 | | Jaworski on the Titans |  |
The main reason for the Tennessee Titans' 0-2 start has been the play of their defense, which hasn't performed as well as it is capable. Historically, the Titans have played dominant defense, leading the league in overall defense a year ago, but they have been merely average through their first two games.
Offensively, the Titans are struggling to score points, sustain drives and establish a running game. They are also not getting any explosive plays in the passing game. Steve McNair will be back at quarterback against Baltimore, but he has lacked the ability to get the ball downfield for big plays. It boils down to patience. Sometimes, his running ability can be a negative. With so much confidence in his running ability, he often forgets why he's the quarterback: to read coverage and get the ball down the field. He needs to be comfortable in the pocket, to patiently let the plays develop, and deliver the football downfield.
Five keys for the Titans:
1. Productive passing game. Through two games, the Titans have only converted five of 28 third downs (17.8 percent), the worst percentage in the NFL. By not converting on third down, that means they are not sustaining offense, not getting people involved downfield and not scoring points. The Titans need explosive plays both by design and by the receivers making plays.
2. Get George going. Jeff Fisher wants to run the football, play physical, wear down the opposing team and dominate in the fourth quarter. That means a heavy dose of George, who has not been healthy. The toe injury has clearly hampered George, who does not look like the same back. He seems to have lost some of his power and quickness. Maybe the bye week has given him a chance to heal and freshen up. The Titans need George to control the football. They believe they can do it against the Ravens, even if they can't.
3. Secondary must step up. The Titans' secondary must play better. Fisher loves to play hybrid coverages, ones you don't normally see. But the defensive backs haven't made plays in the schemes. Fisher may be forced to play more zone coverage, which leaves some areas available for Elvis Grbac to exploit. The Titans are one of only three teams in the league with no interceptions. In the past the Titans have thrived on interceptions and turnovers because of their unique coverage schemes
4. Win the individual matchups. The Titans' offensive line must be at its best. The Broncos couldn't sustain their blocks against the Ravens. In particular, Fred Miller will have an interesting matchup against Ravens defensive end Rob Burnett, a high-motor player. The best matchup, one that has heated up over the years, is George against Ray Lewis. Both players take tremendous pride in their physical toughness. Every play they run across each other, they are in each other's face.
5. Rely on Wycheck. Tight end Frank Wycheck must play an important role in the Titans' offense. Fisher favors a tight end-oriented passing game. Thus, Wycheck must make plays in the passing game. The Titans run a lot of two-tight end formations, so McNair will look to Erron Kinney as well.
|
 | | Salisbury on the Ravens |  |
A handful of the Baltimore Ravens players told me the only people who believed they would beat Denver were the guys in the locker room. Although they lost to Cincinnati in Week 2, the Ravens' confidence has never wavered. I know for sure Brian Billick's hasn't. They fully expected to go to Denver and beat the Broncos, which is what they did.
Their defense, ranked first in the league against the run and second overall, doesn't believe the opposing team has a chance. The offense, while it was treading on thin ice in the beginning, has a quarterback, Elvis Grbac, whom they believe can win games. Their running game and the right side of their offensive line are improving. If their offense just plays normal, they feel they can win every game. Baltimore's confidence is at an all-time high after beating Denver. The Ravens believe they are the best team in the league.
Five keys for the Ravens:
1. Expand Brookins' role. I like what the Ravens did with running back Jason Brookins against Denver. They had a good mix with him and Terry Allen. He’s a big back who runs hard, much like Jamal Anderson because he weighs in the 240-pound range. They should expand his role, getting him a few more carries than a week ago, when he ran four times for 31 yards.
2. Stay with base. The Ravens' base defense is good enough to win against an average Titans' offense. That means they don't have to blitz linebackers. They can rush four down linemen, keep their four players in the secondary and let their linebackers, the best combination in the league, make plays and tackles. The Ravens don’t need to do anything crazy on defense.
3. Continue the 100-yard streak. The Ravens' defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 40 games. If they extend the streak to 41, they will win the game. In other words, if Eddie George is held under 100 yards, the Ravens will have a big advantage. The running game is the strength of the Titans' offense. With the Titans unable to run, they will have throw more, leading to more turnovers.
4. Pound McNair. Steve McNair has been banged up. I expect the Ravens to hit the quarterback in the mouth all game, limiting McNair's big-play capability and forcing him to throw sooner than usual. Because the Ravens' defense is so strong, they may be able to pressure McNair with just four players and maybe a fifth pass rusher.
5. Run-pass distribution. The Ravens had a perfect balance of run and pass against Denver. They threw for more more than 200 yards (221) and ran for more than 100 yards (112). If they can run for 115-150 yards a week and throw for 200-250 yards a game, the Ravens don't believe they will get beat. |
