Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Can Win 11 Games If...Tim Kelly's Impact, Pass Catching Breakouts & OL Cohesion

Episode Date: June 4, 2023

The Tennessee Titans have a chance to shock the world and hit their ceiling in 2023 if a few things go right!! First, Tim Kelly is installing a brand new offense for the Titans, but will his coordination be better than what the Titans got in 2022? Next, the Titans have two second-year players poised for a breakout. Will Treylon Burks and Chig Okonkwo take the next step as players? Finally, the Titans added new pieces on the offensive line, but they will need to become a cohesive unit quickly!Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I think the Tennessee Titans ceiling this year is 11 wins. We're going to talk about what needs to happen for them to get there on today's 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. Welcome to the Locked On Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans.

We got a lot to talk about on today's show. Before we get into it, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook of the NFL. Make every moment more. Visit FanDuel.com slash locked on to get started today. I think the Tennessee Titans ceiling this year is 11

wins. I think that's the best that they can do with the talent that they currently have. But a few things have to go right for them to be able to hit that ceiling. On today's show, we're going to talk about three things on the offensive side of the ball that must go correctly for the Titans to hit that ceiling. On today's show, we're going to talk about three things on the offensive side of the ball that must go correctly for the Titans to hit that ceiling. Before we get into all of it, though, I do want to thank you guys again

for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round on YouTube, your favorite podcast app, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast where it's your team every day. Shout out to my everydayers as well. Tune in Monday through Friday. We got Tennessee Titans minicamp this week.

So a lot of great shows coming up later on. My everydayers aren't going to miss out tomorrow. We're going to follow up today's offensive episode with a defensive episode and talk about what has to happen on defense for the Titans to hit their ceiling. But let's dive right into the offense here. And also want to mention, my brother got married yesterday. I'm probably not recording the show at 100%,

as many of you can probably tell by my voice and the capacity, but I'm giving you 100% effort as always. But diving in here, the first thing to me that stands out is Tim Kelly, is the offensive coordination. Because last year, it was my opinion, and I know a lot of you guys shared that opinion, that the Titans were dealing with, if not the worst

offensive coordinator in the NFL with Todd Downing, but at least one of the worst offensive coordinators in the NFL. And you could see how that hurt the Titans in some statistics from last year. So I want to give a shout out here to Warren Sharp at Sharp Football on Twitter. Does a lot of great analytics work. Just a fun guy to follow if you like the NFL, Warren Sharp. But he put out a list of teams and did the percentage of second half drives that went three and out. So what percent of your drives in the second half went three and out? So what percent of your drives in the second half went three and out?

The Tennessee Titans, by far and away, the worst team with 48% of their second half drives going three and out. Not just stalling, not just punting, not a turnover, not literally three plays get off the field. It's 48%, but literally half of the Titans' second half drives last year were three and out. Three and out, which kills the defense, kills the momentum, and to me is a sign of coaching. The coaching staff is not able to adjust,

and when the team that the Titans are playing saw what they did in the first half, they say, oh, we're going to make these adjustments to stop what you're trying to do. And the Titans had no counter at all. And to me, that is coaching. That is solely coaching right there. The second worst team was the Chicago Bears at 41%. And then there are a bunch of teams from thirty nine percent to thirty two percent, like most of the NFL is thirty nine percent to thirty two percent. And the Titans are all the way up at forty eight percent, seven percent higher than the second worst team. Just to throw this in here, the best team in the second half at not going three and out the Atlanta Falcons, only twenty two percent. Arthur Smith, we miss you, sweet prince. We miss you.

But that's not the only depressing stat here. Here's the number of drives ending in a punt or a turnover. The Titans, third worst team in the NFL. 110 of their drives ended in a punt or a turnover in 2022. Third worst. Houston had 115. Denver had 117. I mean, compared to the best team in the NFL,

which was Detroit at not the best team in the NFL, but the best team at not having their drives end in a punt or a turnover. Detroit, it only happened 66 times. The Titans are at 110. So those to me are two stats that point to offensive coordination because it's not just the players that are the reason that the Titans were that terrible. And look, Houston totally changed their staff.

Denver totally changed their coaching staff. Like, so these are, to me, these are statistics that show that it wasn't just the Titans talent, which was also a problem, the injuries, which was also a problem. But to me, this is clearly coaching. You are

getting out coached on the offensive side of the ball consistently when you have these kind of numbers. So Tim Kelly's coming in and we've learned now from hearing from Ryan Tannehill here hearing from Chigga Conquo, hearing from different players that this is an entirely new offensive system, an entirely new terminology, new types of plays.

