Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Will Malik Willis Get REVENGE on Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Defensive Front & Limiting Self-Inflicted Wounds

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

The Tennessee Titans take on the Green Bay Packers in a revenge game for Malik Willis. The Packers ran the ball at will in Week 2, but Peter Bukowski from Locked On Packers talks about what we saw in the pass game from Willis. Next, the Titans simply cannot keep hurting themselves and that starts with Will Levis, but the defense is going to have to find a way to stop the run game if they hope to win in Week 3. Finally, whichever team limits their own mistakes and doesn't give the game away will ultimately be the team that wins on Sunday.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow 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!Arena ClubRight now, you can get 10% off your first Slab Pack or card purchase by going to Arenaclub.com/lockedonnfl and use code lockedonnfl.RobinhoodThe new gold standard is here with Robinhood Gold. Sign up at robinhood.com/gold Terms apply, for product specific disclosures visit robinhood.com/gold. Investing involves risk. Rate may change. Gold membership is offered by Robinhood Gold, LLC. DoorDashUse promo code LOCKEDFALL24 for 50% off up to $10 value, when you spend $15+ on your first order. Limited time offer. Terms apply. Promo is not valid for orders containing alcohol.PrizePicksGo to https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFL and use code lockedonmlb to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelNow through September 22nd, ALL FanDuel customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get a THREE WEEK free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

The Green Bay Packers and Malik Willis look to get revenge against the Tennessee Titans this weekend. It's a week three crossover Thursday. You are locked on NFL crossover. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Network, your team every day. Football fans, welcome in to a week three crossover Thursday. I'm Tyler Rowland from Locked on Titans here with Peter Bukowski from Locked on Packers.

Thank you for making Locked on Titans and Locked on Packers your first listen each and every day. Today's crossover Thursday is brought to you by PricePix. Go to PricePix.com slash locked on NFL, all lowercase, locked on NFL, to win $50 instantly when you play. $5. Pete, we have a juicy one this weekend with Malik Willis returning for the first time

to the Tennessee Titans after being traded and after taking a lot of criticism in his first two seasons. That's going to be very interesting to see play out. On the other side, the Titans have completely choked their first two weeks of the season in really deja vu fashion at the end of the day. So a lot to discuss with this matchup.

Again, thank you for making Locked on Titans and Locked on Packers your first listen each and every day. Both of us will have our game preview episodes on tomorrow's show, so make sure that you tune in to that. But Pete, I got to show some Southern hospitality here. I got to be the host of today's show with the Packers coming into Tennessee to take on the Titans. Obviously, Malik Willis, the run game, the way the Packers played last week against the Colts,

it was pretty interesting. What's kind of the biggest story moving forward into Malik Willis' second game with the Packers? Yeah, I think right now the biggest story is, first of all, let's make sure it's Malik Willis because the Packers are leaving that door open. We heard on Wednesday morning that Adam Schefter reported locally that they expect the Packers to have Jordan Love,

a limited participant this week, that he will be questionable to play on Sunday, that they're leaving the door open for this opportunity. I don't think he's going to play. Let's just be clear. I don't buy it. I don't buy it. I think he's 50-50, but it's really like 45-55 not going to play.

And I think getting that win over the Colts, which must have made Tennessee Titans fans pretty happy to see the chosen son in Anthony Richardson go down the way that he did and look the way that he did against the Packers defense. But I think really the question is, what is the next evolution of this? How much can they evolve in a week? I think three weeks, almost to the day since he arrived in green Bay, he started and one

for the green Bay Packers. That's pretty remarkable. And what they were able to do that week. I mean, you watch the tape, it, the unique run concepts that they were able to get in there, like single wing, old school, high school football stuff. We're going to come downhill and run at you. Is there more play action coming? Is there more passing game stuff coming? I think to me, they're going to need to do more through the air to beat Tennessee because I think Tennessee just has a better defense

than Indianapolis. And can Malik Willis do it? That's going to be the big question. And then the other part of this, which I think Tennessee just has a better defense than Indianapolis. And can Malik Willis do it? That's going to be the big question. And then the other part of this, which I think dovetails into, I'm sure something we're going to talk about, because you have it in the graphic, is turnovers. The Packers lead the NFL in turnovers. They lead the NFL in interceptions.

