Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST BOUNCE BACK against 49ers After Joint Practice Causes PANIC Among Fans

Starting point is 00:00:00 Tennessee Titans fans should not panic about the Titans losing to the 49ers in practice on Tuesday. But if the Titans starters get whooped by the 49ers backups on Thursday, we should officially be worried. I'll explain on today's edition of Locked on Titans. 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. I am your host, Tyler Rowland Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Kaushi. For a limited time, download the Kauci app, use the code locked on to get $10 when you trade $10.

Starting point is 00:00:50 On today's show, we're going to get ready to go for the Tennessee Titans first preseason game of the year against the San Francisco 49ers. We're going to talk about the depth spots, up for grabs on defensive focus on those young linebackers. we're going to talk about the offensive side of the ball as well, especially that right guard spot where Fernando Carmona is making his push. But we got to start with my general view on Thursday night. And look, I told you guys, it was not wise for Titans fans to panic after the Titans, quote unquote, lost the joint practice against the San Francisco 49ers.

Starting point is 00:01:24 There were two different reasons why I thought that panic was happening. Number one, people were just simply overreacting to the practice report, Something that I tried to explain yesterday is that there was good mixed in there with the Titans as well. And we've heard more about that since we have been away as time is removed from that practice. I mean, Ramone Foster talked about how the Titans' defensive line was doing a great job. And on a lot of these Brock Purdy great plays that the 49ers beat reporters are talking about, a lot of those were probably sacks by the Titans. And they just let the plays play out because that's what they do in San Francisco.

Starting point is 00:02:02 They don't blow the play dead when it was a sack. They just let it play out. So it's like a lot of the 49ers beat reporters were trying to act like Brock Purdy is the greatest thing since sliced bread. But there's the people on the Titan side who were like, yeah, but, you know, a lot of those plays might have been sacks by the Titans defensive line. And even a San Francisco beat reporter talked about how the Titans defensive line, like they were like Brock Purdy was amazing.

Starting point is 00:02:26 But the offensive line is a big concern. Well, how is that? How is Brock Purdy having the best practice in the history of the NFL? And Dazan's shripling is the next Julio Jones now. But the San Francisco 49ers offensive line is this massive concern that got even worse. And you should be even more worried about the 49ers offensive line after that practice against the Titans. And they couldn't run the ball at all. And Jeffrey Simmons and those boys got constant pressure.

Starting point is 00:02:54 And how can all of that be true at once? The Titans got dominated. and Brockford and but yet that. You know what I mean? So it's like the Titans acquitted themselves a lot better than people are acting, which is why there should not be panic, but people were just overreacting. And then the other part of it is the expectations.

Starting point is 00:03:13 Some of you guys, man, like I, listen, you should be excited about Titans football. I am as hype for this season as ever before. I was just telling my girl the other day, like, I haven't been this excited for a season since probably 20, 22. Like last year, I was like, yeah, they're going to win like three or four games.

Starting point is 00:03:34 Like, this team's going to be bad. You know, I was just excited to watch Cam, and that was it. I feel totally different this year. So I don't even mean to like talk down to people who are more hype than I am or have higher expectations than me. But I see some of you guys in my comments and I see it online like, no, this team needs to win 10 games, no excuses. This team needs to be fighting for the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:03:56 They can absolutely win. their division. People will DM me and say like, Tyler, I think this team can really make the playoffs this year. When I say back, like, I'm not quite certain. They'll be like, why are you such a hater on the team? You know, and it's like, you know, and those are the people who are chicken little, the sky is falling, doom and gloom, this team's going to be terrible. Well, if you thought that this team was no excuses, they have to win 10 games, oh, this team should make the playoffs, the Titan should win the division this year. If you're someone with those kind of expectations, for the team, of course, you're going to be absolutely enraged when the Titans don't win a practice

Starting point is 00:04:32 against the 49ers. Because you think that they should be better than the 49ers this year. I don't think that they're going to be better than the 49ers. They lost to a better football team. So to me, the panic we saw from Titans fans over the last 24 hours is a combination of you're just overreacting to most 49ers beat reporters are more positive towards the 14. Most Titans beat reporters are more negative towards the Titans. So that creates a scenario where the Titans reporters are sensationalizing the bad stuff. And you know who they are. It's not all of them.

