Tennessee Titans: Midseason Grades By Position
By Ben Greene
Linebackers: A-
Oct 13, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) is tackled by Tennessee Titans linebacker Zach Brown (55) at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
When Colin McCarthy went down with yet another injury this preseason, the future of Tennessee’s linebacking corps looked bleak. Luckily, 5-year veteran free agent pickup Moise Foku stepped in and stepped up, racking up 40 tackles and forcing two fumbles before getting injured himself.
Zach Brown has also come up big in his second year in the league, tallying 44 total tackles this season, which is second best on the team. He also is tied for second on the team with three sacks this year, while Akeem Ayers and Foku each have one.
The only area where this linebacking corps has fallen short is in pass coverage. The four linebackers who have started games this season have only combined for two pass deflections all year and have no interceptions. Also, opposing tight ends, who are often the linebackers’ responsibility, have posted 31 catches for 428 yards (61 per game) and four touchdowns against the Titans this season.