The Titans' first quarter stats don't look pretty

The first quarter of the season is over and it's now a good time to review the Titans' basic stats. As you would expect, after three blowout losses and an overtime win in a shootout, the stats are not pretty.

Before getting into the stats, I'd like to say that when Mike Munchak hired Chris Palmer and Jerry Gray as his coordinators, I was more confident in Gray's ability than Palmer's. Now that a season and a quarter have been played, I'm now more confident in Palmer than in Gray. The stats don't do anything to refute the reasons for that thinking, insofar as the offense has been outperforming the defense, especially this year.

And now, the ~~highlights~~ lowlights for the first quarter of the 2012 season, after the jump.

Offense:

Total offense: 315 ypg (ranked 23rd)

Total scoring: 20.2 ppg (23rd)*

Rushing offense: 68 ypg (28th)

Rushing touchdowns: 0 (t-31st)

Receiving offense: 254 ypg (19th)

Receiving touchdowns: 6 (t-13th)

Third down conversion %: 32% (24th)

Time of possession: 25:11 (32nd)

Turnover differential: -6 (t-29th)

* The NFL includes all scoring by the Titans in this category, not only those points scored by the offense. Here's the breakdown of all the points scored by the Titans.

Receiving touchdowns: 6 = 36 points

Field goals made: 6 = 18 points

Extra points made: 9 = 9 points

Kickoff return for TD: 1 = 6 points

Punt returns for TD: 1 = 6 points

Fumble return for TD: 1 = 6 points

Total = 81 points = 20.2 ppg

Defense:

Total defense: 422 ypg (31st)

Scoring defense: 37.8 ppg (32nd)**

Rushing defense: 136.5 ypg (27th)

Rushing touchdowns: 5 (t-23rd)

Receiving defense: 293 ypg (27th)

Receiving touchdowns: 10 (t-31st)

Third down conversion %: 46% (28th)

Time of possession: 36:56 (32nd)

** The NFL includes all scoring by opponents in this category, not only those points given up by the defense. Here's the breakdown of points scored against the Titans.

Receiving touchdowns: 10 = 60 points

Rushing touchdowns: 5 = 30 points

Field goals: 8 = 24 points

Extra points: 17 = 17 points

Interceptions: 2 = 12 points

Fumbles: 1 = 6 points

Two-point conversion: 1 = 2 points

Total = 151 points = 37.8 ppg

One stat I didn't include above is sacks, because I don't believe they provide a complete picture. To me, sacks are more of a product of the quarterback than the pass rush or pass protection, so I prefer to use Football Outsiders' Adjusted Sack Rate. The NFL credits the Titans with 6 sacks, tied for 27th in the league. FO ranks the Titans 26th with an Adjusted Sack Rate of 5.0%. Either way, the stats affirm what we've seen – the Titans aren't getting much of a pass rush.

I also looked up the stats for the Vikings just for comparison for purposes of this week's game. I won't bore you with the details, but will just say that the Vikings' stats are better than, or about the same, as the Titans in every one of the above categories. The Vikings may have had a poor team last year, but they're definitely improved.

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The Titans’ first quarter stats don’t look pretty

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper