Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - REWATCH WEDNESDAY: Defensive Changes, Offensive Protection Plan & Titans COVID News

Episode Date: December 29, 2021

It is REWATCH WEDNESDAY and that means it is time for an All 22 review from the Tennessee Titans win over the San Francisco 49ers!! First, Tyler discusses all the latest COVID news for the Titans as t...hey place three more players on the list and how protocol changes could allow the players to play on Sunday. Then, step into the film room as Tyler talks Titans scheme in this week's REWATCH WEDNESDAY. On defense, the Titans switched up their front personnel and and it led to success in the second half. Tyler breaks it down. Finally, on offense, the Titans made changes to their personnel and their approach. Tyler goes through how they adjusted and why it worked.#TicTacTuesday Film Thread: https://twitter.com/TicTacTitans/status/1475833585215102980?s=20Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitansSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, it is a re-watch Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. And on today's show, we're going to step into the film room and I'm going to tell you exactly what the Tennessee Titans did from a schematic standpoint on offense and on defense in their win over the San Francisco 49ers. Also, we got to talk about the big news of the day,
Starting point is 00:00:28 and the Titans did add more players to the COVID-19 list on Tuesday. I'll tell you who they are and why a change in protocol could allow all of these players to be suited up on Sunday. So all of that and more on a rewatch Wednesday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast. Let's get it. You are Locked On Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.
Starting point is 00:01:02 Your team, every day. Titans fans, it is a re-watch Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. That means we are going to step into the film room. I'm going to go over my all 22 review for you. Talk about the interesting things I saw on the film from the Titans offense and defense in that big win on Thursday night football. Before we get into that, we do got to talk about the COVID news for the Titans. But first, I want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.
Starting point is 00:01:38 If this is your first ever listen to the Locked on Titans podcast, make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. You're going to find the Locked on Titans podcast. Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. You're going to find the Locked on Titans podcast everywhere and always free. Also, if you want to check out the podcast on video, go to the Locked on Titans YouTube channel, subscribe over there, smash that notification bell so you know when all of my content goes live. Also, if you're watching on YouTube right now, throw a thumbs up on the video.
Starting point is 00:02:01 I do really appreciate it. Also, got to check me out on social media on Twitter at TicTacTitans especially today because yesterday was my TicTac Tuesday film thread. I'm gonna link that in this episode's description. Go back and check that out. Every week
Starting point is 00:02:18 I have new people who tell me, man, I finally decided to check out your Twitter account and I'm very, very happy and you will be as well at Tic Tac Titans on Twitter. It's a perfect companion to the podcast where you get more of my streamlined thoughts and my immediate thoughts as well. Check out the show Facebook page at Locked on Titans Pod, but with all that being said, time to dive into the day's news, and of course, unfortunately, it is COVID list additions for the Titans.
Starting point is 00:02:47 But there is some good news in here as well that I'm going to get to. But to start things off, the Titans have added three players to the COVID-19 reserve list. Jayon Brown was the first we heard about. Practice squad wide receiver Cody Hollister has gotten a lot of snaps lately for the Titans.
Starting point is 00:03:08 And the latest addition, defensive lineman Danico Autry. Obviously, some big hits for the Titans, especially on defense. Now, Jayon Brown. The Titans might be able to withstand the loss of Jayon Brown because they got Zach Cunningham and Rashawn Evans at linebacker. Now, neither of those guys are as good in pass coverage as Jayon
Starting point is 00:03:30 is, but Jayon has been essentially relegated to a third down pass coverage specialist, which is probably going to be his role in the NFL going forward. He's not really a three down linebacker, but I'm okay with Zach Cunningham manning that role for the Titans in this game as long as they have some good pass coverage guys around them. And Dime with Dan Cruikshank, Amani and Kevin helping out over the middle and the cornerbacks as well. But with Danico Autry, not as easy to solve that problem, especially when you consider that Bud Dupree went on the COVID list
Starting point is 00:04:04 with Julio Jones on Monday. So now the Titans are missing two of their best four pass rushers. And we've seen throughout the year when the Titans don't have all four of their main guys as pass rushers, their pass rush can tend to struggle. So that's a concern for the Titans. But there is some good news in there as well. And let me get into that. So the NFL did officially change the COVID protocols on Tuesday
Starting point is 00:04:31 to coincide with changes from the CDC. And essentially what it says is even if you're unvaccinated, vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, you only need to quarantine for five days after a positive test, and then you're good to go. So if you do simple math here, Monday, five days, that's Saturday. Tuesday, five days, that's Sunday. That means that all of the players that have been added to the COVID-19 list on Monday and on Tuesday could potentially play in the game on Sunday. So that's something to pay attention to going forward.
