Four Tennessee Titans to keep an eye on in Week 5 vs. the Dolphins.
It is safe to say we are all looking forward to this Sunday and putting last week’s debacle in the past. We will just say the Tennessee Titans’ game against the Houston Texans didn’t go as planned.
However, this week the Titans will be traveling to play the 1-2 Miami Dolphins and it could potentially be a great game to get back on track. Here are four particular Titans to watch this week.
The Entire Defense
Okay, so I may be lying this week. I know we usually focus on certain players, but the whole defense needs to be on watch against the Dolphins.
There were basically no positives last week and the defense needs to rebound in a big way. The Dolphins could be the perfect remedy to get back on track. They have scored just six points in their past two games and were shutout by the New Orleans Saints, one of the worst defenses in the league, in one of them.
If Jay Cutler lights up the Titans defense, then they are in big trouble.
Dick LeBeau
Putting a coach on the watch list will be a first this year, but it is needed.
Tennessee Titans
Of course, Dick LeBeau is a legend as a defensive coordinator, but there seemed to be absolutely no adjustments throughout last week’s game. There were many times throughout the game when the Texans had third-and-short and the Titans would play way off the Texans’ receivers. Logan Ryan has experience matching up with DeAndre Hopkins from his Patriots days, but there was never an adjustment to match the two up last week.
On Sunday, it will be interesting to see if there are any changes if things start to go south against the Dolphins.
Also, there is always the possibility it was just an awful week. The Titans defense held the Jaguars and Seahawks in check until the end in garbage time in both of those games.
Marcus Mariota/Matt Cassel
After a week of limite practices, there is a chance Marcus Mariota starts on Sunday if his hamstring is well enough. If not, Matt Cassel will get the start.
If Cassel gets the start, he will be a game manager. If he throws a lot of passes, that means the game is not going as planned. The perfect number would be between 20-25 pass attempts and no turnovers. He did his job last season in the season finale where he completed 16 of 26 passes for 150 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
If Mariota gets the start, it will be interesting to see how mobile he is. His mobility is a big part of his game, but he will most likely stay in the pocket more often due to his tender hamstring. That shouldn’t be a concern, however. He has shown time after time that he can deliver from the pocket.
Delanie Walker
A tight end is a quarterback’s best friend and Delanie Walker has been productive with the many quarterbacks he has played with since coming to Tennessee in 2013.
If Cassel does indeed start, he should be looking for Walker a lot. He will be a big target on third down and we already know that Mariota loves Walker.