PFF Grades: Loss Equals Low Marks
NASHVILLE – In falling to the Jacksonville Jaguars by two touchdowns at home, the Tennessee Titans produced one of their worst games of the season.
Predictably, the Pro Football Focus grades for the Titans were crummy as well.
Only four players who had 20 snaps or more – two on offense, two on defense – graded out at 70.0 or higher.
Meanwhile, six defenders with more than 20 snaps graded out under 50.0, and five offensive players with more than 20 snaps graded out under 60.0.
Here are your Pro Football Focus highlights and lowlights:
• Top 5 Offensive Grades (at least 20 snaps) – Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, despite an interception and a lost fumble on a strip sack, led the way with a grade of 73.6. He was followed by rookie tight end Chig Okonkwo (73.1), tight end Austin Hooper (66.6), wide receiver Robert Woods (64.2) and left guard Aaron Brewer (63.0).
• Top 5 Defensive Grades (at least 20 snaps) – Linebacker Monty Rice had the top grade at 70.7, followed by nose tackle Teair Tart (70.2), edge rusher Rashad Weaver (64.2), defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (64.0) and safety Amani Hooker (61.8).
• Beating the Pressure – When he wasn’t getting dumped on his backside, Tannehill found some success under pressure. He was pressured on 14 drop-backs, was sacked four times and scrambled once. When he found time to throw, Tannehill completed six of nine passes for 40 yards and two touchdowns, posting an NFL quarterback rating of 115.1
• Tight Ends Deliver – Okonkwo and Hooper had strong receiving days in the loss. Okonkwo caught all six passes thrown his way for 45 yards, including 17 yards after the catch. Okonkwo now has 13 catches for 148 yards over the past three weeks, after posting eight catches for 172 yards in his first 10 games. Hooper caught all five of his targets for 68 yards, a total that included 35 yards after the catch.
• Missing McMath – Receiver Racey McMath played his first game of the season after returning from injured reserve, but didn’t make an impact outside of possibly stretching the defense on some plays. Tannehill targeted him four times – all at 20-plus yards downfield – but didn’t complete any of those passes.
• Rushing Resurgence – Despite fumbling twice, Derrick Henry enjoyed his most productive rushing day in five weeks. Henry didn’t have a run of more than 10 yards in his four games before Sunday, but he posted three against Jacksonville, including one for 50 yards. He ran for six first downs against Jacksonville, the same number he had in his previous four games combined. Henry’s 121-yard rushing day included 103 yards after contact.
• Daley’s Troubles Continue – Left tackle Dennis Daley had another long afternoon, surrendering two sacks. He’s allowed five in the last two weeks, seven over the past four weeks and an NFL-high 11 this season. Brewer and right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere also gave up sacks.
Pass-blocking grades for the Titans’ starting five up front: Center Ben Jones (80.9), right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere (59.3), right guard Nate Davis (51.6), Daley (40.7) and Brewer (38.3).
Run-blocking grades for the starting five: Brewer (74.7), Daley (68.7), Davis (60.7), Jones (49.9) and Petit-Frere (37.5),
• Poor Pressure – The Titans registered zero sacks and just one quarterback hit against Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence. Simmons was credited with four pressures and Hooker had three. No other Titans player had more than one pressure.
• Ugly Coverage Numbers – The Titans found it all but impossible to cover Jacksonville tight end Evan Engram, who wound up with 11 catches (on 15 targets) for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
Safety Kevin Byard was targeted seven times while covering Engram, holding him to just three catches. But those three receptions went for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Engram caught eight passes (on eight targets) for 111 yards when matched up against Hooker, linebacker Dylan Cole, safety Andrew Adams, cornerback Roger McCreary and edge rusher Bud Dupree.
The two defensive backs with the lowest overall coverage grades were Adams (46.0) and McCreary (39.3). Adams gave up six completions on seven targets for 71 yards and a touchdown. McCreary gave up four receptions on six targets for 52 yards and a touchdown.
