Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Mike Vrabel Makes Concerning Comment & Titans Injury Updates

Episode Date: September 15, 2022

The Tennessee Titans struggled on offense not only in Week 1, but for the last 5-7 games. Mike Vrabel made a comment to the media on Thursday that may give us a window into why that is! Not only that, but Titans play-by-play man Mike Keith made a comment this week that also causes some concern. Next, Tyler gives an update on injuries for the Titans and answers YOUR questions in a mailbag!Follow 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!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!BriteCoThe guys at BriteCo Jewelry Insurance made buying insurance for your engagement ring, your watch, or whatever so easy you can get covered in 2 minutes on your cell phone. You won't find a better deal on coverage that's so affordable. Go to https://brite.co/lockedonPrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONTuroDitch boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.comAthletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NFLNETWORK. 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, it is our last day of the week. And since the game is on Monday night, our game preview will be on Monday. Today, we have to talk about a concerning comment that Mike Rabel made to the media on Thursday. Then we're going to talk about the latest injury update for the Titans heading into Monday Night Football before we finish out the show, answering your guys' questions in a mailbag segment where we're basically just talking about why Todd Downing is still the

Titans offensive coordinator. So discussing 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, it is our last episode of the week, and we are going to finish off the week strong. We got to talk about this weird comment that Mike Vrabel made in his press availability on Thursday

that I think may lend us to understand why the Titans are having trouble on offense. Before we get into it, do 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 listen or you just haven't yet, make sure that you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. I am going to be putting out daily, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content free and available on all platforms all year long, including the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe there.

Smash the notification bell. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. On Sunday night into Monday morning, I'm going to have my full game preview for the Monday night football clash against the Buffalo Bills. Directly after the game on Monday night, I'll be going live on YouTube to break down everything that took place. I'll have a full 30-minute recap for you guys going up live immediately after.

Obviously, we'll have our rewatch Thursday, our crossover Thursday, and our game preview after that next week. So a ton coming up every single week here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Make sure that you stay locked in where it's your team every day. But we got to talk about this comment that Mike Vrabel made, and it really threw me for a loop. They asked Mike Vrabel if they need to get Robert Woods and Austin Hooper and some of the veterans more involved in the offense.

Mike Vrabel gave a quote. He said, quote, We don't necessarily look at it like we got to get this guy going. And I think that that is maybe a massive part of the problem with the Titans offense. I forget who it was or the specifics. But if you go back and you look at the Titans' last seven games, it's been an abomination on offense. And I think part of it might be because Mike Vrabel's philosophy here is, quote, we don't necessarily look at it like we got to get this guy going.

What I hear from that, my interpretation of that is, we don't go into a game looking to feature one guy. We don't go into a second half saying, man, we didn't get enough touches for this dude. We need to get him the ball more. Well, that does line up with he who must not be named not getting enough targets. Everybody always said, well, you get rid of a star wide receiver

when you have an offense like the Titans that isn't going to feature him. Why would you pay a wide receiver $25 million a year if you're only going to target him a couple times a game? Well, the problem isn't paying a wide receiver that much in the offense. The problem is the offensive philosophy. If you have a star stud wide receiver, think about Justin Jefferson for Minnesota

and what Minnesota did with Justin Jefferson this week. Moving him all over the formation, bringing him in motion, trying to get Justin Jefferson matchups that were advantageous so they could feature their best player. The entire NFL right now, the entire NFL's goal on offense is focused on getting their playmakers the ball in space. You got a Debo Samuel, we're going to get him the ball as much as possible. We're going to line him up in the backfield. We're going to put him out

wide. We're going to put him in the slot. Justin Jefferson, we're not just sticking you out to be the ex-ISO receiver. We're going to move you in the slot. We're going to bring you in motion. The Titans, from what Mike Vrabel is saying here, don't think that that's smart at all. The Titans just say, hey, we're going to run our system. We're going to run our playbook. We're not going to focus on getting Trey Lynn the ball. We're not going to focus on getting Robert Woods good matchups.

