Tag: Calvin Ridley

Titans’ Calvin Ridley leading by example after DeAndre Hopkins trade

Titans’ Calvin Ridley put in extra work during the week leading up to the Lions game where he set a new single-game career record in receptions.

The Tennessee Titans are, well, not having a very good 2024 season. After firing Mike Vrabel and bringing in Brian Callahan and Dennard Wilson, plus adding Tyler Boyd and Calvin Ridley to the roster, the Titans hoped they’d have a better season than 2023.

So far, that is not the case. The Titans have put together only a handful of competent offensive drives and the only thing that saved them from blowouts early was the stellar defensive play. Because of how things have gone, the Titans are making player adjustments, trading DeAndre Hopkins and Ernest Jones IV to other teams.

The trade of Hopkins not only seemed to simplify the offense for Mason Rudolph last week, but it also made Calvin Ridley double-down on his workouts knowing he needed to be the top producer with Hopkins gone. That mindset led him to extra workouts ahead of their matchup with the Detroit Lions.

The result? He set a new single-game career record in receptions (10) and targets (15). Plus, it’s the most by any receiver since AJ Brown was a Titan.

After the frustration and complaints of not enough touches, Ridley did the best thing he could do for himself when Hopkins was traded: put in the work. He didn’t verbalize anything new, didn’t say anything off color or negative, didn’t really react in one way or another. Except to realize that he has to put the receiving corps on his back now that Hopkins is gone.

That is the mark of a good leader. More action, less words. If the rest of the team follows his lead, the Titans might have a better season than anyone thinks possible right now.

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Titans’ Calvin Ridley named to PFF Week 8 Team of the Week

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley was named to the Week 8 Team of the Week by PFF.

Lost in the fallout from Sunday’s Motor City Massacre, the Tennessee Titans (1-6) are quietly preparing for their Week 9 battle with the 2-6 New England Patriots, a game that could have lasting effects on draft positioning. 

All was not lost in the 52-14 debacle against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, as wide receiver Calvin Ridley broke out in a big way in the loss. Most of his 10 receptions for 143 yards came before the game was completely out of reach and he finally looked like the explosive playmaker the Titans were hoping for. 

His performance not only passed the eye test and filled the stat sheet, but he was also one of the best at the position, according to PFF, which named Ridley to its Week 8 Team of the Week. 


For Ridley and the Titans, this was a huge progression in the wake of the team trading away DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs while Ridley was on the shelf battling a foot injury last week. With Ridley stretching the field and making plays, the Titans appeared to have a competent offense until the wheels fell off and Mason Rudolph and the special teams imploded. 

This week against the equally bad Patriots, Ridley will have every chance to stack performances if he is healthy. The only real question is who will be behind center, with Will Levis potentially being back after missing the past two games with a shoulder injury. The Titans’ first official injury report will be released on Wednesday. 

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Titans-Lions Week 8: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The Tennessee Titans lost their Week 8 game against the Detroit Lions. Here are the snap counts on offense, defense and special teams.

The Tennessee Titans hit rock bottom on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field, where they were humiliated by the high-powered Detroit Lions, 52-14.

For the Titans, it was the second consecutive game in which they had the doors blown off them, although this defeat was far more humiliating for the organization than the Week 7 loss to Buffalo.

Most anticipated there would be losing in Tennessee this year, but precious few could have foreseen just how ugly things would get.

Now let’s take a closer look at the snap counts that contributed to the Titans’ Week 8 loss.

Offensive snaps: 76
Defensive snaps: 48
Special teams snaps: 33

Down 38 points in the fourth quarter, head coach Brian Callahan kept most of his starters on the field. That resulted in an injury to wide receiver Calvin Ridley and unnecessarily put other players at risk.

Callahan is normally resistant to rotating but this took it to an entirely different level.

The Titans got lucky given that Ridley’s injury was minor but it could have been a lot worse. There was no reason to continue using the personnel that was on the field, especially since the game had gotten completely out of hand by that point.

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Titans’ Calvin Ridley leaves game vs. Lions with injury

Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley left Sunday’s matchup against the Lions with an injury.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley left Sunday’s matchup with the Detroit Lions with eight minutes left in the game.

The Titans were down 52-14 when he left the game, despite Ridley having the most productive game of the season with 10 receptions for 143 yards. He has not recorded a touchdown, but he was instrumental in moving the ball down the field until he fumbled it away.

Ridley averaged over 14 yards per reception prior to leaving the game, but it simply wasn’t enough to help the Titans overcome the talent of the Lions. The Titans lose 52-14.

Titans OC Nick Holz: ‘We’ve got to be able to adjust’

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz adressed the media one day after the team traded away star WR DeAndre Hopkins.

Thursday is always an entertaining day around the NFL. It’s the day that coordinators typically speak with the media. It was no different today as Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz spoke to the media. 

