W4-Titan Sized Report: Letdown
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Getting excited to write about the Tennessee Titan offense, is like said unit getting a first down in 2010. It rarely happens, and when it finally does, it feels like it should have been an easier task. Here’s a quick review of the Titan’s week 4 performance on offense, including unit grades and selections of a “Titan” and “Terrible” player of the week.
Wow. This is the worst this unit has looked in a long, long time. Not only are Leroy Harris and Eugene Amano underachieving at their new positions, but their sub-par efforts appear to be affecting the rest of the line. Mike Munchak needs to figure this out and fast. Chris Johnson and Vince Young are too valuable to protect so poorly.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends – C+
It is hard to tell whose hands are less consistent, Justin Gage or Kenny Britt. A few years ago, VY suffered from a similar lack of support from his receivers at key moments. Gage’s drop killed the opening drive, while Britt’s lack of concentration cost the Titans at least one shot at the end zone at the end of the game. Jared Cook is dangerously close to becoming a bust, with his low level of play right now.
Running Backs – C
CJ2K and Javon Ringer are doing the best they can with the complete lack of holes that are being created. Ringer’s 54 yard run and continued ability to create explosive plays is encouraging, but he is more of a decoy than an every down threat. CJ2K’s growing impatience and fumble this week should be cause for some concern. Ahmard Hall is not an innocent party either, dropping a pass and missing several key blocks in the second half.
Quarterback – B+
VY played well, distributing the ball to 8 different receivers at varying levels in the defense. Again, he was frequently forced to convert long 3rd downs, converting 8 of 15 opportunities (sacked twice for lack of protection). If you subtract the 2 drops by wide receivers and 3 meaningless tosses at the end of the game, VY finished 17-22 for 173 yards and a TD.
Titan Player of the Week: Vince Young – Solid performance. This week makes back-to-back efforts with 0 turnovers. VY needs to keep his foot on the pedal and lead this team by example until the coaches figure stuff out.
Terrible Player of the Week: Chris Johnson – Fumbles are unacceptable. Adrian Peterson has fixed his fumble problems and is comfortably ahead of CJ2K in every category. Come on, CJ2K, defend your title already!
Overall Offense Grade – D+
The offense’s inconsistent play is forcing the defense to spend far too much time on the field (~33 minutes a game – 6th worst in the NFL). The Titans take their limping offense against a Dallas Cowboys defense that is beatable and susceptible to mistakes. If the Titan offense wants to bounce back and steal back some confidence from a good defense, this is their chance.