And you just, like, can you get Will Levis to make one more brain dead mistake than he might normally make? And then you can win the game that way. I think that's going to be the key here. And I can't wait to see offensively and defensively. I think it's going to look different. And I think that's going to be a fun thing. So let me ask you this question, because obviously you look at what the Packers were able to

do in the run game. They ran 53 times for 261 yards. You know, a lot of people took it as a slight at Malik Willis. And if that's the way you want to take it, then take it. But I announced high school football games on Friday nights. The team that I announced for runs single wing. And I'm like watching Malik Willis run some of these single wing plays that I see on Fridays. And I'm like, the Packers used a high school football game plan and it worked very

well. And you could take that as a slight to Malik Willis if you want, but that is the reality of what they did. The question for me becomes the passing game. So you look at Malik Willis's stats, 12 for 14, 122 yards, a touchdown, no interceptions, no sacks. I mean, he was very efficient. What were the Packers doing in the past game to get him to that efficient performance? It's interesting because the answer is not a lot. Like they didn't do anything crazy. It wasn't like they dialed up leak

or some of these like specialty calls that they have in their arsenal. They did go with a cool version of that flood play off play action that everyone in the league runs where you fake the outside give and you get that naked where they had Romeo Dobbs. It's basically on an overstop route so that when Malik Willis gets to, he pumped to the tight end on that little slide route and then came right in behind him to Romeo Dobbs. They actually ran that twice. Um, but on third down third and shorts, like the Titans have to be ready. They're going to run these spray outs.

And that's something that Jordan loved us. Like that's not anything special in the offense. Like on third and six, the Packers are just as likely to run a spray out with Jordan love as they are Malik Willis, because he can make those throws. They saw him on the camp, a dot to Romeo Dobbs, a dot to Don Tavian Wicks. And the touchdown was an absolute dime to Don Tavian Wicks anymore. He's got six the other way, Ty. And it's a touchdown for the Packers. So Zach Cruz, who covers the Packers for Packers wire charted it.

And on 17 dropbacks the packers had an open receiver on 16 of them um so that tells you matt lafleur has been top five every single year he's been a head coach in open receiver percentage and wide open receiver percentage there on on the puke ball play which i'm sure titans fans have heard about by now right they had they had three guys open on that play and legalist was just which i'm sure titans fans have heard about by now right right they had they had three guys open on that play and legalist was just like i'm not trying to throw this ball with puke on it which i totally respect you could actually see if you watch the if you watch the jtl sullivan breakdown he wipes his hand on his towel after he gets the ball because he realizes oh no there's

puke on this ball um so as long as he can avoid puking it's probably going to be warm in nashville right um as long as josh myers can avoid puking, it's probably going to be warm in Nashville, right? As long as Josh Myers can avoid puking on the ball, I do think that this passing game can do some things. But that's what's interesting, because this is a much better passing defense than I think that they get credit for, not just because of the off-season moves that they made. Jeffrey Simmons is an animal.

I like the Quandre Diggs signing. I like the improvements that they made in the secondary. I expect them to play more disciplined to create more pressure than, than the Colts and the Eagles were able to do. And so that puts more pressure on Malik Willis to make these plays. Absolutely. Well, Malik Willis always had good arm strength. Like if, if the wide receivers, you talk about this on my show, like he had the talent to drive these throws to the outside, outside the numbers. That's so again you got to give credit to Matt LaFleur for an incredible game plan um talking about past defense

you talk about the Titans I want to ask about the Packers the Packers get three interceptions on Anthony Richardson like you said leading the NFL in turnovers forced right now what exactly is happening with with the uh the Halfley defense that's that's allowing them to get all these turnovers. So here's the funny thing, Ty. I don't think we know yet because all summer, we heard about this attacking style of front, this 49ers style where it's just fly up the field. It's create disruption.

Nicholas Petit-Ferrer learned about it Sunday against the New York Jets when he set a next-gen sports record in pressures allowed 13 pressures given just to um just just debited i'm not even gonna say credited to debited to um petite frere that's that's pretty rough um but the packers against jalen hertz and anthony richardson were playing heavy heavy contain rush on the outside like those guys not flying up the field at all and And it's hard for someone like Rashawn Gary is he wants to run through your face every rep, but, and he can, he's got the power to do that. But every once in a while, he'll mix in an inside move and rip inside every once in a while, he can run the hoop because he's got that explosive first step where he can

beat you to the outside. Well, if someone as good as Lane Johnson knows that the only thing you're going to do all game is try and run through him. He's going to, he's going to handle that. And so I think there's been some wailing and gnashing of teeth over the pass rush.

