Titan Up/Titan Down: Winners & Losers From Titans Week 10 Loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tennessee Titans can't seem to get a win on the road this season and have generally looked inept in their last few games away from Nashville. While most of the performance was awful, there were some bright spots mixed in with all the bad in Week 10.
Titan Up
The Titans' Draft Pick
The Titans are missing high-end talent on the roster while also lacking any depth. This is a team sorely in need of an upgrade and as NFL fans know, most of the time those upgrades come from the NFL draft.
There are big-time needs on the offensive line, at wide receiver, in the secondary and in the pass rush. The Titans can't fix them all with one pick, but losses turn into better draft picks and that is where the Titans are headed right now.
Will Levis
Levis' stat line from the Week 10 loss is not pretty. Levis went 19-39 for 199 yards and an interception, but everyone saw what happened out there. Levis was pressured consistently and stood little chance to do anything with the amount of Tampa Bay defenders in the backfield.
When Levis was planted firmly in the dirt, he was finding open receivers and moving around to try and make plays. He was pushing the ball and trying to make plays, but with the lack of talent around him, it was obvious he was trying to make chicken salad out of, well, chicken crap.
Kyle Philips
The second-year receiver seems to be the only second-year player on offense that can actually help. Philips had three catches for 51 yards and led the Titans in both categories for a second consecutive game.
It is clear Levis and Philips have a connection and with DeAndre Hopkins getting so much attention from defenses, there has to be another pass catcher to step up. Philips, despite it being in two losses, has been that guy.
Titan Down
Mike Vrabel
Vrabel is now 3-13 in his last 16 games as the head coach and while no one is claiming this roster is spectacular, the Titans should be performing better. The Houston Texans put up nearly 40 points on this Tampa Bay defense last week with a similarly less than stellar offensive group.
Too often for too long have the Titans look discombobulated. Add that to two ultra-conservative fourth down decisions and it is fair to wonder if Vrabel is the man to lead the Titans out of this disaster.
Mike Vrabel
Yep, he is here twice. Not only had Vrabel cratered as a coach, but his persona hires are failing as well. Tim Kelly has looked like an improvement on former offensive coordinator Todd Downing, but the numbers don't prove that.
The Titans are averaging 17.1 points per game now and that is less than the 17.5 number the Titans put up a game last year. While the talent isn't perfect, the lack of imagination with the plan for Levis has been noticeable.
Where are the rollout, quarterback run, bootlegs? All the things coaches typically do to help their offensive line and quarterback. Instead Levis is being asked to be a statue like he was a 35-year old Ryan Tannehill.
Not to mention, the Titans' pass rush has fallen off in a major way while Jim Schwartz, a defensive assistant for the Titans for the past two years, now runs the best defense in the NFL in Clevaland.
Mike Vrabel
Vrabel goes for the hat trick here! Whether it be in-game decisions, or assistant hires or his overall philosophy, Vrabel is not getting it done. Vrabel has said publicly he thinks running the football on offense and defending the run on defense are most important.
You look around the NFL and it is just hard to accept those as the correct goals. Teams like the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers are all featured in the top 12 teams in passing yards this year.
Go to the teams that are top-12 in rushing yards and you will find the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants. The NFL isn't about the run game anymore and having a coach who still believes in antique football leads to a philosophy where Vrabel wants to win every game in a defensive struggle.
It is how he views football and that is why the Titans have such a pedestrian offense. It isn't just talent, it is how the head coach sees the sport.
Related stories on Titans-Bucs
- PHOTO GALLERY: The Tennessee Titans traveled to Tampa for their Week 10 matchup with the Buccaneers, and the outcome didn't go the Titans' way. The Buccaneers won 20-6. Here are the best photos from the game. CLICK HERE
- DRIVE CHART: The Tennessee Titans took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10 and lost by a score of 20-6. Here is a recap of every offensive drive for the Titans on the day. CLICK HERE
- WATCH FULTON BEAT FOR TD: The Tennessee Titans are into the final quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and trail 17-3 after a 22-yard touchdown catch by Mike Evans where he dragged Kristian Fulton to the end zone. CLICK HERE
- WATCH SPEARS CATCH: The Tennessee Titans have kicked off the second half of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the offense has been struggling, but rookie running back Tyjae Spears got the Titans a new set of down after some swift moves. CLICK HERE
- WATCH DEFENSE ALLOWS TD: The Tennessee Titans are into the second quarter of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they just gave up the lead on a touchdown catch by Rachaad White. CLICK HERE
- WATCH MCCREARY INTERCEPTION: The Tennessee Titans have kicked off their Week 10 game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in the first quarter cornerback Roger McCreary forced a turnover by intercepting Baker Mayfield. CLICK HERE
