The Tennessee Titans have a big problem on their hands, and it’s not yet clear whether it’s a short term problem. Regardless, their running game needs to be fixed, and it needs to be fixed quickly. Last Sunday, the Titans totaled just 43 rushing yards on the ground against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That’s a big problem for an offense that is lead by a stop-gap quarterback, and make no mistake, that’s what Matt Hasselbeck truly is.
The Titans’ star running back is Chris Johnson, and his lack of production was disturbing. The Jaguars have seemingly found a blueprint for containing one of the fastest players in the league.
Don’t let him get going.
The blueprint sounds simple, but it requires a sacrifice. The Jaguars sold out on the run throughout the first half and much of the second half. They were able to put the Titans into must-pass scenarios which helped the Jaguars get off the field on third down.
To stop Johnson once he got the ball, the Jaguars penetrated the line early and forced Johnson to swing wider and wider until he ran out of space.
The Titans’ inability to block in the running game has led to an 0-1 record, but the good news is that the problem is fixable. They have to be able to pass the ball early and often. The NFL is a passing league, and the Titans don’t seem very eager to join the crowd, but doing just that may be what saves their running game.
The Titans have to be able to put themselves into 3rd and short scenarios. That allows them to run or pass for first downs, and that’s how you move the chains. The second that the opposing defense knows what’s coming, you’re toast.
That’s what happened Sunday, and it can’t happen again. The Titans would run the ball for 1 yard. Then, they’d run the ball again for 2 more yards. Now it’s 3rd and 7, and they’d have to pass. The defense would tee off on the quarterback, and the rest is history.
Here’s a few tips for the Titans:
- Throw some screens. Nothing keeps a defense on its heels better than screens, and it keeps the defensive linemen from getting low and plunging mindlessly into the back-field with no consequences. Screens force them to rush conservatively, and it gives the offensive line a lot of help.
- Call a shotgun draw play on 3rd and 7. Those DEs are coming around the edge, and their only goal is hitting your quarterback. A run, even if it doesn’t net a 1st down, keeps the DEs from abandoning their gaps completely.
- Use Chris Johnson elsewhere. He’s the Titans’ best player. Try running him down the field some to keep the defense off balance. He’s a guy they have to be aware of at all times, and moving him around makes the defense have to think. That slows the defenders down, and gives the offense an edge.
One loss isn’t the end of the world, but if the Titans have to put all their faith in Matt Hasselbeck, they’ve got no chance of being a .500 team, much less a playoff contender. As far as a stop-gap quarterback, it doesn’t get much better than Hasselbeck, but even he can’t carry a team like the Titans by himself.
