Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Locked On Titans- Dec.15- Players, Coaches Corners & more

Episode Date: December 15, 2016

Thursday edition includes Players, Coaches Corners & more! #BHop #TerryMc #GregA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Learn more about our healthy benefits at fepblue.org slash getmore. You are Locked on Titans, your daily podcast on the Tennessee Titans. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. And welcome to Locked on Titans, your daily source for all Titans news and information with your host Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, Greg Arias, and former Tennessee Titans Pro Bowl left tackle Brad Hopkins. Terry, it's Thursday, it's just you and I today, and certainly a lot of stuff to get to this afternoon, this morning as we get set for this Kansas City matchup.

Current news of the day. Not a lot going on with the Titans as of this point. Some injury news is really the only thing, and it looks like that the news for Jarrell Casey is potentially good. He is, as Mike Malarkey said, moving better and still limited, but I think the prognosis is certainly better for him to play this week than perhaps it was even last week. Well, he's slowly getting better. I don't know that we need to jump the gun and declare him ready to go, but I do think better is probably the optimal word there. He didn't do a whole lot yesterday.

Did a little bit in individual, but beyond that, still kind of a spectator in terms of what he was able to do in practice. So today may be a better gauge of how much improvement he's made. I think obviously you want to see what he can do from Wednesday to Thursday, and then obviously again from Thursday to Friday. You know, this is a situation I asked Milwaukee yesterday, if it's a matter of pain tolerance versus making the injury worse. And, you know, he really didn't elaborate a whole lot in that regard. So still kind of wait and see for Terrellll Casey but yes he is better and to me

the big issue is not only is Jarrell Casey battling an injury but now Carl Klug battling an injury and both of those guys are probably the two best pass rushers on your defensive line absolutely he mentioned Sean Spence the linebacker and Klug, who are battling the injury. Klug, of course, the Achilles, and that is really concerning because certainly that's an injury that you don't want to put anybody out there injured at all with that because you can turn just a slight strain of that into a tear in a really serious situation pretty quickly. Right. I mean, that's what the Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with with Derek Johnson.

They lost him for the year as he popped his Achilles, I believe it was in that game against Oakland last Thursday night. So his season done, and it looks like, you know, the Titans obviously want to be careful with Carl Klug in that regard and take every precaution necessary to make sure that he's healed up before they put him back out on the field. It'll be interesting to see what his workload is, if any, today and tomorrow as the Titans go forward.

You mentioned Derek Johnson. That's certainly an injury, Terry, that we're going to get into. I know at least I am tomorrow when we make our predictions because I've gone through and done a bunch of work on numbers and some interesting things to come out of that, but we'll get to that a little bit later on. Let's jump on into our players and coaches segments, which we do on Thursdays, where we take a look at comments, usually from the opposing players and coaches. But this week, Terry, we decided to stay with the Titans because, in my opinion,

this game is more about the Titans than it is about the Chiefs. Certainly the Chiefs are a formidable opponent, but the Titans, if they can go in and do what they do, don't turn the football over, this is a winnable game. Yeah, it is. I mean, it's always tough to go into the environment that is Arrowhead Stadium because of the raucous fans there who really get loud and support their team. But, you know, the Titans did it a couple of years ago to open the season when the Ken Wisenhut era began.

And, you know, everybody thought things were really looking up after that one week. But certainly that proved to be fool's gold. But, you know, that notwithstanding, they were able to go in there and get a win against a pretty good Kansas City team, you know, and largely has a lot of the same, you know, cast of characters with Alex Smith, with Justin Houston, with Eric Berry, you know, lots of the same players on that Chiefs roster that were there two years ago when the Titans went into Arrowhead and stole one.

