Game Thread: Week 8 Titans @ Colts

[Dinx81]

10 minutes ago, TheChosenTitan said:

Edited October 27, 2025 by Dinx81

[TF_Titan]

7 minutes ago, AussieTitanFan08 said:

 

Ward wasn't under constant assault today like he has been in other games this year.

 

It was still pretty bad until garbage time. There was a stark difference between the conditions Jones was playing under vs Ward. The Titans can't run the ball and they can't pass protect...and there defense gives up a ton of points. That's a nightmare scenario for any QB. Even when he has a "clean" pocket it usually looks like he's standing in a phone booth it's so compressed.

[OilerTitanHybrid]

4 minutes ago, TheChosenTitan said:

 

lol GMFB should now add cowardly punts on top of angry runs.

[rns90]

20 minutes ago, scine09 said:

It seemed like aside from that one play by Cushenberry that the pass blocking was okay?

They looked ok to me.  Definitely better than the Vegas game.

[scine09]

2 minutes ago, TF_Titan said:

 

It was still pretty bad until garbage time. There was a stark difference between the conditions Jones was playing under vs Ward. The Titans can't run the ball and they can't pass protect...and there defense gives up a ton of points. That's a nightmare scenario for any QB. Even when he has a "clean" pocket it usually looks like he's standing in a phone booth it's so compressed.

It wasn't just the time to throw.  Jones's receivers made great/contested catch after great/contested catch.  Ward's receivers just don't do that.  Eeven Helm, whom everyone says has great hands, dropped what should have been a touchdown.  Was it a layup?  No, but it still should've been caught.  Ayomanor dropped two passes and slowed on a third.  Jones didn't even play that well but aside from one play his receivers caught everything, even if the throw wasn't good.

Edited October 27, 2025 by scine09

[scine09]

3 minutes ago, rns90 said:

They looked ok to me.  Definitely better than the Vegas game.

It's sad that in losing by 24 points this can even be said but I thought overall it might have been the team's best game.  It certainly was on offense.

Edited October 27, 2025 by scine09

[Mythos27]

Just now, scine09 said:

It wasn't just the time to throw.  Jones's receivers hade great/contested catch after great/contested catch.  Ward's receivers just don't do that.  Eeven Helm, whom everyone says has great hands, dropped what should have been a touchdown.  Was it a layup?  No, but it still should've been caught.  Ayomanor dropped two passes and slowed on a third.  Jones didn't even play that well but aside from one play his receivers caught everything, even if the throw wasn't good.

It really is this simple; when the receivers catch the ball, the offense looks good. When the receivers drop the ball, the offense looks bad. 

[rns90]

1 minute ago, scine09 said:

It's sad that losing by 24 points this can even be said but I thought overall it might have been the team's best game.  It certainly was on offense.

They looked functional .  But they do need to replace Pollard , he’s got very little burst now.

[scine09]

8 minutes ago, rns90 said:

They looked functional .  But they do need to replace Pollard , he’s got very little burst now.

I don't know if it's him or the run blocking.  Something is off, though.  The run game all year has been MIA.  That's a big deal when your rookie QB has to constantly be in 3rd and long with a suspect OL and receivers who aren't getting open quickly enough.

Edited October 27, 2025 by scine09

[TF_Titan]

3 minutes ago, Mythos27 said:

It really is this simple; when the receivers catch the ball, the offense looks good. When the receivers drop the ball, the offense looks bad. 

 

Not quite that simple. If your OLine blows none of the other stuff matters.

[rns90]

Just now, scine09 said:

I don't know if it's him or the run blocking.  Something is off, though.  THe run game all year has been MIA.  That's a big deal when your rookie QB has to constantly be in 3rd and long with a suspect OL and receivers who aren't getting open quickly enough.

I think it’s him.  Spears just looks like the better RB and they both get the same OL that start the game.

[tgo]

11 minutes ago, IrishTitansFan said:

The OL has been fine for most of the year

Yep - With a few exceptions of course. 
 

I think the only OL position that needs to change for 2026 is RG with how old Zeitler is—my hope is that he is replaced with Wyatt Teller. 

[AussieTitanFan08]

9 minutes ago, TF_Titan said:

 

It was still pretty bad until garbage time. There was a stark difference between the conditions Jones was playing under vs Ward. The Titans can't run the ball and they can't pass protect...and there defense gives up a ton of points. That's a nightmare scenario for any QB. Even when he has a "clean" pocket it usually looks like he's standing in a phone booth it's so compressed.

 

There was a couple of individual straight up quick losses by Cushenberry and Moore but in totality it wasn't horrific display by the OL.

[AussieTitanFan08]

Just now, tgo said:

Yep - With a few exceptions of course. 
 

I think the only OL position that needs to change for 2026 is RG with how old Zeitler is—my hope is that he is replaced with Wyatt Teller. 

 

Probably less chance of that happening now Bill Callahan is gone.

[tgo]

Personnel wise, the OL is the Titans best position group other than DL going forward. Pretty much everything else needs to be drastically upgraded with a couple exceptions.