We're not going to focus on putting our best players in positions to succeed. We're going to run our offense, and you're going to fit within that and get your touches within our offense. Mike Vrabel has consistently sold us throughout his tenure as head coach that winning football games is about the Jimmys and the Joes, not the Xs and the Os. Well, we don't necessarily look at it like we got to get this guy going. That is saying we believe in our X's and O's more than our Jimmy's and Joe's.

We're not going to focus on getting our best players the football in spots that make sense for them where they can take advantage. Instead, we believe that our X's and O's, our schematics, our playbook is so good that it's not about tailoring the offense to get our best players the ball. It's just about running our offense and our best players will just be pawns within that.

It's asinine. It's backwards. The entire NFL right now is, hey, how can I get my best players the football in space? Mike Vrabel is saying the opposite. He's saying it's not about getting Traylon Burks going. It's about running our offense. Because Todd Downing and me are so smart

and we're so good at creating an offense that it doesn't matter what players we have in it. It doesn't matter to get Traylon Burks the ball more. Traylon Burks is going to go out there and he's just going to be in our offense. And our offense is so good that it doesn't matter who. And if you think about it, guys,

if you think about it, that's how you have Cody Hollister and Jeff Swaim and Torrey Carter out on the field for critical second and third down and goal. Because it's not about getting your best players the ball in advantageous situations. It's about running our scheme, our Todd Downing playbook. It's insane.

It's insane. That comment is insane. We don't necessarily look at it like we got to get this guy going. Well, gosh darn it, you need to, Mike. You need to look at the offense that scored 20 points or less in seven straight games or five out of the last seven games to be precise. And think, maybe we need to get certain guys going. Maybe we need to focus on getting Austin Hooper good matchups.

Maybe we need to focus on getting Traylon Burks going. Maybe, Mike, you need to stick to your word and act like it's the Jimmys and the Joes, not the Xs and the Os. Because everything Mike Vrabel has said and the way that the personnel has been deployed would indicate that Mike Vrabel thinks his Xs and Os and Todd Downing's Xs and Os

are more important than getting his best players the football in an advantageous situation. Am I wrong about that? How else could you take it? How else could you take that comment? Mike Vrabel clearly thinks that the Titans scheme and the Titans offense and the Titans system is more important than featuring his best players.

Guys, I got to say this. I was raised by a football coach, and I can tell you 100% that Rick Roland, my father, is nowhere near the coach of football that Mike Braybill is. Not even on the same planet. So that's not what I'm saying here. But since I have been five years old, my dad has said to me, get the ball to your best players.

That's how you win, Tyler. Dad, how did you win that tournament for the fifth year in a row? Dad, how have you had a third undefeated season in a row? I get the ball to my best players. And I don't care if it's peewee. I don't care if it's high school. I don't care if it's college. I don't care if it's the NFL.

Get the ball to your best players. Put your best players in positions to have the ball in space. That's what every other coach in the NFL is trying to do on offense. And Mike Vrabel is saying to us, I'm doing the opposite. It's not about getting my best players going. It's about running what Todd Downing calls. I think Mike Vrabel is a good head coach.

I do. But man, some of his deficiencies, some of his loyalty, he coaches the team like he's still a player. Oh, no player is more important than the team. The system, the scheme is more important than any individual player. That's not reality.

That's not reality. And there's another issue with Mike Vrabel that I got to talk about that Mike Keith, the voice of the Titans, pointed out in an awesome article written by my friend Will Lomas. I'll explain to you guys in just a moment. Before I get into it, though, I do want to tell you guys about Turo. Just to keep it simple, Turo is basically Airbnb,

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Every trip is backed by liability insurance. Terms and conditions and exclusions apply. Ditch the boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.com. We don't necessarily look at it like we gotta get this guy going. Give me a break, Mike Frable. Let me tell you guys something. Give me a break, Mike Frable. Let me tell you guys something. Traylon Burks created the second most separation of any receiver in the NFL on Sunday. Debo Samuel created five yards of separation. Traylon Burks was at like 4.7, 4.8.