So this is a winnable game. And one of the things that Marcus Mariota was asked about and talked about was the cold weather. And it's certainly going to be a factor. I think the high is going to be around 12 or 13 degrees, certainly not optimal weather that you want to play in if you're a player. But Marcus Mariota, being from Hawaii, said the coldest he's ever played in was somewhere in the 20s

when he was at Oregon playing a game at Oregon State. He said that he tried on a glove yesterday, Greg, and said it didn't really feel comfortable. So I think he's probably going to discard that and just go with playing like he normally does with his bare hand, throwing the football. It'll be interesting to see how much of an adjustment it is for him. Not to get sidetracked too much, but a thought,

when you said talking about Arrowhead and Kansas City's raucous crowd, obviously there's a video out there of a pretty ugly incident that occurred at the Raiders game Thursday night. And, of course, we know the history surrounding the Raiders. And, of course, they and the Chiefs don't really get along. So, yes, raucous could definitely be a great way to describe what Arrowhead Stadium can become on game days. But as for Marcus, you did mention him talking about that and the glove and the cold weather.

But he also talked about the Chiefs defense and what he thought about them. And this was his commentary on the Chiefs defense. You know what? They're a playmaking defense. They've created a lot of turnovers, scored a lot of points, and they do a lot of different things up front and things that we will have to communicate. It's going to be all of us to make sure everyone's on the same page. And certainly that is a key. And that's where the raucous comes in because with communication, sometimes in loud stadiums, it's difficult. So I'm betting that the Titans will have those big speakers out there pumping out that loud noise today for practice.

I don't think there's any doubt about it unless they're frozen and can't be used. But I don't think there's any doubt about that. I think when you talk about you know the communication obviously the titans will have some sort of silent count that they go on to try and limit the false starts to try and make sure that the offensive linemen get off at the same time so that nobody you know the part of what you talk about too you know you don't want false starts and guys jumping off and going early because of the crowd. But you also don't want guys reacting late because reacting late allows your quarterback to get hit.

Because a guy may be a split second late raising up off the ball to begin his block, and the defensive player sees the ball snap, and he's already beat your lineman and making a beeline to your quarterback. So that may be the bigger part of it. You know, you certainly will take five yards versus, you know, your quarterback getting hammered and maybe, you know, losing the football or turning the football over with an errant pass, that sort of thing.

So the crowd plays into it a lot more than just a false start, Greg. Another comment from Marcus on the defense, and he was asked was the Chief' defense better than their numbers indicate? And this was his comment on that. Absolutely. I think they're probably one of the better defenses in the league, one of the toughest defenses we'll face all year. They have guys kind of all across the board that can make plays,

whether it's up front or in the back end. Again, we're going to have our work cut out for us this week. And, Terry, when you look at these numbers, the Chiefs are kind of a contrast because they play such great defense, but when you look at them statistically on the back end, they are 27th overall in total defense, 18th against the pass, giving up 251.2 yards, and they're 27th against the run, giving up 122.9 points per ballgame. Those numbers don't exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing offenses if you just look at them on their face.

But when you look at Kansas City as a defense, again, it's a contrast. Yeah, it's the turnovers that really make it supercharged. Probably not a word they want to use since the Chargers are in their division. But, you know, it's the turnovers that really makes this defense much better than the statistical numbers would show. You know, when you're plus 11 and you force 25 turnovers through 13 games, you know, that makes you able to surrender a lot of yards but not surrender a lot of points. And when you take possession of the football, you know, that makes you able to surrender a lot of yards, but not surrender a lot of points.

And when you take possession of the football, you know, it's really kind of a battle of wills. You talk about the Titans and their stellar red zone offense with Marcus Mariota having never thrown an interception in the red zone. And then you talk about the Chiefs and their ability to take the football away. It's really, you know, two strategies and two philosophies and two areas of strength kind of butting heads on Sunday. And, Terry, when you look at it for the Titans defensively,

they are 22nd in the league. Now they're 31st. They're almost at the bottom against the pass, giving up 274.9 yards per game. And, of course, Alex Smith and the Chiefs offense can certainly do that and more. But the Titans defense only giving up 86.6 yards per game on the ground on the run. The front seven has been very good defensively for the Titans. And Kansas City, on the other hand, offensively, they don't run the football all that much. 96.2 yards per game is all that the Chiefs are averaging running the