Mike Vrabel has talked about multiplicity a bunch. The Titans had an outside zone running scheme that was Shanahan adjacent. Well, Mike Vrabel wants to go to a more multiple offense where they can run zone runs, but they can also run power runs. They can run gap runs. They have different things in the playbook so that they can attack the defense they're going against week to week with different kinds of plays.

So if Tim Kelly is the improvement that everybody is hoping that he is, that is probably the number one factor for the Titans offense and them hitting their ceiling this year. If Tim Kelly can be a positive, and remember, last year, Tim Kelly helped on third downs in the passing game, and he helped in the red zone. And for what it's worth, you talk about scoring touchdowns and goal-to-go situations,

the Titans were the best offense in the NFL last year at 94%. So if the Titans got goal-to-go within the 10-yard line, 94% of the time they scored. And that was what Tim Kelly was working on last year, the red zone offense. So to me, And that was what Tim Kelly was working on last year, the red zone offense. So to me, I have faith in Tim Kelly. We all wanted to see Tim Kelly last year. Now we get to see it.

I don't think it's the terrible hire that a lot of people, or promotion, that a lot of people made it out to be because he was in-house. He's clearly bringing an entire new identity and an entire new offensive system to the team, which I think is the refresh and the breath of fresh air

that this Titans offense really needs. So Tim Kelly's impact as the offensive coordinator, I think, has the biggest ability to get the Titans to their ceiling, which I think is 11 wins. But that's not it. We got to talk about the weapons on offense. Two players in particular, their progression as players will have a major impact on whether the Titans can hit their ceiling or not. Before we get into that, I do want to let

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Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the LockedOn Titans podcast. We're talking about the Tennessee Titans ceiling and how they reach their ceiling this year. I think the Titans ceiling is 11 wins. As the roster currently stands, I think the best version of the Tennessee Titans could get 11 wins this year. I think the biggest factor here on the offensive side of the ball is Tim Kelly at offensive coordinator

and whether he could be improved from what the Titans got with Todd Downing last year that was, quite frankly, despicable offensive coordination, in my opinion. So outside of just the offensive coordinator and their impact, there are other factors here that I think are really, really important. And the second one I want to talk about is the improvements of two second-year players on offense, Chigga Conquo and Traylon Burks. Before we get into that, though, of course, I want to talk about is the improvements of two second-year players on offense, Chigga Conquo and Traylon Burks. Before we get into that, though, of course, I want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast

your first listen every day. Shout out to my everydayers out there listening Monday through Friday. I got a great week ahead. Tomorrow, we're going to do the defensive side of the ball. What are some things that have to happen on defense for the Titans to hit their ceiling? So excited to dive in that. Starting off the week with a ton of positivity.

Let's talk about if the Titans are good and what it would look like. That's what I wanted to do for you guys to kick off June here for the Titans. We got mandatory minicamp coming up this week the 6th through the 9th. Going to be breaking that down whenever there's open practices so make sure that you stay subscribed or get subscribed

to the Locked on Titans podcast for daily Tennessee Titans content for free everywhere that you listen to podcasts. But outside of Tim Kelly, to me, it's all about Chigga Conquo and Traylon Burks. And what I want to do is the Titans posted a video over the weekend from OTAs last week of Traylon Burks. And by God, it was absolutely beautiful. So I want to run that real quick to the YouTube folks. Oh, look at that. Oh, look at that. What a play here. Let's run it back again. Ladies and gentlemen, Ryan Tannehill drops back, fires a ball

high in the air. It's high in the air and it comes down and Traylon Burks jumps over Trey Avery, corrals it, runs to the end zone and celebrates a little bit. Number one to me as something that something that's really stood out to me from the mic'd up session with

Traylon Burks to just him in interviews and the way he talks, his confidence level. Traylon Burks feeling comfortable in his own skin, being healthy, being in condition, being ready to go, knowing the playbook, being in the facility all offseason. We saw flashes of Traylon Burks being a monster. I just continue that too small symbol after that deep catch

against Jair Alexander last year in Green Bay. I think that was the high point of the entire season for me. The performance in Green Bay definitely was the highest of the high that we got last year. 27 points. But Burks making that play.

It's just again, it's a glimpse. It's a flash of this guy could be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He has the physical skill set. If he can just stay healthy, get more confident, get more comfortable, he is going to skyrocket. And I think, you know, it's early. We're talking OTAs.

I'm talking, I'm breaking down interviews and body language and demeanor and confidence. But I'm sorry, there's no way that you can look at Traylon Burks this year whether it be, again, the mic up session, the interviews, these highlights we're getting from training camp, reports we're getting out of training camp that I've been covering. I don't know how you couldn't be

just out of this world excited to watch Traylon Burks. And same thing with Chigga Conquo. Look, Chigga's a late round pick. He doesn't get the buzz maybe that Traylon Burks does because of thing with Chigga Conkwell. Look, Chigga's a late-round pick. He doesn't get the buzz maybe that Traylon Burks does because of the first-round status. But Chigga Conkwell was insane last year. I mean, led rookie tight ends and catches in yards. Led everyone in the NFL in catches of 40 yards or more.

