I posted yesterday the answers I received from Deshawn Zombie of 18 To 88 as to my questions about the Colts. Now, it’s my turn to answer his questions.
18 To 88: What has happened to the Titans secondary? How do you go from 12 TD passes in 16 games to 10 in four games?
Total Titans: Well, with that kind of change, you don’t see just one thing go wrong. The first big problem was the safeties were overcommitting. Both Hope and Griffin were biting VERY hard on play-fakes and pump-action early in the year, and ended up badly out of position because of it. Griffin gave Andre Johnson a touchdown Week 2-he had deep coverage responsibilities over Nick Harper, and despite playing 25 yards away from scrimmage bit on play-action and stumbled trying to backpedal and cover.
The
solution to the problem of overcommitting has been to play both guys
deep downfield and to play more passively. The overcommtting, and the
passive play reaction to it, also extends to the linebackers. Heath
Miller and Owen Daniels both were able to make plays against David
Thornton and Keith Bulluck.
18 To 88: How much does the defense miss Haynesworth?
Total Titans: This is another major element of the pass defense difficulties-the Titans don’t have anybody who can reliably beat an opposing offensive lineman 1v1. Haynesworth demanded a double team, which made it easier for the other guys to rush the passer. Kearse was once able to beat guys off the edge, but aside from his annual sack against Texans RT Eric Winston, he hasn’t done much this year. Vanden Bosch was that kind of guy not too long ago, but he hasn’t really done that since before he was injured early last season. I like second year man Jason Jones on the inside, but he’s not at that level.
18 To 88: Jeff Fisher gets a lot of love from Colts’ fans because of his in game coaching. What crazy thing can we expect from them this week?
Total Titans: Titans fans are very confused by opponents expecting crazy things from Fisher. Aside from running the Emory and Henry formation on punts earlier this decade and the fake punt every preseason, he’s really never been crazy aside from that one game in Indy in 2004 when they didn’t have a chance in heck of winning without lots of crazy stuff happening. He’ll occasionally go for it on 4&4 from the opposing 35, but really doesn’t do anything interesting. He does like to bring out wrinkles for the Colts, though, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a swinging gate formation or something along those lines.
18 To 88: Chris Johnson has become sort of a boom/bust runner…lots of big plays, lots of no gains and rushes for loss. What do the Titans have to do to become more consistent in the run game?
Total Titans: Not to put too fine a point on things, but blocking better would be a good start. The basic cutback play isn’t working at all, for reasons that are opaque to me. I really don’t understand the run game struggles. &nbs
p;Some fans are clamoring for more LenDale White, but I don’t really understand why you’d play your best offensive player less.
18 To 88: Give me your realistic best case scenario for the rest of this year. Is this team really this bad, just unlucky, or is there some thing else going on that we might not be aware of.
Total Titans: Realistic best case scenario? How can a team that can’t stop anybody on the pass, can’t pass the ball well on its own, and can’t run the ball consistently win any games? Really, from where the Titans are right now, anything better than 8-8 this year would look like a tremendous accomplishment. [Yes, I really can, with my version of rose-colored glasses, see the Titans going 8-8 this year. -TG]
18 To 88: Vince Young: the answer, part of the problem, or not relevant at all to the team?
Total Titans: Considering he’s been firmly planted on the bench thus far, he certainly doesn’t seem to be part of the problem. Not relevant seems to be the best characterization of him thus far. Of course, a highly-drafted backup quarterback who led the team to 8 wins as a rookie and the playoffs his second year looks great when you have an older starter who’s struggled, so there’s been a lot of very understandable clamoring for VY to play. I can’t help but think, though, of Bill Polian’s radio show comments last year about how much of a liability VY was on the field in 2007 and the whole to-do at the beginning of last year that resulted in Collins taking over the starting job.
18 To 88: If things don’t get better, who will take the fall for the team’s struggles this year?
Total Titans: Most fans will probably say DC Chuck Cecil would be demoted back to the secondary, or OC Mike Heimerdinger, but I’d expect the veteran players to. Since 2010 will almost certainly be an uncapped year, that’ll mean you can axe all the guys who won’t be around the next time you’re good and veterans making too much for their contribution. Going 4-12 and saving $10 million beats maybe going 7-9, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see 7 defensive starters gone off this year’s team.
Thanks again to DZ for participating in the Q&A. Check out the post on his site for their readers’ comments and also responses from the other Titans blog to do a Q&A with him. See also his 18 Things to Watch For in Sunday’s game.
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