And Jeff Halfley has been the first guy to say, look, we like what they've been doing. We like that. They've been playing gap and lane integrity as pass rushers, because they didn't allow Jalen hurts to beat them with his legs didn't allow Jalen Hurts to beat them with his legs. They didn't allow Anthony Richardson to beat them with his legs. And so now you come to Will Levis and the team leading the league in pressures allowed.

Will Levis, I'm sure you've seen this. Almost 44% of his dropbacks have resulted in a pressure. Now that's partially on Will Levis, but that's also a lot on a right side of this offensive line that has been a nightmare i've liked what i've seen from jc latham i think that there's a lot you know that i've liked him going back to pre-draft um and i think skowronski looks like he's taken a little bit of a step forward looks a little stronger to me than he did last year you tell me um but that right side i mean if you're lining kenny clark and devante wyatt up against dylan radins and you're lining rashaun g Lucas Van Ness and Preston Smith up over Nicholas Petit Frere, if you're the Packers, you feel really good about that. And it was the pressure in that

first interception on Anthony Richardson that created that overthrow because he had Alec Pierce open. If he can put it on, it would have taken a really good throw. Jair was there, but it's an airmail. And Xavier McKinney is just waiting for these quarterbacks to airmail a throw because he seems to be, he's like a great rebounder, Xavier McKinney, where like he knows where the ball is coming off. If you're going to miss, he knows where it's going. He's got that like Udonis Haslam, Dennis Rodman sort of trait, where he just knows where the ball is going to be if you miss.

And he's taken advantage of it this year. It's been a really cool evolution to see from him. I think they're going to be hunting pressures in this game. I think you're going to see exotic pressures in this game from Jeff Halfley. And they're going to be hunting turnovers because they know Will Levis is going to throw them the ball. They just got to catch it when they do. It's going to happen.

It's just about making the play when it's there to be made. Honestly, Pete, I would take just a regular old throw interception compared to some of the turnovers we've seen from lettuce in the first two weeks okay we're gonna we're gonna i know we're gonna talk about this tie which one was worse the fumble in the red zone last week or the pick six and week one i'll answer that question next before, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by the Arena Club. For most of us that like collecting cards, the

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So we'll continue today's Crossover Thursday. Time to talk a little bit about the Tennessee Titans. To answer your question out of the gate, which was worse? To me, it's the fumble from week two. Yeah. Okay? So you're under pressure in week one.

You're trying to flip it out of bounds because you're under pressure. It's third down. I get it. Okay. But in week two, you're in the red zone and you just made the dumb mistake last week. So to me, it's like the first time your kid makes a mistake. Hey, don't do that. You know what I mean? Like it's the first time. All right. Don't do that. That was really dumb. We all know it. I get you're trying to throw the ball away. You're trying to flip it out of bounds, blah, blah, blah. We get it, which honestly made no sense at all because it was third and six. And even if it goes out of bounds or even if you take the sack, it's not going to

make a difference at all. You're still punting. I whatever. Anyway, it's not like you were going to be out of field goal range if you take a sack. So you can't like there's just literally no justification for it. But to do it again, to do it again. And when you're in the red zone in a game where you can go up 10 to nothing, if you just take a sack and totally change the tenor of the game, go up two scores, the Jets end up scoring pretty quickly after that. And now it's seven to seven. Like it just totally changes everything to me. People make mistakes, but making the same mistake twice is what every coach in the NFL tells you is what you can't do. You can't make the same mistake twice. You mean like getting it? You mean like getting a punt blocked that leads to points for the other team? Oh my God four on eight punt block it's just absolutely absurd uh but anyways I think the second one is worse because

he did it a second time and they're in the red zone and it's at the beginning of the game it's just worse to me but either way that's clearly the biggest thing for the Titans this week can Will Levis not be a moron? You know, like I hate to be so harsh, but look at, I mean, look at what his coach said to him that we can't repeat on, on air. Exactly. Those two terms. I watch middle school football every week. I watch high school football every week. I watch college football every week. I played football. I know that all my haters think I never played football. That's what they always say to me. You never played football, clearly, because we disagree. But I played football for 10 years.

My dad was the president of a peewee organization for 15 years. I have seen so much football at all levels in my life. And I have never, in the high school and middle school games that I've seen this year, I have never seen anybody make as dumb of plays as Will Levis made back-to-back weeks. Never in my life have I seen stuff like that. It's like the butt fumble. It's up there with that kind of stuff.

