Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans v Houston Texans: Henry Dominance, Man Coverage & Will Malik Willis Start??

Episode Date: October 27, 2022

The Tennessee Titans take on the Houston Texans on Sunday and Derrick Henry has a chance to continue an insane streak. How can the Titans keep it going? Tyler goes over his game plan for the Titans. Then, move to the defensive side of the ball and Tyler will tell you why playing a ton of man coverage is the right way to attack the Texans. Finally, we go into the matchups to watch including Bud Dupree v Laremy Tunsil!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.BirddogsTHE most comfortable shorts, pants, and sweatpants with built-in liners. Go to birddogs.com, use promo code “LOCKEDON” and boom, a free Birddogs Rope Hat with your pair of Birddogs.BlueNileMake your moment sparkle with Blue Nile. Go to BlueNile.com and use code lockedon to save fifty dollars on your purchase of five-hundred dollars or more.BetterHelpThis episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOn and get on your way to being your best self. 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 take on the Texans on Sunday, and I'm breaking down everything you need to know heading into that matchup. First, we're going to look at my game plan points on offense and defense. On offense, is Malik Willis going to start, and what should the Titans do if he does? Then on defense, I'm going to tell you why the Titans should be playing

a ton of man coverage against this Texans offense. Then I'll look at my individual players to watch in this matchup. On offense, we got to watch left tackle Dennis Daly. And then on defense, a big matchup between Bud Dupree and Laramie Tunzel. I'm breaking down everything you need to know between the Titans and the Texans on this game plan 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, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Titans fans, it is game plan Friday. Time to get ready for the Titans big time matchup against the Houston Texans on Sunday. I'm going to get into my game plan points on the defensive, well, the offensive side of the ball to start things off here. Before we get into it, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is sponsored by SimpliSafe Home Security with Fast Project Technology exclusively from SimpliSafe 24-7 monitoring agents capture evidence to accurately

verify a threat for a faster police response. There's no safe like SimpliSafe. Visit simplisafe.com slash locked on NFL to learn more. I took advantage of the offer. I got a SimpliSafe, visit SimpliSafe.com slash LockedOnNFL to learn more. I took advantage of the offer. I got a SimpliSafe system. It's absolutely fantastic. But thank you guys for making the LockedOnTitans podcast your first listen every day.

If this is your first ever listen, or you haven't subscribed yet, make sure that you stay locked in to the LockedOnTitans podcast Monday through Friday. Free Titans content all year round on all platforms, including the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Subscribe there. Smash the notification bell.

Throw a thumbs up on the video. Right now, if you think the Tennessee Titans are going to beat the Houston Texans this weekend, you can also check me out on Twitter at TicTacTitans for my in-game analysis and my film work throughout the week. And you can check out the show Facebook page at Locked on Titans Pod. But with all of the housekeeping out of the way, folks, let's dive into this offensive game plan for the Titans. Now, right now, the latest that we know, recording this on Thursday evening,

Ryan Tannehill did not practice on Wednesday, and he was limited on Thursday. But limited, based on the reports, is Tannehill wasn't really doing anything. He was more just coaching out on the field with a ton of tape, a heavily taped right ankle. So for me, guys, right now, I don't know. I can't know for sure whether Tannehill will play or not, but I got to tell you, it's my opinion that he will not play. Now, whether Ryan Tannehill, completely injured, plays or not, the Titans are going to have to run the ball. So the biggest game plan point for the Titans is to run the ball,

I'm thinking, 70, 80% of the time. And that's a definite if Malik Willis plays in the game. So you obviously got to run the ball on the Texans. And for me, the Texans are best in their secondary. They have a good young safety in Jalen Petrie. They have Desmond King, who Titans fans should know, who's been one of their better corners, maybe their best corner throughout the year. They have, of course, the talented rookie in Derrick Stingley. The best part about the Texans defense is their secondary. So what I would do is I would limit the amount of impact the secondary can have on this game by playing heavy

packages. I'm not coming out in three wide receiver sets and letting the Texans put their nickel package or their dime package on the field. No, we're going to make you play base defense. We're going to make you play your lesser players and get your front seven on the field, and we're going to beat you over the head with Derrick Henry over and over and over again. As mentioned throughout the week, Derrick Henry has averaged 224 yards per game against the Texans in their last three meetings.

