UFR: Titans offense against the Jaguars

I doubt I’ll have the opportunity to do it all year, but I’ll have time this week to watch yesterday’s game in something like excruciating detail and started today with the offense.  I’ll spare you the full detail (follow this link if you want to read it), but there are a few things I want to highlight:

• Kenny Britt is clearly the Titans’ best receiver. We already knew that. None of the other guys really stood out to me as anything special.
• I wrote earlier this month about how the Titans’ passing offense under Chris Palmer has a much more sophisticated system of reading coverage than Mike Heimerdinger’s offense had. Watching the game on TV, without knowing what’s supposed to happen, it’s tough to be absolutely sure, but I’m pretty sure a lot of the struggles the offense had was an understandable yet aggravating result of the quarterback and receiver not on the same page with their reads.
• Nate Washington spent a goodly amount of time in the slot, which I’ve long thought is a better fit for him than the outside.
• Munchak apparently said at today’s presser the run game struggles came from both the blocking and CJ. I’d agree with that, and resurrect a phrase I used to describe the passing game two years ago: comprehensively imperfect.
• I had negative things to say about every offensive lineman, including too many about Roos in pass protection. I’d still rate the guards the biggest weaknesses and worst players.  Jake Scott probably struggled a little more than Harris, but I’d say Harris got more help from Amano.
• The line, Harris in particular, had a huge problem with any sort of stunt or twist. Simple end-tackle stuff was almost a guaranteed method of getting pressure. That needs to be fixed by next Sunday, or Hasselbeck will get murdered.
• Matt Hasselbeck does not step into his throws. Like, at all. He back-foots lots of passes and doesn’t have the pure arm strength to make stick throws doing that (compare, e.g. Cutler, who does). This wasn’t just the OL. I’ll have to watch Seattle from last year to remember just how bad an issue that’s been for him and how much it cost him.

Those are the highlights. There’s a lot more, but those are the highlights. If you have any specific questions, post ’em in the comments and I’ll do my best.

I’ll be back later this week with a detailed look at how the defense played. My prediction: even less optimism than you see in this post.