For me, the Colts fake punt where they just hike it and fall down. It's like up there. So if Will Levis makes those kind of plays again, if he can't cut that out, the Titans are cooked. It's over. It doesn't matter. You cannot win when you're quarterback. It's over. It doesn't matter. You cannot win when your quarterback is like, you know, go down with the ship. The ship is going down because of Will Levis. He's not going down with it right now. You cannot make those mistakes. But let's,

you know, talk about the elephant in the room here. The other reality is what you talked about. The offensive line has not been good enough, and especially on that right-hand side. You mentioned 44%. I've seen in certain counting places 47%, 53% is what I saw this week. I mean, the Titans are dead last in pass block win rate. The Titans are like 27th in pass block grade on pro football focus. It really doesn't matter what website you go to, what analytics you subscribe to.

The Titans offensive line has not been good enough. And while Will Levis has made dumb mistakes, in a clean pocket, I was looking at the data. Will Levis is one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL right now with a clean pocket when he's not pressured. So, like, that's a big worry to me is Malik Willis may have a limited game plan with the Packers, but if Will Levis makes the stupid mistakes and creates turnovers, and if the Packers defensive front, which I think the Packers defensive front is better than the

Jets and the Bears. Like, this is the best defensive front that the Titans have faced and they got mauled by two other teams I think the Bears defense and the Jets defense will be good I think the Packers defensive front is great so like I am overly concerned more about the will Levis at some point can't keep making these dumb plays if he does the Titans will bench him it's such a contrast too because Malik Willis, we saw, I mean, what, what did Brian Callahan say after week one? If we just punted on third down every time or whatever it was, like if we just kneel down on the ball in the second

half, they beat the bears. You have a pick six, you have a punt blocked. Um, and fumble as well. If you look at the jets game, it's similar 10 points off turnovers in that game. If they could just stop turning the ball over, they'd be two 2-0 the problem is they can't stop turning the ball over and you look at Malik Willis and I'm this is uh look I've seen some of the comments on your YouTube like it seems like there's some FOMO right now in in Nashville with Titans fans going hey um look at look at what Malik Willis did with three weeks of prep he'd been in that building for five and a half total minutes before having to go out there and win a football game and and i don't i don't want this to get lost either because i want to give malik willis some props here you know this because of your experience watching this every week in high school that

sort of single wing stuff with like the pure wedding action and all that stuff that takes precision that takes timing that is that is not easy to do and for him to come in in one week and do that i think speaks to an adaptability that he has it speaks to the ability from matt lafleur to make these to make these adjustments and so like there's also part of this that's if you're a titans fan you have to be going that could that could have been our coach because the the times that's the real decision that's the real f a Titans fan, you have to be going, that could, that could have been our coach because the, the times that's the real decision. That's the real FOMO Pete.

It's not, Oh, they should have kept Malik Willis and I'm trolling a little bit with that, but, but I know there are Titans fans out there saying that. Yeah. But the real thing that I think about is,

and I think Brian Callahan will do fine. I really have full faith in Brian Callahan, but the Titans picked wrong in 2018 and they got rid of Matt LaFleur where Matt LaFleur took the job in Green Bay. They didn't get rid of him, but they had one of the best coaches in the NFL. One of the actual best coaches in the NFL, not just the macho man that everybody relates to. They had one of the best coaches in the NFL in their building and they let him leave to keep Mike Rabel at the time. It's like not drafting Patrick Mahomes because they had Marcus Mariota.

It looks really stupid now, but you understand why they, you know, Marcus just came off a playoff win and like, you're not going to take a quarterback right there. So understandable, but it does. Cause really all this stuff you talk about with Malik, who did they draft instead? Uh, in 2017, they took Corey Davis number five, and then a De Jackson at 17.

But they were never taking a quarterback there. So, you know, whatever. But really, I just think a lot of credit needs to go to Matt LaFleur. And the thing is, is with that in mind, the Titans, I think, have a better defense, way better defense than the Colts, in my opinion, better defense than the Eagles as well. The Titans are the best defense the Packers have faced so far. I agree. Matt LaFleur is going to have an

excellent, excellent plan. And that's why on the defensive side of the ball, the Titans have to create turnovers. They have to turn over Malik Willis. He's been a turnover machine when he was with the Titans. If they can't do that, they're not winning. And I was looking at it and I was actually surprised when I dug into the numbers a little bit um the the Titans who do have a top 12-ish offense or defense excuse me overall things like EPA per play um they're 26th in rush success rate um they have not been giving up the monster plays but if it's second and eight or second and ten and you can get four yards you can get five yards and now it's third and manageable. That is the kind of thing staying on schedule for Malik Willis is going to be key. And for as good as I think this

Titans defense is, that's one thing where I do think the Packers can create opportunities just to stay on schedule. Just stay just okay. It's it's second and eight get four it's first and 10 get five get even get four. and you're putting yourself in a position where just don't lose yards, don't hurt yourself. And that has been something too, Ty, that I have to mention. Penalties have hurt the Packers at times for these first two weeks. They cannot beat themselves.