football. So again, a little bit of a contrast in what these two teams are going to do when they face each other's offense. The Chiefs want to throw the football. The Titans are not good at defending the pass on the back end. The Titans want to run the football, and the Chiefs giving up quite a bit of yards against the run. They're giving up 236 yards a game running the football. Yeah, on both sides of the ball, Greg, I think this is almost a mirror image of what they faced last week against the Denver Broncos. You're talking about a team that's better at throwing the ball than they are against the run. You're talking about a team that is better defensively against the pass

than they are against the run. So you want to run the football with DeMarco Murray and establish the line of scrimmage that you can control that. And then you want to stay away from the turnovers because that's what that defense lives off of, the pass rush that creates the turnovers. Terry, let me correct a number. I said a moment ago that the Chiefs are giving up 236 yards a game rushing.

I read the wrong line on my notes. That's the passing yards that the Chiefs are actually passing for themselves per game. They're giving up 122.9 yards a game rushing. And the Titans coming in, they average offensively 144.5 yards a game. So the Chiefs giving up just a little bit less rushing yards is what the Titans are rushing for on the season. Greg, I believe that the game plan for the Titans this week is almost going to be a mirror image of what they wanted to do

and did against the Denver Broncos. They're going to want to run the football. They're going to want to stay out of third and long situations. And they're going to want to throw a little bit better than they did, obviously, against Denver, only 6 of 20 for 88 yards. But I think it's going to be a situation where the Chiefs and the Broncos are built a lot alike. They rely on turnovers.

They rely on pass rush. They rely on getting interceptions and making plays on the back end. And I think the Titans are cognizant of that. I think they're going to have a similar game plan as to how they attack the Denver Broncos, trying to use their offensive line, trying to use their rushing attack led by DeMarco Murray to try and wear down the Chiefs and stay out of those third and long situations where the pressure can come from the edges and force you into turnovers. Let's move on to our coaches' corner segment, Terry.

And Mike Malarkey had some comments. And the area to me that is most concerning in this matchup, and that's special teams. I think the Titans' defense can hold their own. I think, obviously, the Chiefs have that quick passing game. The secondary is going to have to tackle well when the Chiefs throw those short passes. I think the Titans' offense can run the football.

But we know that the Titans' special teams have not exactly been special this year. Now, they did correct the issues that they had early in the season of allowing the punt and kick returns that were going on. But you look at Kansas City and for fans that might not have seen the Chiefs Tyreek Hill is their punt returner he's also a wide receiver he is the fastest player in the NFL and he is a game changer in that sense and this is what Mike Malarkey had to say about punt return opportunities for Tyreek Hill well a lot of that depends on the offense. If we're efficient and drive the football and don't punt, that would be one good way to keep it out of his hands.

There have been teams, Atlanta, I think, punting once. New Orleans may be punted once. I mean, that's the best way to keep it out is to be efficient on offense, and that's a very good point. If the offense can move the football or at least, Terry, flip the field, as we saw a couple of times last week where Brett Kern can punt the ball into the end zone or maybe kick it out of bounds at the 10 or 15-yard line, give them a long field and keep it away from him would certainly be a benefit.

So some of the special teams has to be helped out by the offense. Yeah, it really does. I don't know that you can go into a game thinking that you're not going to punt. I don't know that the Titans, as much as their offense has shown explosiveness this year compared to years past, I'm not ready to say that they're in the same level as the Falcons or the Saints who pretty much live and die by the pass every week, and the play of guys like Matt Ryan and Drew Brees. But I think the Titans, when they do have to punt,

I think it's imperative that they directional kick, that Brett Kern uses that knuckleball that he gets the ball up and uses a lot of hang time, even kick the ball out of bounds. Don't give Tyreek Hill the opportunity to burn you with a special teams play that could be, even if a 30- or 40-yard return or going for a touchdown, you cannot afford to give up field position, and you cannot afford to give up cheap points. You're exactly right.

