2015 Record: 3-13-0
Head Coach: Mike Mularkey
New Faces for 2016 - RB DeMarco Murray, WR Rishard Matthews, S Rashad Johnson, QB Matt Cassel, LB Sean Spence, CB Antwon Blake, CB Brice McCain
OFFENSE: Second year man Marcus Mariota is the quarterback after passing for 2,818 yards with 19 touchdowns and ten interceptions. Matt Cassel (1,276 yards, five TD, seven INT) is the backup QB after playing for Dallas last season.
DeMarco Murray, just two years removed from the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, is the starting back after rushing for 702 yards last season for Philadelphia. He averaged 3.6 yards per carry with six touchdowns and also made 44 catches for 322 yards with one score.
Rookie Derrick Henry (Alabama) will look to get his shot this season. Bishop Sankey (193 yards, 4.1 ypc, one TD) and Antonio Andrews, who led the Titans in rushing last season (520 yards, 3.6 ypc. three TD) will also be available.
The wide receivers look to be Kendall Wright (36, 408, three TD) and Dorial Green-Beckham, who had 32 receptions for 549 yards and four touchdowns. Rishard Matthews (43, 662, four TD with Miami), Justin Hunter (22, 264, one TD), Harry Douglas (36, 411, two TD) and possibly rookie Tajae Sharpe (UMass) will be in the mix as well. The tight end is Delanie Walker, who led the team with 94 receptions for 1,088 yards and six touchdowns.
DEFENSE: Al Woods is the nose tackle along with end DaQuan Jones and DT Jurrell Casey (seven QB sacks) in the 3-4 set. Rookies Kevin Dodd (Clemson) and Austin Johnson (Penn State) should see playing time.
The linebacking crew has Brian Orakpo (seven sacks) and Derrick Morgan (4 1/2 sacks) on the outside. The inside backers include Wesley Woodyard (five sacks) and Avery Williamson (3 1/2 sacks) while Nate Palmer, David Bass and Sean Spence provide back up.
The defensive backfield has safeties Da'Norris Searcy and Rashad Johnson along with corners Jason McCourty and Perrish Cox.
OUTLOOK: It's a new start for the team this season after two disastrous seasons in a row.
Head Coach Mike Mularkey will look to Mariota to continue to develop and lead the offense. The Titans could really benefit if Murray gets back in form and helps to get the running game back on track.
The receivers need to improve as well as Mariota locked in on his tight end Delanie Walker quite often last year and opposing defenses took notice. The Titans offense was 30th overall (312 yards per game) while averaging only 18.7 points per game.
Defensively, Tennessee allowed 26.4 points per game while ranking in the middle of the pack in yardage allowed (342 yards per game) and also ranking a respectable seventh in the NFL against the pass, giving up 230 yards per game.
The only way for this team to go is up and playing in the AFC South doesn't make it that easy. The Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts have dominated the division in recent years and Jacksonville looks to be improving.
If the defense can come up with the big stops on a consistent basis and the offense can sustain drives that result in more touchdowns rather than field goals or punts or turnovers (Titans were minus-14 in that category last season) they could see improvement this year.
Fearless forecast - 4-12 this year
2016 TEAM SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Minnesota
Week 2 - at Detroit
Week 3 - vs. Oakland
Week 4 - at Houston
Week 5 - at Miami
Week 6 - vs. Cleveland
Week 7 - vs. Indianapolis
Week 8 - vs. Jacksonville
Week 9 - at San Diego
Week 10 - vs. Green Bay
Week 11 - at Indianapolis
Week 12 - at Chicago
Week 13 - BYE
Week 14 - vs. Denver
Week 15 - at Kansas City
Week 16 - at Jacksonville
Week 17 - vs. Houston
No comments:
Post a Comment