The Week 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was more of the same for the Tennessee Titans’ offense: the offensive line was overmatched and that led to no semblance of a passing or rushing attack.
More importantly, quarterback Will Levis was constantly getting hit, with the Bucs tallying four sacks, 13 QB hits and 21 pressures overall.
The Titans were missing two starters in Nicholas Petit-Frere and Daniel Brunskill, the latter of whom has been one of the team’s best offensive linemen this season.
Tennessee replaced NPF with Andre Dillard and Brunskill with Dillon Radunz, but Radunz ended up moving to left tackle after Dillard exited early, which paved the way for Andrew Rupcich to get some action at right guard.
Titans fans (myself included) have been yearning for Radunz to get a shot on the left side, but things didn’t go the way anyone had hoped they would, with the North Dakota State product playing poorly en route to a team-high seven pressures and one sack allowed.
Bwahahahaha. Watch #75 at LT. That’s just sad. He did nothing and fell down. #titans pic.twitter.com/6cXTp8flUT
— Big Joe (@BIGJOEONTHEGO) November 12, 2023
On Monday, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel rightly said Radunz’s showing was not up to snuff and hinted the team could take a look at other players there, including rookie Jaelyn Duncan.
“Dillon (Radunz) finished the game (and left tackle), and Dillon admittedly wasn’t up to the standard that we need,” Vrabel said, per Jim Wyatt. “He’s played some good snaps for us. Jaelyn Duncan is available to potentially play, or compete for an opportunity, and a couple of guys on the practice squad.”
The one positive to take away from Levis performance was that he wasn’t afraid to stand in the pocket and continue to try and make plays despite everything going on around him.
Vrabel credited the rookie signal-caller’s toughness, although he says the Titans are challenging that too much with poor pass protection.
“We believe in Will’s toughness and we also believe we don’t need to challenge it as much as we have,” Vrabel said, while also pointing out the obvious that Tennessee has to “continue to protect him, and develop him, and have him help us.”
The chances of the Titans fixing their pass protection issues with the players they currently have are slim and none, but Vrabel remains optimistic that Tennessee will turn things around.
“I’m very confident,” Vrabel said, per Paul Kuharsky. “That’s what our job is here. We’re here to fix problems and none of us have been good enough at any position, at any level. That’s our job, that’s what I’m going to do and I know that’s what our team is going to do. We’ll give ourselves a chance, we’ll get a plan together and get back to work.”
Mike Vrabel on confidence he’s got players and coaches to fix OL/ protection. #Titans pic.twitter.com/XjkQaA6EaC
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) November 13, 2023
While I appreciate Vrabel’s optimism, there is no way the pass protection will get fixed in 2023, barring a miracle turnaround. The Titans DO NOT have the players on the current roster to fix their woes, with the possible exception of Peter Skoronski at left tackle.
It’s going to take a successful 2024 offseason to fix all of their issues. Until then, the concern is that this awful offensive line is going to get the Titans’ young quarterback hurt and/or stunt his development.
It would be a major victory if Levis can continue to show improvement and finish the year in one piece.
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