Snap judgments: Drawing conclusions based on playing time at Atlanta

Mike Vrabel said the rotation would continue at right guard.

It is difficult to think he meant it.

The Tennessee Titans coach and his staff were unwilling to throw rookie Nate Davis in headfirst when the third-round draft pick out of Charlotte made his debut in Sunday’s 24-10 victory at Atlanta. Instead, they hedged their bets and allowed Davis and starter Jamil Douglas alternate every series or two.

When all was said and done, Davis logged 40 snaps on offense (62 percent of the Titans’ total) to Douglas’ 24 (38 percent). Davis’ performance also earned rave reviews from his head coach, which suggests that he will get even more playing time – perhaps every offensive snap – Sunday against the Buffalo Bills at Nissan Stadium.

“We’re going to try to get him as many reps as we possibly can, and keep moving forward, and try to get the best combination [of offensive linemen] that best helps the football team,” Vrabel said.

Vrabel noted that Davis (pictured) did not always block the player he was supposed to but whoever he blocked, he did so aggressively. Likely even more important was the fact that, according to the head coach, Davis executed specific skills that coaches had addressed with him on the practice field during last week’s preparations.

Davis was the first guard drafted in April when the Titans selected him 82 overall. An injury sustained late in the first week of training camp sidelined him for an extended period, caused him to sit out every preseason game as well as the first three of the regular season.

That is why – when he finally was ready to play – the Titans elected to see him on a limited basis.

“It allowed us … to evaluate (Davis) in his first game,” Vrabel said. “I think that that was something that I wanted, and we all wanted to make sure that was trending in the right direction. … You just want to make sure that it’s going OK, and that’s why we rotated.

“Both those guys played well, and I would say that we’re going to continue to try to get Nate in there, and get him some work, and get him going.”

Expect to see a lot more of him – likely even at the start – against Buffalo.

Other observations based on playing time in Sunday’s victory over the Falcons:

• Double duty: With Sharif Finch scratched, Reggie Gilbert got a chance to show what he could do on defense. He was on the field for 48 of 80 defensive snaps (60 percent), second among the outside linebackers to Harold Landry.

Acquired in a trade with Green Bay at the start of the regular season, Gilbert was scratched for each of the first two games and used more on special teams than on defense in Week 3 at Jacksonville. Against the Falcons, he was credited with three tackles as well as a quarterback pressure.

There is no reason to expect that Finch and Gilbert won’t go back to splitting time in the coming weeks. Finch played well in the first three games (10 tackles, one sack, two tackles for losses) and has established himself as a factor against the run.

In deciding who to sit so that they could carry an extra offensive lineman (Davis), the coaches gambled – correctly – that the Falcons would throw it plenty, which they did (53 times). That played to Gilbert’s strengths as a pass rusher.

• Playing hurt: A limited Delanie Walker is better than no Delanie Walker. The veteran tight end missed two days of practice last week with a knee injury but managed to get on the field Sunday. Of course, he played a season-low 20 offensive snaps and caught just one pass (that one made him the 16 tight ends in NFL history with 500 or more career receptions).

The Titans ran the ball on more than two-thirds of their second-half plays while they protected a two-touchdown lead. Thus, it made sense to keep Walker on the sideline while Jonnu Smith (43 snaps) and MyCole Pruitt (38 snaps) went nose to nose with Atlanta’s defensive linemen and linebackers.

• Dual threat: Also related to the heavy dose of handoffs, Tajae Sharpe has just four receptions on the season (none on Sunday) but played more against the Falcons (38) than any wide receiver other than Corey Davis. That is a clear indication that coaches consider the 6-foot-2, 194-pounder and capable and willing run blocker. In terms of the percentage of offensive snaps for which he was on the field (59.4), it was his season-high.

• Focused effort: For the first time this season, cornerback Adoreé Jackson did not play a snap on special teams. His struggles as a punt returner have been an issue throughout the preseason and the start of the regular season. It seems coaches want him to focus on playing defense, where he made four tackles and notched his first pass defensed in 58 snaps.