my Raven-hate bonfire.

Once the AFC Central was no more, I adopted a new most-loathed team – the Indianapolis Colts. Again, ask me sometime about why I hate the Colts and I could talk your ear off. I’ll just leave you with two simple words – Peyton Manning. Titans/Colts games now feed my need for rivalry games. And I’m content with that.

So imagine my surprise upon reading that the Houston Texans are heating up their rivalry against Tennessee. Really, Houston? I get it, you’re mad that the Oilers left your city. Personally, I’d be a little more upset at the team you found to replace them. I know the Texans are above .500 and have an impressive pass attack. Their defense is showing shades of improvement. Even ESPN is starting to talk about them more often!

But please don’t think that because the Texans aren’t having a miserable season (as of now), they’re turning the franchise around. Houston is like Miss USA in the Miss Universe pageant – she may put up a great effort, she may excite some fans, she may even make the other competitors sweat a bit, but she’ll always lose out to the more exotic beauties (read: more dynamic offense, more punishing defense or flat-out better coaching).

Yes, the Texans beat Tennessee in Week 2. Since then, however, the Titans have hit rock bottom, struggled to gain back momentum and brought in a secret weapon – a mistake-free Vince Young. Tennessee is having a terrible season, but that does not mean that Houston should become their rivals. If Houston has to wait until the Titans start out the season 0-6 to see an opportunity to gain momentum in the division, what does that say about the mindset of that team?

As an expansion team, Houston leads an existence of low expectations – “Oh, you only lost by 10? That’s great!” and “It’s alright that we lost! At least Mario Williams had a sack!” Titans linebacker Keith Bullock said it best: “They’re like our fourth- or fifth-cousin. We don’t really acknowledge them.”

While the odds of Tennessee winning a fourth straight game may be low, they do have a shot at beating the Texans this Monday night. Chris Johnson is an absolute beast. He became one of three players in NFL history to rush for 1,000 and average 6.4 yards per carry in the first nine games of the season – joining the ranks of Adrian Peterson and Jim Brown. It would be lovely to see C.J. have a similar game to his Week 2 match-up against Houston when he racked up 197 yards and two touchdowns.

Surprisingly enough, the Titans defense is starting to look imposing once again. Two pick-six plays in the fourth quarter against Buffalo last week gave the secondary a much-needed confidence boost. Turnovers will be key on Monday night, and if Tennessee can keep up the +7 ratio they’ve worked for these past three weeks, they’ll keep Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson – a duo that really burned them in the last game – off the field.

I’m looking forward to this game for three reasons:

1. I actually get to watch it! Nationally-televised Titans games are like mini-Christmases that come from the NFL Scheduling Santa.
2. Chris Johnson will be able to prove that he deserves to be called one of the best backs in the league.
3. Four wins in a row would be mini-redemption for the depressing 0-6 start.

Notice how none of those had to do with how much I hate the Texans. Please, sports media – put the rivalry talk to rest. Come and talk to me after the Texans don’t have a late-season collapse into painful mediocrity.