Could Rob Ryan Turn Around The Defense For The Tennessee Titans?

This is the only picture in existence of Rob Ryan smiling. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

For those of you who haven’t heard, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has officially been fired from his job in Dallas. The more abrasive of the Brothers Ryan (if you can believe that) has been bouncing across the NFL landscape for a little while now. After spending 5 years as the Raiders defensive coordinator from the 2004 – 2008 seasons, he went to run the defense in Cleveland. However, after 2 years, the team decided to move on, and the Dallas Cowboys hired him…for 2 years.

With Rob Ryan now out of a job for about probably 5 minutes, the speculation as to where he will land shall progress. Pundits of teams who could remotely consider hiring a defensive coordinator will begin weighing in…which is what is going to happen right now.

I feel ya, buddy. Don McPeak-US Presswire

The Tennessee Titans pushed their way through a torrential downpour of a season; one that was cosmically disappointing to all involved. Yes, it was that dramatic. Even noted super-expert (official title) Warren Sapp had proclaimed us a sleeper team to make the playoffs, and the fan base was bristling with excitement. Then almost-rookie Jake Locker suffered some growing pains, the defense regressed to an infant-like stage, and if it bothered Munchak, he certainly wasn’t about to let it be known. Additionally, Jerry Gray had a number of tricks up his sleeve just as he had promised all off-season; he just never decided to let them out.

Now, this 2012 Tennessee Titans defense wasn’t just bad, they were atrocious; the equivalent of a rabid dog that should be shot to death for the benefit of others. Ok, that was harsh and a bit theatrical, and I would never say that to the face of any of my beloved players, but in all seriousness, we did not play well on that side of the ball. You simply cannot defend a team that allowed 30 points or more in exactly half of it’s games, including two games in which more than 50 points were given up in each.

So can Rob Ryan turn around the 2013 Tennessee Titans? Perhaps. The first thing that would have to happen is that we switch to a 3-4 defense. Now, some would argue that we are not built for that, but after the 2012 season, would you argue that we’re built for success in a 4-3? The fact is that the Titans roster has flexibility at this point. The only people we are invested in for considerable time are Griffin and McCourty, who both play secondary and are less affected than those at other positions, and Wimbley, who would probably find great success at the OLB position, not to mention that it was Ryan who was able to maximize his effectiveness when drafted by the Raiders.

Could it work? Why not? At this point, what do we stand to lose?

Follow me on Twitter @TitanSizedJason