Blake being Blake

[BudsOilers]

It's scary that he was a key cog in the front office for years.....

 

https://www.paulkuharsky.com/news/scout-s-take-what-the-titans-should-be-doing-how-personnel-limits-offense-and-a-bad-throw-breakdown-from-denver

 

Quote

October 14, 2019 2:27 PM

 

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans played two QBs on Sunday, but it didn’t matter who was playing as they both took sacks and turned the ball over. Ryan Tannehill was sacked four times and threw an interception; Marcus Mariota took three sacks and threw his first two picks.

 

The popular opinion will be to try a new QB to see if that can jump-start this offense.

 

I don’t think moving to Tannehill will change the offensive production.

 

The first thing that needs to happen is changing the offensive philosophy from a run-first to set up the pass to an open offense with

spread formations and RPOs. Both quarterbacks are built for this type of system. Get A.J. Brown, Adam Humphries, Corey Davis, Delanie Walker and Derrick Henry on the field together and stretch the field vertically and horizontally and open up the middle of the field for more room to run with Henry. Attack vertically with Davis and Brown. Utilize the speed of TE Jonnu Smith to attack the vertical seams. The only receiver getting vertical reps is Darius Jennings.

 

There are zero opportunities to fix the lack of speed and a depth threat at the receiver position in October. The current personnel will need to expand their roles.

This team was constructed this way starting in March and had its obvious flaws back then.

The construction of this team is the biggest issue with the lack of offensive production. Very little variation in the routes that can be run by the current personnel, and minimal production from alternate personnel that comes into the game to add a chance of pace.

The team’s offensive personnel was built with similar skills sets. Here is a breakdown of each skilled player.

WR Corey Davis is at his best on short to intermediate routes against man coverage. His best route is a dig on the inside, a short comeback on the outside. He has shown very little run after the catch in his career to date. Hands are above average but inconsistent. Route running has been inconsistent.

WR A.J. Brown is good against zone coverage, he is best short to intermediate, he has a good feel to find the open spots and has very good run vision after the catch. He struggles versus tight man coverage against physical corners. He has the ability to beat smaller corners and use his size and strength to create separation. He is very good on crossers and inside routes. Hands are good. Very instinctive player.

WR Adam Humphries can beat both man and zone on short to intermediate routes, he is better when he can get a free release off the line of scrimmage and use his quickness to separate immediately. He can cross the formation against man coverage and also work the inside of a defense to find open spots against zone. His hands are solid, he will cradle balls into his forearms at times which makes him less consistent as a catcher.

TE Delanie Walker is a short to intermediate route runner that is a physical TE and uses his frame well to shield defenders from throws. He is very good with his releases off the line of scrimmage and has good strength in his upper and lower body to stay on his route and not get knocked off his route path. Walker has very good instincts for the position and is usually on point with his feel for where the QB wants him on a route.

WR Tajae Sharpe is a zone receiver only, he is a short to intermediate route runner and runs good routes when he can be clean off the line of scrimmage, but he struggles with physical play from corners, he lacks strength in his upper and lower body and gets knocked off his route path to often downfield. Good hand catcher.

RB Derrick Henry is a downhill attacker as a runner with very good run vision and the ability to get in and out of a hole quickly because of his unique one-cut upfield run style with speed and power. Henry is not a lateral runner and needs space to attack the second level, he is not a true space-creator on his own but can fit through most gaps if initial DL penetration is prevented.

As a receiver he is solid if his back isn’t to the defense, he is better on swing routes or quick crossers where he can get his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage quickly. His hands are adequate but good enough to be a threat. His biggest issue is adjusting to balls in the air.

QB Marcus Mariota is at his best when he can make pre-snap reads, get the ball out of his hands quickly and get into an offensive rhythm with running and passing. He has a quick release, good touch on short to intermediate throws. He throws accurately on throws inside the hash marks and on corner routes. He is at his worst on speed out routes, especially to his right when he tends to overthrow those routes.

Mariota needs to get going by running the ball at times. When he plays with restrictions he is not as effective. He is at his best when he is running and throwing at will, using his intelligence and instincts to play the game. Mariota is good on the move and more creative as a passer when plays breakdown and he can escape the pocket.

QB Ryan Tannehill is a good athlete with a strong throwing arm. He can make throws from the pocket and on the move. Tannehill lacks the feel in the pocket to consistently keep his eyes downfield when the pocket collapses. He is prone to bad throws when pressured and his eyes drop to see the rush and go back downfield. Tannehill takes too many sacks because of his lack of vision downfield.