Starting point is 00:05:08 Now, as for the Titans COVID list in total, right now, Taylor LeJuan, Kendall Lamb, Nate Davis, Julio Jones, Nick Westbrook-Akina, Bud Dupree, Buster Screen, Caleb Farley, who's out for the year anyway, Jayon Brown, and Cody Hollister. That is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 guys on the COVID list. We'll call it nine because Caleb Farley obviously isn't going to play even when he's cleared. So nine guys on the COVID list for the Titans. But if you look at the Titans opponent,
Starting point is 00:05:39 the Dolphins are up to, I believe, 14 guys on the COVID list. So when you take that into account, both teams are going to be at less than 100%. Both teams are going to be affected. Everyone is affected by this, but the players that I just mentioned do have the ability, if they are asymptomatic, they do have the ability to get back for the game on Sunday.
Starting point is 00:06:03 The real concern is going to be anybody who tests positive going forward because they would be past that five-day threshold. And when you look at all of the COVID positives in the offensive line room, that's concerning. Now, we're up to three wide receivers. We're up to two cornerbacks. The defensive line being affected, you just don't want to see cluster concerns for these but one thing
Starting point is 00:06:26 that I will say is if I'm a player and they say hey if you're asymptomatic you could come off in five days well yeah coach I'm fine I don't have any symptoms
Starting point is 00:06:41 I can't smell or taste anything but coach doesn't have to know that. Why would any of these players tell the truth? They want to play. Players lie about the severity of their injuries all the time because they want to get back out on the field and you've got to protect the player from themselves. So, to me, I'm okay with it because, I mean, who am I to overrule the CDC?
Starting point is 00:07:04 I'm not a doctor, as I say all the time, but, hey, if I'm okay with it because, I mean, who am I to overrule the CDC? I'm not a doctor, as I say all the time, but hey, if I'm a player and I want to play, I don't care about symptoms. I'm just going to lie to my coach, and I'm going to go out there and play. And you know, like I know, that a ton of players are going to do that, and quite frankly, maybe that's what the NFL wants because they want these players out on the field, and they want to get these playoffs in. So either way, that's the newest update on the protocols in the timeframe. That's the guys
Starting point is 00:07:28 for the Titans that are currently on the list. Again, anybody that I've mentioned so far today has a chance to get back out on the field with the new protocols, but anybody who gets added to the list going forward could be a missing player for the Titans on Sunday. But we're going to move into the rewatch Wednesday portion of today's show. I'm going to go over the film, talk about the Titans defense first, then the offense. Before I get into that, do want to tell you guys about the best tasting protein bar in the galaxy from our friends over at Built Bar.
Starting point is 00:07:58 It's the new year, so that means New Year's resolutions. If yours is about getting fit or eating healthier, the best place to start is Bilt Bar. Bilt Bar is a protein bar, but it tastes like a candy bar, maybe even better than a candy bar. These days, I mean, the salted caramel, the peanut butter crunch, the peanut butter, the chocolate peanut butter, some of my absolute favorites, the cookies and cream.
Starting point is 00:08:23 How could I forget? Absolutely delicious. And here's the thing about cream. How could I forget? Absolutely delicious. And here's the thing about Bilt Bars. They're low calorie. They're low sugar. They're high protein. They're high fiber. They're great as a healthy meal substitute or just a guilt-free snack.
Starting point is 00:08:37 I mean, most Bilt Bars are under or at 130 calories, 4 grams of sugar, 4 net carbs, 17 grams of protein. So it's everything that you've been looking for in a protein bar. Make sure you go to Bilt.com. Use promo code LOCKED15, and you're going to get 15% off your order. Once again, that's promo code LOCKED15 for 15% off at Bilt.com. Titans fans, we are going to continue this Rewatch Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast.
