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Delanie Walker: Titans catching Predators fan fever

The city of Nashville is currently engulfed in Predators fever.

Amid the hockey team's quest for its first Stanley Cup win, Titans tight end Delanie Walker is paying close attention to how his hometown treats a winner. Might the football team be next?

"It's actually exciting, it's big," Walker said on NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Thursday. "It's just giving us an example of what it could be like when we get to that level. The Preds are doing a great job. Since I've been here, I've been a Preds fan and I'm so happy that they made it to their first Stanley Cup.

"We're all aboard. I think everyone in this locker room basically sees what it can be like if we do that. The fans come together, the city shuts down for the team. So we're looking forward to doing that as well."

Walker said "I'm not chugging no beers" like the rest of the Titans offensive line sometimes does at Predators games, but he is all in otherwise.

The Titans have not made the playoffs since 2008, back when Walker was a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. Since joining the team in Nashville back in 2013, he's been one of the few steady offensive performers -- a face of a faceless offense that has gone through three head coaches in four years.

All that has changed since the arrival of Marcus Mariota and the re-imagination of Mike Mularkey's frantic motion offense. Tennessee was one of the most enjoyable teams to watch in football last year and should be considered a favorite to win the log-jammed AFC South in 2017 alongside the Texans and Colts.

When that happens, the team will already know what to expect. The Music City has established itself as a first-rate sports town just waiting for its NFL team to catch up.