I mean, this guy is explosive. He led, I believe, his all tight ends and yards per route run. I mean, he's effective, efficient, and he's going to get a way bigger role. Look, there's no secret here. The Titans do not have a great group of pass catchers. They simply don't. It's just not one of the better groups in the NFL. It's not top half.

It's not top 20. And a lot of that has to do with the wide receivers. But, but if Traylon Burks and Chigga Conqua can truly, truly explode the way that we think they're going to in year two, the ability

that they have if it's harnessed and it's used effectively by, that's why I put offensive coordinator first here. Because the Titans can have all the talent in the world. If they get Todd Downing level offensive coordination with what they have on the roster right now, it is going to be a disaster. So that's why the Titans need Tim Kelly to be better.

They have to have that. I mean, literally, if he's just a top 20 offensive coordinator, it is going to have a major impact on the Titans. But the next thing for me is looking at the Titans' biggest weakness on offense, and it's the pass-catching group. But if Burks and Chigokonkwo can be who we think they might be, if they can be that, if Burks can be a top 20 wide receiver, Chig can be a top 10 tight end,

like, that changes the dynamic for the Titans. It changes the dynamic entirely. Okay? So, that is, I almost put that number one. Because the big thing, you look at the Titans offense right now, you're like, oh, they don't have any high-level playmakers outside of Derrick Henry. What are they going to do? I think the way the Titans offense is built,

you need one really great wide receiver to take all the attention and win on one-on-one man coverage. Because what teams do to the Titans is they just play man coverage when the chips are on the table. And they say, you're not going to beat us. You don't have the weapons to beat us in man coverage consistently. So if Burks can do that, like AJ was able to do that, call it for what it is,

it just totally changes the dynamic of the Titans offense in a way that we've seen before. 2018 to 2019, even to 2020. The addition of AJ Brown, a real top flight wide receiver that can win consistently. I said when it was happening, I said it in 2021, I said it last year. A.J. Brown is what made the Titans offense special for those years, not Derrick Henry. Derrick Henry is a great

player and he's a big factor. I'm not saying that he's not, but is A.J. Brown, given the Titans, that next level playmaker, you have Derrick Henry in the run game, but if you have a Derrick Henry in the passing game, that sets off everything. That unleashes everything. So if Burks can be that, and I think Chigokonkwo can be better than Jonu Smith. I mean, Chigokonkwo in his rookie season almost had a better year than Jonu Smith's ever had ever. So I think Chig can be, I think Ch Chick can be closer to Delaney Walker than he is Johnnie Smith. If they get that from Chick Okonkwo and Traylon Burks, and Burks is a top 20 receiver,

and Okonkwo is a top 10 tight end, the Titan ceiling is within reach. But those aren't the only things that I want to talk about. Of course, there is a third topic that we have to hit. And of course, it's in the trenches. So we're going to get into all of that in just a moment. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We're talking about how the Tennessee Titans can hit their ceiling as a team. We talked about the offensive coordinator, Tim Kelly, and the new system that he's installing.

We talked about Burks and Chigacono taking that next step in their second year. Now I want to get into the offensive line and how the offensive line will play a big factor in how the Titans approach their ceiling this year. Before we get into it, thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day,

Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round always for free tomorrow we're going to do the defensive side of the ball and the three biggest things for me that would make the Titans hit their ceiling to continue throughout the week the Titans mandatory minicamp happens this week

we'll see if Kevin Byard is in attendance I'm going to be breaking all that down and all the news from mandatory minicamp for you guys so make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. But outside of Tim Kelly as offensive coordinator, outside of Burks and Chig taking that next step, it's all about the offensive line for me.

Look, at the end of the day, I know what I'm going to get from Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry if they're properly supported in any kind of feasible way. I know that. I'm not really worried about that. What I'm worried about is the offensive coordinator, pass-catching weapons, and the offensive line. Some people, some Titans fans,

are set in stone that this offensive line will be a lot better than last year's. And look, I understand where you're coming from. No Dennis Daly out there. Andre Dillard, in theory, should be a lot better. Peter Skowronski, I mean, if he's not as good as we hope he is, it was a wasted pick for a guard at 11. So we need top

tier guard play from Peter Skowronski right away. But I think we get that, personally, regardless of anything else. I think Skowronski will be fine. Aaron Brewer, in theory, again, should be much improved at center. I thought last year when he played center,

he looked better. Brunskill, look, Nate Davis is a better player than Daniel Brunskill. No doubt about it. Just like Ben Jones is a much better player than Aaron Brewer. Those are downgrades. Even if those guys play well, even if Aaron Brewer plays well and Brunskill plays well, they're not as good as the best version of Ben Jones and Nate Davis. But Nate Davis couldn't stay healthy. So a healthy Brunskill for a whole season

is better than 10 games of Nate Davis banged up. You know what I mean? So I could see how the scales could weigh out there and be balanced. Nicholas Petit Ferrer, he struggled last year at times. And I understand if there are people out there who maybe were concerned by his play. maybe were concerned by his play. But what I've said all along is, I think Batif Arrear wasn't necessarily supposed to be a starter last year.

