Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Coaches Creating Failure & Ben Jones is Robinson's Best Free Agent

Episode Date: October 10, 2022

The Tennessee Titans barely survived a trip to Washington D.C. coming out with a win over the Commanders, but the numbers tell a more concerning story. The Titans had weaknesses exposed, but on offense, the coaching staff did little to assist. Tyler goes over some numbers that show an issue with their philosophy and how they utilize their players! Finally, Tyler dives into the career of Ben Jones and explains why he thinks Jones is GM Jon Robinson's best free agent signing ever.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!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!PrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONSimpliSafeWith Fast Protect™️ Technology, exclusively from SimpliSafe, 24/7 monitoring agents capture evidence to accurately verify a threat for faster police response. There’s No Safe Like SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafe.com/LockedOnNFL to learn more.BetterHelpIt’s not a crisis line, it’s not self-help, it’s professional therapy done securely online, available to people worldwide. And they have a special offer for my listeners: get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/LockedOn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, the Titans were able to defeat the Washington Commanders 21-17 on Sunday. I want to look at some numbers that stuck out to me coming out of that matchup first. We're going to look at the struggles of the offensive line, and I'll explain why the Titans coaching staff did very little to help them out. Then we'll continue looking at the offensive decisions. We'll look at some personnel problems that the Titans continue to have throughout the

season. And then finally, I'll explain to you why Ben Jones is clearly the best free agent signing in John Robinson's tenure with the Titans. So all of that and more 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. Titans fans, thank you for joining the Locked on Titans podcast.

We're going to break down the Titans win over the Commanders. Doing it by the numbers, though. I got some data points I want to go over with you guys that really tell a story. Before we get into today's show, I want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline has you covered this season with more props, odds, and lines than ever before. BetOnline, where the game starts. Also want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.

If this is your first ever listener, you just haven't subscribed yet, make sure that you do for Monday through Friday, free Tennessee Titans content all year round on all platforms, including the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe there, smash the notification bell, and throw a thumbs up on the video if you're excited for the Titans to get healthy during the bye week. I'm going to dive right into this game by the numbers.

And let me go over one thing that's really, really frustrating for me. What are the Titans as an offense? They run the ball with Derrick Henry. And then what do they do? They play action off of that. And it helps everything. The Titans have had some banged up offensive lines over the years. Play action helps the offensive line.

That is a tried and true old as time adage. Play action helps the offensive line. Shout out to everybody in the comments. Zoop, Tighten Up, Kevin, Jonathan. Thank you guys for tuning in. But play action helps the offense. It helps the offensive line specifically. Okay?

And with the Titans' weapons, play action creates more space for guys who maybe don't create enough separation on their own. So the run game and play action off of it is everything that the Titans do, and it helps everybody when they do it. We talk about the Titans' play action rates after certain games and why the offense looked solid because there was play action. looked solid because there was play action.

The Titans had a 16.1% play action rate in this game against Washington. So not only was the offensive line struggling with 13 quarterback hits, there's some numbers for you, 13 quarterback hits, shout out Titan Anderson, my guy, but the Titans play action 16.1%, which is one of the lowest totals of the entire Mike Vrabel era with the Titans.

So while the offensive line was struggling, and yeah, sometimes it's just a one-on-one individual loss, and whether the Titans play action or not, they might be in some trouble. But to only play action 16.1% of the dropbacks, that's terrible for the Titans. They're never going to have a great offensive performance when you're setting your team up for failure.

Not only is the offensive line struggling, but now you're doing the opposite of what will help them. Shout out to my boy Jay Lomas. Shout out to my boy Zach Lyons. We're all discussing this on Twitter today. So, not only is the play action percent just downright despicable on its own, to go along with the QB hits,

but look at the numbers here. The Titans, when they did play action passes, 3 for 4 for 90 yards. When they did non-play action passes, 12 for 21 for 91 yards. They got one more yard on 8 more, on how many more attempts? On 17 more attempts. One extra yard on 17 more, on how many more attempts? On 17 more attempts.

One extra yard on 17 more attempts. Why are the Titans doing regular drop back non-play action passes when the offensive line can't block a soul? The Titans offensive line played bad, but the coaching staff hung them out to dry by getting away from what they do best outrageous outrageous that the Titans play action rate would plummet

when the Titans offensive line is having trouble in pass protection when you play action you have a better chance of hitting on a three route play where you can leave in two extra people to help block. If your offensive line is struggling, you need to lean into play action more, not less. Outrageous, outrageous stuff from Todd Downing and the offensive coaching staff. Not only that, but the screen game.

