Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Must HARRASS Deshaun Watson, Keeping Tannehill Clean & Turnovers Decide Defensive Battle

Starting point is 00:00:00 Can the Tennessee Titans pass rush harass the Sean Watson? Or will Ryan Tannehill get crushed? We're going to talk about that on a crossover Thursday 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. Crossover Thursday, it is presented by PrizePix, the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports. Go to prizepix.com slash locked on NFL.

Starting point is 00:00:52 Use code locked on NFL, all lowercase, for a first deposit match up to $100. I am Tyler Rowland, host of Locked on Titans. We have Jeff Lloyd here from Locked on Browns. We're going to be previewing this matchup with you guys. We're going to talk some storylines with each team, talk about some of the matchups that we're looking at, give our predictions on what will really determine this game at the end. Before we dive into it, thank you guys for making Locked On Titans and Locked On Browns your first listen each and every day. Remember, every day, Monday through Friday, all year round, on all apps, always for free,

Starting point is 00:01:28 Locked on Titans, Locked on Browns, get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Jeff, your team played on Monday Night Football. Everybody kind of saw really the disaster that it was at points and times. I know there was a lot of good in there for the Browns as well, particularly that defense. We're going to talk a lot about the defenses in this game. But what's kind of the storyline right now? And I would imagine that it's what the offense maybe looks like without losing Nick Chubb.

Starting point is 00:01:56 What's kind of the feeling right now in Cleveland? Obviously, it's a lot of somber right now, just to begin with. I mean, Nick Chubb is such a beloved player within the city, within the community, and obviously with the Cleveland Browns. So it's been a really, really difficult couple of days here just grasping that. I think the signing of Kareem Hunt today, yes, I like it. But, yes, I also have my pause and hesitation because Kareem Hunt looked like a player who certainly lost a step last year, but came in.

Starting point is 00:02:23 He's 10 pounds lighter. They said he looked really, really good. I don't expect him to come in here and be a major contributor, but the other two running backs on the Browns roster are second-year guys. So it's hard to say with a team that has these thoughts, these aspirations of what this team can do this year, that your running back room consists of two second-year players. Kareem comes in, he's got experience within the system.

Starting point is 00:02:43 He's good in pass, bro. He's always been a good receiver with this system. Hopefully, this is a case where he can come in and maybe just gel with the guys, be part of that running back room. But also, the Browns get somebody coming into this locker room who they all liked as they see somebody that they love so much obviously leaving the locker room for the entire time. But the whole thing for the Browns was going to be that this was going to be

Starting point is 00:03:04 a team that was transitioning to being more of Deshaun Watson's team. More of this team, the offense was going to be on Deshaun Watson. It's obviously not gone that well through two games to this point, but this was the transition this team was in the midst of making anyway. There was a good chance Nick Chubb, unless he opted for a team-friendly contract, was not going to be with this team in 2024 anyway. So this team, this is all supposed to be kind of what the plan was. Of course, Nick was supposed to be a part of it. But Deshaun, it's simple.

Starting point is 00:03:34 He's got to play better. There's just no way around it. The guy has to play better. I think the biggest surprise to this is how good the defense has been, how quickly it's been. Normally, it takes a little time. But this defense, as soon as they started playing in the summer and then started playing in preseason games,

Starting point is 00:03:50 and then week one, week two, they're a lights-out unit. I mean, you, your listeners, they obviously all know the capabilities of a guy like Jim Schwartz. But getting the players and everything gelling so quickly, it's been crazy to watch how successful they've been. This team, defensivelyly is giving up seven and a half points per game through two games it's the NFL you don't hear numbers like that you don't really hear like SEC teams doing that to like you know max schools um you know can they contain it

Starting point is 00:04:14 is it sustainable most likely not but that's a level they're playing at through two games and keeping in mind that there's so much newness on the defensive side yeah and you would think that they would only improve and as as you pointed out, you know, Jim Schwartz was a special advisor to the Titans defense for a few years, really got their pass rush in order. And the Titans are going to try to use some of those lessons.

