Tag: Dean Pees

Titans HC Mike Vrabel seeking continuity at defensive coordinator

This could mean a number of different things.

We heard all about continuity last offseason when the Tennessee Titans promoted then-tight ends coach Arthur Smith to offensive coordinator.

Now, with the departure of Dean Pees in 2020, the Titans will aim for the same sense of continuity as they decide what to do about the current vacancy at defensive coordinator.

Head coach Mike Vrabel touched on that a bit on Thursday.

“I would say to bring in a guy who hasn’t been in our system and done what we have done in Houston or here isn’t what I want to do,” he said in a report by the team’s Jim Wyatt. “So whoever calls the defense, we are going to do pretty much what we have done. We are going to continue to add and enhance things, but to me that is not a big deal. I want guys that are loyal, that are great teachers and good developers.”

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This could mean a number of different things.

For one, the idea of Vrabel coaching the defense himself is far from out of the picture.

“The general feeling within the Titans facility is that Mike Vrabel isn’t likely to name a DC,” ESPN’s Turron Davenport said earlier this week. “Expect Coach Vrabel to have a larger role with the defense.”

The Titans could also promote from within, making outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen the team’s new defensive coordinator.

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Tennessee could also seek an outside candidate who has some sort of connection or experience with Vrabel who would settle in quickly and keep things moving in the direction they have been.

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What if Mike Vrabel doesn’t name a defensive coordinator?

ESPN’s Turron Davenport reported on Wednesday that we should expect the head coach to have a heavy hand in the defense in the upcoming season.

The Tennessee Titans are in the market for an inside linebackers coach after the departure of Tyrone McKenzie and a defensive coordinator after the retirement of Dean Pees.

But for the latter, are they actually?

Apparently, there’s a chance that coach Mike Vrabel could take control of the defense himself and serve as Pees’ replacement as opposed to naming a new coach the former defensive coordinator.

ESPN’s Turron Davenport reported on Wednesday that we should expect the head coach to have a heavy hand in the defense in the upcoming season.

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This makes sense, considering the Titans haven’t been officially linked to any serious outside candidates.

While a move like this could generate some mixed emotions, Vrabel is a great defensive mind and more than capable of assuming this role.

His former team, the New England Patriots, had success without a defensive coordinator last season.

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Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick, called the defense during games while serving as the team’s defensive backs coach.

It likely wouldn’t be the exact same situation in Tennessee, given the differences in how the two coaching staffs do things and the fact that Vrabel could very well be the one calling the plays for the defense on game day.

Vrabel obviously has experience coaching a defense with the Houston Texans, and while that season didn’t go particularly well for the team, there were a number of other factors that went into the Texans’ lack of success.

But things could be different this time around, and it will be interesting to see how the situation shakes out ahead of the 2020 NFL season.

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Former Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees retiring, again

Former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees calls it quits after the Titans were eliminated from the playoffs but will it stick?

Former Baltimore Ravens and current Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees announced his retirement Monday, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. The move comes just a day after Pees’ defense allowed over 400 total yards and 35 points to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense in the AFC Championship Game.

If this story sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Pees retired from the Ravens last offseason after Baltimore was eliminated from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Chargers, saying he was looking forward to more time with his family. Except, Pees quickly unretired to join the Titans less than a month later, leading some to believe it was in an effort to avoid being fired.

Pees did get a jab in at the Ravens’ expense before calling it quits, however. Tennessee beat Baltimore in the AFC’s divisional round, eliminating his former team in their first game in the playoffs by shutting down quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ league-leading rushing attack. He also got to do the same to the New England Patriots in the wild-card round, where he was the defensive coordinator for four seasons.

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Titans DC Dean Pees officially announces retirement

Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees officially announced his retirement on Monday afternoon after 47 years of coaching.

Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees officially announced his retirement on Monday afternoon after 47 years of coaching.

“It’s for real this time,” he said. “If I wanted to continue coaching, it would be here.”