Starting point is 00:05:10 You know, like my guy TD and Jim Wyatt and stuff. They're not out there doing stuff like that. But there are a lot of Titans people who sensationalize the bad stuff that they see. And then the 49ers people are hyping the stuff that they see from their team. So it's like a double whammy for Titans fans where everything. 49ers is going to sound better than it is, and everything Titans is going to sound worse than it is, because the media, for both teams, just acts differently towards the team. Now, am I here to tell you the Titans didn't lose the practice? No, but again, the panic

Starting point is 00:05:43 that I've seen over the last 24 hours in the fan base is unnecessary. And it's for those two reasons. The overreactions and then the unnecessary expectations. I think the Titans will probably win six or seven games this year, eight games, nine games at most, you know? So if you think, oh, they need to win 10 games, yeah, you're probably going to be upset. So I'm just begging Titans fans to bring down the expectations a little bit and let this team grow with a little more patience.

Starting point is 00:06:14 But I say all that to say this. If the Tennessee Titans play against the San Francisco 49ers backups, which they are. Kyle Shannon has already said, we're probably not going to play many starters. Robert Sala has come out and said they're going to play more than a series. So we're getting two series out of most of the Titan starters, no matter what.

Starting point is 00:06:40 Now maybe Big Jeff or Calvin Ridley or Tony Pollard, maybe they don't play. I would be fine with that. But Robert Sala seems pretty committed to, you know, our guys need to play. And if he's unsatisfied with what they did in the joint practice, then he's going to feel even more bold about making them play. So at least two series is what maybe a quarter for most of the Titan starters.

Starting point is 00:07:01 And it's a preseason game. They don't need to win a preseason game to make me feel this way, that way. That's not what I'm saying. But when the Titans starters are out on the field against the 49ers backups, they need to dominate. They need to be clearly better than the 49ers backups. and if they aren't, then you have my permission to worry.

Starting point is 00:07:30 I don't know about panic. Panic is such a strong word. But we should definitely be concerned. And even me thinking six, seven, eight wins, if they get worked up on by the 49ers backups for a whole quarter, I'm going to have to even readjust my expectation so that I don't get angry too. I am not above having too high of expectations getting mad when things don't go the way I expect.

Starting point is 00:08:02 I'll do it too, all right? But like, again, it was wrong to panic about the practice. But if you want to show a slight big of panic if the Titan starters get smoked by backups, then I cannot talk you off that ledge. That would be completely fair. Now, that's the big picture view of the game in my mind. opinion, that's like the big message here overall of everything. But now let's zoom in to what we're watching for, what players are most important, who can make an impact, what we want to see from a

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Starting point is 00:10:44 markets may differ from those mentioned for more information. See Kauci.com slash regulatory. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Again, getting you ready for the Tennessee Titans first pre-examins. season game of the year against the San Francisco 49ers. Titans fans shouldn't have panic about about the joint practice loss. But if the Titan starters get whipped by the 49ers backups, then you are free to panic or have some worry in some capacity. But now I want to zoom in a little bit more, talk about individual players to watch. We're going to talk defense at the end of the show.

Starting point is 00:11:33 We start with offense right now again. I'm going to be live immediately after the game against the 49ers. So make sure that you tap in here with me and stay locked in to the number one Tennessee Titans podcast. locked on Titans. But with that being said, obviously, we start with Cam Ward. Want to see how Cam Ward operates the offense. Does he operate with the same level of poised? Does he have the same level of command in the offense that we've seen from him in early training camp in the scrimmage and all of that? I want to see Cam Ward be poised and looked like he has total control of his offense. That's a big measuring stick thing for me with Camor. We know he has a good

Starting point is 00:12:09 arm. We know that he can run with the legs. We know that he can playmate. I want to see Cam Ward look like a professional quarterback and operate his offense, like he is in full control. That's really what I want to see. Obviously, with the wide receivers, would love to see Cardnell Tate, Eleg I-O-Manner, Wondale Robinson do what they've been doing. Cornell Tate was spectacular catches,