Starting point is 00:09:15 It is time to step into the film room, go over the schematics, go over the X's and O's my all 22 review of the Titans win over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night football. I'm going to start on the defensive side of the ball. Before I get into that though, do want to tell you guys about the best college football playoff preview you're going to find. Thank you again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.
Starting point is 00:09:44 But as for that second listen, make sure to check out the ultimate college football playoff preview 2021. You get local experts. You get betting advice. You get draft analysis. It is the most comprehensive college football playoff preview out there, and it's live now. So make sure you check that out. But diving in here. you out there and it's live now. So make sure you check that out. But diving in here. So the Titans had to make a big change on defense based on how they initially come out and wanted to play in this game. So the Titans wanted to play with four man front. So think about a 4-3. They were basically going to run four defensive linemen out there and have Harold Landry, Zach Cunningham, and Rashawn
Starting point is 00:10:22 Evans as their three second level linebackers. So Harold Landry not on Cunningham, and Rashawn Evans as their three second-level linebackers. So Harold Landry not on the line of scrimmage. And what they were doing with their defensive line is they were using defensive tackles at the defensive end spot. So they were running Jeffrey Simmons, Naquan Jones on the interior with Danico Autry at one defensive end and then Kyle Pecco at one defensive end. Or they'd have Tyre Tart and Jeffrey Simmons on the inside, and they'd have Naquan Jones and Danico Autry as the defensive ends.
Starting point is 00:10:51 Well, guess what? That didn't work. And that's why the Titans got smoked on that very first defensive drive for them. The Titans did not have the speed on the perimeter or the talent on the perimeter to stop the San Francisco perimeter based run attack. San Francisco was saying, okay, you're going to do that. We're going to run to the perimeter. And since you have defensive tackles playing defensive end, you're not going to be able to stop us. And because you don't have an overhang defender, think a five man front where
Starting point is 00:11:21 you have five guys on the line of scrimmage, you'd have another guy on the line of scrimmage like Harold Landry. Well, if Harold Landry is stacked in between the defensive tackle and the defensive end at the second level like a traditional outside linebacker and a 4-3, well now if we bring a puller or we have a tight end, they're going to be able to get up and shield Harold Landry from getting to the perimeter. So the San Francisco 49ers were just killing the Titans with perimeter runs
Starting point is 00:11:46 because they were using DTs at defensive end, and they had Harold Landry inside of the defensive end anyways. It just made it really easy for San Francisco to create a lane to the perimeter by sealing everybody on the inside, and the Titans handed it to them on a silver platter by coming out in that alignment. It didn't make any sense whatsoever. And the Titans in the second half and in the second quarter totally scrapped that.
Starting point is 00:12:10 They said, okay, if we're going with a four-man front, we're having Autry and Bud Dupree and Harold Landry as the ends at all times. And instead of playing a 4-3 with four down linemen, three linebackers, and four DBs, we're just going to nickel. We're just going to play nickel with five defensive backs, bring Buster Screen in, and play our three linebackers, and four DBs. We're just going to nickel. We're just going to play nickel with five defensive backs, bring Buster Screen in, and play our two linebackers, Rashawn Evans and Zach Cunningham,
Starting point is 00:12:30 and then play our regular four defensive linemen with Tart, Naquan Jones, Kyle Pecco, Jeffrey Simmons rotating on the interior, Autry, Bud Dupree, and Harold Landry as the defensive ends, like they normally would, because now you have speed on the perimeter, and you can go to your five-man fronts and not be totally outnumbered on the outsides.
