The D has been top 10 the last two years, overall, and then crumbled as the season closed. Top 5 even at some points. Still a good 10-12 weeks as a top defense. I understand what you're saying and maybe MSommer went a little far. It's just frustrating and in my frustration I go too far too. Tops in points allowed, getting shellacked and only falling to two is very good. The Pats bend but don't break philosophy isn't fun to watch too.
They should have been better with Rashaan. Handling rookies has always been a Titans problem. He was one of the few rookies advertised as ready to rock day one. Everyone has said he is elite and all sorts of praise all summer then he got hurt for a bit this summer, but it was absolutely presented as he was ready.
The Ds problems have been some CB (if not two) susceptible to the deep ball so badly that people make jokes like my grandma can cover better. keeping a good looking ILB and improving/developing them. In front of them. the NTs have been awful. So we've had this path for offense, this almost gameplan for anyone we play against. Run up the middle til the D falls asleep and then chuck it deep on that specific CB. The predictability adds to the frustration and the years of it being the same.
The Titans had an impressive young NT that would beat out guys in camp, even started, and Mularkey went with the name free agent and then Vrabel used him to make an example of. All he did was leave and then start for Dallas. He did well, then got hurt and like many NTs can't hack it playing hurt so he's been inactive a couple weeks, but Boys fans like the guy and it stings.
The GMs signed NTs but it's always someone the prior team didn't want and their fans were like good riddance. They've really all stunk since Haynesworth put up 3-4 of the best NT years in NFL history and since he was the talk of the league, every Titans fan knew him and knew how Schwartz demanded they funnel players to the middle and all that. After being schooled at how great he was, the fans have all been stung by a ton of replacements that stink.
In the draft, the Titans have selected these super athletes that happen to play NT. Angelo Blackson caught a TD playing TE and could run. Austin Johnson had rrrreal nice combine numbers. They both looked better as a 3-4 end but not good. Austin has had things click this year. He probably has 5-6 tough games where he might not be making plays but he is fighting and battling and our center is not the easiest path in football. Kelly owned him last week so hopefully it was just a bad week. We're at a maybe point there. Darius Kilgo is this no name from Houston and that big guy has made a play the last two weeks....at end. He's a weird one in that he can get owned one play and then get in the backfield the next. I'm fine with him as one backup and developing him but I'd like to hear the DL coach say he's working with him and Vrabel doesn't let positional coaches speak. (Once in a while, generally not allowed)
At ILB we got rid of Zach Brown because he mouthed off on Twitter about Whis. While we all thought a player shouldn't do that, we all would actually do the same soon after, since Whis wasn't good. All Brown has done is regularly lead the NFL in tackles. Avery was a tough MLB playing ILB. It was absurd how many blocks he had to shed to make plays. The Jets broke up their DL so he's in about the same boat there, but he's a player. Put a good DL in front of him and he's gonna do well.
Opposite Casey has been a prob. We have this stud DE and you know, adding another would make him "unstoppable." Nothing works, no one ever pans out. We either get 4-3 ends, project ends, or let's wait til soandso develops. Daquan Jones has had some moments the last couple years but also been pushed around. He's probably a backup on a great line but he starts for us. He's fine, just fine. Sadly Derrick Morgan is the best end we've had and haven't been able to replace him since he moved to OLB years ago.
The CB is much of the same, money thrown at FAs, draft picks etc and they don't pan out. Butler has elite athleticism and a giant contract so apparently we're gonna see it through.
I think most of all people want a change when a problem arises- a sub, a different set, a blitz, a double...something. When the opposing team attacks something so easily, adjust. They don't, regardless of staff. If I were a coach and one CB got burned, I'd sub for him, have Byard double, anything. We might even have 10 DBs active one week and I'd do a rotation til someone steps up. There's no way I'd tolerate 16 weeks of the same.
The Titans spend $ on UDFAs, more than most teams, and when they couldn't attract free agents, this was the way. They still do it. Fans wind up liking some dark horse candidate with impressive preseason play and reports of them running with the ones. They get cut and it is extra frustrating.
Marcus was doing a great job lofting it well ahead so he could run under it.