There is no reason whatsoever that Derrick Henry shouldn't absolutely dominate this game, and for the Titans to do that, they have to commit to the run game in a way that's even further than what they typically would do because the Texans are giving up the most rushing yards in the NFL over 164 yards per game. So it's a great spot for Derrick Henry to have success with Tannehill banged up or Malik Willis in the game. It makes even more sense to commit even further to the run game. So that's my expectation for the Titans. Now, if Malik Willis plays, I'm not changing the game plan from a philosophical standpoint. Run the damn ball.

And if Malik Willis does play because Tannehill's too banged up, that even furthers. I can double down on how much I want the Titans to run the ball in this game. 80% is what I'm hoping for, and not just with Derrick Henry. If Malik Willis plays in this game, I expect a Tim Tebow-level game plan. I want nothing but quarterback power, quarterback counter, quarterback sweep, read option with Derrick Henry. If they do have to pass, quick game.

Get the ball out of Malik's hand quick and make easy one to two progression reads. Rollouts, get them out on the perimeter. And even if you were a little worried about doing that with Tannehill recently because teams have been putting that backside pressure to kind of take that away, Malik Willis can juke out a defensive end or an outside linebacker and still make that rollout into a positive play. So if Malik Willis plays, like I said, quarterback counter, quarterback power, quarterback sweep, more read option. I'm thinking quick game in the passing game, get the ball out quick.

Rollouts and QB sprint, which is just a quick out to the side of the field. Make it easy on Malik. Quick, high-low throws. Quick, one-decision throws. Throw the ball to that one, or you keep it and run. Make the game plan simple

and base it around 80% runs. That's what the Titans will have to do if Malik Willis does end up starting. And look, Ryan Tannehill is a far, far better quarterback right now. No doubt about it. But you can't say you're not excited to see Malik play and just, you know, see how it goes.

I think it'd be pretty interesting. So either way, whether Tannehill plays or not, I want a run heavy package from the Titans with multiple tight ends, keeping the Texans in their base defense and not allowing them to go to nickel and get their better players on defense on the field and Derek Stingley, Jalen Petrie, and Desmond King.

So that's my idea for the offense. We're going to go on to the defensive side of the ball, and I'm going to give you my game plan points there, and I'm going to tell you why I expect heavy, heavy man coverage from the Titans after two weeks of primarily zone. So we're going to get into that in just a second. Before we do, I want to tell you guys a little bit more about our title sponsor, SimpliSafe. So here's a sports analogy for you. When it comes to burglars, your home is like the end zone, and you need the absolute strongest defense you can muster. This is why I use, for real and trust, SimpliSafe Home Security.

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That's simplisafe with an I. .com slash locked on NFL. There is no safe like SimpliSafe. Like simply say. Titans fans, let's continue today's game plan Friday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We're going to talk about the defensive side of the ball, what I want to see from them schematically there. We just talked about the offense and the run-heavy game plan that I'm expecting from the Titans. Before we get into my defensive game plan, I do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen

every day. Make sure you subscribe for Monday through Friday, free daily Tennessee Titans content on all platforms all year round. Before we get into the defensive game plan, shout out J. Wright in the comments, checking out the show. Appreciate that. J. Wright, go check out his YouTube channel for some pretty good Dayton hip hop. That's all I got to say about that. But moving forward on defense, man coverage all day.

