Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Locked On Titans-Dec.28- WOAS, HDH< Pro Scope & more.

Episode Date: December 28, 2016

WOAS, HDH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi, it's Jamie, Progressive number one, number two employee. Leave a message at the... Hey Jamie, it's me, Jamie. This is your daily pep talk. I know it's been rough going ever since people found out about your acapella group, Mad Harmony, but you will bounce back. I mean, you're the guy always helping people find coverage options with the Name Your Price tool. It should be you giving me the pep talk.

Now get out there, hit that high note, and take Mad Harmony all the way to nationals this year! Sorry, it's pitchy. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. 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 co-host, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, Greg Arias,

and former Tennessee Titans All-Pro Left Tackle, Brad Hopkins. Guys, it's Wednesday. As always, a lot of stuff to get to. Our What Others Are Saying segment, our Hump Day Happenings and Pro Scope segments. But Brad, Terry, first off, current news news and the Titans have made some moves this morning. Terry just announced, obviously, with the Mariota yesterday being placed on IR, we got the Alex Tanney information. Now we find out that Mehdi Abdesma, who had been injured with an ankle injury,

has been placed on IR, prompting Antoine Woods Sr. to be brought up from the practice squad to the 53-man roster this morning. Yeah, that's an interesting move. Obviously, Abnish Bod being out prompts him to need one more defensive lineman for a step in Sunday's season finale. Woods was a guy that looked pretty good at times during the preseason. In fact, there was a time when he was running second team at nose tackle ahead of Austin Johnson in training camp, and it looked like he might make the 53-man roster right out of camp.

But that didn't happen. He settled for a spot on the practice squad, and now he's going to get his shot here in the season finale. Nothing wrong getting a check final week of the season. Obviously, they need some depth because they have to be able to at least keep up the pass rush. When they don't have the talent in there, you've got to be able to have bodies, fresh bodies to kind of be in rotation. So he will definitely help.

We've got to spend here before, too. Now, Brad, two more additions to the practice squad. Outside linebacker Courtney Brown and wide receiver K.J. May. What really can these guys get done with just one week of being in camp and really not even a full week as they came into today, probably their first day of practice, and then this being the season end? Well, I think that maybe K.J. may be more of a project because he's still a relatively young guy.

He just came out of the University of Minnesota as a free agent through New York. He was in their training camp, but for the most part, he's kind of a young guy that might end up, I don't know, for practice bodies, of course, and might end up working his way into a rotation. You don't know. But Courtney, he's a guy that obviously has spent some time in Tampa. He spent last season there, played five games. So he's been on the football field.

So right now I'm just looking for bodies to get in there. And it doesn't hurt for a guy like Courtney Brown that has experience to kind of get in there and help see what he can do. Yeah, and one of the other things too, Brad, and I'm not sure that this is attached to the deal or not, but my guess is it probably is. You know, as soon as the season is over, you know, teams are always looking for guys to sign the futures contract.

Now, most of the time these are camp bodies, but once in a while, you find somebody that can really come in and show you something and help your ball club like Dave Ball did a few years ago. So these guys, Brown and May, are probably looking at this as an opportunity to get a futures contract, go through the offseason program, and be in camp with this team and have some sort of shot to earn a roster spot for 2017. Exactly. Guys, let's move on to our What Others Are Saying segment this morning.

And as always, we go through some numbers from the guys at Pro Football Focus. And guys, the numbers this week are not that great compared to what we've seen in weeks past. And let's start with quarterback Marcus Mariota and Matt Castle, who guys, Marcus a 48.8, Matt Castle a 49.8 were their ratings for this week. And I guess if you combine those, it might be pretty good, but just individually that's not spectacular at all. No, it really kind of shows the struggles that they had in Saturday's game against the Jaguars. I think it was a team-wide struggle in virtually every aspect of the game.

