By now we’ve all heard the saying…today’s NFL is a passing league, and by and large, that is a true statement. The league is as quarterback / receiver friendly as it has ever been.
The Tennessee Titans are attempting to buck that trend this season, and their offseason moves thus far proved their commitment to this philosophy.
The approach has been met with scepticism on both the local and national level, with pundits clamoring for Tennessee to surround franchise qb Marcus Mariota with more weapons. But in the case of the Titans, the ground approach is not only a smart move…
It’s their only move right now.
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First, let’s back up a couple of seasons. When Ken Whisenhunt was brought on board in 2014, he believed in the pass-friendly philosophy. But there was one glaring problem, the Titans did not have the talent up front to execute his style of play.
As a result, his qb’s got destroyed in 2014. It was no different with the mobile rookie under center last year, either.
Mariota was sacked an alarming 38 times in 12 games, and missed four games because of injuries that he received while getting crushed in the pocket.
Something had to change.
New general manager Jon Robinson, along with coach Mike Mularkey, made a concerted effort to fix that problem first this offseason. After all, Tennessee is in rebuilding mode, and the proper way to construct a new roster is from the inside out.
That’s why a veteran center like Ben Jones was brought in from Houston during free agency. That’s why the Titans moved up to grab Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin with the 8th overall pick. Barring injury, both should be in the starting lineup when Tennessee hosts the Vikings in the season opener.
And while the league is now qb friendly, a quarterback’s best friend remains a solid run game. That’s why running back DeMarco Murray was acquired from the Eagles for a fourth round pick, and that’s why the Titans took Derrick Henry with the 45th overall pick.
If you’re Mariota, you’re probably thinking…”Wow…Murray and Henry can take some of the pressure off me, and we brought some guys in that will give me time to throw…when I do throw it this season”
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t thinking…”I hope they bring in some new receivers” when he was running for his life last season.
No…the ground approach, and the picks selected to support this philosophy, does not move the meter in today’s instant gratification twitter world that we live in. But I reiterate, the Titans are in rebuilding mode, and the first point of order is to keep your franchise qb upright for 16 games.
Solidifying the offensive line, and establishing some balance through a respectable run game, is the best approach to accomplish this goal.
Next: Potential cut the Titans should add: offense
The Dallas Cowboys faced similar scrutiny a few years ago when they used their high-profile picks on offensive linemen (instead of the customary splash pick). Today that line is regarded as the team’s strength, and one of the best units in the entire league.
It did not happen overnight, but if you ask their qb Tony Romo, I am sure that he would ask them to do it all over again if given the chance. It prolonged his career.
Tennessee is trying to do the same thing for their franchise qb.