He beat out Dylan Radins, was thrusted in the starting lineup. And if you guys go back to Jack Conklin, Conklin made all pro his rookie season, which, you know, you can never bat your eyes at Titans winning awards because it just doesn't happen as much as it should. So you take it when it happens, even if it's on the line.

But Conklin got so much help from the tight ends, from the way the Titans slid their offensive line that year to help him. Nicholas Petit-Ferrer got the opposite of that. Like, we talk about the quarterback, and, hey, you're putting a young quarterback in a terrible situation with all this. Well, why doesn't that work for offensive linemen, too? Nicholas Petit-Ferrer had to play

with an ever-changing offensive line all year long. He wasn't able to get the help from the tight ends and the slides of the protection because he had to help Dennis Daly, the worst offensive tackle in the NFL. So I just think NPF didn't get the help that he deserved. He was a rookie thrust into a bad offense. And I think that Nicholas Petit for, and honestly,

if you look like the pro football focus grades, NPF was still better than some of the guys that were drafted ahead of him. Like Evan Neal, for example, I'm pretty sure if I recall off the pro football focus grades, NPF was still better than some of the guys that were drafted ahead of him, like Evan Neal, for example. I'm pretty sure if I recall off the top of my head, NPF had better production than Evan Neal. And he was a high first-round pick. So I have faith that Nicholas Petit-Ferrer in a better coordinated offense with more consistent teammates around him on the offensive line will be improved.

So, while I think that it's a bit reckless to rubber stamp it, that the Titans offensive line is going to be a lot better, you could see how it could happen. The big thing for me is Aaron Brewer at center, Andre Dillard at left tackle. Is Dillard really good enough to be a starter or was Philly right in making him a bench player? Now, I know Philly's offensive line talent

is why he was on the bench and maybe Dillard would be starting for a lot of other teams that didn't have the talent Philly did. But that remains to be seen. I can't bet on that. But there's a lot of logic there. Dillard, a former first-round pick, motivated to finally get a shot in a system

where he doesn't have to worry about moving around. The Titans are letting him play left tackle. They're going to let him try out left tackle. It's obvious. Maybe Dillard is worthy of being a starting left tackle in the NFL, and he was just buried behind that talent. If that's the case, and Skowronski is who I think Skowronski is going to be no matter what, Brewer improved at center,

Brunskill solid at right guard and improved MPF at right tackle, the Titans could truly have a much, much improved offensive line. So if they get better offensive coordination from Tim Kelly and his new system, Chig and Traylon take a big jump in their second year, which they look like they could, and the offensive line actually gels and works. I know it's a lot, but we're talking about it right now. We're going through what has to happen for the Titans to hit their ceiling. If all of that happens, Ryan Tannehill is going to have time. Derrick Henry is going to have open lanes,

which will give him an opportunity to hit some more home runs than he was able to last year. We know that Ryan Tannehill, with adequate protection, can find open guys. We know that. So, it's a lot to ask. There's a lot of what-ifs. And that's why my prediction for the Titans was 7-10.

But I think that their floor is like 5 wins, and their ceiling is like 11. But I think there is a real chance they could get to 11 wins if Tim Kelly is actually a good offensive coordinator, Traylon Burks and Chega Conk will take that next step, and the offensive line actually works. That's a lot to ask again, but if all three things happen, I think there's a great chance that the Titans can hit their ceiling

as an offense and get to 11 wins, probably get another home playoff game. I really think that that's in the realm of possibilities. I'm not going to say that that's impossible. I'm not. That could happen. So, honestly, I got to tell you, regardless of my predictions, that's what I want to see, and I hope that it happens. But tomorrow, we're going to talk about what needs to happen on the defensive side of the ball, which I did offense first

because, quite frankly, the offensive stuff is less certain and more important, quite honestly, because the Titans need to make major strides on offense. If they just kind of stay in a good spot with defense, we could see the ceiling hit. It's more about the offense. But the defense needs some things to happen too, and there's definitely some uncertainty over there as well.

But we'll get into that on tomorrow's show. But that is going to do it for me today, folks. It's been an excellent episode to kick off the week. I hope you guys do tune in for the rest of it. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans. you