And a lot of times when your quarterback is struggling, the whole team tends to struggle right along with it in a lot of instances. And I think what you're talking about there with those low numbers being, you know, 30 points or so off from what they have been most weeks, I think you're probably looking at, you know, something that really is an explanation of why this Titans team performed poorly or at least showing the result of why they played poorly. Absolutely.

I mean, comparatively speaking to the season, their inability to control the line of scrimmage was definitely obvious. And then hearing their post-game conversation about the energy that Jacksonville brought to that game, basically the Titans didn't match it when they needed to. They needed to match the kind of energy, realizing all that was on the line, it being a tough road environment, regardless of what the Jaguars' record was. You know, they basically came into this game thinking that the Jags had basically quit on their season. Well, them and firing their coach really lit a spark, basically,

for them to at least go out and finish the season on a good note. So knocking us out of the playoffs was almost a cherry on top of the sundae for the Jacks, I think. Now, guys, the numbers for the offensive line, in spite of the fact that this team was able to rush for just 58 yards and certainly not very good passing the football either, but Jack Conklin, a 78.6. Taylor LeJuan, 77.8.

Ben Jones, 73.2. And Josh Klein, 69.4. So as a whole, when you look at it, four of the top five offensive grades belong to offensive linemen. Anthony Fasano was in there just ahead of Klein at 72.4. So not terrible, I guess, from that standpoint, but obviously not the outcome, Brad, that you would want, even though the offensive line played decently. Yeah, I'd have to agree with that.

I just think that basically this is, you know, the situations where the run game wasn't that effective, but it wasn't like Marcus Murray was running for his life on every single play, obviously there was pressure or he'd be healthy to this point. But I just think that, you know, when we compare what they've been able to do during the season and playing, you know, exceptionally well down the stretch, this just wasn't one of those performances.

I would agree with that. You know, I think, you I think when you look at the way this game unfolded it was just obvious from the get go that the Titans were out of rhythm offense and defense both aspects of the game and for whatever reason

they just couldn't get it going and yes those offensive line numbers are decent but I just don't think that this team was in step for the entire game, and some of those low numbers you threw out there obviously reflect that. I mean, this is obviously indicative of, I think it's probably the most mirror image of a trap game, when you look at the Tennessee Titans coming off of a terrific road win against the Chiefs, and just really feeling good about themselves and watching Jacksonville give the ball game away late to the Texans

and basically keeping the Texans' hopes alive, and then firing their coach, I mean, why wouldn't the Jacksonville Jaguars limp into the remainder of the season? Well, obviously Doug Marone thought differently, as did the Jacksonville Jaguars finishing the game. Guys, they went a little bit further on the breakdown and specifically the tackles at Conklin and Taylor LeJuan.

In the pass protection, Conklin graded 83.8, while LeJuan 83.5. But they really struggled, guys, and Brad in particular, obviously having played tackle in the run game, where Conklin graded out at a 47.7 and LaJuan 46.4 in the run. And that, you would think perhaps that those numbers would be opposite because these guys are big maulers that run the football, yet they really struggled. And, of course, some of that credit obviously has to go to Jacksonville, Brad, for the defensive effort that they had.

You know what? Sometimes it's really just about the matchups. And, Terry, you can talk to this. I mean, some guys just have other guys' numbers. You know what? Sometimes it's really just about the matchups. And, Terry, you can talk to this. I mean, some guys just have other guys as numbers. You know what I mean? On a weekly basis, it changes. You know, sometimes you have the advantage mentally and physically. You know, when you look at, obviously,

the way the Jacks play the Titans close to the chest, you know, I've got to kind of send Derek Marks to bring an emotional aspect to this game because they want to ferociously beat the Tennessee Titans, their former team. And I think that that's the kind of performance, the kind of energy that permeates throughout the rest of the unit. Next thing you know, all those guys are playing at a high level.

