The Tennessee Titans had so much hope and optimism around them during the offseason. Bringing in a new head coach and defensive coordinator and adding players through free agency and the draft created an aura of hope. The vibe coming out of the locker room suggested that the players are all on the same page, everyone has the same goals and is ready to give it their all.
At the start of their season opener, the optimism began to look real. And then came the second half implosion. Head coach Brian Callahan has to make meaningful adjustments during the game, and the offensive line has to protect Will Levis, which it did not do well on Sunday.
https://twitter.com/eastonfreeze/status/1834241263568130527
With the Titans’ pass protection ranking at the bottom of the league, it’s no wonder they didn’t put up any points in the second half of Sunday’s game.
But it’s not all bad news; the Titans were among nine teams with positive play calling on both sides of the ball.
https://twitter.com/PattonAnalytics/status/1833946153915683100
The Titans’ play-callers actually ranked 4th on Sunday, which is a head-scratcher because the Titans’ offense had three turnovers and allowed three sacks. Now, the offensive play calling wasn’t as good as the defensive play calling, which is in line with how the team played, but the offense having anything positive has to be credited to first-half play.
These two tidbits of information tell very different stories about the same football game. The one thing Titans fans can take from all of this is not to give up hope yet. There are positive things happening, and they’ve only had one game.
The Titans have their work cut out for them this Sunday against the New York Jets. If they can correct the mistakes they made against the Chicago Bears and improve their pass protection, they may be on their way to a winning season.