The second most separation created by any receiver in the league. 4.8 the second most separation created by any receiver in the league Traylon Burks Averaged the most yards after catch per reception of any receiver in the league What do you mean? We don't look at it like we necessarily got to get this guy going You got Nick Westbrook Akina and Codyister, and Jeff Swaim out there getting mad targets, or not targets, but mad snaps, and you're telling me that you don't think it should be a priority to get Traylon Burks going? What are we doing? And it's not just that. So the Titans offense is a huge issue, and I just touched on why Mike Vrabel's thought process on that may be creating the problem.

But now, I want to talk about a different issue, and it's the Titans playing down to their competition. The Titans always play their worst football against the worst teams, and they play their best football against the best teams. Well, I would point out something to you. It was an article written by my guy, Will Lomas. Follow at JLomas on Twitter. Will does a great job. He's been on the show before. He covers the team fantastically. One of my favorite guys in Titans media. He writes for Titans sized, but Will pointed out something that he heard from Mike Keith. Mike Keith, the play-by-play guy on

the radio for the Titans, the voice of the Titans. If you don't know who Mike Keith is, I can't help it. But here's what Mike Keith said about the Titans playing down to their opponents. Quote, you're going to play that game a little differently too because you aren't against an opponent that is probably not going to score 40 points. Because you are against an opponent that's probably not scoring 40 points. Are you going to utilize personnel differently against Buffalo? Probably so. They can score 40 points.

That bunch yesterday averaged 15 points a game last year, and it took all they had to get to 21. I'm not knocking them. I'm just saying you are just trying to win the football game and what you are trying to do in those situations. End quote. So what's Mike Keith saying there? He's saying that the Titans go into the game differently

when they play a bad team versus when they play a good team. Hey, the Giants probably can't score 40 points, so we're going to let our foot off the gas pedal. We're not going to try as hard as we possibly can on offense. We're not going to deploy our best personnel. We're going to put Cody Hollister and Jeff Swaim and Torrey Carter out there in hole-to-go situations because it's just the Giants. Well, no wonder the Titans always play down to their competition.

The coaching staff is coaching down to the competition. Guys, have you ever played Euchre? I'm from Ohio. Euchre is the state card game. In Euchre, what you do sometimes is you got bars in Euchre. The power cards, your trump cards. Okay? If you play Euchre, sometimes you'll have three cards in your hand that are trump cards.

You'll have the left bar, the offsuit jack. You'll have the king of trump. You'll have the ten of trump. And what you do is you say, well, my partner just threw out the ace. And I have a bar that can beat it. I have the left bar. My partner threw out an ace. And I have a bar that can beat it. I have the left bar. My partner threw out an ace though. That ace probably will carry and probably will win.

And you don't throw your bar. And then, somebody on the other team throws a trump card higher than what your partner did. In your head, you said, oh, let me hold on to this trump card. I can win in a different hand. I'll let my partner take it. And then you get

bested by a higher trump card. And then at the end, your trump card gets beaten by another higher trump card and you completely wasted the opportunity. That's what I see from Mike Grable. He's saying, hey, I'm not throwing my highest trump card right now. We don't need to.

I can win with this king. No, you can't, Mike. Go take your hand. Go win the hand with the high trump card that you have. What I'm hearing from that quote is that the Titans don't go out trying to play their best football every week because they want to save stuff

for better teams. Well, maybe that's why the Titans lose to all these bad teams all the time because Vrabel is holding back things. We call it spade, yeah, spade, juker, similar concepts, different games, but you guys understand the analogy I'm making. Sometimes in a card game, you hold back some of your best cards because you think you can use them later for wins and then you end up losing because you can't. Mike Vrabel is trying to hold things back against worse teams and the Titans are taking losses to teams they should beat. So Mike Vrabel in the first segment a quote saying we don't necessarily think that we got to get certain guys going in a game. AKA, we don't tailor our game plans to our best players.