And they obviously were doing something very effective against the Titans from time. Oh, absolutely. You know, I think you carry that a step further. They inspired Gus Bradley, brought in Doug Marone, and I think there are a fair number of people in Jacksonville that believe that Doug Marone might be auditioning like Mike Malarkey was last year for the permanent head coaching job there in Jacksonville. And if that's the case, and if you're a player,

knowing that your job might be on the line and knowing that this guy who's taking over might have a chance to be the next head coach of the football team, then you're going to bind your P's and Q's. You're going to be on your best behavior and playing your best game and playing with some emotion and maybe playing at a level you haven't played at to show this guy that you need to be here beyond

just the final two games of 2016. I think all of that work for the Jaguars and against the Titans in that game. Guys, on the defensive side of things, the top two defensive players for the Titans, Jarrell Casey with an 86.6, Avery Williamson 81.4. But here's a quiz for you, and I like to do this on Wednesdays with you guys. Who was the top-graded overall player in the game for either team? For either team. It's got to be Allen Robinson, doesn't it?

Brad? I'd say Blake Bortles. Nope. Try the rookie defensive back. Jalen Ramsey. Jalen Ramsey Yes sir 92.9 was his Grade he was the

Highest Brandon Linder The center was 86.3 Allen Robinson 84.1 Ramsey 92.9 And while guys we can't Argue with Jack Conklin the first round-round pick of the Titans, because he has certainly played well enough to be an alternate for the Pro Bowl in his rookie season,

and I think great things to come for him. The other guy that was in that conversation to perhaps be the first pick for the Titans was Ramsey, of course, a local kid out of Brentwood Academy here in the Nashville area, and he certainly showed out against the team that he had said publicly he wanted to draft him coming out of the draft last year. Yeah, and certainly, you know, when you want your local team to draft you and they don't, that obviously is extra motivation for every time you play them, and now you're going to see them twice a year playing for the Jaguars, so it's going to be something the Titans are

going to have to contend with. They're going to have to know where Jalen Ramsey is and what he's capable of because the last two or three ballgames, he's really started to show what he can do. He had some maturity issues earlier in the year that I think kind of cost him some favor, I guess, within the organization and around the league. But of late, he's been playing very good football for the Jaguars, and it showed against the Titans.

Yeah, we talked about some of the emotional investments that some of the Jacksonville Jaguars may have had in that ballgame. This is yet another example. Cinderic Marks, who obviously played for the Tennessee Titans, Daylon Ramsey, who grew up watching the Tennessee Titans. Obviously, they were bound by a different code in that game. They really wanted to play and beat the Tennessee Titans, Jalen Ramsey, who grew up watching the Tennessee Titans. Obviously, they were bound by a different code in that game. They really wanted to play and beat the Tennessee Titans. They weren't going to let the rest of the Jacksonville Jaguars

limp through the rest of the season and lose this ballgame, which we needed so bad. Let's move on to our hump day happenings, guys, and it surrounds surgeries because there's two of them taking place. In fact, they may well be taking place as we speak. Marcus Mariota in Charlotte, North Carolina, having the surgery done on his fractured fibula. They're inserting some screws and plates, those types of things. And then, of course, Carl Klug having his done, I think, here locally in the Nashville

area for that Achilles that he tore a couple of weeks ago out in Kansas City. And certainly, Brad, you never dealt with injuries like those in your career, but you had your share of things that happened. And these are important times today for these doctors to get these guys right and get them back on track to hopefully be ready to go next season. Oh, yeah. I mean, obviously injuries are part of the game, but there's a difference between being

injured and being hurt. You know, being injured basically means you are on the sidelines and there is some sort of medical attention, rehabilitation that you need to go through. Being hurt is like everybody in the NFL, pretty much. So, you know, obviously with these two, obviously with all of these guys that are going through injuries, the important part is for them to go through a good rehabilitation and have the offseason to at least get themselves back to game-type condition, and that way they can further contribute to what we're doing.