I think it was the Titans' very first drive. The Titans had two screens, the big one to Derrick Henry for 24, and then the Hilliard touchdown. The Titans were 3-for-3 for 35 yards and a touchdown on screens. After that first early drive with two excellent screens that led to a touchdown, how do you only call one more screen the rest of the play when the pass rush for the commanders is all over you? How do you slow down a pass rush?

The screen game. These are common, known, historical ways to help out poor pass protection offensive lines. Screen game will slow down the aggressiveness of the defensive line, and the play-action pass game will get guys more separation and allow you to keep more guys in to help block. The Titans said, oh, we could run screens more. We could play action more.

How about we abandon that completely since Ryan Tannehill is getting hit 13 times? It's mind-blowing. It's mind-blowing. It's mind-boggling. What they're doing. It doesn't make any sense. So yes, individually, execution-wise, the Titans offensive line did not play well yesterday. But dear God, the coaching staff did the opposite

of what they should have done to help them out in that game. Perplexing. Confusing. Don't really understand what conversations are going on. I can't figure it out. But there are more issues with the offense and personnel has been a problem throughout. I'm going to dive into some personnel issues the Titans have. We are sold a bill of goods as Titans fans that this offense doesn't go after more explosive playmakers because

they don't fit the scheme because the Titans need people who are willing to block. Right? Blocking is so important within the Titans scheme. That's what we are sold. Well, how come the guys who are out on the field for their blocking are some of the worst blockers the Titans have? We're going to dive into that in just a moment. Before we do, I want to tell you guys about Tommy John. Fall is chaos in your pants.

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That's 20% off at TommyJohn.com slash locked on TommyJohn.com slash locked on. See site for details. Titans fans, we're going to continue today's show breaking down the Titans win over the Commanders by the numbers. I talked about the play action percentage went over some of the completion and yardage numbers of play action and screens versus non play action and

screens really despicable. Quite frankly, what the Titans coaching staff is doing with an offense that's already beat up and we're going to continue that conversation right now as we dive into some more numbers that stood out to me.

Before we do, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, free Tennessee Titans content all year round. Locked on Titans, it's your team every day. Also, check out the NFL Key Prediction Show on Friday on the Locked on NFL YouTube channel. You're going to get game predictions for the five biggest games of the weekend. And it's going to be under 30 minutes. It's excellent stuff. I think it's funny.

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and turn it into a little promo for Tommy John. But anyways, moving forward here. So something that popped out to me from a numbers standpoint. Looking at run blocking grades per pro football focus on the Titans offensive side of the ball. You know who three of the lowest rated run blockers of the week were? Jeff Swain, Cody Hollister,

and Nick Westbrook-Akina. Cody Hollister and Nick Westbrook-Akina had the lowest run blocking grades of anybody on the team. The offensive line struggled, and somehow Hollister and NWI found a way to have lower run blocking grades. Hollister had the lowest at 43.4. NWI was just barely above at 43.9. Jeff Swain had a 50.1 run blocking grade.

Here's my issue here. I am sold a bill of goods by the Titans organization. They tell me that, and maybe this isn't with words, but this is with action, right? The Titans don't want a Josh Gordon.

The Titans don't want, I know you guys get mad when I bring this up, but I don't care. Titans don't want Josh Reynolds. The Titans don't want Khalif Raymond. The Titans don't want Amon Ross St. Brown in the fourth round. The Titans don't want these guys who, you know,

Josh Gordon probably cooked. Khalif Raymond, haven't heard his name in a while. Josh Reynolds, yeah, he's okay. Got a new contract from the Lions, but, but, but, but, but, my point is here. I am told by the Titans coaching staff that they don't go after real wide receivers, like guys who get open and catch the ball,

because they're not good enough blockers. And we need guys who can block in this offensive system. That's what I'm told. That the Titans only go after certain wide receivers that may not be very explosive, that may not be great route runners, that may not be guys who can make plays not be great route runners. That may not be guys who can make plays with the ball in their hands

after the catch. The Titans get these NWIs and these Hollisters and these swams because they block. And that is so so important in the Titans scheme. And I'm not saying that it's not And I'm not saying that it's not.