Starting point is 00:12:51 So the Titans had to make that change, and they made it not as quick as I wanted to see them make it, but they made that change eventually, because they were running out that four defensive tackle front, basically, and it just was not working. They did not have the speed to keep up with everything that San Francisco was doing on offense. And one of the big things that San Francisco was doing on offense
Starting point is 00:13:09 that created so many problems is they were using their 22 personnel group out of multiple formations. So San Francisco would have Brandon Ayuk and Debo Samuel on the field. Then they'd have their running back, which was Jeff Wilson. Then they would have a fullback in Kyle Juszczyk, who really is the chess piece here. And then they'd have George Kittle. So two wide receivers, George Kittle, two backs,
Starting point is 00:13:33 but one of them being Juszczyk. And they'd split Juszczyk out as a wide receiver and have him run slant routes and dig routes like he's a regular wide receiver. They'd have him and Kittle split off and be tight ends on either side of the ball. Of course, they'd put Juszczyk in the backfield as a fullback which is his natural position so they were able to create three wide receiver looks out of 22 personnel because Juszczyk is so versatile and such a tool for them and a chess piece to move around and it was given the Titans fits at the beginning of the game because they didn't have the speed out on the field
Starting point is 00:14:04 and on the D-line to deal with that. So that's part of the reason the Titans had to totally change what they were doing. And luckily, they did it quick enough to shut everything down. Also, as we talk about all the time, getting away from some of the formation and personnel and into coverages. So the Titans went to nickel and with that, even when they weren't in nickel at the beginning of the game, we know
Starting point is 00:14:29 as I said to you guys all year long, excuse me, the Titans play cover three, cover four, or man on first down. They never play cover two. They never play cover two. And what that means is, the most outside cornerback or the most outside guy has
Starting point is 00:14:48 deep responsibilities. Well, when you have that, what you can't do is you can't cheat up to the underneath routes. And like teams have been doing all year, the San Francisco 49ers were hammering the Titans in the flats on early downs. And that's why they never saw a third down on the first drive. They were running perimeter runs to the outside, which I explained why the Titans couldn't handle that. And then they were throwing easy passes to the flat
Starting point is 00:15:14 and the Titans' outside third guy has deep responsibility. So they would just run a guy vertically on the outside and then the flat is wide open. So they hit that quite a bit as teams have been doing all year on first and second down. The Titans with the coverages they run, like I explained a second ago, they're just going to get hammered to the short outside
Starting point is 00:15:35 in those coverages. Now, I don't think the Titans should change and all of a sudden go cover two, but one thing I will say, with the Dolphins' propensity to throw short and Tua's propensity to throw picks, maybe mixing some cover two on first down and try to catch Miami when they're trying to hit one of those plays that should take advantage of that.
Starting point is 00:15:54 But hey, I'm not the defensive play caller, but that's just what I'm seeing. Also, the Titans went back to a ton of invert cover two. What is invert cover two? Well, cover two is when you have two deep safeties covering one half of the field and the other half of the cover two. What is invert cover two? Well, cover two is when you have two deep safeties covering one half of the field and the other half of the field deep. Well, what the Titans like to do is they like to have one safety cover a deep half
Starting point is 00:16:13 and then they'll take a cornerback and have them cover the other deep half, whether it's an outside cornerback or even the slot cornerback that will drop back. And then whichever safety you have back that would normally do that job, then they can come forward and it can confuse the quarterback and the titan safeties are both good coming forward reading the eyes of the quarterback so you put your safeties in positions to do what
Starting point is 00:16:34 they do best as well well shanahan was taking advantage of that all day long he's such a good play caller he's such a creative offensive mind what he was doing is he would have an inside guy, which was normally George Kittle at the tight end spot. And he would have him go vertical. Well, what that would do is that would take the safety with him. And then he would slide a dig route, which is just a deep in route. He would slide a dig route into the inside. So the safety is, you know, right here and he goes away and then he'd slide him in and he was doing that with what the Titans like to do in this situation. They'll have the cover to invert, a cornerback back deep half, Kevin Byard back deep half, and then they'll have Amani Hooker come into the inside and play the middle as a zone. Well, Amani Hooker then would fly with that
Starting point is 00:17:20 seam route and carry the seam route up the field and that would leave over the middle wide open, or you'd just have Rashawn Evans and Zach Cunningham there, and they're not going to be able to do enough in pass coverage to stop. So Kittle got hit over the middle a couple times when a vertical route would go, and he'd come in. We saw this to Debo Samuel multiple times throughout the game, where the Titans would carry a guy's seam. Through the middle vertically.