Starting point is 00:04:36 But at the same time, I think Jim Schwartz, who you bring up, that's kind of a big factor in this game because he knows the Titans. He knows what the Titans want to do. And when you're a defensive coach with the team for so long, it's not just the fact that you are working with the defense and know what the defense likes to do. You've been around the offensive coaches

Starting point is 00:04:56 and seen what the players on offense like to do and what their strengths are as well. So I think Jim Schwartz is a big factor, how he can kind of leverage and weaponize that prior knowledge that he has to use that against the Titans has a lot to do with why I think this will be a low scoring affair, but kind of flipping it over to the Titans side of things. I think last week coming out of the game, it was all about can Ryan Tannehill play better? Because Tannehill played so poorly in week one.

Starting point is 00:05:26 Can Tannehill get better? But I think the big question we have now is can the offensive line play better because Tannehill did play better in week two. The question was answered with a positive answer and it led to the Titans winning. But the real question becomes can this offensive line improve? They gave up five sacks last week. They regressed. Andre Dillard at left tackle has had issues. Aaron Brewer at center has had issues. And the Titans are going to be without their first-round pick.

Starting point is 00:05:55 And Peter Sferanski at left guard. So I think that the Browns can definitely attack the left side of the offensive line. And while Chris Hubbard on the right side who is a name that you will know Jeff Chris Hubbard yeah yeah now he's the uh starting right tackle and uh he's played excellent but I don't think he's so great that he can't have some struggles of his own and now with Miles Garrett on one side the Titans are gonna have to send help to the side of of the left tackle rather than the right tackle and that'll leave Chris Hubbard alone so side, the Titans are going to have to send help to the side of the left tackle rather than the right tackle. And that'll leave Chris Hubbard alone.

Starting point is 00:06:28 So I think the Titans offensive line is the big storyline right now. Can they improve? Can they do better? But with that being said, we are going to move forward, talk about some of the matchups that we're going to be watching for in this game. Dive into how we think the game's going to go, give our predictions for what will happen as well. Before we get into all that though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by PrizePix, and every Crossover Thursday is brought to you by PrizePix. Look, PrizePix is daily fantasy sports made easy. All you got to do is play against the PrizePix projection. So here's how it works.

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Starting point is 00:08:48 Promo code LOCKEDON. All right, everybody, let's continue this crossover Thursday. I'm Tyler Rowland, Locked on Titans, here with Jeff Lloyd from Locked on Browns. We talked about some of the big storylines for each team coming into it. Now we want to dive into some of the big matchups for these teams. Jeff, what are you kind of looking for matchup-wise with the Titans for the Browns to maybe take advantage of um well you know at first things first I look at a player like Jeffrey Simmons and look it's going to be weird for the Browns because for so many years the Cleveland Browns fans myself we just won soul custom we'll turn around hand it's 24 and you know pretty much

Starting point is 00:09:38 likely you know do it 20 times a game you get 100 yards on the ground I don't think we know what to expect from Jerome Ford um and the thing is is we don't know enough about Jerome Ford to know what the Cleveland Browns coaching staff says, hey, we think Jerome Ford prefers this. He runs better running this. So it could be a little bit of a, you know, kind of a little bit of mystery to everybody because they're making this big, big transition

Starting point is 00:10:00 from something that they have done for so many years. You know, this is a team, you know, for years have run a lot of wide zone. They were trying to dial down on that a little bit because, you know, Deshaun Watson would prefer to play more from the shotgun, which means ideally you're going to play more inside zone. It just works better with, you know, your quarterback at a gun. So that's something to keep an eye on because that's pretty standard in a lot of college football nowadays. And obviously pretty standard to what Jeromeome ford did when he was at cincinnati playing

Starting point is 00:10:28 with desmond ritter um so you know that's certainly just something to see how you know tennessee's gonna basically come out here and a team and these things know each other pretty well i would say um but it's going to be a whole different version of it obviously tennessee's not seeing this team with deshaun watson um they're seeing them now without nick chubb so that's certainly something that's going to be a little different from that aspect. I think for the Browns, I think they know what the plan is, obviously, on Tennessee's part. You obviously run so you can throw, at least make it easier to throw by having people a little bit more tired, a little bit more weary. Is it going to be another Henry Carey? or, oh, no, here comes Spears,

Starting point is 00:11:06 who's a pretty physical runner himself, but quicker, obviously. So those are all things that are going to go into this. You know, Trelon Burch with a big one last week. That's going to be, in my opinion, is going to be a really, really fun matchup because the Browns corners are a really, really good unit. Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson, Greg Newsome. There was a little fluff over the offseason. Greg Newsome basically saying, I'd rather not play nickel.