I'm not saying that it's not. But what I'm saying is, when you play guys like NWI, and you play guys like Cody Hollister, guys who are not dynamic options in the passing game, and you play a guy like Jeff Swain more than Austin Hooper and Chigga Conkwell, because they're better blockers. Well, they better block. Right?

They better be excellent blockers every single week. You can't roll out Cody Hollister. 51 snaps. Or 51 run blocking snaps this year and have him go out there and be the worst run-blocker on the entire team.

If those guys are so good at run-blocking, then they better be good at run-blocking every week. Now, to Nick Westbrook-Akina's credit, he has been pretty good in run-blocking all year. His run-blocking grade is like a 75.5. He made the big catch. I feel bad putting Nick Westbrook-Akina in here, but it's just the philosophy, the philosophy that I'm trying to talk about that the Titans

give to us. The organization tells us we would rather have a Cody Hollister over a Josh Gordon. We would rather have a Cody Hollister over a Josh Reynolds. We would rather have a Cody Hollister over a Reggie Roberson or a Mason Kinsey or on and on and on because Cody Hollister is going to block. Well, he had a 43.4 run blocking grade against the Commanders. So if the guy can't block,

Traylon Burks has missed one game. And Cody Hollister has 11 more snaps on rundowns than Traylon Burks. You're tipping your plays. And how is there any scenario in a run blocking, passing, how is there any scenario, even with the missed game, where Hollister could have 11 more snaps,

or it's 42 for Burks, so nine. Hollister could have 11 more snaps, or it's 42 for Burks, so nine. Hollister could have nine more snaps on run plays than Burks had this year, even with Burks missing the game. How is that possible? And if that guy is out there, he better block his butt off. He better be an offensive tackle at wide receiver with how little he gives you from a passing standpoint. Same thing with Swain.

Swain is a better blocker than Hooper. But it's not by that much. Jeff Swain's missing blocks out there every week. And he gives you nothing in pass offense. Zero threat to the defense. Kyle Phillips had 18 snaps yesterday Cody Hollister had 20 Austin Hooper had 34 snaps

Jeff Swain had nearly 40 snaps Chica Conquo had 13 my boy Will Lomas said this to me today and I agree 100% it's obvious that this coaching staff does not have a plan for its young players the play action rates

I talked about not helping out your young offensive linemen the screen usage or lack thereof as the game goes on not helping your young offensive lineman. Where'd Chigaconquo go? What, they just couldn't use Chigaconquo this week? Kyle Phillips,

probably the most explosive wide receiver the Titans have right now. You can't get him on a screen? Quick screen out? I mean, why isn't this team using the only talent that it really has in lieu of guys who I'm told can block, who don't block that well anyways? In Hollister and Swain. There's room for one, Nick Westbrook-Akina, to do what he does.

But you can't have that at tight end and have that 20 snaps a game in Hollister. So, I hate to just be negative, negative, negative here and harp on bad things, but the reality is the Titans may be 3-2, but they're not going to be able to continue to win this way. They have to play their best players, put them in positions to succeed, and keep the core philosophy of the offense that has worked for multiple years. When the offensive line is struggling the most, you don't go away from screens and go away from play action.

And if the guys who are supposed to be your best run blockers aren't run blocking, then put in your guys who are more explosive receiver options. It seems simple. It really does. And yeah, they may be NFL coaches, and I may be a podcast host, but that doesn't mean that the answer can't be simple. It's wild this team doesn't do the obvious things

that can help them week to week be more explosive. Hopefully, through time, the Titans put it all together. This team gets better as the season goes on. So hopefully they continue to do that. But we're going to cap off today's show talking about Ben Jones. I looked at the Titans

offensive line. I looked at the coaching staff. I looked at everything and I just thought man, I feel bad for Ben Jones, who is John Robinson's best free agent signing ever. And I'm going to explain why before we get into it. Do want to tell you guys about BetOnline. BetOnline is your number one source for all your football betting needs this season. You can find all the latest player developments, team matchup, news, podcasts, in-depth articles, analysis on every

game. It's the fastest and easiest way to check in on all your favorite games and events, including MLB, NBA, NFL, MMA, boxing, esports, even golf. Head to betonline.net right now on your laptop or your mobile device to learn more about all the trends and all the action. Bet online where the game starts. Titans fans, we are going to cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We've been looking at the win over the Commanders through the numbers and quite honestly, just some things that pop out to me that get me concerned for the Titans going forward because unfortunately, they're not going to be able to play a team

