Tennessee Titans First Quarter Report Card

If you would have told a Tennessee Titan fan in the offseason that their team would start 0-4, you would have got laughed out of the building.

The Titans are the ones getting laughed at after a 0-4 start including divisional losses to the Texans and Jaguars.  0-6 doesn't look that farfetched right now with their next two games against the Colts and Patriots.

Here is my positional analysis after four games:

Quarterback

It seems like 2006 all over again.  The Titans start 0-3 with Kerry Collins and everyone is chanting for Vince Young.  In 2006, the fans got their wish and Young led the Titans to an 8-8 record.  This year, Fisher is sticking with Collins, at least for the first five weeks. 

In 2009, Kerry is just not getting the job done.  He has a 68.9 QB rating compared to last year's 80.2.  He is currently ranked the twenty-eighth best, or you could just say the sixth worst, in the league.

He has six interceptions through four games compared to last year's seven for the entire year.  Those six interceptions are tied for second most in the league.

Kerry's completion percentage is also pretty bad at 56.9.  You know there is a problem with a quarterback's accuracy when he closes out a game with thirteen straight incompletions (see New York Jets).

Collins has said the term "game manager" offends him, but being called that this year would be a step up from the team scape goat.

Grade: D

Backfield

Chris Johnson has been the one bright spot this year for the Titans.  He is leading the NFL in rushing yards while doing it with an impressive 6.3 yards per carry average.  If this team was winning he would be an MVP contender.

At this point, I can't really judge Lendale White.  He has only carried the ball twenty-three times all year.  The majority of White's carries last year came in the red zone; along with when the Titans had a lead and were trying to grind the clock.  Compared with last year, red zone visits have come not nearly as often, and 0-4 teams don't get to run the clock.

I would give this group an "A", but you win as a team, and you lose as a team, and the Titans are winless.

Grade: B+

Receivers

Even though the Titans receivers haven't been amazing this year, I have been very impressed with the improvement from last season. 

The additions of Kenny Britt and Nate Washington look like great decisions.  As just a rookie, Britt leads the team in receiving by over 110 yards.  Nate Washington has caught a touchdown in three straight games.

Justin Gage and Alge Crumpler's production has been solid as well.

The problem is there have been some questionable drops at crucial times this season.  The one skill a receiver can never be too good at is catching.

Grade: B-

Offensive Line

I'm not sure what think about the offensive line. 

Last season it seemed like they dominated.  It doesn't seem like they are getting a consistent push this year.  Yes, Chris Johnson leads the league in rushing, but it is primarily because of his ability to break off big gains with his world-class speed.  Instead of moving four yards down the field at a time, running plays are often stopped for one and two yards making it difficult to convert from second and third and long.

The line has been solid in pass protection only allowing five sacks.  Of course, that could just be Kerry Collins throwing the ball away.  If he was throwing the ball away often, that would contribute to his poor throwing percentage.

That's what happens when a team starts losing; people start pointing fingers in ninety-two different directions.  Speaking of number ninety-two...

Grade: B-

Defensive Line

No one in the world can convince me that Albert Haynsworth was not the most dominant defensive player in the entire league over the last two years.  There is no stat for blowing up double teams, but if there was, Fat Albert would lead the NFL by a large margin.  The effect his absence has had on this team is just mind-boggling. 

Just looking at how the Titans stop the run doesn't give you the big picture.  The Titans are second in the league for fewest yards per rushing attempt with 2.8 yards a carry.  Looks like the Titans are a dominant defense again this year, not even close.

A blind man could see the scar left from when Haynsworth's pass-rushing abilities were cut from the defense's four-man rush.  The defensive line has eight sacks this year, but four were against the Steelers so those don't even count.  Eight sacks sounds alright, but the line doesn't give nearly enough pressure when they don't reach the quarterback.

Fifteen passes of at least twenty yards have been completed against the Titans along with three passes that went for forty plus.  Short completions are the secondary and linebackers fault.  Deep completions are the defensive line's fault. 

I don't care if you have a secondary made up of Deion Sanders, Mel Blount, Ronnie Lott, and Ken Houston, if a quarterback has all day to throw, someone's going to get open.

Grade: C

Linebackers

In a 4-3 defense, linebackers have a good majority of the run stopping responsibility.  That's why the Titans backers should get a lot of the credit for those 2.8 yards per carry average. 

Stephen Tulloch has emerged as a very solid middle linebacker in his fourth NFL season and is eleventh in the league in tackles. He has consistently made plays for this defense.

The overall speed of the line backing core is pretty good.  They are under-utilized by the defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil when it comes to blitzing.  It seems like the coaches are content with rushing four, but obviously that strategy has been getting blown up. 

Most of the Titans sacks have come off of blitzes in the first place.  In my opinion, they need to start blitzing if they want to be even considered a threat this season.

Again, it doesn't matter how good the players are in coverage if the quarterback can stand in the pocket like a seven-on-seven passing scrimmage.  The offense will win every single time.

Grade: B

Secondary

There is no nice way to say it.  The Titans secondary has been absolutely owned by opposing quarterbacks this year.  The average quarterback rating against the Titans is 107.1.  The Titans are tied for last in the league for total passing yards given up.

The disappointing part is that the secondary isn't getting dominated because of lack of talent.  Three Pro Bowlers can back that up.  They are getting beat because of blown coverage's and miscommunications. 

Again, the fact that the defense line hasn't been able to apply pressure doesn't help either. 

The secondary is very young, but someone really needs to step up and emphasize on-field focus.

Grade: D+

Kickers

Rob Bironas was scrutinized for his game against the Steelers when he missed two field goals, but I don't think much stock should be put into that performance.  He has gone four for four since then. 

The Titans have gone for it on fourth down multiple times this year in spots that are in Bironas's range. 

I don't know why, maybe Bironas has lost some leg, but I think he should be used more than he has been.

Craig Hentrich is third in the league in net punt average, but he is now on the injured reserve list.  Reggie Hodges hasn't done nearly as well.  His net punt average is 32.1 compared to Hentrich's 44.1.

Grade: C+

Returners

Tennessee returners have been an absolute joke this season.  Titan returners have the ball five times this year; four of which were fumbled by third round pick Ryan Mouton.  Muffed punts cost the Titans the Jets game.

It's not like any of the returners have done anything when they didn't fumble it either.

All I'm saying is, the Titans better make drafting Florida's all-world return specialist Brandon James a priority come draft day next April.

Grade: F

Jeff Fisher is known as a coach who is great at taking a team farther than it should go talent wise.  Either that theory is a bunch of nonsense, or the Titans didn't deserve the hype they received coming into the 2009 campaign.