The onus is on special teams this week to figure out a way. You're probably not going to stop Tyreek Hill, but you need to contain him well enough that you can get the punt high enough, get underneath it, and be able to stop him after a four- or five-yard gain. The other comment from Mike Malarkey about something, Terry, that we've talked about repeatedly, tight ends. And the Chiefs certainly have a good one in Travis Kelsey. We've seen tight ends this year.

Antonio Gates, who is probably headed to the Hall of Fame, but he's at the end of his career right now in San Diego. The Titans had trouble with him. They had trouble in the first Colts game here with tight ends, and Dwayne Allen wasn't one of them. So it's a big, big challenge, and that's the first quote from Mike Malarkey, and this is what he said about Travis Kelsey. Big, big challenge. He's having a Pro Bowl year. He's very good, and I said it this morning to the team. He's very patient. He doesn't rush a lot of things. He sets up a lot

of his routes. He's got a big body, and he makes a lot of contested catches, and that's exactly right, Terry, and that is something that, as I said, we know the Titans struggle with, and they're going to face one of the best in the NFL at that position coming up on Sunday. Yeah, ideally you probably would rather have a safety instead of a linebacker matched up on Kelsey. So it's going to be on guys like Damian Stafford and Kevin Byard and Rashad Johnson to try and contain Travis Kelsey, not let him make any big plays. And I think, you know, the biggest thing is on third down. They're going to look to him on third down a lot, I think,

through when it's third and seven, third and eight. They're looking for Travis Kelsey to move the chains. And I think the Titans certainly have to be aware of that and try to keep Travis Kelsey contained as much as they can. You mentioned the safeties, and to me, in thinking about that matchup, Kevin Byard, the most athletic, he's the fastest of the bunch, but he's not necessarily the biggest and strongest guy. And in my estimation, if I'm going to match up a safety with him,

and you tell me if you think I'm crazy for this, but I'm going to go with Damian Stafford. I think Rashad Johnson is obviously getting up in his years a little bit, perhaps not as fast and maybe not a good matchup for Kelsey speed-wise. Stafford has the size, the physicality. He's still young enough and fast enough. I think that's the Titans' best matchup to match up one-on-one with Travis Kelsey is with Damian Stafford.

Yeah, it could be Stafford, could be the North Searcy some, but I agree with you. I think when you try to match up on a tight end with a safety, you do it with a strong safety. A lot of times you're giving up a little bit of speed. Do it with a free safety, you're giving up the size. So I think you're right. Stafford may be a guy who can play a little bit at both positions,

might be your best option there. And certainly the other option is, even though it's going to be difficult, is to figure out a way to affect the quarterback, Alex Smith. You're not going to get to him and get a lot of sacks on him because he takes and gets the football out. I think the number was like 2.3 seconds from the time he receives the snap until it's out of his hand and gone on the pass so the pass rush is not going to be huge but you've got to figure out another way perhaps you put some

bigger guys in there try to get some hands in the air bat down some footballs we've seen the titans at time be able to do that and that's a good way that you can affect him and try to slow up this offense and not allow these big play receivers and Kelsey and such to do things if you can bat some footballs down. Yeah, I think that's one way you can go about it. Another way, you know, try to play a little bit tighter coverage and limit the yards after catch to the people who are out there in the pass routes, whether it's a running back or whether it's the slot receiver or a tight end.