With this being the first time Holz met with the media since the team traded away WR DeAndre Hopkins, the focus was destined to be on that and the wide receiver position as a whole. While that did happen, with Holz mentioning that the team is “pressing” to get the ball to Calvin Ridley as well as players such as Mason Kinsey and Bryce Oliver potentially seeing increased reps, it was what he said about the defenses they’ve been facing that are truly interesting. 

This is a comment that might not be backed up by fact. Earlier in the week, Next Gen Stats released the nugget that RB Tony Pollard was the only featured running back in the NFL that did not face a stacked box against the Bills. He followed that with this.

Again, this goes against the data about stacked boxes, although the two comments together could explain the reason. If the Titans are using max-protections and limiting the number of receivers in routes, they could be inadvertently torpedoing their rushing attack. 

It is clear the coaching staff has struggled with making adjustments, especially after halftime, and this exchange with the media points to those deficiencies. Not only does this staff have to make better game plans, but they must also be better in-game, and the Titans will continue to have a dismal outlook until that happens. 

Find out if any adjustments have been made on Sunday when likely starter Mason Rudolph leads the Titans against the Detroit Lions in Week 8 action.

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Titans injury report: Calvin Ridley, L’Jarius Sneed remain out

The Tennessee Titans practiced Thursday in preparation for their Week 8 match-up with the Detroit Lions and see two starters sit out.

The Tennessee Titans were back at it Thursday, continuing their preparation for their Week 8 game with the Detroit Lions. 

CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad) and WR Calvin Ridley (foot) missed practice for a second day in a row due to injury, and little information has been given on their status. Newly acquired LB Jerome Baker was in the building Thursday but was given the day off. 

The biggest news on the day centered on LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder) and DT T’Vondre Sweat (hip). Both players were full participants on Wednesday, but limited in the Thursday session. 

DT Jeffery Simmons, DT Keondre Coburn, and RB Julius Chestnut returned as full participants.

The Titans’ Thursday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), OT Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), WR Calvin Ridley (foot), LB Jerome Baker (NIR/rest)

Limited participants: QB Will Levis (shoulder), RB Tyjae Spears (hamstring), LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder), DT T’Vondre Sweat (hip) 

Full participant: LB Cedric Gray (shoulder),  Keondre Coburn (knee), RB Julius Chestnut (calf), Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest)

Titans injury report: Calvin Ridley, L’Jarius Sneed sit out

The Tennessee Titans returned to the practice field Wednesday and released their first injury report for the week.

After a busy day of transactions, the Tennessee Titans returned to the practice field to start preparing for their Week 8 matchup against the Detroit Lions. This provided an opportunity to see where several of the team’s injured players are at.

With QB Will Levis, RB Tyjae Spears, and OT Jaelyn Duncan all mentioned as “week-to-week” heading into the session, it made for an interesting day of preparation. It could help determine who will be available in this tough match-up. 

CB L’Jarius Sneed again did not practice with his quad injury. Sneed missed the Week 7 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, and his status has not been updated. As expected, Duncan did not practice with his hamstring and will likely miss the week. Also not practicing were WR Calvin Ridley (foot) and DT Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest).

Levis (shoulder), Spears (hamstring), DT Keondre Coburn (knee) and RB Julius Chestnut (calf) were all limited participants. It was a great sign for both Coburn and Spears, who missed the last game after not practicing during the previous week. 

LB Cedric Gray (shoulder) and LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder) were both full participants.

The Titans’ Wednesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), OT Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), WR Calvin Ridley (foot), DT Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest)

Limited participants: QB Will Levis (shoulder), RB Tyjae Spears (hamstring), DT Keondre Coburn (knee), RB Julius Chestnut (calf)

Full participant: LB Cedric Gray (shoulder), LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder)

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DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley express frustration following loss to Bills

Tennessee Titans wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley speak out after the teams latest loss.

The tension within the Tennessee Titans locker room continues to rise after they suffered another embarrassing loss at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 action. 

One week after WR Calvin Ridley voiced some frustrations, both he and WR DeAndre Hopkins voiced different layers of frustrations pointed squarely at the coaching staff and the inept passing game. 

For the veteran Hopkins, he was more judicial in his response than the younger Ridley. Coming off a game with one reception for minus two yards, it would be easy to point a finger, but Hopkins took a professional approach.

“I go out there and run what’s called…out of my control” He said, “We go out and do what we’re told”

This is a telling quote without going too deep into the situation and should remind fans that players can only do so much. 

Ridley was not quite as diplomatic. Although he had a better game than in Week 6, he was still frustrated by the lack of production (although some of that was self-inflicted with drops). But, he does hit on a pertinent topic: the Titans’ second half downfall. 