Yeah, I mean, big, big issues there for the Titans. A couple of guys that they really count on, especially the franchise quarterback. When you talk about him having had that surgery today, obviously all eyes will be on that and how successful the surgery is and how quickly he heals and if he can get back to being the same type of player he was before the injury because his legs are an important part

of what he does on the field, his mobility, not only the ability just to take off and run with the football or run on a design run, but also the ability to move around in the pocket, plant and throw on the run, those sorts of things. I think, you know, all that comes into play when you're talking about a fibula injury. And I think, you know, that's something that the Titans are going to have to hope and pray works out okay today. The Titans practice Wednesday afternoon,

so potentially, Terry, there could be an announcement from Mike Malarkey following the practice that the surgery has been completed. And obviously the doctors are going to say everything went well. Usually that's the case when you get through with these things. But to any update on that, we'll certainly bring that to you tomorrow on the Thursday edition of Locked on Titans. Let's jump on into the Pro Scope segment, guys, because I think this one probably we could spend 30, 40, 50 minutes on this one

if we wanted to. But we want to talk about the coaching carousel that's about to kick in. And it started yesterday, Brad, with the firing of Rex Ryan in Buffalo. That's now an open job. Of course, Jacksonville a potentially open job. to kick in, and it started yesterday, Brad, with the firing of Rex Ryan in Buffalo. That's now an open job. Of course, Jacksonville, a potentially open job. The Rams have an interim coach, so that's three, and there's likely more to come with this thing. Yeah, for sure.

Obviously, there have been a lot of seasons that didn't go accordingly, and there were a few names on the hot seat before the season started. And Rex Ryan was definitely one of those. I think when you look at what he's responsible for as far as the defense, and then in their last ballgame against Miami, giving up another 200-yard performance to Jay Ajayi, you can kind of see where the defense isn't responding, particularly when offensively Tyrod Taylor had a good game. So LaShawn McCoy has been consistently good for the Buffalo Bills all season,

as was Sammy Watkins, having over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown. So the things that they're directly responsible for, and I say they, the Ryan brothers, were the things that were obviously disconnected the most down the stretch. And obviously when you have that, then they can't stick around. You've got to do some changes. Yeah, and there may be several more changes around the league come Monday or Tuesday because you're looking at a lot of situations where things didn't go well,

and when things don't go well, heads roll. And you're looking maybe at situations like San Diego or maybe even Chicago where John Fox and the Bears have kind of gone off the rails this year. There was even talk, and this sounds crazy to me, there was even talk that if the Detroit Lions somehow fall out of the playoffs that Jim Caldwell might be in trouble. Then there's Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis. There's no guarantee that he's going to be back.

There's several job openings or potential job openings around the league in addition to the three that already are. Guys, what would you say is the most attractive potential opening as far as you're concerned? You know, I'll go first, Greg. I'm going to probably say L.A. just because it's a new market. They obviously have new facilities. There's going to be new expectation.

And they honestly have a lot of talent. Between Todd Gurley and what will be a pretty good quarterback in Jared Goff, I think. Offensively, they've got the makings of a contender, and in the West, they are probably one of the best defenses, maybe even in the NFC itself. So that'd be a great place to at least find yourself what you've got in your quarterback and just watch that thing grow in a relatively new environment. It'd be a good thing.

What about you, Greg? I would say the same thing, Brad, because obviously moving back to Los Angeles, there's the new, if you will, revitalized love affair between the fans and the team. Obviously they're not happy with how the team has performed this year, but they're moving into a new stadium here within the next year or two. I'm not sure what the completion date of that is, but either in 17 or 18,

they know they're going to be in a brand new state-of-the-art facility. You've got a lot of things going for you there. And ownership is very patient. Obviously, when you look back at Jeff Fisher's tenure there and the fact that he's had five consecutive losing seasons there with the Rams, so ownership is patient. So if you're a young coach looking for your first job and you get hired,

