Another Game Against Another Former Coach

For the third time in four weeks the Titans' opponent includes one of their recent head coaches

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The first half of this season has turned into a Tennessee Titans Head Coach Reunion Tour and the final stop is Sunday at Nissan Stadium. That’s when the Los Angeles Chargers – and their offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt – come to town.

It will be the third time in four games the Titans face an opponent for which one of their former head coaches is an assistant. Last week it was Denver and Mike Munchak, now the Broncos offensive line coach. Two weeks before that it was Atlanta and Mike Mularkey, now the Falcons tight end coach.

This will be the rubber match, so to speak. Tennessee defeated Mularkey and the Falcons 24-10 but lost to Munchak at the Broncos 16-0.

Whisenhunt’s tenure with the Titans was the shortest of the three. In a way, though, it was the most memorable due to the degree of misery. He was fired seven games into his second season (2015) having gone just 3-20. His teams opened each season with a decisive victory but were unable to build on the fast starts. Both finished tied for the league’s worst record (2-14 in 2014, 3-13 in 2015).

Whisenhunt returned the Chargers as offensive coordinator in 2016 and has been in that role ever since. He also had that job in 2013, the season before Tennessee hired him. His career also includes a six-year run as head coach in Arizona (2007-12) and three years as offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh (2004-06).

“(Whisenhunt) has a wealth of experience,” Chargers coach Anthiny Lynn said. “He’s been a head coach, he’s been a coordinator for a long time, he’s been in the NFL for a long time, a former player. He’s done an excellent job here.”

Twice in the last three years, Whisenhunt’s offense has finished among the top 10 in scoring. However, L.A. comes into the week tied for 21 at 20 points per game despite the fact that it is 11 in yards-per-play and 14 in yards-per-game. The Chargers have scored 20 or fewer in four of the last five weeks.

Mularkey was named interim head coach for the remainder of 2015 after Whisenhunt was fired and then held the job through 2017. He went 20-21 overall, 16-14 with one playoff appearance (and one playoff victory) in his two full seasons.

Munchak kicked off the run of coaches that followed Jeff Fisher (current coach Mike Vrabel was the fourth in eight years) and went 22-26 with no playoff appearances over three years (2011-13).

This is the third time in four seasons the Titans have faced Whisenhunt. The Chargers won 43-35 in 2016 and 20-19 last year in London.

At this point, a matchup between the former coach and his team is nothing new.

“I don’t know what his time was like when he was there for those 23 games,” Lynn said. “… It’s the next game for me. I’m pretty sure for (Whisenhunt) it’s the next game.”

Then again, a Titans’ matchup against any former coach is practically business as usual of late.