The NFL is back, and Sportsnet is breaking down everything you need to know about each of the 32 teams in the month leading up to kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 7. Today, the Tennessee Titans.
Head coach: Mike Mularkey
Last season’s record: 9-7
Playoff result: Failed to reach the post-season
Key free agent gains: Blessed with one of the league’s top rushing attacks and a formidable offensive line, talented and emerging young star quarterback Marcus Mariota and a front seven on defence that might be the envy of the entire league, Tennessee just needed to figure out a way to get Mariota more receiving weapons and to shore up its ineffective secondary.
With the free agent editions of Eric Decker and Logan Ryan, the Titans did just that.
A shoulder injury derailed his 2016 campaign, but prior to that Decker had been a strong possession receiver with the New York Jets and Denver Broncos, and is particularly dangerous in the red zone, something that Mariota and his astounding 33 red-zone touchdowns with no picks is going to love.
Eric Decker beats the hold and makes the one handed grab (via @titans) pic.twitter.com/xQrnvfZ7K5
— Fanatics View (@thefanaticsview) August 18, 2017
Ryan, on the other hand, comes to the Titans from New England. He was a solid starting corner for the Super Bowl champs, racking up 92 tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions last season.
Key free agent losses: Due to how poor their secondary was last season the Titans let five defensive backs walk, including longtime cornerback Jason McCourty.
Additionally, Tennessee also allowed veteran receiver Kendall Wright to walk. They did so partically because he said he wanted out at the end of last season, but also because he just wasn’t all that effective working with Mariota, particularly after Rishard Matthews emerged as the quarterback’s favourite target.
[relatedlinks]
Key draft picks: The Titans got quite a bit of work done to strengthen their weaknesses in free agency, but that was more like finishing touches to a draft that began the entire process.
Armed with two first-round selections, Tennessee got to work immediately, drafting Western Michigan receiver Corey Davis and USC corner Adoree’ Jackson. Then, with two picks in the third round, they selected another receiver, Western Kentucky’s Taywan Taylor and Florida International tight end Jonnu Smith.
https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/892903200529027072
What does this all mean? For one, the Titans, essentially, drafted their entire receiving corps of the future as Davis, should the hamstring injury he’s dealing with heal in time, figures to fit in as a starter immediately besides Matthews, and Taylor and Smith can be immediate backups to veterans Decker and Delanie Walker.
Then on defence, the addition of the ball-hawking, sure-tackling Jackson, combined with the free-agent pickup of Ryan, gives the Titans two quality starting cornerbacks with Pro Bowl-level talent on Week 1.
Some damn fine work by Titans GM Jon Robinson.
X-factor: Tennessee was the third-best rushing team in the league last year thanks to their stout offensive line and DeMarco Murray’s 1,287 yards accrued on the ground.
By now, everyone knows the run game is the Titans’ identity and teams will load up to try to stop Murray, specifically. But what about No. 2 back Derrick Henry? The sophomore from Alabama is even more physical than Murray and figures to get an increased workload over the 110 attempts he got as a rookie.
If he’s able to take that next step this coming season, the Titans will have one hell of a one-two rushing punch and an offence that could be unstoppable at times.
2017 will be a success if: Mariota stays healthy.
That’s it, really. The Titans look to have all the puzzle pieces in place to be a strong playoff contender. But that’s only if Mariota can stay on the field.
He’s played only two seasons, but the 23-year-old has yet to play a full 16 games after an MCL sprain ended his rookie campaign four games early and then a heartbreaking fibula fracture on Christmas Eve in 2016 knocked him out just before a Week 17 game with the Texans that ended up determining the division winner.