or even if you're a veteran coach and can come in with those things that Brad mentioned in place, then ownership being patient means that you've probably got a pretty good window. It's not going to be kind of like Rex Ryan, two years in Buffalo, and they're looking to make a change and move on to the next thing. I think you've got a little bit of a longer leash there, and I think that's a good thing for any coach to have going into that situation. Yeah, I'll say this. Here's my choice, and it's a little bit off the board right now

because it's not open yet, but if it comes open, and some people think it might, you know, if Chuck Pagano and Ryan Grigson get shown the door in Indianapolis, I've got to think that that would be number one on the list for one reason, and that's because Andrew Luck is in place. The franchise quarterback is already on board. It's the guy who's won a lot of games, including playoff games. It's up to the next coach in GM, if there is a next coach in GM coming in 2017,

to put some pieces around him beyond just T.Y. Hilton. You can't just have one receiver and expect that you're going to go deep into the playoffs or anything like that, even if you do have Andrew Luck. But I think that piece being on board right there, if that job comes open, I think that would be far and away the most attractive in my mind. That's true.

Yeah, we look at the Colts, I'm not pooh-pooing what you said at all I think it's very eloquent and correct to just that when you're trying to improve the pass protection Not taking anything away from from mr. Kelly there at center, but when do you grab a center to address pass protection? You know, I mean usually the tackles of the problem in a situation like that So I know that you know that there's usually a pretty good investment between first rounders a situation like that. So I know that, you know, that there's usually a pretty good investment between first-rounders and things like that, but I just really want to see them, if not get a good quality tackle or two,

you know, get somebody that's at least younger than Frank Gore that will help you run the football. Because they're a contender, obviously, with Andrew Luck. And I'm just thinking that, you know, you have Anthony Costanzo, who they obviously picked in the first round in 2011, and Joe Haig, who was obviously a fifth rounder in 2016, you know, they need those spots to be procured for them to at least have a chance. Now, guys, I'm going to throw one more out to you.

And this is just maybe even far-fetched, but there's been some flack going on between a former star player, an NFL Hall of Famer, and a coach, and I'm talking about Mike Tomlin and Terry Bradshaw in Pittsburgh. Is there any chance that if the Steelers have an early exit from the playoffs this year that maybe Tomlin could be on the hot seat and even on the way out, even though he's got a pretty good resume there? I wouldn't think so, and here's why. Because the Steelers have a history of stability at the head coaching position.

They hired Chuck Knoll in 1969. He ran his course. He retired. They brought in Bill Cowher. Bill Cowher held the job until Mike Tomlin got it a few years ago. I think, you know, do I think Mike Tomlin is as good a coach as Chuck? No. Well, no, probably not.

But I think he's more than gotten the job done with the Pittsburgh Steelers because even when the Steelers have a bad year, they go 8-8 or 7-9. They don't fall to 3-13. I think the Roonies love the stability. And, yes, Terry Bradshaw, you know, spoke about, you know, the fact that he wasn't a big fan of Mike Tomlin and his coaching style. But I don't think the Steelers throw the baby out with the bathwater very often. Yeah, it's almost, in my opinion, preposterous to even say something like that,

especially when you've got a guy that has a couple of rings under his belt in recent times too. I know that Terry Bradshaw knows Chuck Knoll, but Knoll, the reason they're being yelled at basically is what you need to do to be in the quarterback there. Let's not fool ourselves. Terry Bradshaw had a lot of talent around him that could actually cover up his own deficiencies and one hell of a defense, if I might add.

But when you look at Mike Tomlin, where is Terry getting his information to say that he is just basically a cheerleading coach? I mean, is somebody on Mike Tomlin's staff giving him insider information? Because you know that Terry Bradshaw ain't standing on the sidelines at practice like Terry McCormick does for the Titans. So I just wonder where is he actually getting his information as to who's actually in control and how much of an input Mike Conley does have on that

team and his impression on that team for them to be aware. I doubt that he knows any more than you or I do. Yeah, I would say. Let me say this to you, Brad, in that regard, too. You know, he called him a good cheerleader of a coach. But here's the thing that goes on in my mind. Yes, you know, yes, an NFL head coach has to be a smart guy, and he has to know the X's and the O's and the strategies.