Starting point is 00:11:34 But everybody at the end of the day, what do you want to do? You want to play for a successful team. And I think once Greg Newsome got into Jim Schwartz's system and looked around and saw all the name brand talent that he was playing with, it was like, well, heck, if you need me to fetch Gatorades, I'll go do that in between plays because I can kind of see where this is going. And obviously, I'm only going to benefit from playing from a unit like this. But again, for the Browns defense, it's going to be another test of, can you continue to do this? For the Browns it's look this you know the titans have given up 305 yards passing in their first two games um cleveland is having a serious issue

Starting point is 00:12:10 throwing the ball right now so you would think this is either going to be a test so to speak of okay you did throw well okay good or you can't throw well this team has struggled against teams throwing on them the first two weeks, and we're still struggling. The biggest storyline right now, and as far as even matchup, it's Deshaun Watson, I think, against himself. I truly do. Because he just needs to play better.

Starting point is 00:12:35 He doesn't need to play like Patrick Mahomes. He doesn't need to play like Josh Allen. You take away both those turnovers from Monday night. Obviously, the interception pick six. That one's more on Harrison Bryant. I don't want to care whether or not you're confused on the route. It went off your hands. You're an NFL player.

Starting point is 00:12:49 It gives a damn ball. But the second one, obviously, the fumble. You know, they would have won 22-12. They would have won 22-12 if the offense had not given up two touchdowns. As poor as the offense looked, that would have been the case. The offense has just got to play with more consistency. You can't rely on Nick Chubb now. So, if it's not going to be now for Deshaun Watson and the Browns in this passing game, it certainly begs the question of when is it ever going to be?

Starting point is 00:13:13 Yeah, no, I'm with you on that. One of the big matchups I'm looking at is that Titans secondary against the wide receivers of the Browns, because I think whereas the Titans played the Saints and then the Titans played the Chargers I think those are more talented pass catching groups especially now with Nick Chubb gone I think those are more talented pass catchers than what the Browns are throwing out there I like Amari Cooper I think he's one of the best route runners in the NFL I think he's a really good wide receiver but Donovan Peoples-Jones hasn't really shown himself as as anything you know that i would really worry about compared to michael thomas or mike williams i i wouldn't put

Starting point is 00:13:50 him in that in that category as a threat i like what they do with elijah moore and he's got great quickness but the titans have a good slot corner roger mccreary who's been excellent uh early in his second year in the nfl so i i just don't think think the Titans are as threatened maybe by the wide receiver group of the Browns as they were in the first two weeks. And that could lead to maybe the Browns throwing for less and it not being as easy as it was with those teams because the Browns simply don't have the pass catchers that those two teams have. With that, I think if the Titans secondary does get beat by the Browns group, then it's an answer. It's okay. This Titans secondary is just not going to be good enough.

Starting point is 00:14:31 They can't get it together. Last week, they were missing two starters in safety, Imani Hooker and starting number one cornerback, Christian Fulton. Both those guys returned to practice on Wednesday and there's hope that they'll play. So if the Titans do have their full complement of their starting secondary with the pass rush up front, which, you know, like you said, with Titans fans will be aware, Miles Garrett and some of the guys up front,

Starting point is 00:14:53 I'm sure Browns fans are aware, Jess Simmons and Danico Autry and some of the guys up front for the Titans. So really it's just about which secondary can kind of lock things down and the Browns have a better secondary at cornerback. So I guess just how that all works out overall and the secondaries will be asked to be physical

Starting point is 00:15:11 in the run game. So it's going to be a huge game for secondary play. Who can stop who when there isn't an elite group of pass catchers on the other side? And I got to go back to the pass rush in the offensive line. I mean, again, that was the big question, the storyline. Can the Titans' offensive line improve? I mean, this defense hasn't allowed a touchdown yet. Grant Delpit has been incredibly physical all over the field.