He spent two seasons of his career in Nashville, and the Titans will now be left to seek a replacement option at the position.

The Titans finished 21st in the NFL in defense under Pees in 2019, but 12th overall in points allowed.

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Before joining Tennessee’s staff, Pees also worked under highly regarded names like Lou Holtz, Nick Saban, John Harbaugh and Bill Belichick.

Prior to the NFL, Pees coached college football for 25 years, 21 of which were at head coach or as a coordinator.

Pees’ decision comes after a historical Titans season that came to and end after a 35-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Titans also lost secondary coach Kerry Coombs this week, and will look to fill his vacancy this offseason as well.

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Can the Ravens’ defense stop the Titans’ offense?

A look at how the Tennessee Titans offense will match up against the Baltimore Ravens in this weekend’s NFL divisional-round playoff game.

The Tennessee Titans finished the 2019 regular season as one of the hottest offenses in the NFL. They managed to pile up the yards and the points despite an old-school offensive mentality. First-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has done a tremendous job featuring Derrick Henry while also getting production out of rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Keeping the Titans quiet will not be an easy task for Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale and his players this weekend. Let’s break down the Titans’ passing and rushing attacks against the Ravens’ defense to see who has the edge in this game.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Titans’ rushing offense vs. Ravens’ rushing defense:

Like the Ravens, the foundation of the Titans’ offense is the running game. They have the league’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry, who finished the regular season with 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns on his 303 rushing attempts. To put an exclamation point on the regular season Henry gained 182 rushing yards on the New England Patriots in the wild-card round to propel Tennessee to victory. Thanks to Henry’s deeds, the Titans averaged 138.9 yards on the ground per game which trailed only the Ravens and San Francisco 49ers in 2019.

At first glance, one would assume that this is a matchup that the Ravens have well in hand despite Henry’s dominance. The Ravens allowed the 5th-fewest rushing yards per game this season. However when we look closer we discover that the Ravens saw the second-fewest running back rush attempts in the regular season (296), thanks no doubt to their opponents being forced to abandon the run and play catchup. Opposing rushers averaged a not too shabby 4.4 yards per attempt against Baltimore, the 12th highest average in the regular season.

Rushing edge: Titans

If the Titans are able to keep Lamar Jackson and company in check and slow the Ravens’ offense down, Henry could be a huge thorn in the side of the Ravens defense. But it’s a very big if.

Rushing / Passing / Overall

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Ravens vs. Titans: Defensive scouting report

A closer look at how the Ravens rushing and passing attacks match up with the Titans’ defensive units an where the Ravens can win

The Baltimore Ravens’ offense has been prolific this season, breaking franchise and NFL records seemingly every week. Led by quarterback Lamar Jackson and a unique scheme designed by offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Baltimore has been on a roll this season.

The Tennessee Titans will be looking for their second upset of the postseason after taking down the New England Patriots last week. Led by former Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees, the Titans will try to craft the answer to Jackson and Baltimore’s league-leading scoring offense.

Let’s break down the Ravens’ passing and rushing attack against the Titans’ defense to see who has the edge in this game.

Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images

Ravens’ rushing offense vs. Titans’ rushing defense:

The Ravens won their last 12 games thanks to their record-breaking rushing attack so we can expect them to lean heavily on this phase of the game against the Titans. But Tennessee is no slouch when defending the run and will likely be focusing on this aspect as their main key to the game.

Thanks to quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Mark Ingram (and let’s not forget Gus Edwards), the Ravens averaged a league-leading 206 rushing yards per game in 2019, while featuring two 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in franchise history. Baltimore’s rushing attack is well balanced using Ingram and Edwards inside to bludgeon defenses while pushing Jackson and running back Justice Hill to the outside as the speed options. When combined with the misdirection of their RPO scheme and one of the best offensive lines in the league, they’ve been able to grind down even the best rush defenses seemingly at will.