You know, when you look at Bill Belichick, obviously, you know, his Hall of Fame resume is crafted by his football knowledge. But at a certain level in this game, you're talking about guys who are making hundreds of thousands and some of the millions of dollars to play a game. And, you know, at some point, a head coach has to be a motivator. And I think, you know, sometimes that being a motivator and getting guys ready to play week in and week out,

that is as important almost as the X's and O's aspect of the ballgame. You know, it was evident here in the early years with Jeff Fisher, you know, when he was an excellent motivator of the Titans franchise during the first five to six years of this team. Then the message kind of got stale. So I think when you look at a coach, being able to keep a team motivated, you know, even if you're going to be called a cheerleader or whatever, being able to keep a team motivated week after week and season after season, that's not necessarily

a bad thing. Yeah, and I think that's kind of further that if you're not a guy that has headset on talking to the quarterback, giving him the plays, or talking to the defense, giving them the coverage and things like that, then that's all you are essentially is the guy that oversees everything that you brought in people to do. In other words, they're position coaches for a reason. They're the ones that have the most intimate knowledge of what those players are able to do. And it's your philosophy, your system, that those coaches are actually teaching those players.

And it's your job to make sure that the message is being given the right way. So essentially it's not a cheerleader per se, but at least someone that's in a guidance kind of role. There are very few Andy Reeds or Bill O'Brien, guys that basically are calling the plays directly, having a direct impact on the game itself. So essentially Jeff Fisher wouldn't be the only guy labeled a cheerleader in that respect, but obviously I don't think that's true.

Mike Tomlin wouldn't be the only guy labeled a cheerleader in that respect, but obviously I don't think that's true. Guys, another great edition today about to be wrapped up. It's time for final thoughts. Who wants to go first? I'll go first. I think there's a huge difference, guys, down the stretch here between 9-7 and 8-8. I don't think that anyone at the beginning of the season

would have thought that this team was right on the stair step of getting into the playoffs, but a noticeable improvement nonetheless. I just think it would go a lot further for this team's psyche and just putting an exclamation point on an already great season. If they were to go out there and do just what

Jacksonville did to the Tennessee Titans and at least stall out any kind of momentum Houston will have going into the playoffs. If you think about it, they would have won two straight, you know, the first win in dramatic fashion. Maybe they'll get dusted up a little bit by the Titans and then kind of limited to the playoffs. Therefore, we won't have to worry about hearing that all year than being the AFC South champions.

Terry? Well, my thought is similar to that in terms of the Titans wanting to get to 9-7 and that being a big deal because here's the thing. If you do get to 9-7, then you technically are sharing for the division

title, even though you're not going to get to go to the playoffs because you lost out on the tiebreaker. But you technically are getting an opportunity to be 9-7 and share that division title in the AFC South. And I think when you look at this team, to come from where it has come in such a

short amount of time, there's a lot to be excited about here. And I don't think you want to dampen that enthusiasm by going out and laying another egg out there on Sunday against the Texans. My final thought, guys, is pretty simple. You guys covered a lot of important ground there. Obviously, 9-7 better than 8-8.

I'm ready for the game. Let's let Sunday get here. It'll be a new year, and the Titans with the chance to kick off 2017 with a win. Obviously, it won't count on the 17 record, but still technically being played in 2017. No better way than to start the year being 1-0 to go into the offseason and have something to look forward to. Guys, great job today on the show.

Look forward to Thursday's edition. Terry and I will have that for you. And, of course, Brad will be back with us on Friday. Until then, enjoy the rest of the day. We'll talk to you tomorrow. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network,

your team every day.