After a slow start to the 2019 season, the Tennessee Titans’ offense recovered in a major way en route to emerging as one of the most explosive units in the NFL.
The switch from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill proved to be the catalyst, as the Titans went from averaging just 16.3 points per game in the first six contests to 30.4 in the last 10.
Going into 2020, Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield believes the Titans have the No. 10 offense in the NFL.
Last season the Tennessee Titans made a quarterback switch, replacing Marcus Mariota with Ryan Tannehill, and turned around their offense. Riding the right arm of Tannehill and the legs of Derrick Henry the Titans pulled off successive upsets in the playoffs, knocking off the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots on Wild Card Weekend, and then the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens during the Divisional Round.
Tennessee is getting the gang back together for 2020, having signed Tannehill to a long-term deal and using the franchise tag on Henry. As the numbers indicate, this was a good-to-great offense a year ago, and that yards per play number certainly jumps off the page. Only the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs were better at that number, and the Titans tied with the Ravens. But will the formula from a year ago achieve the same level of success? If Tannehill can match his performance from a season ago, where he led the league in Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt, they just might.
That ranking is the best in the AFC South, placing the Titans ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 27), Houston Texans (No. 17) and Indianapolis Colts (No. 14).
A big reason for the Titans’ success is because of their big three offensive players in Tannehill, running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver A.J. Brown, all of whom had impressive per play averages in 2019.
Tannehill finished with the most yards per pass attempt (9.6), Henry had the most rushing yards per attempt (5.1) among backs with 200 or more carries, and Brown’s yards per reception (20.2) was the second-best mark in the NFL.
If we’re going to point to the biggest concern the Titans have on offense going into 2020, it’s in pass protection.While things stabilized as the 2019 season progressed, the Titans still finished tied for the second-most sacks allowed.
If the Titans can clean that up and Tannehill can continue to be effective under center, there’s no reason why this offense shouldn’t be as good or better than Schofield’s ranking this season.
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