Tennessee will be trying to become the first defense to create an answer to the equation. And by allowing just 104.5 rushing yards per game — the 12th lowest mark in the NFL this season — they shouldn’t be a cakewalk to run against. However, as we’ve seen several times this season against the top run defenses in the NFL, those stats can be misleading. The Titans haven’t gone up against as diverse a rushing attack as the Ravens employ and they’ll be tested outside, especially with the injury to linebacker Jayon Brown.

Baltimore enjoyed a great deal of success when rushing outside of the tackle box, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt to the left and 6.2 to the right. This is an area that the Titans showed some vulnerability, particularly to the left.

Behind an offensive line led by the likes of Marshal Yanda, the Ravens should be able to move the ball on the ground against the Titans.

Rushing edge: Ravens

Rushing / Passing / Overall

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Ravens to host Titans in AFC divisional round

The Baltimore Ravens will take on the only AFC playoff team they didn’t already see in the regular season when they host the Tennessee Titans

The Baltimore Ravens will take on the only playoff team they didn’t face in the regular season. The Ravens will host the sixth-seeded Tennessee Titans on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 8:15 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Titans handled the New England Patriots, using their powerful rushing attack and capable defense to win 20-13. Running back Derrick Henry was let loose, gaining 182 rushing yards and a touchdown on 34 carries while quarterback Ryan Tannehill 72 passing yards, one passing touchdown and one interception did just enough to balance out the offense and keep New England honest.

While Tennessee came into the playoffs as the sixth and final seed, there was plenty of reason to believe they might be one of the more dangerous teams. Not only has Baltimore not played them yet this season, but their tough rushing attack and improved quarterback play after switching from Marcus Mariota to Tannehill had also them surging in the final half of the season.

Though it might not appear that way thanks to just 72 passing yards in a playoff game, Tannehill has actually been one of the best quarterbacks this season. In 10 starts, Tannehill posted 22 passing touchdowns to six interceptions and a passer rating of 117.5 (better than Lamar Jackson’s 113.3 rating).

Their defense, led by former Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees, has been good but not great. However, as we saw in their wild-card game against New England, Tennessee was more than able to create big plays when they need them.

This will be a really tough test for Baltimore but is just one step in their quest to get to Super Bowl LIV.

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Titans DC Dean Pees: Texans have two No. 1 wide receivers

Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees says the Houston Texans have two No. 1 receivers in DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller.

The Houston Texans have a consensus No. 1 receiver in DeAndre Hopkins, but Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees believes there is another on the roster.

According to Pees, Hopkins’ sidekick, Will Fuller, is fully capable of being a top option in an offense, and the Texans have the luxury of giving quarterback Deshaun Watson his choice of No. 1s to throw to.

“Teams will put so much emphasis on 10 (Hopkins), they got some other talent at receivers over there,” Pees told Nashville media Thursday. “But Fuller certainly is — he could be a No. 1 receiver for a lot of teams without 10. If 10 wasn’t there, he’d be a No. 1 receiver. So, they basically got two No. 1s.”

The Titans’ defensive coordinator is complimentary of Houston’s pass-catching duo, particularly the one that isn’t a back-to-back All-Pro. It is unknown if he will see both on Sunday as the 8-5 Titans host the 8-5 Texans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

Hopkins is good to go; Fuller, not so much. The speedy wideout missed Week 14’s loss to the Denver Broncos with a lingering hamstring injury, and was limited in Wednesday’s practice. The former 2016 first-round pick has missed four games on the season.

In nine games, Fuller, a Notre Dame product, has 42 catches for 598 yards and three touchdowns. In four career games against Tennessee, he has 22 receptions for 253 yards and four touchdowns.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien told reporters he doesn’t know if Fuller will play Sunday. Whether or not that is the coach playing it close to the vest or not will be determined when Houston assigns injury designations on Friday afternoon.

Pees reaffirmed that if Fuller plays, it will be an advantage for the Texans.

“It’s big,” said Pees.

If Fuller does play, Pees could come into Sunday with a headache from game-planning for two No. 1 receivers.