Starting point is 00:15:36 The Titans' offensive line is going to have their hands full in this game, and I'm a bit worried about how that matchup plays out, and it feels like the Browns are having some struggles with pass protection as well so to me it really just comes down to which pass rush can can take advantage most consistently and create turnover to help their offense out because the defenses are so good so those are kind of the matchups I'm looking for is there anything else that you're kind of looking forward to? Well, and that's also part of it, though, because they've been really, really creative, the Browns,

Starting point is 00:16:08 with their defensive line. Everybody knows, obviously, you saw the video of Myles Garrett week one, basically starting in a linebacker spot and just basically creeping up on the center. They did that again in week two. These were things you'd always like to do when you have a player as versatile as Myles. But if you don't have anybody else capable of being out on the edge, then you're really costing yourself there. But it's a lot different ballgame now where you can put Zedarius Smith out there,

Starting point is 00:16:30 you can put Ogbo, Karankwo out there, and you can basically say, hey, Miles, go figure it out. Just, you know, wherever you want to go, just, you know, shoot a gap. And, you know, we have faith in you, you know, to figure out what to do and, you know, basically how to get it done. And so there is, you know it wouldn't and with this titans offensive line this it does look like it's going to be a little suspect sure but you know that doesn't necessarily mean that it's automatically going to translate into you know a victory for

Starting point is 00:16:55 the browns one way or the other you still got to play these things and obviously this is something tennessee is you know preaching all all week long in practice and understanding you know hey look you know yeah the first guys that you see, they're good. But guess what? When they start subbing guys out, those guys are good too. So we're not just going to sit here and watch Miles Garrett tape all week because you've got to go watch Smith. You've got to watch Joe Caracuo, Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris.

Starting point is 00:17:20 They're very, very, very deep on that defensive line. It's been a lot of fun to see. Me, I'm always normally an offensive guy, but, you know, the defensive thing is what's selling right now. It's a really, really great thing to watch. And even, you know, I've been saying it a couple times, the uniforms on Monday night, it was kind of hard to pick up the jersey numbers. But basically, as you saw, it was a lot of flow of white and orange to the left,

Starting point is 00:17:40 white and orange to the right. And, you know, you've got 11 guys working in unison right now because they have a lot of faith and belief in their defense coordinator and even when jim got here he said look he said coverage wise i i don't think i gotta do much because i kind of like the guys i have you know granted it's going to get a little you know he's gonna have to you know dig into a bag of tricks you know as the weeks go on of course as the months go on but right now it's it's know, kind of a keep it simple, stupid approach. Yeah, 100%. Well, we're going to talk about what we kind of think will decide

Starting point is 00:18:11 the matchup at the end of the day. Give our prediction on who might win this game in just a moment before we get into it, though. I do want to let you guys know that today's Crossover Thursday is brought to you by Bird Dogs. Look, I've been talking about Bird Dogs for a while. They're the most comfortable shorts that I owned all summer long. Every time I golfed, I had to wear my Bird Dogs.

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Starting point is 00:19:06 Look, guys, make sure that you go to birddogs.com slash locked on NFL. Enter the promo code locked on NFL at checkout for a free Bird Dogs water bottle with your order. That's birddogs.com slash locked on NFL for a free water bottle at checkout. You won't want to take your Bird Dogs off, and I can promise you that. All right, Jeff, we're going to cap off this crossover Thursday.

Starting point is 00:19:50 Locked on Titans, Locked on Browns. Thank you guys for making Locked on Titans and Locked on Browns your first listen each and every day, Monday through Friday, content on your team every day for free. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. We have talked about the big storylines. We have talked about some of the matchups here. Now I want to dive into.

Starting point is 00:20:09 Kind of our predictions. On how this game will go. And Jeff. I'm going to kind of start us out here. I don't think either of these teams. Gets to 20 points. I don't think so. I think the defenses are too good.