So as Cody Davis from Locked On Texans kind of broke down for us yesterday, Nico Collins is not expected to play in this game. According to Mike Grable, he's the best blocking wide receiver in the NFL. But Nico Collins is not looking like he's going to be able to play in this game. Brandon Cooks could be traded soon. And the Texans are holding him out of practice currently as they try to find a trade along with some of the tweets that Brandon Cooks has made you can kind of line everything up and realize that he's probably on the trade block so with Nico Collins and Brandon

Cooks most likely out of this game who is left well I can tell you who the number one wide receiver for the Texans will be with those two out. It's going to be, oh, don't tell me I forgot. I wrote it in my notes. This is how bad it is. Phillip Dorsett. Phillip Dorsett. As Cody Davis pointed out yesterday, the leading receiver on the Texans, if their top two wide receivers are out, is a tight end in Jordan Aikens. We see this every Sunday with the Titans. Teams play a ton of man coverage on the Titans

because they don't have anybody at wide receiver who really scares you. Well, this wide receiver core for the Texans, if they don't have Cooks and Collins, is going to be even worse than anything the Titans could put out there. So if you got Phillip Dorsett as your number one wide receiver, you think Phillip Dorsett is going to hook Christian Fulton? I don't. And whoever the second string

wide receiver is going to end up being who they call up all practice squatters slide in there. I got faith in Roger McCreary. Heck, I got faith in Terrence Mitchell. None of these guys are as good as Mack Hollins or even Daimi Brown, for that matter. So, for me, this is simple. I'm tight man coverage. I'm in your face. I'm pressing the entirety of the game

if you don't have Cooks and Nico Collins out there. Simple. Simple. I'll bring five. I'll play cover one man. I mean, whatever I want to do. I'm just playing a ton of man coverage. And in recent weeks with the Commanders because Carson Wentz makes a lot of mistakes

with the Colts because of the way they wanted to play offense the Titans played a lot of zone. I want to see a ton of mistakes with the Colts because of the way they wanted to play offense. The Titans played a lot of zone. I want to see a ton of tight man coverage. I think that's absolutely the game plan if Brandon Cooks and Nico Collins are not in this game, which it looks like they won't be. Now, the other thing that I want to see here, big nickel again.

I broke it down last week. Imani Hooker in the slot. Three safeties and a nickel package. That's a big nickel. That's what I want to see again because guys, what do the Texans do well? I wouldn't even say they do it well, but what's a one redeeming quality about the Texans right now that you know off the top of your head? It's Damian Pierce, the rookie running back out of Florida. He's been fantastic. And make no mistake, the Houston Texans offensive line is not terrible. It is not terrible.

They've gotten some push in the run game. They're not one of the teams that are high up there in terms of sacks. They have protected decently well. Davis Mills gets the ball out of his hand so that he doesn't take sacks. I think they've only allowed 12 sacks on the year. That's less than the Titans. So, this offensive line, while the Titans' run defense has been number one in the NFL over the last four weeks,

over this four-game stretch, Titans have the best run defense in the NFL. That has to continue. And one of the reasons that the Titans had Imani Hooker play in the slot last week in a big nickel package is because they wanted a more physical cornerback at slot that could play against the run. Well, they said, hey, we don't have that, so we're putting one of our safeties there. And, of course, Imani Hooker dabbled in some slot stuff while he was in college,

so he was a little more prepared for that than maybe other safeties would be. Either way, the Titans need to go back to that big nickel with Imani Hooker as the slot cornerback so that they can focus on stopping the run. Even if the Texans go with two tight ends on the field, the Titans can stay in their nickel package because their slot cornerback is a physical safety like a Monty Hook. So, to me, simple.

Play that big nickel package on defense. Do everything you can to stop the run. And when they do pass, you play tight man coverage with their top two receivers out, and you take everything away. Give them nothing, but from them, take everything. I think that's 300. Shout out Zack Snyder, Gerard Butler.

But yeah, it's simple for me. I'm worried about the Texans run game. That's the only thing that scares me with the injuries and the people will probably be out. So play tight man coverage. Play big nickel. Stop the run. And you'll win the game.

That's what it comes down to. I mean, the Texans are only, what, 24th in the league in rushing with 100.7 yards per game. So it's not like they're a dynamite rushing attack. But that is the one thing that can keep them in the game. So cut that off. So for me, play tight man coverage, stop the run with big nickel

and have a money hooker in the slot again. And then you move forward after that with a big game of Kansas City and hopefully another division win in your back pocket. So that's what I want to see from the Titans on the defensive side of the ball from a game plan standpoint. Now I want to transition

into more of an individual conversation. We looked at things from a big picture aspect. Now I want to get into the individual players and individual matchups that I will be watching for in this game. Before we get into it, though, I do want to tell you guys about our sponsor, BetterHelp. So BetterHelp isn't a crisis line. It's not self-help. BetterHelp is professional online therapy done well.

