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Tennessee Titans face Miami Dolphins without DeVante Parker

By Will Lomas

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 31: E.J. Gaines #28 of the Buffalo Bills deflects the pass during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 31: E.J. Gaines #28 of the Buffalo Bills deflects the pass during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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One of the Dolphins most important players will miss the season opener vs the Tennessee Titans.

The Miami Dolphins were already facing major changes at the wide receiver position, but the Tennessee Titans will now catch them shorthanded on top of that.

DeVante Parker is going to miss Week 1 of the 2018 season which means the Dolphins now have only 1 of their top 4 receivers from last year. That makes Kenyan Drake the 2nd most productive receiving threat returning for Miami.

Between the loss of Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Julius Thomas the Dolphins lose 2,045 yards and 53% of their total receiving yards from last year. Only Kenny Stills remains as a productive player from 2017.

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So, the big question is what does that mean with the Tennessee Titans?

The biggest thing to me is that the Titans now have a lot more freedom on defense. Not specifically because of Parker as a threat, but more so the fact that the Dolphins likely starting receivers are:

Kenny Stills: 6’1

Danny Amendola: 5’11

Albert Wilson: 5’9

Height isn’t a skill as so many people say, but having to defend tall receivers does usually require exceptional skill if you don’t have height. For the Tennessee Titans cornerbacks, height is something that is hard to come by. The only CB in Tennessee taller than 5’11 is LeShaun Sims.

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Now with a batch of shorter WRs on the field the Titans can move around and find which player they match up with best stylistically.

More importantly, if the Titans can find matchups they like vs these receivers they may be aggressive on defense.

The Titans could allow their corners to cover in man with the safeties helping behind and refrain from sending just 3 or 4, instead sending at least an extra man consistently.

With Harold Landry out and Derrick Morgan likely joining him him, the Titans will need to find ways to get pressure on Ryan Tannehill. While Orakpo, Finch, Correa, and Wallace may be up to the task, getting help from Wesley Woodyard and Jayon Brown on blitzes can only help the situation.

Also an x-factor, blitzes should put Jurrell Casey in a lot of 1-on-1 situations with a below average offensive line.

All of that could be a way for the Titans to turn a likely win into more of a statement game that makes the fan base feel a little better after looking boring during the preseason. It also would allow them to win without having to pull too many tricks out of their sleeves.

Either way, this is good news for the Titans. This should help Tennessee pick up a win and if not, it will be even harder to explain why.

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