We just play our system and hope that it works. Mike Key. You deploy personnel and play things a little differently because the Giants aren't going to score 40 and Buffalo might. So we don't play our best football because we don't want to show too much against worse teams. so we don't play our best football because we don't want to show too much against worse teams. These are philosophical thought processes that are hurting the Titans consistently. Consistently.

And especially against bad teams. So, again, I say it all the time, guys. I like Mike Vrabel. I think he's a good coach. But it's obvious that it's not just John Robinson's personnel whiffs. There is a certain level of blame and blood on their hands that Mike Vrabel and the coaching staff has as well for their philosophy going into these games. And both of these quotes, one from Vrabel and one from Mike Keith,

give us an inside look into the window of their minds. We don't try to feature our best players. Well, maybe that's why the Titans offense is so stagnant recently over the past half a year. The Titans are going to play things differently when they're going against the Giants than they do against... Why would it be so bad for the Titans' offense to play their best against the Giants

and go out and freaking stomp them 40-0? Even if the Giants can't score 40 points, why would it be so bad for the Titans to go out and destroy them? Why is that a bad thing? Why are we holding back and then losing to lesser teams? It's not just John Robinson's personnel mistakes. It's not just Ryan Tannehill not being elite. It's not just Todd Downing being terrible on offense as a play caller.

Mike Rabel was involved in this too. And it's clear that some of his philosophical approaches are hurting the team. There's no way around it. And we're getting quotes from certain people, Mike Rabel himself included, that are proving it. They're proving it. So I'm going to get into some of your guys' mailbag questions. There's so much content today. I'm trying to do a mailbag. I may hold on to your mailbag questions. Those who showed up to hear their mailbag questions reach, I'm sorry.

I didn't realize there'd be this much Tennessee Titans news. And I always overestimate how quickly I can get through topics. So I'm long-winded. You guys understand, okay? You guys understand. So I think I might do a mailbag episode, a special Friday Night Live mailbag episode to hit all your mailbag questions tomorrow on the YouTube channel. We got to talk about the

injuries next because the Titans have two guys on the injury report that give me concern, okay, to say the least. But before we get into that, do want to tell you guys about BetOnline. BetOnline is your number one source for all your pro and college football betting needs. Find all the latest league developments and info on game matchups, even including the NFL's early season slate. BetOnline is your continued source for all your sporting wagering information. They have live betting. They have esports. It's the fastest and easiest way to check in on all your favorite leagues,

including MLB, NFL, NBA. Head to their website today or use your mobile device to learn about all the trends and all the action. Bet online where the game starts. Titans fans, we are going to continue today's show. I know that I promised a mailbag segment, but there's just too much news. I will do a special Friday night live mailbag tomorrow night to make it up for you guys. A sixth episode of the week. So giving you guys a little extra there. But we got to talk about some of these injuries

before we get into it. 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. Pumping out five to six episodes a week. Instant reaction podcast to all the games. Rewatch Wednesday. Crossover Thursday, game plan Friday.

I mean, what else could you want? And it's free. It's free. Subscribe, man. Subscribe. But moving forward into these injuries, and I see some folks in there saying you're talking about spades. Clearly you guys don't know about Euchre.

Spades and Euchre are different games. And while they have similar philosophies, Euchre and Spades are different. I would say if you've ever watched Jalen and Jacoby, they have a game they play where it's regional or cultural. I would say that that is a cultural difference that we're discussing. I am a Euchre guy. There are some folks in the comments that are Spades people. I've played Spades. I like Spades, but I am partial to Euchre, and they're definitely different games,

even if they have similar philosophies. So just had to clear that up and waste, you know, a minute of your guys' time talking about card games, but I love playing cards. So anyway, shout out to all of the Spades players out there and all of my Euchre guys. But diving into these injuries, two names here that are worrisome.

