Sunday’s 43-13 win over the Cleveland Browns marked the regular season debut for Arthur Smith as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator. I dare say it couldn’t have gone any better for Smith, who figures to be a key factor in how this offense progresses in 2019.
So far, so good.
Throughout the offseason, we talked about the continuity on the offensive coaching staff would be paramount to the development of Marcus Mariota. We talked about whether or not Derrick Henry would be the same guy that finished 2018….whether or not the offensive line could rebound…whether or not Delanie Walker would be as effective as he was before the injury. But, Smith was at the center of it all. It was on him to manage these issues and help the offense take the next step forward. Against the Browns, he did just that.
The Titans offense played a balanced game. Mariota attempted 24 passes. As a team, they carried the ball 28 times. It was a nice blend of play calls from Smith, not only between run and pass, but between screens, bootlegs, etc. I hate to hammer down on Matt LaFleur, but this looked like more of what we expected in 2018.
Smith was able to identify the Browns personnel and call plays based on where guys were on the field. For example, they ran some of those bootlegs away from Myles Garrett, getting Mariota one on one with Olivier Vernon, who was much more susceptible to Mariota’s speed. They attacked the middle of the field, where the Browns defense was weakest – Walker gashed ’em for a touchdown that was caught over the middle. A.J. Brown caught a couple of intermediate routes that he piled up yardage on. That sort of awareness from Smith was apparent.
The players deserve a lot of credit for executing a good game plan, but Smith was at the helm. What’s most encouraging is just how much the Titans players love this guy. Just check out the reaction from the players when Smith was awarded a game ball:
Feels great but we’re moving on to the next one.
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 9, 2019
Stay Focused | @Bose Victory Speech pic.twitter.com/pqI1wvXqAv
Beyond the game plan, Smith made some excellent adjustments in-game. The Titans weren’t having a lot of success early on punching Henry up the middle. So, what do they do? Swing him outside on a screen, get him the ball, and he goes 75 yards for a touchdown. Beyond the execution, though, that play was designed incredibly well – Rodger Saffold hit the next level and made a key block, and Corey Davis was downfield taking care of the only Brown who had a shot to keep Henry out of the end zone.
Smith should be commended for utilizing his full armory. Nine different receivers were targeted, with six different guys actually catching passes. But, beyond the stats, the Titans did some nifty things on offense, like handing the ball off to Jonnu Smith for a 10-yard pickup. We saw David Fluellen at fullback, who opened up lanes for Henry as well. Smith wasn’t afraid to dive deep into the offensive personnel.
Finally, we have to mention how even-keel Smith (and the rest of the Titans coaches, for that matter) were. He kept his poise throughout the entire game, something that Mariota complimented him on during all of the post-game goings-on.
Smith deserves a lot of credit for that offensive performance on Sunday. If things keep trending in that direction, this is going to be a fun team to watch in 2019.
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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