That winning feeling didn't last long as our Titans laid an absolute steamer in Cleveland over the weekend. Now losers of nine of their last ten games, the boys in two tone blue are left licking their wounds and searching for not just touchdowns, but answers as well. As the Titans look to rebound against the Bengals, let's take a look back at last Sunday and that dismal performance in this week's edition of "The Good, The Bad & The WTFugly."
THE GOOD
HOLDING OUT FOR A FOLK HERO
if someone had told me a few months ago that, three weeks into the season, the only person to consistently score points in every game would be our recently-acquired kicker, Nick Folk, I would have responded with "You're Folkin' kidding me, right?" Yet, here we are. Despite the Titans' offense struggling to find the Endzone, Nick Folk has been unwavering in his accuracy. He's perfect on the season in both FG's and XP's, a feat we haven't been able to boast of since the days of Al Del Greco or the late, great Rob Bironas. RIP to the latter.
ROGER THAT
Despite the ongoing challenges faced by the secondary, Titans' second-year cornerback Roger McCreary delivered a standout performance, amassing an impressive 10 total tackles, including one for a loss, and securing his first sack of the season. With the secondary struggling to keep offenses honest, McCreary's performance suggests he might be ready to rise to the challenge. Given the recent play of Kristian Fulton, it's becoming increasingly crucial for McCreary to step up and make a significant impact.
SUPER MURPHY-BUNTING
One of Ran's intriguing offseason moves was the acquisition of Buccaneers defensive back Sean Murphy-Bunting. While it was clear that SMB possessed the talent, he often found himself buried on the depth chart behind other star players at the position in Tampa Bay. Since joining the Titans, he has stood out as one of the few bright spots in the secondary this season. His recent performance, including stripping/forcing and recovering a fumble, provided a fleeting glimmer of hope, although the first half still concluded with the Titans staring at three points.
OUR DEFENSIVE FRONT IS HUNGRY
The Titans' defensive front certainly made Deshaun Watson's day a challenging one, as they relentlessly pressured him throughout the game. Watson's elusiveness is well-known, almost like he's covered in massage oil, making it difficult to get a solid grip on him. Nevertheless, when reviewing the game footage, you can see that players like Simmons, Autry, and others wreaked havoc in the backfield, causing nightmares for Watson. But every single time Deshaun would just squirt and squirm his way out of there while the Titans were left time and time again to clean up his mess.
THE BAD
OUR PASS DEFENSE IS KILLING US
Our pass defense is a black hole. It's almost like you can just close your eyes and throw the ball up and you still would probably have a 75% chance of completing it against our secondary. After surrendering 824 yards through the air in three games, the Titans currently rank as the 5th worst passing defense in the entire NFL. And to make matters worse, we've had Kristian Fulton out here gifting early Christmas presents to opposing QB's in the form of a perfect passer rating every single time they attack his side. I know our squad is young and inexperienced, but they have to do better if we have any chance of competing against the best QB's in the game.
THE DERRICK HENRY DILEMMA
Derrick Henry is undoubtedly a formidable force, and it can be perplexing when the game plan doesn't seem to maximize his potential. While game flow and strategy are complex, sometimes the simple answer is to give the ball to your best player.
Finding the right balance and maximizing Derrick Henry's contributions is crucial for the Titans. It's important for the coaching staff to recognize the value of their star running back and ensure he's an integral part of the offensive strategy. Addressing this "Derrick Henry dilemma" quickly is indeed in the team's best interest while he continues to be a dominant force in the league.
PRETTY BLAND KELLY
It's frustrating when an offense generates just 94 total yards, and "pathetic" is certainly an apt description for such a performance. The reliance on field goals for points highlights the need to revisit the fundamental strategy that has traditionally worked for the team – running the damn ball.
Establishing a strong running game not only sets up the play-action pass but also helps unlock the full potential of Ryan Tannehill. It's essential to return to the principles that have brought success in the past rather than experimenting with an offense that seems out of sync at every position. Coach Tim Kelly will indeed have to work on getting the offense back on track to avoid a challenging season ahead.
COACHING WHERE ARE THOU?
"You play like that in this league, you coach like that in this league, you get your ass beat," Vrabel said.
The questions surrounding our coaching staff are certainly valid, especially given the offensive struggles we've experienced under Kelly's leadership. It's natural to scrutinize the head coach, Mike Vrabel, during such challenging times, but it's essential to remember the mitigating factors, including last season's extensive injuries.
Losing 9 out of our last 10 games is undoubtedly concerning, and it's only natural for fans to have more questions than answers. The upcoming game against the Bengals presents an opportunity for Vrabel and crew to steer the team back on track. If they can achieve success at home here in Nissan Stadium, it might lead to a different outlook for us fans and renewed hope for the weeks ahead.
THE WTFUGLY??!!
OUR J-E-L-L-O-LINE
Look... I know it's Myles Garrett, ok. I know he's big and scary and he likes to bash peoples heads in with their own helmet after he's ripped it off of them just for fun. The man keeps a body count of all the QB's he's sacked on a Grim Reaper outfit. To say that he's clinically insane would be an grossly miscalculated understatement, but still.... yall's asses have to block him. No matter how you feel about Ryan Tannehill, that man can't throw passes while he's either laying on the ground, running for his life and/or getting sacked by three defenders simultaneously. It's not scientifically possible unless you're Patrick Mahomes.
Again, this is not an excuse for his performance, but I don't think Joe Montana riding on the shoulders of a healthy Joe Burrow could even produce in this mess. If it wasn't for that halftime debacle resulting in Tannehill getting pancaked, we may have been able to turn the game around in the second half. Instead from that moment on we folded like origami. If we don't fix the leak fast, this entire season will be headed down the drain faster than you can say "1, 2, 3, Cancun!"
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TI is the brains behind the "Titans Idiot Nation" and an avid sports fanatic and pop culture enthusiast who is unhealthily obsessed with football, especially the NFL. When he's not yelling at his TV, he enjoys running, spending time with his family and of course, yelling at his TV.Check Out Some Other Stories From Titans Idiot Nation
