As the losses continue to mount for the Tennessee Titans, head coach Ken Whisenhunt is becoming more and more testy with the media.
He is no longer getting the gushy feel good questions about his upstart rookie quarterback. Now he is having to defend his play-calling, his use (or lack thereof) of the running backs, and the eyesore that is his 3-19 record in Tennessee.
But confidently, and somewhat defiantly, coach Whisenhunt remains steadfast in his belief that this year’s team is better than the one that went 2-14 a year ago.
Is it just me? Or does coach Whiz sound delusional?
After six games, Tennessee’s 1-5 record contradicts that assessment. The Titans were actually better last year after six games (2-4). They also had a home win, unlike this year’s 0-4 record at Nissan Stadium.
Coach Whisenhunt continues to point to the close losses this year as the foundation of his better-than-2014 argument. Yes, the Titans could easily be 4-2, but they are no strangers to close games under his watch.
Last season, Tennessee lost five games by 8 points or less. What is a reasonable time frame for a coach to get his team over that hump?
22 games?
And I am not being cynical…I’m really asking.
When asked by ESPN Staff Writer Paul Kuharsky on Monday why he elected to rotate backs when Antonio Andrews was having such a good game…Whisenhunt acted as if there was no running back by committee going on.
Surely he was being sarcastic on that one, right? Lets move on.
When asked why he called pass plays over 60% of the time Sunday, with the run game working so effectively, coach Whisenhunt rebutted with his own interpretation of his play calling…
“Well, let’s see, I think we had 54 plays, roughly? And if you take 15 or so out for 2:00 , that puts you what at about 40? Then you take out nine third downs, that puts you at about 31, give or take. Then 15 carries, so it was about 50 percent run.”
Huh?
All we want to know is why Andrews, who was shredding the number 1 run defense in the league, got only ten carries in a game that was close throughout?
No? Ok, I digress.
If coach Whisenhunt is saying that Tennessee has better players this year, then he’s absolutely right. Marcus Mariota alone makes that a true statement, not to mention the key additions on defense.
But he cannot stand there with a straight face and proclaim that this year’s team is better. Not without embodying the record, and the record says that the teams are about the same.
It’s not a death sentence, there is still ten games left to play. It is, however, an honest assessment of where the team is right now.
Hopefully Whisenhunt is just playing a game of cat and mouse with the media. Surely he’s aware that, even with better talent, the results are the same as last year so far.
If not, then he’s delusional.
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“Well, let’s see, I think we had 54 plays, roughly? And if you take 15 or so out for 2:00 , that puts you what at about 40? Then you take out nine third downs, that puts you at about 31, give or take. Then 15 carries, so it was about 50 percent run.”
“Well, let’s see, I think we had 54 plays, roughly? And if you take 15 or so out for 2:00 , that puts you what at about 40? Then you take out nine third downs, that puts you at about 31, give or take. Then 15 carries, so it was about 50 percent run.”