RB Dion Lewis is not very effective as a runner or receiving threat. He is a non-playmaker when he is on the field.

WR Darius Jennings, is a special team’s player with situational receiving ability. He is a high effort route runner with good long speed but lacks the ability to track the ball deep with balance and body control when contacted by defenders. Hands are solid.

TE Jonnu Smith has vertical speed for a TE, but is inconsistent as a route runner. He does have a skill set that needs to be utilized more. Having TEs Anthony Firkser and MyCole Pruitt on the field instead of Smith takes away the potential for a run after the catch.

The offensive line will need to hold up using more five-man protection. They must protect or get replaced. The offense needs to open up to have a chance to score points moving forward.

The Titans offensive line was poor in pass protection and versus the run. The Broncos won on pass rush with rush games, stunts up front and the Titans had very little answer for the quickness and movement of the DL.

Over the past three weeks teams have used that movement upfront to create gaps in pass protection. This will be a reoccurring theme until it is stopped.

Former Alliance of American Football league player and Broncos DT Mike Purcell was dominating C Ben Jones and RG Nate Davis in the run game. He was second on the team with five tackles and two tackles for loss in the game.

Sacks:

1. LG Rodger Saffold gave up sack on thjird-and-10, the initial pressure was from the LB blitzing and pushing Lewis into the QB’s throwing lane. Mariota escaped the pocket but was tracked down by a LB who ran an inside stunt through Saffold’s gap.

2. Sack of Mariota by DT Stacy Harris on first-and-10 was on the QB and the receivers. Not an OL sack. QB didn’t get rid of the ball and took a negative 2-yard loss. The receivers were covered up downfield with nowhere to throw the ball.

3. DT Derek Wolfe bull rushed rookie RG Nate Davis into the legs of Mariota for a sack.

4. First-and-10, Tannehill was sacked when he rolled to his left, immediate pressure by DL Demarcus Walker. Three blockers ignored Walker as he came through the LT spot and easily brought the QB down for a sack.

5. Fourth-and-3, Davis was beat off the snap, and Jones gave up the sack when Tannehill had to step up in the pocket. He must get rid of the ball on 4thdown.

6. Second-and-6 in Broncos territory, LT Taylor Lewan got bull-rushed into Tannehill, but RT Jack Conklin gave up the sack with no room for Tannehill to escape.

7. Second-and-4 in the red zone, the Broncos ran the same tackle to tackle stunt which caught Jones and Davis off balance for a sack of Tannehill.

Poor throws by Mariota:

1. Third-and-3, to Walker, ball is thrown right into ground by Mariota. Walker was open for a conversion.

2. Second-and-6, poor pass to Henry in the flat, the ball was way off target despite a wide-open Henry.

3. First-and-10, Mariota threw a ball short on an out route by Davis. The ball looked to dive into the ground two yards short of the target.

4. First-and-10, first interception before halftime. Four-WR set, went to Sharpe on a come-back route, it was his third read in the progression going left to right. Safety jumped on Sharpe’s route.

5. Third-and-9, second interception was on multiple hurries given up by Davis and Jones, two defenders in Mariota’s face, he escaped the pressure but threw a ball off target to Jennings.

Poor throws by Tannehill:

1. Third-and-16 with the team down 13 points. Tannehill checks down to a 3-yard gain to Lewis. Result, Punt.

2. Third-and-13 with the Titans in Broncos’ territory, Tannehill had very good protection but choose to throw to a deep sideline route and he led the receiver out of bounds.

3. Fourth-and-11, inside the 15-yard line, Tannehill floated backwards throwing a ball into double coverage in the middle of the field for an interception.

The defense was solid overall in Denver and has given a winning effort all season.

CB Malcolm Butler had a big breakup on WR Cortland Sutton, which would have resulted in a first down and inside the 5-yard line.

DT Jurrell Casey and ILB Rashaan Evans had a big stop on third-and-short to thwart another potential scoring drive.

S Kevin Byard with an interception on a poorly thrown ball but a good play that stopped another Bronco drive.

The issue with the defense was the lack of pass rush. This has been a constant issue dating back to the 2018 season.

LT Garrett Boles is one of the league’s worst starters and the Broncos started a backup at right tackle. But the Titans couldn’t get pressure on a QB who is a statue in the pocket.

Positives: Rashaan Evans, Kevin Byard, Jurrell Casey
Negatives: Marcus Mariota, offensive line, pass rush

 

[Righteous]

He’s not wrong.  Vrabel and Art Smith are seriously inexperienced at their positions.  I am still waiting for Vrabel to answer the question why Mariota became so bad under his coaching.  Blessed is he who asks the questions.

