The inactives are out for today’s game at LP Field between the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets, and here they are:
NEW YORK JETS: CB Antonio Allen, OT Dakota Dozier, OL Wesley Johnson, WR Walter Powell, QB Matt Simms, CB Josh Thomas, DL Muhammad Wilkerson
TENNESSEE TITANS: OT Taylor Lewan, DL Mike Martin, QB Zach Mettenberger, S Daimion Stafford, OT Byron Stingily, OLB Kamerion Wimbley, WR Kendall Wright
For the Titans, the only surprise on the list is Mike Martin, down in favor of DaQuan Jones. Ray Horton indicated at his weekly media session Jones would be playing a fair amount this week, but I thought the Titans would keep up an extra DL or put Ropati Pitoitua down again. With Stingily out, newcomer Jamon Meredith starts at right tackle; as I mentioned this week on Twitter, he’s a better “we need a right tackle Sunday” than Terren Jones, who is up as the reserve/swing tackle.
Wilkerson is the biggest name on the Jets list, but he was doubtful and didn’t travel to Nashville. Allen and Percy Harvin were questionable.
This is a fun game to write about, because both teams have shown on offense, especially the pass game, they can be foot-shootingly awful regardless of opponent quality. The Jets do run the ball okay, but not enough (against most teams) they don’t have to ever pass; we’ll see if that changes this week, and if they commit to running every down if they can. I would guess based on Rex Ryan’s personnel management he gives Chris Johnson plenty of carries; if I were OC Marty Mornhiweg, I’d give Chris Ivory as much work early as he let me and mix in CJ to see if he’s on today, abandoning him if he isn’t. That’s assume they’re trying to win and not tanking.
Even without Wilkerson, the Jets have a quality front seven and are strong against the run, ranking ninth in DVOA. I’ve seen a number of people suggest this should be a game where the Titans commit to giving Bishop Sankey a lot of carries, insisting he finally get to 20 carries. I’ll spare my whole rant on this subject, and while I concur with the general sentiment, (a) he has been the lead back for weeks and weeks and that he hasn’t gotten to 20 carries has been a function of (i) the game situation, (ii) Whisenhunt’s love of throwing even when his team is bad at throwing, and (iii) Sankey’s own ineffectiveness, and (b) my over/under on Sankey’s average yards per carry today is 2.7.
I’ll be chiming in during the game on Twitter, so follow and yap at me there if you so desire. Recap up after the game, snap report Monday, and maybe I’ll figure out something else to post before the game Thursday.
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