Starting point is 00:12:28 being that number one wide receiver, Eleg I-O-Manner being physical as well. Wondale moving the chains. I just want to see people have proof of concept in the roles that we have kind of seen them be in throughout the first couple of weeks of training camp. So that makes a lot of sense to me. Obviously on the offensive side of the ball, though,

Starting point is 00:12:47 it comes down to the offensive line. Who is going to win the right guard competition? Remember, I've been telling you and whispering about Fernando Carmona for about a week now. We got some early opportunities late last week in training camp to be with the ones. Those have increased this week, including running with the ones for the majority of the time in the joint practice against San Francisco and having some good moments at that. I think if we see Fernando Carmona come,

Starting point is 00:13:13 out with the first string offensive line in this preseason game, that's our answer that he is the favorite. He is winning. They're already giving him the nod in these roles. So very curious to see who comes out. Right now, if I had to put a bet down, I would say that it would be Cordell Voulson as the starting right guard in the preseason game. I think that's what they'll roll out there. But I think they're going to go with multiple guards during the time that the starters are out there. Like if Cam Ward plays two series, I think we'll see a different starting right guard in the first series as compared to the second series. So if we get Cordell-Voson in one of those spots, which I assume that we will, who gets the other opportunity?

Starting point is 00:13:58 Is it Jackson Slater? Is it Fernando Carmona? Because I think that will tell us a lot, again, about the pecking order. Like we're going to get answers based on the way that the reps are divvied out. Divid out. So big time I on the right. guard position. I would also tell you at offensive tackle, Austin Declis, Brendan Crenshaw Dixon, who performs better between those two, the battle for the swing tackle spot. Again, I think that is bad against bad there, but that's the Titans two options right now. So how do those guys perform? Very curious to see who wins that battle. And I would say that the young undrafted free agent offensive tackles are also guys that I'm keeping my eye on. You have Emil Wagner out of Notre Dame,

Starting point is 00:14:39 you have Isaiah Miller out of Louisville. Will either of those guys make a mark to the point where the Titans want to continue to develop them on the practice squad? I don't think either of them is going to have a chance to make this roster but could they earn a practice squad spot and maybe supplant Brendan Crenshaw Dixon as the young development offensive tackle on the roster. That's really what I'm looking for there.

Starting point is 00:15:01 There is nobody young and on the interior offensive line that I care about from an undrafted free agent or anything standpoint outside of Pat Coogan. But he lost the second string spot to Andre James already in camp. Now, he got some first team opportunities this week, but I think those were stress tests. Like, hey, you kind of lost your spot at second string. We're going to put you with the first string and see how you do.

Starting point is 00:15:28 And if you're just completely lost, then, you know, it's probably over for you. I think there's a real chance Pat Coogan could be cut from this roster and end up on the practice squad. So Pat Coogan, the snaps. He's been snapping the ball high, all training camp, high snaps. Now, he's been pretty good in the run game. But the snaps, if you can't snap the ball right, you have no shot to be a center long term in the NFL.

Starting point is 00:15:55 And he can't play guard. He's too small. So Coogan v. Andre James for the backup center spot. Looking for that. Now, we talked about wide receiver, but the big names, Cornell Tate, Elykeye, man. Wondale Robinson.

Starting point is 00:16:09 I don't know that Calvin Ridley will play a ton, but you could throw him in there too. But the depth fight at wide receiver is really what's most interesting. Xavier Restrepo continues to impress he had two touchdown catches, one of them from Kim Warden Red Zone drill, so he's getting first team opportunities in practice.

Starting point is 00:16:28 He led the Titans with five catches total in the practice. Xavier Restrepo is just one of those guys who is a gamer. Yeah, he's not the big. He's not the fastest. He's not the strongest. He may not be the most overwhelming practice player of all time. He's not going to help on special teams.

