5 names to replace Arthur Smith as the next Titans OC
By Will Lomas
1. Tim Kelly, Houston Texans OC
I will admit that the only reason I really know anything about Tim Kelly is because his brother was obviously the starting right tackle for the Titans this season. However, don’t let that distract you from the fact that he has was on the Texans staff with Mike Vrabel in Houston for the four years that he was there.
Not only that, but in the four matchups where the Titans have faced the Texans with Kelly as the OC, here are the results:
Week 15, 2019: 24 points scored
Week 17, 2019: 14 points scored (no Watson)
Week 6, 2020: 36 points scored
Week 17, 2020: 38 points scored
The last two happened without the interference of Bill O’Brien as well and are probably a better representation of what Tim Kelly can actually do as an OC.
Having Deshaun Watson is nice and it makes an OC look good, but Kelly was calling an offense that had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL along with a receiver room that was either being traded away, cut, or suspended for PEDs. Despite all of that, Kelly managed to keep this team afloat and might be the only person left in the Texans organization with the respect of Deshaun Watson.
When Watson was asked if he wanted Tim Kelly back in 2021 to call the offense, he said this:
"“Most definitely,” Deshaun Watson said on Monday when asked if he wanted offensive coordinator Tim Kelly to remain with the team. “Tim, over the past two years, has really taken my game to a whole another level.”"
I’m a big believer in trying to hurt other teams in the AFC South while also trying to make your team better. This would accomplish that and Kelly would be familiar with the Titans offense from playing them while also getting great inside info on what the team does best from his brother.
Experience, upside, connections to the current team, support from him players, Kelly seems to have it all.