I don’t want to be that guy. At this point, we’ve spent three days relishing that 43-13 win over the Cleveland Browns. But, I think it’s fair to point out that the Tennessee Titans had some really good fortune in that game. Stuff they can’t count on happening week in and week out.
First up, those penalties. Holy shit. Have you ever seen a team implode the way the Browns did? Have you ever seen a team so undisciplined and unprepared to start a season? The Browns racked up a whopping 182 yards on 18 penalties. That’s a very rare thing – in fact, I’d be willing to bet money that the Titans won’t play another team this season that even remotely approaches that number. The Titans executed, though, and they made sure to cash in on those breaks when they got him. It’s just unrealistic to expect those breaks to be there every week.
Secondly, I’d bring up the Browns offensive line – that was a patchwork unit to begin with. They weren’t very good before the game even started. But, not only did they lose Kendall Lamm to injury, Greg Robinson was ejected after he kicked a guy in the fuckin’ face. That Browns line that wasn’t very good anyway was suddenly down two starters. So, you’d expect Cameron Wake and company to feast the way they did. If they didn’t, you might have some serious problems in the pass rush. That’s not going to happen every week! Let’s see how this defense stacks up against a vastly superior Indianapolis Colts offensive line before we’re predicting 20 sacks for Wake.
I know people have said, “you’re not going to get three interceptions every week.” Maybe that’s true to a certain extent, but I’m not going to say that. The Titans earned those interceptions on Sunday. They harassed Baker Mayfield all day and forced him into some really dumb decisions and bad throws. They legit could’ve had five interceptions on Sunday.
Areas to Improve
Masked in the celebration is the fact that the Titans were 2/10 on third down against the Browns. Furthermore, the Browns made two trips into the red zone, and scored on both occasions. -AND- to boot, the Titans allowed the Browns to post a 5.1 yards-per-carry average on the ground. Now, that wasn’t a factor at all because the dynamic of the game required the Browns to start slinging the ball around. But, it could potentially be an issue if the Titans are taking on a team that isn’t playing so sloppily.
If your opponent piles up more yardage, runs more plays, and possesses the ball longer than you, you’re more likely to lose that game than dominate it. I’m not calling this win a fluke because I think this is a really good Titans team that was prepared to execute, but I think there’s definitely a couple of things to shore up before the Colts come to town for the home opener.
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, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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