Starting point is 00:17:45 And that would open up the middle of the field. For the deep dig. So Shanahan was putting the seam route. And the dig route together. Against the Titans inverted cover two. And against the Titans cover three coverages. Because I just explained the inverted cover two. And how it was worked.
Starting point is 00:18:01 But here's how it worked against the cover three. So you'd have three guys. As the shell deep. While the Titans play an aggressive style where they pattern match. So if you have an outside corner or you have an outside wide receiver and they come in, here's the counter, and you have an outside receiver and they come in and then they dig inside at about 10 yards. Well, the Titans' outside cornerback in cover three has been taught to follow them in and kind of pattern match. Well, the Kyle, I just said his name a million times,
Starting point is 00:18:35 the fullback, Justnick or whatever, I can't remember his name after pronouncing it earlier in the show. But what they did on the play that Jimmy Garoppolo missed mightily on that should have been a touchdown, they had the outside wide receiver do the dig route inside. The Titans' outside corner, who's responsible for that outside third, kind of followed him inside
Starting point is 00:18:54 and then they slid Juszczyk. Juszczyk. There we go. I knew I'd find it again. They slid Juszczyk past that corner on a vertical down the sideline. And he had bit on the inside dig route. So not only did Shanahan create open dig routes against cover two, but he confused cover three
Starting point is 00:19:10 and got some open looks there. Jimmy Garoppolo just really isn't that good of a quarterback. Also want to mention Dane Cruikshank one-on-one against George Kittle. Only about five to eight reps of that that I saw. But man, Cruikshank really did a great job, and it's something that I think I'm going to highlight
Starting point is 00:19:27 in my film study article that I do for the Titans Wire on USA Today this week. So that's my notes. That's everything that I picked up from watching the film, how the San Francisco 49ers countered the Titans coverages, how the Titans countered what San Francisco was doing by changing up their personnel groupings up front, and also some of the matchup things that happened with Crookshank on George Kittle. We're going to move to the defensive side of the ball next.
Starting point is 00:19:55 Talk about, or move to the offensive side of the ball next. We're going to talk about how San Francisco played the Titans on early down, how the Titans used their personnel as well, and some plays that I think really would help the Titans next week. Titans fans, we are going to cap off this re-watch Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, stepping back into the film room, or staying in the film room, however you want to call it,
Starting point is 00:20:24 to talk about what the Titans did schematically on the offensive side of the ball against the San Francisco 49ers. Before we get into that, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen every day. As for that second listen, make sure you check out the Locked On Bets podcast hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling. They're going to give you daily picks, upset specials, Lee Sterling's lock of the day.
Starting point is 00:20:48 Check out the Locked on Bets podcast presented by betonline.ag on whatever platform you do stream. But as for the Titans offense, schematically speaking, San Francisco has teams have been doing all, basically all year long, but definitely since Derrick Henry went out and since A.J. Brown has been gone. San Francisco was heavy run blitzing on early downs, a really quick trigger if they saw a play-action fake, if they saw anything.
Starting point is 00:21:16 Basically, they're sending their linebackers through the open holes, and it makes it hard for the Titans to run play-action passes when that's happening. It makes it hard to run as well, and San Francisco did a pretty decent job against the run in this game. the Titans to run play action passes when that's happening. It makes it hard to run as well. And San Francisco did a pretty decent job against the run in this game. So when that's happening, it makes it tough for the Titans to do anything really. And they're not good at quick hitters, like screens and things like that to take advantage of it. So it puts the Titans in a
Starting point is 00:21:38 really tough spot. The Titans early on in this game, we're playing a lot more 12 and 21 personnel, two tight ends or two backs with one tight end or one back. And they were trying to keep San Francisco in their base defense, or San Francisco was in their base defense, but that didn't work for the Titans early on. They weren't able to get anything going. So what happened was later in the game, the Titans started running more 11 personnel,
Starting point is 00:22:06 which is three wide receiver sets, 11 personnel, one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers, 11. That's what the Titans went to. We saw a lot more Chester Rogers in this game. Later in the game, as the game went on, especially in the second half, which no coincidence, the Titans started scoring points. Now they would even motion Chester Rogers in and have him kind of do what Nick Westbrook Aquino does where he plays kind of the pseudo tight end role. And I know that's real risky when you're using a guy like Chester Rogers, but what it did was it got San Francisco in their nickel package on defense, which made it a lot easier for the Titans to run the ball. The Titans will create two tight end looks with their wide receivers, even when they're in
Starting point is 00:22:45 11 personnel. So that gets the nickel defense on the field, and then the Titans can have more success running the ball. So that helped in the second half. That is the major adjustment that I saw from the Titans. It was a personnel adjustment in the second half. Also in that second half, because San Francisco was not using five-man fronts. They were using four-man fronts. And as I talk about when the Titans see four-man fronts, like against Indianapolis, fullback runs are important. Not the fullback running the ball,
Starting point is 00:23:14 but the fullback being in the game and being a lead blocker. Now, Corey Blossom game is nowhere near as good as Torrey Carter, so that kind of limits the amount the Titans want to run these fullback-led runs because Corey Blossomgames is not getting the job done the way that Torrey Carter was.