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Therapy can get you there. Visit BetterHelp.com slash locked on for 10% off on your first month. That's BetterHelp.com slash locked on. Titans fans, we are going to cap off my game plan Friday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the offensive side of the ball, what the Titans need to do even if Malik Willis starts at quarterback. We talked about the defensive side of the

ball and how the Titans need to have little respect for the outside weapons but mucho respect for the run game. Now I want to get into the individual matchups I'm watching in this game and we will start with the defensive side of the ball before we do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first

listen every day. Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream for free Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content on all platforms. But on defense, I'm looking at Bud Dupree against Laramie Tunsil. So I'm not even going to lie, there's a little bit of petty here.

I'm just going to tell you guys up front. Everybody was tagging me all week because Bud Dupree had one good game, finally. It was like, oh, Tyler, you hate Bud Dupree. Buh, buh, buh, buh, buh. Look how good he is. All the articles are coming out. Look, Bud Dupree is so important.

Buh, buh, buh, buh, buh. This and that. I've explained why I think that's an over-exaggeration, but either way, time to prove it again, bud. I said this on the Locked On NFL show yesterday. I used this quote, but it's very, very relevant here. Drake said it in a song once. Go, by the way.

They don't pay me to do it. They pay me to do it again. We didn't pay Bud Dupree. Well, not we. We didn't pay me to do it they pay me to do it again we didn't pay Bud Dupree well not we, we didn't pay anything of our money, thank God let the billionaires handle that but the Titans didn't pay Bud Dupree the contract that they did

for him to have one good game and then not be the same the next game he's already missed enough games on this contract so now I don't just need him to play. I need him to play like a $20 million man. He did on Sunday against the Colts. He had seven pressures and a sack. I do believe that is the most pressures in a single game of anybody all year. Well, you're going up against a much better offensive tackle this week. You don't get Dennis

Kelly this week. You get Laramie Tunsil. So we know that Bud Dupree can beat up on a backup left tackle like Dennis Kelly. What's he going to do against Laramie Tunsil? Is he a $20 million man against Laramie Tunsil? Well, he better be because Rashad Weaver has missed some practice with a back. Jeffrey Simmons has missed two practices in a row with an ankle. And while I do think Big Jeff plays, maybe not so confident in Rashad Weaver playing, I don't care. Bud Dupree has to step up in a major way. So Laramie Tunsil has only allowed six pressures all year. Bud Dupree had seven last week. Bud Dupree's got to win against Laramie Tunsil if the Titans want to win the game.

That's what they're paying him to be. And you guys all told me that Bud Dupree takes this defense to a new level. So you know what? Let's see it, Bud. Can you do it two weeks in a row? Can you be a $20 million man two weeks in a row? Not just against a backup left tackle, but against one of the best left tack weeks in a row? Can you be a $20 million man two weeks in a row? Not just against a backup left tackle,

but against one of the best left tackles in the business? That's what I'm watching for in this game on defense for the Titans. Also, the linebackers, David Long, Zach Cunningham, looks like he's going to play in this game against his former team. Dylan Cole, Joe Schobert. Even the safeties, Amani Hooker and Andrew Adams. They have to tackle Damian Pierce. Damian Pierce is one of the best running backs in the league

at forcing missed tackles. You cannot miss tackles against Damian Pierce and let him break off explosive runs like what happened to the Titans in week one against the Giants. You simply can't allow that to happen. So the linebackers and the safeties playing in the slot and towards the line of scrimmage, they must tackle Damian Pierce. That's a big, big matchup.