Starting point is 00:16:46 There's all these different things. But the dude just gets open and catches the football. And last time I checked, last time that I checked, that's what playing wide receiver in the NFL is all about. Getting open and catching the football. Not every great wide receiver ever was the fastest or the biggest or the strongest or like that's not how it works. Give Xavier Restrepo a shot, I'm telling you,

Starting point is 00:17:16 and I want to see him do it in the preseason game. Bryce Oliver, been making a ton of highlight plays in practice. We know he's good on special teams. KJ. Osborne is probably Xavier Estrepo's number one competition, and he's been doing well in camp as well. I want to see the young undrafted free agents. I know they're not going to make the team, but I think Hank Beattie, the short slot wide receiver out of Illinois, the undrafted free agent,

Starting point is 00:17:45 I think he could be the new Mason-Kinsie. And then Tyrone Montgomery was an undrafted free agent. Everybody was excited about, and he has basically done nothing throughout camp. Now he's on the third string, and he was 25 and needed, you know, development, former basketball player. There's a lot of reasons to have patience. But when you're a 25-year-old undrafted free agent, I'm sorry, you aren't afforded a lot of patience in the NFL.

Starting point is 00:18:09 because they would rather have a 21-year-old undrafted free agent that they could develop on the practice squad, rather than a 25-year-old who might not even be able to help you until he's 28. And then what I mean? So that's the way that it works in the NFL. Tide-end, Jaron Kanik. I keep saying I think he's going to make the roster.

Starting point is 00:18:29 I think he's going to be a versatile piece. Excited to see how they use him, how much he plays. And then Kylin Granson, David Martin Robinson, Are they going to keep four tight ends and find a way to get one of these guys on the roster? Do they even need them? It's going to be about special team. That's what it's going to come down to for those guys.

Starting point is 00:18:47 And then running back and quarterback, I want to see Nick Singleton. Sounds like Kellell Mullings is banged up right now, so he may not play. Good, more Nick Singleton. As much Nick Singleton as I can get. Again, for the Titans, you don't have to worry about wearing Nick Singleton down

Starting point is 00:19:05 because you still have Tad J. Spears and Tony Pollard. And then on the other hand, you get him well-acquainted in the offense. And if he is going to be a factor year one, you're going to get him up to speed faster by giving him a ton of carries. I want to see a ton of Nick Singleton. So excited to see him play football. And a lot of his best plays,

Starting point is 00:19:22 I think they've inaccurately called him down when he could have kept running and would have broke through those tackles. I want to see him do it for real now. Excited for Nick Singleton, for real. And then that quarterback, all about Will Levis. I'm excited to watch Will Levis. play quarterback. Again, he's been bad in practice, but if he can look good in the games, maybe the Titans can get a trade-off. I doubt it. It's becoming less likely by the day,

Starting point is 00:19:45 and more likely that he's just cut. But still, still, let's hold out hope that he can do well in these preseason games. With that being said, though, we move to the defensive side of the ball where the depth questions, there are even more of them. Do you want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by game time. There are more. events than ever worth seeing right now. You have games, concerts, comedy shows, festivals. The hard part usually isn't deciding what you want to attend. It's actually getting the tickets between long wait times, confusing checkout processes, surprise fees. Buying tickets can sometimes feel harder than it should. That's why so many fans are turning to game time. The app built to make buying

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Starting point is 00:22:17 That's a job for Indeed. Sponsored jobs. Fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast again. Getting you guys ready to go for the Tennessee Titans first preseason game of the year against the San Francisco 49ers. We talked about the big picture outlook of this game and why if the Titan starters get whooped up on, it is fair to have a little bit of panic. We talked about everything that I'm watching.

Starting point is 00:22:54 on the offensive side of the ball. Now I want to move to the defensive side of the ball before I do though. I do want to thank you for making Locked on Titans. Your first listen each and every day. Remember Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed.

Starting point is 00:23:08 Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, you need to be one.

Starting point is 00:23:17 Again, I'm going to be going live immediately after the game ends on Thursday night. Then we're going to have a ton of coverage for you guys throughout the weekend. as well. But with that being said, as we look at the defensive side of the ball, again, Robert Salas said that most of the players are going to play, but we know that John Franklin Myers isn't going to be out there with a low back injury. They held Cordell Flot out of the scrimmage on Tuesday, so I doubt that he plays on Thursday. Jackie Marshall has an oblique injury, the rookie interior defensive line.

Starting point is 00:23:46 He is going to be out until next week. Jacob Martin, the Titans edge rusher, left practice early on, with what appears to be a knee injury. So will he participate in this game? I'm going to be honest with you. If Jacob Martin doesn't play, if JFM doesn't play, I don't even care. That's actually a courage.

