2019 NFL Team Preview - TENNESSEE TITANS

TENNESSEE TITANS                                            

2018 Record - 9-7-0


Head Coach - Mike Vrabel



Newcomers for 2019 - Cameron Wake (LB), Adam Humphries (WR), Ryan Tannehill (QB), Hroniss Grasu (OL), Rodger Saffold (OL)


Keys on Offense - Quarterback Marcus Mariota is entering his fifth season and is coming off an injury plagued 2018 where he passed for only 2,528 yards with eleven touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 357 yards (5.7 ypc average) and two touchdowns. Ryan Tannehill comes over from the Miami Dolphins to be the reserve quarterback. Last season, Tannehill had 1,979 passing yards with 17 TD passes and nine interceptions.
The running tandem of Derrick Henry (1,059 rush yards, 4.9 ypc, 12 TD) and Dion Lewis (517 rush yards and 59 receptions, two TD) is solid and Tennessee had the number six rushing attack in the NFL last season, averaging 126.7 yards per game.
The wide receivers are Corey Davis (65 receptions, 891 yards, four TD), Adam Humphries (76, 816, five TD with Tampa Bay), Taywan Taylor (37, 466, one TD) and rookie draft pick A.J. Brown (Mississippi). Tight End Delanie Walker is looking to rebound after missing nearly the entire 2018 season with an ankle injury.


Keys on Defense - Jurell Casey (seven QB sacks), Jayon Brown (six sacks) and newcomer Cameron Wake (six sacks with Miami) will be the ones looking to put the pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Titans registered 39 QB sacks in 2018 and had the eighth ranked defense, allowing 333.3 yards per game. Tennessee was third in scoring defense, giving up just 18.9 points per game.
In the secondary, corners Malcolm Butler (three interceptions) and Adoree' Jackson (two INT) along with safety Kevin Byard (four picks) spearhead a ball hawking unit that was sixth against the pass last year, giving up 217 yards per game with eleven interceptions.


OUTLOOK - A third consecutive 9-7 season wasn't enough to get back to the NFL Playoffs after the Titans advanced to the Divisional round two years ago. Head Coach Mike Vrabel is entering his second season in Tennessee and he knows the team can do better in a competitive AFC South division.
There is optimism this team can compete with Houston and Indianapolis for the division title, but the offense must be much better than 2018, when it ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring (27th with 19.4 points per game) and total yardage (25th with 313 ypg). The passing attack (186 ypg) was anemic with Mariota sidelined and a key target (TE Delanie Walker) playing in just one game last year.
If Mariota can get on track with the passing game and the running game remains consistent, this team should put more points on the board, taking pressure off their defense.
The defense is solid and took on 11-year veteran LB Cameron Wake to bolster the pass rush. This team can stop both the run and pass, but more turnovers and sacks would be a huge plus. The Titans were a minus-1 last season in the turnover category.
The best scenario for the Titans is getting off to a good start and finishing strong like they did last season. The likely finish in 2019 is 8-8 for the Titans unless they can show the ability to play consistenly on both sides of the football all season long.


TEAM SCHEDULE 
Week 1 - at Cleveland
Week 2 - vs. Indianapolis
Week 3 - at Jacksonville
Week 4 - at Atlanta
Week 5 - vs. Buffalo
Week 6 - at Denver
Week 7 - vs. LA Chargers
Week 8 - vs. Tampa Bay
Week 9 - at Carolina
Week 10 - vs. Kansas City
Week 11 - BYE
Week 12 - vs. Jacksonville
Week 13 - at Indianapolis
Week 14 - at Oakland
Week 15 - vs. Houston
Week 16 - vs. New Orleans
Week 17 - at Houston