Try to limit that yards after catch because you know the ball is coming out probably quicker than your pass rushers can get there. And certainly we'll get into more of this tomorrow when we make our predictions, Terry, but I'm really liking this matchup more and more. The thing that, the two things I guess I should say that concern me most obviously is that it's a road game and it will be at Arrowhead and we know as you mentioned the raucous crowd and that kind of thing in the special teams those are the two things that and I still haven't decided who I'm going to pick to win this game yet but those are the two things that really hinge this for me because when you look at the numbers when you look at the Titans

offense versus the Chiefs defense and vice versa I think there's some good matchups here and I think this is going to be a really fun and entertaining football game. Yeah, I think it could be. It could be another slugfest, you know, sort of like it was against the Broncos. It could be another game where, you know, first team to 17 might win the ballgame. And a playoff atmosphere for the second week in a row because the Titans are still fighting, The Chiefs are still fighting. They're still trying to get to their division and win that division.

They have an opportunity to do so, but they've got to win some more football games. So this is going to be a playoff-type atmosphere with two teams that are basically in the playoffs right now because they're playing for their playoff lives. Yeah, I mean, the Titans are tied with Houston, perverse in the AFC South. Titans have their fate in their hands.

If they can win the final three games, they will win the division outright. Chiefs probably already in the playoffs, given their 10-3 record right now. But they want, one, to win that AFC West title, and two, they're hoping win that AFC West title, and two, they're hoping that if New England slips up, that they might even slide in with that number one seed and have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

It's time for our final thoughts on this Thursday edition. Terry, your final thoughts for today. Well, my final thought is going to go a little bit different direction than I had planned on. But you talked about some of the things that the Titans have done this year. And it's an amazing season that they've had. And when you think about it, just at this point, a lot of rookies contributed. You're talking about Kevin Byard and now LaShawn Sims in the secondary.

of rookies contributed. You're talking about Kevin Byard and now LaShawn Sims in the secondary. You're talking about, obviously, Jack Conklin, Derrick Henry on the offensive side of the ball. Tajay Sharp, you can throw him in there, too. It's amazing to me how they've been able to take

at least a half a dozen rookies on this roster and get good mileage out of them and get contributions from them. That's a step in the right direction. Because too many times in the past we've seen rookies that had to wait their turn and then they never really panned out, never really reached their expectations. I think that's a very, very bright spot.

I went from John Robinson to draft these guys. But from Mike Malarkey and the coaching staff for getting these guys coached up, getting them ready to go in their first year, knowing that they brought you in here to play, not to just sit around and learn. Absolutely. That is a great point, and that is why, Terry, I feel like that if not winning the award,

they certainly should be finalists for it, Coach of the Year for Mike Malarkey, and executive of the year, general manager of the year, however they term that award for John Robinson for what those two gentlemen have been able to do. And I said this last night on a radio interview in another city talking about the Titans I was asked to do, and I lauded those two for that award, and that's where I'm going with this today because those two for that award. And that's where I'm going with this today because those two gentlemen came in. There was a lot of talk at the beginning of the season about this thing

and how's it going to work out. John Robinson obviously coming from the New England tree, wanted to do things that way. But how were he and Mike Malarkey going to mesh this thing together? We saw a lot of them together. We saw them at the Senior Bowl sitting and talking. We saw them at a lot of things working through this plan that they've put together. They put together a plan.

They got their ideas together. They came up with the players that they wanted to sign in free agency, the Rashad Johnsons that came in, the Rashad Matthews that's come in and been such a big contributor on offense. And then they got Josh Klein once the season started after Chance Wormack went down and they had to find somebody to play that right guard spot. They've put this plan into action. They've brought it to fruition.

And they've quickly turned this team into at least a playoff contender at this point in time. Now, there's certainly a long way to go to get to the top of the mountain, but this team is going in the right direction, and it's all because those two guys who some people, media, fans alike, questioned coming into this thing. I don't think they're

questioning them, if I can say the word, anymore at this point in time. Terry, another day done for us. As always, great stuff. We hope the fans listening enjoy, and we look forward to them joining us again on Friday when Brad returns, and we'll give you our predictions for who's going to win Sunday

when the Chiefs visit Arrowhead. Until then, have a great day. We'll see you tomorrow. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. ahead. Until then, have a great day. We'll see you tomorrow.