[BudsOilers]

4 minutes ago, Righteous said:

He’s not wrong.  Vrabel and Art Smith are seriously inexperienced at their positions.  I am still waiting for Vrabel to answer the question why Mariota became so bad under his coaching.  Blessed is he who asks the questions.

 

Mariota is not any different in his flaws than he was under prior coaches.  The difference?  Teams, aside from Atlanta apparently, defend him with multiple looks and a spy.  Add in his waning confidence that makes him reluctant to make open/available throws for fear of failure.

 

More importantly, Blake is wrong because no OC is going to run a wide open pass first offense with a QB who is as erratic as Mariota from play to play.  His plan to let MM run around and make plays??  Since when?  You know what would happen?  Tons of sacks, interceptions, and an inevitable injury.

[Bulluck4dmvp]

“Special Correspondent” lol

[pamo9]

I would watch this type offense. If it doesn't work, then move on. Haters be damned.

[BudsOilers]

9 minutes ago, pamo9 said:

I would watch this type offense. If it doesn't work, then move on. Haters be damned.

 

It won't work because Mariota is incapable of executing an offense like this as he's simply too passive and inaccurate.   He's either be taking more sacks or throwing more picks.

 

Add in that in one breath he's talking about stretching the field vertically and then laments not having any receivers with speed or deep threats..... 

 

 

[Righteous]

14 minutes ago, BudAdams said:

 

Mariota is not any different in his flaws than he was under prior coaches.  The difference?  Teams, aside from Atlanta apparently, defend him with multiple looks and a spy.  Add in his waning confidence that makes him reluctant to make open/available throws for fear of failure.

 

More importantly, Blake is wrong because no OC is going to run a wide open pass first offense with a QB who is as erratic as Mariota from play to play.  His plan to let MM run around and make plays??  Since when?  You know what would happen?  Tons of sacks, interceptions, and an inevitable injury.

Trusting that the coaches on Vrabel staff knows what’s best is unwarranted.  Putting your best players on the field at the same time is an option to what we’ve done.  What is wrong with an alternative opinion?

[freakingeek]

We aren't executing the simplest of plays. Screen passes. short slants and such are the plays that move the chains. Teams have figured out they can stack the box and make Mariota beat them. That cancels Henry's value out. We are seeing this over and over in the fact that we can't execute on third down. We're at the bottom of the league in 3rd down conversions and top in the league for 3 and outs. The talent is there.  The coaching staff should be getting roasted but Mariota is taking the brunt of the criticisms.(not that it isn't well deserved.) We have talent on the Oline. Either the schemes suck or that talent is being misused or both. That's on the staff and ultimately Vrabel. Until we get those issues fixed, another QB is going to face the same situation.

[BudsOilers]

I've seen bad QB's try to run a spread offense.  The 1994 Oilers.  It requires a good QB.  Mariota isn't a good QB.

[IsntLifeFunny]

3 minutes ago, BudAdams said:

 

It won't work because Mariota is incapable of executing an offense like this as he's simply too passive and inaccurate.   He's either be taking more sacks or throwing more picks.

 

Add in that in one breath he's talking about stretching the field vertically and then laments not having any receivers with speed or deep threats..... 

 

 

Regardless if it’s true this is beside the point. We have scored 7 points in ten quarters. Open up the damn offense already. If we still suck then we still suck, but what we’ve been running obviously not working. 

[IsntLifeFunny]

2 minutes ago, BudAdams said:

I've seen bad QB's try to run a spread offense.  The 1994 Oilers.  It requires a good QB.  Mariota isn't a good QB.

Neither is Tannehill.  Neither is going to do well with the scheme as it is currently designed. 

[TerryBoats]

Why are Tannehill's bad throws mentioned along with Mariota' s?  He threw 3 incomplete passes, one basically just a desperation throw on 4th down.

[TitanDuckFan]

23 minutes ago, IsntLifeFunny said:

Regardless if it’s true this is beside the point. We have scored 7 points in ten quarters. Open up the damn offense already. If we still suck then we still suck, but what we’ve been running obviously not working. 

Robiskie 2.0

[OzTitan]

Literally everything bad he said about RT applies to MM two fold.

[Dinx81]

17 minutes ago, OzTitan said:

Literally everything bad he said about RT applies to MM two fold.

I was going to ask if he got his descriptions mixed up