Starting point is 00:23:27 But when you see four-man fronts, that means that there are going to be more second-level defenders who flow over. When you have more guys on the line of scrimmage, it makes it easier to double-team those guys because there's more guys right up on the front. They're not going to move around. You know where
Starting point is 00:23:43 they're going to be. They're on the line of scrimmage with a hand in the dirt, five guys. But when you have more people, when you only have four on the line of scrimmage, and then you have about four or five guys at the second level, which teams usually do against the Titans with eight or nine in the box. Now, when the snap happens, you don't know where that linebacker is going to be, where that safety is going to be, where that slot cornerback is going to be because they're faster athletes and they're going to move around more. So what you need in those circumstances is you need lead blockers who can move with the running back and stay in front of them and go to where they need to go.
Starting point is 00:24:16 If you're a left guard and you're not pulling, you're not going to be able to get to a flowing linebacker going across the field. And if you are, it's just going to be a miraculous play. It's more unlikely. So now you have the fullback pulling in front. And even if those second level defenders are able to flow over and the offensive line can't get to them at the second level, your fullback is there to follow and mirror those second level defenders. Well, without Torrey Carter, the Titans can't do a lot of that. So they started mixing in some plays where Jeff Swain was pulling across the field. Or they would have Nick Westbrook-Akina pull across the field and essentially be a fullback. Because again, Kari Blossom game is just not as good as Torrey Carter.
Starting point is 00:24:59 And it's not as effective. It's not effective enough for the Titans to go with that. But they want to do that against four-man front. So they're trying to schematically get creative to deal with the loss of Torrey Carter, who I said was a major loss when he went on IR. And some people scoffed at me. But really, schematically speaking,
Starting point is 00:25:16 if you understand what the Titans are trying to do, you know how important that fullback is. And unfortunately, Torrey Carter is just way better than Kari Blossomgames. So it's not a one-to-one fit for the Titans. So they're trying to pull a guard, pull a tight end, pull a wide receiver even to create those fullback looks and have that lead blocker in front of the running back. And I think those plays are going to be crucial to the Titans as they go up against the Miami Dolphins this weekend.
Starting point is 00:25:43 But continuing forward into the passing game here, I really liked what the Titans did because obviously Dylan Radins and Aaron Brewer needed help. So what the Titans did was they went to empty formation, shotgun empty, five wide, but they would have two tight ends on the field. And what they would do is they would stack the tight ends on the same side. So you'd have the five offensive linemen,
Starting point is 00:26:05 and on the right side of the offensive line, you'd have Swaim with a hand in the dirt, and then Michael Pruitt right next to him. And then what the Titans would do is they'd stack the right side with the tight ends, but then they'd slide to the left side. And what that allowed was that allowed the two tight ends, Nate Davis and Questenberry, to be four on three on one side.
Starting point is 00:26:26 And then you'd have Ben Jones and Aaron Brewer and Dylan Radins on one side. And Dylan Radins and Aaron Brewer could try to do their best. And then Ben Jones can kind of act as like a backup assist man for them and pick off whoever lost their battle. Basically, they knew that Brewer and Radins would lose basically every single rep in one-on-one, and they put Ben Jones over there to make sure he could help them clean it up. So, really like that schematic move from the Titans to help out their offensive line.
