Tennessee Titans: Important Observations Following the Early Bye Week

A handful of defensive collapses have the Tennessee Titans at 1-2, instead of having a comfortable division lead at 3-0.

The good news is that the Titans are playing in a division that's just not very good right now. You could argue that the AFC South is one of the worst divisions in the NFL, and it would be difficult to debate otherwise.

The Colts are still the team to beat in the division, basically by default. They're not the same formidable Colts team that we may have originally thought they were. 

Having a bye week this early in the season is not ideal, but the Titans will have a chance to get some key players fully healthy.

Here is a rundown of some important observations following the bye week, with a feisty Buffalo Bills defense up next on the schedule at Nissan Stadium.

Turn "Moral Victories" into Wins

The Titans are currently 3-0 if you want to include moral victories. They fought their tails off to climb back into the Browns game in a tough road environment. They would beat the Browns three out of every four times they would meet on a neutral field.

The more perplexing game was the late collapse against the Colts. Andrew Luck proved once again how savvy he can be late in the game and why he's the future of the position. It still remains to be determined if the Titans are actually the better team, but they were the better team for three quarters in that game.

Both of those games displayed a better Titans team than what we've seen the last few years. The result of win or loss doesn't always tell the complete story. These things are all fixable and hopefully were addressed during the bye week.

Ken Whisenhunt commented on the current state of the team, via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com:

"

Whiz: Really didn't know what kind of team we were going to be. Now feel certain that, with adjustments, we can be a good team. #Titans

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) October 5, 2015"

With that being said, the Titans have to start producing some wins for the standings. It's still very early in the season, and they don't want to continue this trend and let the season become a waste.

It's vital that this season keeps its relevancy well into November and December. The last thing you want is the Titans playing meaningless games halfway through November, which has been customary in recent times.

The Titans get the Bills fresh off their bye week. As stingy as their defense is, their offense is nothing to be terrified of. They have another inexperienced quarterback with Tyrod Taylor, and Jason McCourty will return from injury to lead the Titans secondary.

The Bills just got done laying an egg against the New York Giants.

This game is another winnable game, and the Titans need this win desperately as they play Game 2 of this four-game homestand.

Pass Protection Has to Improve 

I'm absolutely shocked as to how well Marcus Mariota has managed his first three games despite having mediocre pass protection.

Player	Team	Sacked
Alex Smith	Chiefs	18
Colin Kaepernick	49ers	14
Teddy Bridgewater	Vikings	13
Marcus Mariota	Titans	12

The Titans have been working on the offensive line for many years, but the results you want to see haven't been there in 2015. 

Mariota's accuracy will be even more impressive if he starts getting consistent pass protection to pick apart these zone coverages that many defenses like to use. He thrives off of that, but the time for him to move through his progressions has to be there.

You also can't like Mariota's chances of avoiding injury if he continues to get banged on for 13-straight weeks. The last thing this organization needs is to be forced to turn to Zach Mettenberger, who will most likely not be in a Titans uniform next season. 

Protection has to improve against the Bills, and they'll get a stiff test against Rex Ryan's defense. 

Whisenhunt commented on what the Bills defense will present to Mariota, per Titans beat writer Terry McCormick:

"

Whiz on Mariota facing #Bills: He faced pressure against Cleveland. This will be a unique challenge because Buffalo gives you so many looks.

— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) October 5, 2015"

Better protection for Mariota will turn these tough losses into wins.

Dorial Green-Beckham's Role Needs to Expand

It was fairly surprising that the Titans only took four wide receivers to the regular season, and instead chose to take five tight ends.

This move has been moderately successful, but it's time for Dorial Green-Beckham to start getting more targets in the passing game. He's a rare talent that the Titans haven't had at receiver in a very long time.

A big question surrounding the drafting of Green-Beckham was how long would it take for him to transition to the NFL? It usually takes longer for receivers to transition to the NFL than it does at other positions. He seems to be ahead of schedule with limited opportunities.

Green-Beckham has just five targets this season, but two of those have been converted to touchdowns in the red zone.

The offense needs to find ways to get Green-Beckham more involved as a possession receiver to convert manageable third downs, and not just look his way inside the 20-yard line. 

A No. 1 Running Back Needs to Emerge

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with using a committee of running backs in today's NFL. However, the Titans have taken their committee a little overboard. 

A different player has led the team in carries in each of the three games this season.

It appears that Antonio Andrews has the best chance to take control of the rushing attack. He got 12 carries in his season debut against the Colts, and he averaged over four yards per carry. His versatility should be very valuable to this offense. 

Terrance West has essentially played his way out of the lineup with two early fumbles, and Bishop Sankey's role is a tossup from week to week. 

I'm still unsure of Dexter McCluster's role in the offense. It's virtually impossible to predict what his impact will be each week. 

Even fullback Jalston Fowler is getting some looks in short-yardage situations. 

The unpredictability of the Titans' rushing attack is a good thing, but there needs to be a lead back established coming out of the bye week. They can always ride the hot hand if one of these guys emerged during a particular game.

Keep Designed Runs for Mariota at a Minimum

It's understandable to want to see Mariota run the ball more. He's a great athlete, and electrifying quarterback scrambles always get the energy up. 

However, you have to realize that this is the perhaps the biggest investment the Titans have ever made since coming to Nashville. Mariota's career is in its infancy, and you can't put him in any more harm's way that he already has to be in with a questionable offensive line. 

This isn't to say that Mariota shouldn't ever run the ball. It's an important tool in his skill set, but these designed runs need to be kept to a minimum. This isn't college football, where quarterbacks can get away with running the ball several times per game. It just doesn't translate well to the NFL, where you have linebackers that are freakish athletes.

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

Most importantly, Mariota is good enough to not have to rely on his legs. Just think of Aaron Rodgers, who only runs when absolutely necessary. Mariota needs to be that type of running quarterback. 

The Titans have done a decent job with managing Mariota's running abilities early on. They should stay the course, and only rush him when it really makes sense. 

This franchise can't afford to watch another franchise quarterback go through a long string of injuries and missed games.