The bye week is over.
The players and coaches have had their annual week-long break from the monotony that comes with the grind of the football season. Guys such as Kyle Vanden Bosch had a week of rest to overcome physical ailments suffered prior to the bye.
With the rest of the AFC South’s teams winning their games yesterday, the pressure is on the Tennessee Titans to continue to build upon their division lead. That means playing with the same level of intensity and passion that’s served as the engine behind their success thus far.
With that said, here are 5 things that I’d like to see from the Titans as they embark upon a journey that will hopefully have the postseason as its final destination.
Showcase Chris Johnson’s versatility
As the case with any other Titan follower with a pulse, I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen from exciting rookie RB Chris Johnson. His ability to take it to the house on any given play has been a godsend for the Tennessee Titans’ offense.
However, I’d like to see more than just handoffs to Johnson. Maybe some more plays featuring Johnson in the slot, maybe a reverse or two, etc. How about a touch of the increasingly popular Wildcat formation with CJ playing the Ronnie Brown role?
More Alge Crumpler
Despite getting off to a slow start, Alge stepped up when he was needed the most against the Ravens, catching a late 4th quarter Kerry Collins’ pass for a TD in the Titans’ 13-10 victory.
Crumpler is a former Pro Bowler who needs to see more looks in the offense. Hopefully, good things will continue to happen when Alge touches the football.
Better production from “The Freak”
One of the feel-good stories of the Titans’ 2008 season has been the return of Jevon Kearse. He’s only registered 1.5 sacks through five games but personally, considering his injury history, I’m just thrilled that he’s been able to stay on the field.
However, as the season goes on, my expectations regarding Kearse will inevitably increase. No, I’m not expecting a return to the form displayed during his magical rookie season, but 6-8 sacks by season’s end isn’t too much to ask for.
The soaring of “The Hawk”
In the preseason, we were teased with a glimpse of Lavelle Hawkins’ potential via his 51-yard touchdown catch against the Raiders. Unfortunately, an ankle injury suffered during that same contest put the Hawk on the shelf for the first few regular season games.
Now that Lavelle is healthy, I’d love to see what he is capable of doing in the offense.
Success on 3rd downs
Currently, the Titans are ranked #24 in the category of third-down conversion rate, converting first downs on only 24 of their 69 opportunities.
The Titans are predominantly a running football team that relies upon its ability to wear down the opposition. Moving the chains a little more on 3rd downs will go a long way towards sustaining more drives that will serve as a means of tiring opposing defensive linemen.
Now it’s your turn. What are some things you’d like to see from the Titans after the bye week?
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