The Titans are known for their run game, but you do not become the number one seed in your conference by being completely one-dimensional. Ryan Tannehill and company produced enough last season to punish defenses that focused solely on stopping Derrick Henry. It should be of no surprise that Tannehill, (21 TD’s/14 INT 89.6 RAT) used play action in over a third of passing attempts last year and used RPO less than 10% of the time. A solid season was derailed with three interceptions vs. Cincinnati in the divisional round of the playoffs. Some believe the playoff meltdown has some…
Author: Greg Preisel
The Titan secondary is a youthful work in progress grounded by one of the better, if not best safety duos in the league. Forth year strong safety Amani Hooker and Pro bowler Kevin Byard combined for 150 tackles, six interceptions, and allowed for passer ratings of 79.3 and 68.7 respectively. For a comparison, Pro bowler Trevon Diggs of Dallas allowed for a 55 passer rating while James Bradberry allowed for a passer rating of 93. https://gridironheroics.com/know-thy-enemy-tennessee-titans-run-defense/ The youth comes in with four cornerbacks under the age of 24. Starters Kristian Fulton and Roger McCreary are both second-round picks while Elijah…
The Giants open up the season in Tennessee vs. the reigning AFC South champions who feature a stout defense that compliments running back King Derrick Henry’s offensive dominance. By the Numbers The Titans ranked 2nd in rush yards, allowing 64 yards per game (1087 total), only four more yards than the league-leading Buccaneers. They held last year’s leading rusher, Johnathan Taylor of the Colts to 10/64 and 16/70/1 in their two matchups. They also held San Francisco’s seventh-ranked rushing attack to 83 yards, and the 6th ranked Bill’s to 82 yards. Personnel That was last year, and there is no…
The Giants will have many faces on their defense that have not experienced the likes of Derrick “King” Henry, and the Titan’s fifth-ranked rushing attack. It was likely as low as 5th because he only gained 937 yards in the eight games he played before an injury ended his season. A year removed from a 2000-yard season, Henry will be looking to make a statement. Changes There have been two new additions to the Titan offensive line after the departure of solid run blockers Pro Bowler Rodger Saffold and tackle David Quessenberry, both now starting for the Buffalo Bills. Replacing…
The Giants saved $176,000 by cutting middle linebacker Blake Martinez in a move that saw another experienced veteran leave the team before the expiration of their contract. Now money woes along with injuries are continuing to eat away at the team. The Giant’s roster has only eight players on the active 53 that are over the age of 26, and mostly in places where the experience is a great necessity. Tyrod Taylor is the experienced backup quarterback in a position where 33 isn’t that old anymore. Offensive linemen Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano, both 30, must bring along the youthful…
The initial 53-man roster comes with surprises, of course, because it is on the initial 53. Davis Webb for example was cut after a stellar offseason, but the reality is that as a veteran, he does not have to go on waivers and is likely to sign back with the team given the relationship with Daboll and familiarity with the offense. Darius Slayton is possibly on the roster as trade bait since he still may have some market value. The Giants as of now hold 12 linebackers, with Quincy Roche being the only noticeable name missing. That is likely…
The Jets played their starters for the first time this preseason, while surprisingly, the Giants sat most of theirs leaving it to this past week’s joint practices to see what they have in their starting lineup. Even the special teams were a motley mix of players from throughout the depth chart, making game three more of a continued tryout than a warm-up for the season. The uncertainty does not bode well, especially with all the injuries. As the Giants are fifth on the waiver wire, they will likely be very active after the final cuts on Tuesday. There is value…
The silver lining around the Giant’s rash of injuries is that promising reserve players have been thrust into the starting lineup where we can finally see how they match up against true NFL-caliber players. Unlike the previous two games vs. Cincinnati and New England, the Jets will be playing their first string into the second quarter. As fans, we have a chance to have our optimistic assumptions confirmed, or our hopes dashed as we root on our favorite underdog hopefuls. Wide Receiver With CJ Board, Toney, Darius Slayton, and Sterling Shepard having been ruled out or doubtful, David Sills will…
The season has yet to start and once again Giants fans are already trying to find a reasonable explanation for all the injuries the team has suffered. For instance, below is just one of the charts floating around depicting an almost supernaturally bizarre discrepancy between the number of injuries the Giants have suffered compared to the rest of the league. Scapegoats of the Curse Now if one is old enough, they may recall some seasons where the team was decimated but not at such a consistency for over a decade. And since 2010 various people were held accountable because…
As the Giants roster is once gain depleted by injuries, there has been a call for the return of Odell Beckham to the blue. That is if the team could afford it and if he was actually interested in a team that was not playoff bound. He was exciting but just because you have a good time with someone, doesn’t mean you put a ring on their finger, and just because a player is great doesn’t mean you sign them long-term. It is the general manager’s job is to find elite talent, and then figure out what type of player…