Starting point is 00:24:06 I'd be all right. If Jeff Simmons didn't play either, I want to see the young defensive linemen. I want to see Femmy. I want to see Fulke. You know what I mean? Some of these young guys like Timmy Horn, for example, on the interior defensive line.

Starting point is 00:24:20 I want to see Jordan Elliott even, who's not a young player per se at 2017. 28 years old, but I still want to see what he can do. I want to see some of these young defensive lines. So I'm cool with some of the top interior guys don't end up playing, or Jacob Martin, or Jermaine Johnson isn't out there more than a series or two. I want to see a whole first half of Femian folk. For some reason in my head, that reminds me of Balkan skull from the Power Rangers.

Starting point is 00:24:47 I know I'm dating myself right now, but Femmy and Fulke, Fulke and Femmy. I think Femmy and Fulke sounds better, though. But I want to see those dudes play football. That's really high on my list of people that I want to see. The linebackers. I mean, we can't go any further without. I want to see Anthony Hill and James Williams.

Starting point is 00:25:09 And you know who I'm interested to see? Muhammad Diyabad, who came back to Titans practice this week. Apparently he was dealing with some kind of injury. But he is in the starting lineup right now, and he is just a complete mystery. Nobody really knows anything about him, how he's going to play, what he's going to look like out there, you know, what he's going to do, how much is he going to play? How much is he involved in the defense? Can Anthony Hill, James Williams jump over him at some point in time? There's a lot of questions there at linebacker that I want some answers for.

Starting point is 00:25:38 Now, outside of that, I think going into the secondary, am I really breaking any news for you that we need to watch the depth spots in the secondary? like, if Cordell Flot is out, that means it'll probably be Josh Williams in there or Michael Robinson, for example, or if the Titans go into their base personnel with only two outside cornerbacks, Marcus Harris, would be out there. But what about after that?

Starting point is 00:26:09 Josh Williams, Key Drain Calligan, Michael Robinson, Mario Goodrich, Naze Johnson, Jalen McMurray, the undrafted free agent out of Tennessee. Bishop Fitzgerald at Safety, the undrafted free agent out of USC, who I'm pretty high on. Eric Hallett, everybody's talking about him at safety

Starting point is 00:26:27 as a depth piece for the Titans. Kendall Brooks has always been a guy that I've enjoyed having around. They brought back Jerich Reed after claiming him off waivers last year because he could be a good special teams player. Are any of these depth players in the secondary going to be any good? Any of them?

Starting point is 00:26:45 I don't know that any of the guys I just mentioned or are going to make the 53-man roster. Josh Williams is the only one I feel comfortable with. So that is a huge battle that we've got to have our eye on. And it's not just offense defense to a lot of these people that I've talked about. It's special teams. I know that special teams is boring. That's when you go up to get your drink or you go get a snack

Starting point is 00:27:09 or go to the bathroom or whatever when the special teams plays happen. But they are honestly, out of everything that happens in the preseason game, the special team's plays may be the most impactful when it comes to who's going to make a roster and who is. As crazy as that sounds, that might actually be true. The most impactful plays when it comes to roster decisions are the special teams plays.

Starting point is 00:27:34 Can James Williams, Anthony Hill, Dorian Musai, Mousai, Hallett, Reed, Calligan, Josh Williams, or even on offense. Canick, Granson, DMR, will Nick Singleton play any special teams

Starting point is 00:27:54 to help give him a spot? We know that Bryce Oliver, what about KJ Osborne, what's his special teams usage? Because that'll be a big thing and determine you whether he can make it. Michael Carter, Julius Chesnot, who are long shots at running back.

Starting point is 00:28:10 Special teams is everything for them. So I know, again, that's when you take your breaks, but it's a very, very important time. But with that being said, again, the next time that I talk to you guys will be after the Tennessee Titans play a football game. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribe, throw a thumbs up on the video,

Starting point is 00:28:28 throw a tighten up down in the chat if you're watching on YouTube. That's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland. And this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST BOUNCE BACK against 49ers After Joint Practice Causes PANIC Among Fans

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