Just when it looked like all hope was lost, the Tennessee Titans have played their way into the postseason. They’re set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in KC tomorrow, but this looks like a team that is capable of pulling off the upset. There were a lot of positives to come out of last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but one that I don’t think enough people are paying attention to is the huge manner in which cornerback Tye Smith stepped up the last couple games of the season.
Logan Ryan has missed time with injuries. The IR monster claimed LeShaun Sims. In years past, it’s felt like that sort of thing would cripple the Titans. So, credit to GM Jon Robinson for building out quality depth on this roster. Take Smith, for example.
I watched the game on Sunday from a bar up in New Jersey with my girlfriend. I can’t tell you how many times I looked at her and said, “man – #33 is making plays” or “damn, look at Tye Smith today!”
I’ve noticed Smith getting some serious snaps on special teams, but it was nice to see him ball out playing defensive back. I wasn’t the only one who noticed…
Credit to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online:
Smith had six tackles against the Rams, and four more stops against the Jaguars on a day when the Titans held quarterback Blake Bortles to a just 158 passing yards while completing just 15-of-34 throws. His passer rating was just 33.7 against the Titans.
I know Jurrell Casey said that the Titans defense forced Blake Bortles to choke, and the perception of the Jags quarterback hasn’t been that great all season. But, this last month, he was just as hot as anyone in the league. Holding him to a 33.7 passer rating was phenomenal. It seemed like the Jags offense was trying to go at Smith a bit to start the game, and #33 answered the bell.
Overall, 10 tackles in two games – plus, don’t forget the interception he recorded earlier in the season against Miami. He’s proven himself rather valuable this season.
Lot of respect for what this guy’s doing. When the starters go down, it’s hard to plug someone else in and maintain that level of quality. But, Smith has done just that over the last two weeks. He played every single snap against the Rams and played well. He played the bulk of the snaps against the Jags. Maybe he’ll get an expanded role moving into the postseason. Who knows?
But, the bottom line is that, at least for this week, Titans fans need to show the man some love.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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