as bad as the Commanders every single week. But before we continue the show and talk about Ben Jones, just want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream for Monday through Friday. Free Tennessee Titans content all year round. But diving back in here, Ben Jones. So as I rewatched the game, as I looked at the pass blocking grades,

the quarterback hits, the sacks, the play action rates, all of that, I looked at Ben Jones. So, Ben Jones was signed as a free agent to the Titans in 2016. John Robinson came in and the first thing he did was steal Ben Jones from Houston. And quite honestly, Ben Jones is Danico Autry signing

but on the offensive side of the ball and for a lot longer is what it is. Ben Jones has been with the Titans since 2016 too now. He's played 16 games 16 games 16 games 15 games 16 games 17 games last year played all five games this year he's lost Taylor LeJuan he's lost Roger Safford

lost Jack Conklin Dennis Kelly playing with a rookie in NPF Stafford. Lost Jack Conklin. Dennis Kelly. Playing with a rookie in NPF. Hell, yesterday, Nate Davis is out. He's got Dylan Radins. Aaron Brewer, who's just way too small to be a starting offensive lineman in the NFL. It's just the truth.

Especially not at center. And then Dennis Daly at left tackle. Jeff Swaim at tight end. Looking out at wide receiver, seeing Cody Hollister, Des Fitzpatrick, Todd Downing calling plays. And you just feel bad for Ben Jones, man. The dude is such a

warrior. He's so tough. And the number that sticks out to me is Ben Jones was by far the best offensive lineman that the Titans had yesterday. He's been the best offensive lineman the Titans have had all year. Since 2018, Ben Jones has had less than four penalties every year. He's only had two false starts ever as a Titan. In week five, he had a 73.9 overall grade,

72.8 in pass blocking, 72.2 in run blocking. Just solid, just consistent. This year, he's got the best run blocking grade on the team at a 77.5. And among starting offensive linemen for the Titans, he's third in pass blocking grade at 71.5. He's behind Nate Davis and Taylor LeJuan if you want to count him. So if you're looking at Titans starters right now,

he's got the second best pass blocking grade and the first best run blocking grade. He is the best free agent signing John Robinson ever made. Danico Autry has been good. No lie. No lie. But Danico Autry has been good. No lie. No lie, but Danico Autry showed up last year and this year. Ben Jones was like the first free agent signing John Robinson made. He came in and he said,

we got to shore up this offensive line. I'm getting Ben Jones from Houston. It made the Texans weaker, and it made the Titans stronger. And Ben Jones has been a stalwart at the pivot for the Titans since he was signed. Durable, reliable, slamming pies in people's faces on their birthdays.

Everybody talks about how great the Titans offensive line group is. How good of a group they have in the locker room. Well, most of that comes from Ben Jones. It's not Taylor LeJuan. Taylor LeJuan rubs people the wrong way. Yeah, he's a fun guy, but he rubs people the wrong way. He got in a fight with Jamarco Jones in practice earlier this year. The guy that everyone loves and trusts and is the anchor of that core unit

is Ben Jones. And to see him, Ben Jones is like the Will Smith meme when all the furniture is out of the living room. That's how I feel watching Ben Jones right now. Try his best to pull this offensive line along. Everything about the team that Ben Jones was a part of is kind of falling away now. And he's just there giving his best every single week.

Being the best offensive lineman the Titans have. The most underrated center in the NFL. So, I just wanted to take some time here at the end of the show to shout out Ben Jones. Because he's the best free agent signing John Robinson ever made. And I'll stand on that. But going forward, tomorrow's Rewatch Wednesday, I'm going to be breaking down the tape, diving into the film,

telling you guys what I saw from the offense and defense. On Thursday, it's not going to be crossover Thursday, so we're going to dive into where the Titans stack up in the NFL statistically. Third down percentage, red zone percentage, passing offense, running offense, defense, all of that. We're going to dive into that. Friday, it's going to be a mailbag episode, so send in your guys'

questions to me as a five-star review on Apple iTunes. You can send them to me on Twitter at TicTacTitans as well. And then next week, we're going to be diving into what lies ahead for the Titans and some other things I want to get into. Biggest surprises so far this year.

A lot of content coming up. Remember, Monday through Friday, free Tennessee Titans content on all platforms all year long. Make sure you're subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. That's going to do it for me today, though, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.