The linebackers against Damian Pierce in tackling. That's huge. And then finally, in the passing game, I mentioned that the best receiving options that the Texans may have in this game, if Cooks and Nico Collins are out out are going to be the tight ends. So I'm looking at Andrew Adams. I'm looking at Amani Hooker against Jordan Aikens,

who I know it's not a lot, but like I said, he's going to be their leading receiver on the season in this game. Ten catches, 154 yards on the year. I know you could easily scoff at that, but you don't want to help the Texans out at all. So the safeties have to man up. I said I wanted tight man coverage all day. Well, the safeties and man coverage on the tight ends have to win that matchup

because that's going to be the best receiving options that the Texans will have in the game. Again, if Cooks and Collins are both out. So that's what I'm looking for matchup-wise on defense. On offense, if Malik Willis plays, what is he like? What is he like? My critique of Malik Willis so far in the regular season, very few opportunities, but anytime we've seen him on the field,

he looks nervous. That's the best way to explain it. He looks scared. He just, you know, looks like he has anxiety out there and he's so scared to mess up that he makes weird mistakes. I still blame Todd Downing for a stupid play call. Why are you running a jet sweep to your backup quarterback in a big moment in a divisional game in the second half. Stupid, stupid decision. So I don't blame Malik Willis for being put in a stupid position, but I also do think that he probably could have held on to that ball

and he was a little anxious and a little sped up and a little, oh God, I'm oh, God, I'm in the NFL. I'm in the NFL. That's what it feels like when I watch him play. So how does Malik Willis play? If he ends up starting in this game because Tannehill is injured, that's obviously the number one thing to watch for. So that's going to be the number one thing.

That's all this game is going to come down to if he has to play. Outside of Malik on offense though, Jerry Hughes, the edge rusher and defensive end for the Texans, leads the team with 17 pressures, second on the team with four sacks. How's Dennis Daly going to hold up? Dennis Daly has the ability

to tank a Titans game in ways that are unbelievable, quite frankly. Somehow the Titans have found a way to win despite him. But with Malik Willis or an injured Ryan Tannehill, is that enough to overcome the awful play of Dennis Daly? enough to overcome the awful play of Dennis Daly? I don't know. Dennis Daly has to find a way. He's not Yannick Ngakwe. He's not Max Crosby or Chandler Jones.

You know what I mean? Jerry Hughes is good, but he's not that. So Dennis Daly's got to hold up, man. He's got to. And Nate Davis looks like he's going to be back in this game. Let's hope. It looked like he was going to be back last week, and then he wasn't. So if Nate Davis is back, Titans put Dylan Radins a tackle over Dennis Daly?

I don't think they do, but either way, Dennis Daly against Jerry Hughes is something that I'm watching for. And then finally, the Titans tight ends against the linebackers of the Texans. It's this simple. Come full circle. I said at the beginning of the show, I want the Titans in a ton of heavy tight end packages because the secondary of the Texans is the best part of their defense.

So limit the amount of secondary players they can have on the field. Don't let them be in nickel. Don't let them be in dime. Make them play in their their defense. So limit the amount of secondary players they can have on the field. Don't let them be in nickel. Don't let them be in dime. Make them play in their base defense. Desmond King's their best defensive back and he's a slot guy. So take away what he does best. Don't let him be in the slot because the Titans are in three tight end and you're not going to have a slot. And if they want to go with nickel when the Titans are in three tight end, then more power to them. Here comes another Derrick Henry 200-yard game. So can the Titans' tight ends, Chika Konkwo, Austin Hooper, Jeff Swain, Kevin Rader, are these guys going to be able to win in blocking and in routes against the Texans' linebackers?

Because I feel like they're going to be on the field a lot. It's going to be a heavy tight end game. And with that being the case, that means that these tight ends have to not only win in the run game, but win in the pass game as well. So that's what I am watching for. So Dupree versus Tunzel. The linebackers tackling Damian Pierce.

The safeties against the tight ends in pass coverage and man coverage on defense. On offense, Malik Willis. How will he look if he has to play? Dennis Daly against Jerry Jones in pass protection, and then the Titans tight ends against the Texans linebackers in run blocking and in the pass game.

Those are the individual matchups that I am watching in this game. But that is going to do it for me today, folks. That is a Game Plan Friday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I'm going to be back with you guys on Sunday immediately after the game ends to break down everything that happened in a Locked on Titans postcast.

Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss that. That's going to do it for me today, though, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titan.