They were able to be good enough. They had a couple times against the Colts where it's second and 20, and they rip off a 30-yard run, and it's like, well, whatever. Like, who cares about the second and 20? You're not going to do that every week because you're not going to face a historically bad defense against the run every

week. Um, they're not going to be able to do that against Tennessee, which to your point means they're going to have to get more out of Malik Willis. They're going to have to be a little bit more creative with how they get the ball to guys like Jaden Reed and Christian Watson, who did not, um, really see the ball at all, but, but they're using him as like a puller on these, you know, gap run schemes, which is awesome. That Christian Watson, you know, the former 34th overall pick who's, he leads his draft class in touchdowns.

He's still, you know, playing on these insert runs. He's leading and like kicking out safeties and digging out defensive ends that he's doing that. It's a credit to him. And it's a credit to the culture that they've built that that's what they're able to do. It really, um, I think it's going to be an interesting contrast on Sunday because of, of what each team is going to ask of his quarterback. And they're both going to be going, please just don't lose this for us. Please just don't lose

this for us. And it's going to come down to which quarterback decides I'm not going to lose this for us and is able to actually do that. Well, speaking of that, let's look at some of the keys to this game, what we think will make the big difference. And if you've been paying attention for the first 20 minutes of the show, you probably have a good idea what we're going to hit on. First, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Look, you've heard us talk a ton about FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, but I got something just a little different for you now.

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you look at the odds on FanDuel. The Titans are one-and-a-half half point favorites in this game. I don't know about that one. I don't know about that one, folks, but definitely worth taking a look at. To take a look at it, make sure that you visit FanDuel.com and download America's number one sportsbook today. Alright, Pete, going to get into predictions, but really just predicting what we think makes the big difference in this game. We talked about Malik Willis and the game plan

the Packers used. We talked about the Titans and avoiding shooting themselves in the foot, which I've been saying, they're not just shooting themselves in the foot. They got a bazooka out, and they're just blowing that thing all the way off, man. Like, it's gone. They're losing both their feet so far in these first two weeks. But with that being said, I'll get us going here. For me, the big things for the Titans are stop the run. If they stop the run and make Malik Willis beat them, then they're going to be in a good spot.

They have to find a way to win the turnover battle. The Titans have lost the turnover battle significantly in the first two weeks. The Titans have not forced a turnover on defense yet. You cannot win that way. And then finally, for me, it's no special teams blunders. The Titans can't afford to give the Packers a kick return or a big punt return to help out their offense. They can't afford to have a punt blocked for a third time in a row,

which hasn't happened since like the 1930s. All right? They can't afford to make big special teams blunders. And honestly, I think there's going to be a lot of field goals in this game. The Titans can't afford to miss a field goal either. So the Titans have to be the better team on special teams. So stop the run, win the turnover battle. Don't blow it on special teams.

Those are my three keys to victory for the Titans. What are you looking for for the Packers side? I have to just tell you, do you know the number one team being bet on the money line this week is in terms of total allocation of dollars? I got to guess the Packers, right? Well, OK, so I tricked you. It's the Cleveland Browns over the New York Giants.

But second is the Green Bay Packers. 92% of the bets on the money line in this game are on the Packers. That's not good. Wild to me. That's not good for the Packers. No, that's wild to me. The Titans were the most bet team in week one. And look how that worked out. You usually want to fade the public on stuff like this but I think

the reason the reason for this is you you're looking at a quarterback that everyone watched in in glorious fashion blow almost single-handedly two football games for this team right and you see a Packers team that just is coming off a coaching clinic from Matt LaFleur. Yeah. And you go, okay, in a, in a battle of a game where the coach and the quarterback matter so much, which coach is going to put his quarterback in the best position to avoid losing you the football game. And to me, that looks like Matt LaFleur.

So how can he, how can Matt LaFleur take this to the next level with Malik Willis while avoiding having to put it on his shoulders to go and win? That's key number one for me. Key number two is get after Will Levis. You have to. There was a game last year, and Packers fans are going to know what I'm talking about before I even mention it. Monday night football against Tommy Cutlets. And it's one of the worst offensive lines any of us have ever seen.