Christian Fulton with a hamstring. Kyle Phillips with a shoulder. Both did not participate on Thursday. Not only that, but Dontrell Hilliard with a hamstring did not participate on Thursday.

That's worrisome. I think it was Sam Fallon. I think that's how you pronounce his name from A to Z Sports. He put out a good tweet after the injury report came out and said this is like 130 and like double digitdigit targets, 130 yards, double-digit targets, nine catches, two touchdowns.

I mean, that's how much production from week one is on the injury report right now. And it's Thursday, and the Titans week is bumped forward because of Monday night football. So instead of Wednesday, Thursday, Friday practices, it's Thursday, Friday, Saturday. So no reason to think that Fulton and Phillips will not play on Monday night right now. But you can't tell me you aren't concerned a little bit.

There's no way that you're not concerned a little bit about that, right? Other than those three guys, Ola Dainey with his neck issue was still limited. Ben Jones was limited, but it wasn't injury-related. Jamarco Jones limited with an elbow. Taylor LeJuan limited with a knee. I'm just glad that Taylor's okay. Tannehill getting pushed down into Taylor's knee last year or last week.

That was ugly. Dylan Radins is limited with a neck. Dylan Radins is limited with talent. Lonnie Johnson was a full participant with a groin injury. Lonnie Johnson didn't play last week. I think he's going to be more important this week. The Giants didn't have tight ends that threatened you in the passing game. Dawson Knox does. So having a tight end stopper in Lonnie Johnson out there, that's important for the Titans. People thought Lonnie Johnson didn't participate. Apparently, he changed his number again, and he was out there,

and some of the beat reporters had to say they missed him. They didn't realize it. But Lonnie Johnson was a full participant, so that's good. On the Buffalo side, their current starting cornerback, Dane Jackson, didn't practice with a knee injury. The Titans obviously don't have the most explosive group of wide receivers. So you got to call that an advantage to the Titans if one of the starting cornerbacks for the Bills is unable to go.

And like I said, Trey White is already out. So they're going down to their fourth string cornerback at that point. Hopefully that helps Robert Woods and Nick Westbrook-Akina get open, but I don't know. Can't say I'm optimistic. Ed Oliver, their defensive tackle, and Tim Settle, another defensive tackle, didn't practice with ankle and calf injuries, respectively. Offensive linemen Tommy Doyle and tight end Quentin Morris were full participants with their injuries.

But again, if the Titans don't have Kyle Phillips, I'm worried about who can run in the slot consistently. I would expect Robert Woods to be in there. Maybe that can get him some more opportunities. If Christian Fulton is out, you're going to get a heavy dose of Caleb Farley. I was already earlier in the week worried about Caleb Farley getting matched up with Stephon Diggs. Here's what I will say. I'm at least happy that I expect more zone coverage from the Titans this week than man coverage anyways. Okay?

The Titans, when they play against these elite quarterbacks, what they like to do is rush for and play zone. So I guess I would rather I would rather have Caleb Farley out there playing zone and not one-on-one and man against Diggs because that is going to end poorly. That's going to end poorly.

So, worried about Fulton. Worried about Phillips. Will they play? Let's all, A, I'm not a religious man, but I'm willing to do a prayer circle with you guys for Fulton and Phillips to play, okay? Because, boy, do they need them. But that's going to do it for today's episode.

We covered Mike Grable's weird comment about offense. We covered Mike Key's comment about the way the Titans approach these underdog teams that they should be beating. Talked about the way the Titans approach these underdog teams that they should be beating. Talked about the injuries again. My apologies. I know that I expected a mailbag. I'm going to have a mailbag for you guys tomorrow night as an additional episode.

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.