Starting point is 00:20:23 I think the defenses will create turnovers for the offenses. I think this is going to be a slugfest. I think this is two defenses that are a lot better than the offenses that they're going against, especially with the loss of Nick Chubb. The Titans just generally seem to struggle, especially against a great defense. So for me, I think that, like I kind of mentioned a segment ago,

Starting point is 00:20:48 turnovers, whichever team can force more turnovers, because I think not only are you going to have to stop the opposing offense, you've got to help your offense against these defenses, give them short fields, easier opportunities. So I think turnovers will be key in this one, and whoever wins the turnover battle whoever wins the turnover battle will get a second touchdown I think whichever team scores two touchdowns wins the game so I think the turnover battle will be the most important thing whoever

Starting point is 00:21:17 wins it scores a second touchdown and wins the game I actually am calling this one 17-16 tight. When the last bit of pregame right before Monday night, they had Ryan Clark and he knew he was going to pick the Steelers, but it was three out of four on the panel that picked the Steelers. And I was certainly aggravated. But the reason was, they basically said need it. That was their reasoning they really felt the Steelers needed it look after everything that's gone on for you know the Browns that are

Starting point is 00:21:51 you know from Monday night going into this game I think they need the win because a number one it's gonna it's gonna soften the blow a little bit of knowing that you know Nick Chubb ain't walking back in this locker room anytime soon, but it's also good to say, Hey, we're going to be all right. You know, and that's, that's really, really, I think a big thing this team needs right now. I think the Browns defensive line against, you know, Tannehill and this Tennessee offensive line,

Starting point is 00:22:20 it's probably the matchup that should determine the game and it really should be because i i you know the browns shouldn't just be able to get after it um the key to it will be you know how does tennessee run of course that will be the biggest key to it because if they can be reductive with the run you know the browns are not going to be able to be as aggressive going after the quarterback as they would like to be um yeah of, the Browns hopefully can shut down the run. We'll see how that works. But that should be the one. And then that brings you into what you were talking about earlier.

Starting point is 00:22:51 Where do the turnovers come from? Is it a strip sack? Are you forcing Tannehill to throw a ball earlier than he wants to throw it? Is he throwing a ball later than he should be throwing it? And I think if the Bows win, it should because this defensive line made a lot of hay here. If we're going to do the whole score prediction thing, I think we see 20. I don't think we blow past 20.

Starting point is 00:23:12 And weather is certainly a possibility of maybe a little bit of a wet track on Sunday. But if you wanted to go, you know, maybe 2017, you know, I think Cleveland's going to get this one. And they desperately need it because the next two on the docket for them is Baltimore, and then it's San Francisco afterwards. And it was weird because once they won week one, it was like, all right, wow, they can make some hay in this tough beginning stretch. Yeah. And then now, after losing to Pittsburgh and losing to Chubb,

Starting point is 00:23:39 it's more of a, you know, but, you know, they really need it. And, you know, you want to believe that, you know, in a situation like this with a player like Nick, there's going to be a rallying cry. And everybody's basically going to get together and, you know, play harder, play more together, which they've been doing at this point anyway. But, yeah, at least that's my two cents.

Starting point is 00:23:59 We'll see what it holds, any water it holds on Sunday. Right, right, right. I like our predictions will uh will affect the game but no that all makes sense and obviously when Derrick Henry went down for the Titans in 2021 in the middle of the year that was the exact same sales pitch that you know I was saying too and the Titans ended up kind of having the same similar rushing production without Henry and going on to go 12 and 5 and get the number one seed. So I guess Browns fans, you know, step off the ledge. It's not quite over yet, but I definitely understand that Nick Chubb is a big part of

Starting point is 00:24:32 the team and the Titans are certainly going to have a better chance of winning because Nick Chubb isn't there. So a lot on the line for both teams right now with tough situations, and we'll see which team is able to pull it out on Sunday. But make sure that you tune back into Locked on team is able to pull it out on Sunday. But make sure that you tune back in to Locked on Browns and Locked on Titans on Friday. We're going to have our game plan episodes, go over our final thoughts here

Starting point is 00:24:52 on what we think is going to happen in this matchup. Obviously, we'll be recapping the games on Sunday and everything like that, so make sure that you get subscribed and stay subscribed. It's your team every day. But that's going to do it for another successful crossover Thursday.

Starting point is 00:25:04 For Jeff Lloyd from Locked on Browns, I'm Tyler Rowland from Locked on Titans. Enjoy the game, everybody.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Must HARRASS Deshaun Watson, Keeping Tannehill Clean & Turnovers Decide Defensive Battle

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