Starting point is 00:26:54 And what that caused is three-man routes. You'd only have the three wide receivers, Westbrook, Aquino, or Chester Rogers, and then Julio and AJ going out into routes. But that was successful quite a bit, because the Titans' wide receivers, especially Nick Westbrook, Aquino, or Chester Rogers, and then Julio and AJ going out into routes. But that was successful quite a bit because the Titans wide receivers, especially Nick Westbrook, Aquino, was doing a good job of finding the hole in the zone over the middle.
Starting point is 00:27:13 San Francisco loves to run cover three. They're not a huge man coverage team. They prefer to run cover three, which is what their previous defensive coordinator, who's the head coach in New York, Robert Sala, liked to do. He liked to play cover three defense, which really comes from that Seattle-style defense. So the hole in cover three is going to be in between the linebackers
Starting point is 00:27:31 and right in front of the deep safety. Nick Westbrook-Akina got two catches for 10-plus yards, settling down right behind the linebackers so they couldn't see him, but right in front of the safety so that couldn't conflict, and first down pass is there. But the Titans had three-man route combinations all night because they were keeping seven men in to block. There was even an example where they put Dontrell Hilliard on one side
Starting point is 00:27:54 and then Jeff Swaim on one side of the offensive line and kept them both in to block or at least chip before they went out into their routes. And that's something that I called for in my game preview. Whatever it took to give Tannehill a clean pocket to throw from, that's what you had to do. Whether that be max protect with seven guys and three guys out in the routes or not,
Starting point is 00:28:12 that is what I thought that they would do, and that's exactly what they did. Also, just want to mention this. The Titans are having some problems in the passing game because there's so much scheme in what they do. A swing pass to the running back. The jet sweep to AJ. Wide A swing pass to the running back, the jet sweep to AJ, wide receiver pop passes to the slot, running back screen passes, pick plays where basically
Starting point is 00:28:32 the wide receiver isn't even running a route. He's just trying to get in the way of a defender to open up things for another guy. There are so many schemed plays in this offense away from just traditional regular plays where you have four or five receiving options and you go through your progressions. Now, I realize that some of that has to happen to help the offensive line, but there's so much of it. And quite frankly, here's my view on it. That's Todd Downing saying,
Starting point is 00:28:56 hey, you guys aren't good enough to make plays, so I got to be smart enough to create plays on my own. And you're not that guy, Todd. You're not such a smart offensive coordinator that you're going to out scheme the defensive coordinator over and over again all year long. Drop back, have three or four guys in a passing route. Let Tannehill go through his progressions
Starting point is 00:29:19 and let Ryan Tannehill make the play. Basically, it comes down to, does Todd Downing think he needs to scheme up everything because his players aren't good enough to make things happen on their own? Or do you have Ryan Tannehill make plays through a regular offense? For my money, am I putting my trust down
Starting point is 00:29:38 on Todd Downing or Ryan Tannehill? I'm trusting Ryan Tannehill. So quit with all this schemed up nonsense, Todd, thinking that you're some offensive guru who's going to get guys open just on your ideas and your play design because you're not and it's not working and the schemed up plays are not working. Those are the worst plays that the Titans run all game long is the schemed up plays with only one option to throw to. They aren't working because you're not that good, Todd. You're a middling, average offensive coordinator who is boosted by good personnel.
Starting point is 00:30:09 So let the good personnel take the lead. Quit trying to take the game out of their hands and scheme up plays that have one option, one way to go, one receiver to throw to because those plays are not working. Let Ryan Tannehill decide. Let him
Starting point is 00:30:24 go through progressions and find the open guy. Boom. That's all I got to say about that. So that's going to do it for this re-watch Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I'm going to be back with you guys tomorrow for a crossover Thursday with one of the better football minds
Starting point is 00:30:39 that we have in the Locked on Podcast Network. Works for the Draft Network as well. Kyle Krabs of the Locked On Dolphins Podcast. So it will be fun to talk some ball with Kyle. But that's going to do it for me today folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland. And this was Locked On Titans. you

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.