“Right now we haven’t been that good in the second half all season, we just got to try to figure it out,” he said before calling out practice habits “Practice better. I don’t know, get better at practice.”

In watching the Titans in 2024, Ridley hit on one thing that has jumped out that cannot be ignored. The coaching staff does not adjust as the game progresses. Once again, the Titans were outplayed in the second half by the Bills. A trend that has become a recurring theme throughout the season and it is clear that the players are searching for answers. 

The Titans will return to practice on Wednesday as they attempt to get better before their Week 8 battle with the Detroit Lions. After six games in 2024, everyone can see that both coaches and players must get better for the Titans to succeed. Tune in this Sunday to see if they made any progress.

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‘Shorter not longer’ the Titans’ potential approach for Calvin Ridley

The Tennessee Titans have struggled to get WR Calvin Ridley involved in recent weeks, maybe this new approach will help.

The Tennessee Titans’ offense has struggled in the passing game through their first five games. Between poor decision-making and turnovers, QB Will Levis has regressed and shown no signs of development. He’s been bad.

It’s incredibly frustrating for the fans, and the players are also starting to point it out. After his worst game with the Titans, WR Calvin Ridley spoke out on the ineptitude and he may have a point. Deep passes to Ridley have been a disaster, and the risk isn’t worth the reward. 

The nine catches for 141 yards and one touchdown is nowhere near the production the Titans envisioned when they signed him to a four-year, $92 million contract during free agency. But that may not all be on Levis or Ridley. 

To this point in 2024, Ridley has been used to stretch the field vertically with his speed, and in this case the statistics tell the story. Ridley’s has the second-highest depth of target in the league in 2024 according to PFF, averaging 20.3 yards. With his dynamic ability, the idea is great in theory if it works, but it hasn’t and the staff must adjust. 

The Titans’ coaching staff continues to talk about getting Ridley involved, yet they have not changed their approach. With teams across the league taking away the deep ball at a higher rate than ever with their coverage strategies, head coach Brian Callahan and offensive coordinator Nick Holz must find a way to utilize Ridley’s playmaking ability closer to the line of scrimmage. 

Screens, crossing routes and setting up double moves should be the approach with teams prepared to take away the deep ball and it sounds like that will be the way the Titans build their game plan moving forward. 

“We sat down and said, `OK, there’s some screens, some reverses, some quick game, stuff like that,” Holz recently said, “Where number one, it goes to [Ridley], and [the defense] really has to, they have to take it away.”

Titans’ fans hope that this change in philosophy starts this week against Buffalo and Ridley can be the weapon everyone expected. The Titans face the Bills Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. 

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Causes for concern as the Bills face the Titans in Week 7

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Titans in Week 7

The Buffalo Bills will host the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 at Highmark Stadium.

The Bills (4-2) and Titans (1-4) have largely trended in different directions in the first six weeks of the NFL season.

The Bills are favored by nearly double digits (-9.5) but the Titans shouldn’t be taken lightly. Anyone can beat anyone in the NFL. And, the Titans currently have the league’s number one defense. The Titans haven’t had to face a contender on the road so it will be a big test for first-year head coach Brian Callahan.

Still, the Bills need to execute to come away with the win. To improve to 5-2 on the year, they will need to be wary of these three things from the Titans on Sunday:

Interior defensive line

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The Titans’ defensive tackles are nothing to mess with. Jeffery Simmons is a veteran who has caused havoc in the middle of the trenches over his six-year career. And, rookie T’Vondre Sweat is following in his footsteps at 366 pounds.

They are disruptive in the middle, and both have a top-25 PFF defensive grade among NFL interior defensive linemen. Simmons grades as the 23rd-best while Sweat grades as the 19th-best just six weeks into his career. The Bills would be wise to find ways to either combo-block these guys or attempt to avoid them.

Titans running game

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While the Titans’ passing game has struggled to find its rhythm so far in 2024, the running game is averaging over 118 yards per game. With Tyjae Spears ruled out with injury, the backfield will be led by Tony Pollard who has averaged 90.5 rushing yards in his last two outings. On the flip side, the Bills have struggled at defending the run. They give up over 140 yards per game.

When Pollard runs for over 60 yards, the Titans have either lost by one score or won the game. In the one game he was shut down, the Green Bay Packers beat them by 16.

(USAT)

Titans still have playmakers

Despite being ranked second-to-last in the NFL in pass yards per game, the Titans still have excellent skill players. They can make a chunk play at any given moment. Things haven’t connected between quarterback Will Levis and first-year offensive coordinator Nick Holz. If things do click, they have the pieces around Levis to do something.

Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyler Boyd are one of the better receiving trios in the league. Tight end Chig Okonkwo, along with Pollard in the run game, have the talent to make a big play or two. Bills have to be disciplined or these guys can make you pay. That’s if Levis can get the ball to them.

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