And the Packers could not generate juice in that game. They showed up acting like they can just half-ass it and win. And it was bad for them. And they let Tommy DeVito drive them on the final drive of the game, go down and beat them. This is the game where you have to show if you're Jeff Halfley, we're going to actually pressure Will Levis, which they didn't do against Jalen Hurts, despite the fact that he was brutal against big blitzes last year, and that these guys can win one-on-one against one of the worst pass-blocking offensive lines in football. I just had the numbers pulled up here. Nicholas Petit-Ferrer leads all tackles.

He is 61st out of 61 tackles in pressures allowed. Dylan Radins is 54th out of 60 guards in pressures allowed. And Peter Skowronski is 57th out of 60 guards in pressures allowed. This is a game where your pass rush has to win, or I have big questions about, are these players actually as good as we thought they were? Is Kenny Clark playing at the level that he needs to play at, given that he just got a monster extension,

that he just had his best ever season sacking the quarterback last year? What's going on there? He's still only like 28 years old, so it's not like he's old and washed. And then the last piece of this is, can you get a playmaker other than the run game to pop? In week one, it was Jaden Reed. And so can you, you know, Jason Hirshhorn, my colleague over at The Leap, a newsletter I would love for everyone to subscribe to, wrote about it on Wednesday. They're going to, I think they're going to build the plane out of Jaden Reed.

So is that going to work? And if it doesn't, do you have a plan B? Is there something else you can go to? Matt LaFleur prides himself on the play off of the play. It's not just play one. It's play two when now you're expecting play one. Can you get to some more traditional play action looks? Can you create some deep shots that isn't just it's third and eight effort, Romeo Dobbs down there somewhere kind of things, which is what the

one throw that they got that deep down the field. Can you manufacture some of those throws? And can you get someone else other than these running backs to pop for you? If you can, I think that you can win. Um, again, I don't love that the public is so on green Bay, but I do think they look at the quarterbacks. Um, and, and that's not going to make me not, not believe what I think is true on the football field, that this is just a good matchup for green Bay. Um, and, and I think that they have it and, uh, a renewed belief.

I think they're going to go up. I think they're going to go in. I think they're going to win a close game. I know this for sure, Tyler. One of these fan bases is going to leave this game going, I can't believe we lost that football game. And I think it's going to be the Titans fans, but I would absolutely 100% believe that it's the Packers

because of one dumb thing late or one bad throw or one bad penalty. And you're going, I can't believe they blew it. Cause frankly, they should beat the Eagles too. They should be 2-0 and they're not. And so, you know, that's where I am with this game. I don't have a score prediction at the moment, but I don't see a ton of points. The over is also being bet heavily.

I don't really see that. I think this is like, could be one of those like 17, 14 kind of games. Honestly, I'm thinking like 17-16, even 13-12. I think it's going to be one of those things where... A bunch of field goals. Yeah, and basically both fan bases think their team's going to pull it out throughout the entire game, and then there's going to be one big critical mistake at the end

that somebody makes. And honestly, it's hard not to think that it'll be the Titans after the first two weeks. But I think I'm leaning towards the Titans finding a way to pull this out because I think they'll be better against the run than the Colts are. And I would like to see how the Packers perform

when they're not running the ball at it. I mean, I wanted to check on this. I don't have the data. I couldn't figure out how to check on it. But when was the last time a team attempted 50 plus rushing attempts? Like I looked at the top 25 rush attempts and 25 was like 61 and every single instance of it was 1978 or earlier. So like I get, I couldn't get down to 53 to see when the last time that

happened. But I think if the Packers try to run the same game plan they had last week against the Titans, the Titans will be able to find a way to pull one out at the end. But I do still think that Will Levis makes dumb plays because the Packers will get that pressure, and he'll get frazzled, and he'll go Carson Wentz. I kept telling people that Will Levis reminds me of Carson Wentz. This was last year, the way that

he moves frantically in the pocket, his footwork being so ridiculous and frantic. That's the best way to put it. His feet are just all over the place. No calm, no poise, none of that. And it's because there's pressure on him all the time. And I think that's even worse in week three. But again, if the Titans defense can hold down the run game, should be pretty interesting. But, that is going to do it, for us, on a week three,

crossover Thursday. Locked on Packers, locked on Titans. Make sure that you guys tune in for our Friday show, to get you guys finally ready, for this matchup. But that's going to do it for us today. I am Tyler Rowland,

host of Locked on Titans, here with Peter Bukowski, host of Locked on Packers. You guys stay safe out there and enjoy the football.