Defense has been a nagging issue for the Tennessee Titans throughout 2020. It’s a unit that has under-performed based on the level of talent on the roster, and frankly, it has to turn around or else this team will continue to struggle if opponents get an early lead. I wrote extensively about the issues plaguing the defense earlier this week.
By and large, they’re correctable issues that should see improvement once the Titans get Adoreé Jackson back and, as a whole, they get a chance to jell as a regular lineup. Having Jackson’s speed back will mean the Titans won’t have to line up 10 yards away from opposing receivers. That should alleviate some of the issues with so much space being allowed. Having a set group of corners should improve communication and chemistry on the field. And, all of these improvements should help the Titans defense get off the field on third down.
People say one player’s return can’t improve everything going wrong with the defense, and I largely agree. But, I see Jackson’s return as the catalyst for a sort of trickle down effect that could have a greater impact than we’re giving him credit for.
Shoring up the secondary is pivotal to correcting the other issues on defense.
Right now, Malcolm Butler has been the steady #1 cornerback. As good as the good Malcolm Butler can be, you need an element of speed starting opposite him or there’s a hole in the secondary that we’ve seen quarterbacks exploit. Opposite him, we’ve seen a rotation of Johnathan Joseph, Tye Smith, and rookies Kristian Fulton and Chris Jackson. As the #2, none of this group has steadily been getting it done.
Joseph is no spring chicken, and while his experience and savvy certainly warrants a role on defense, I don’t know that he can be counted on to consistently deliver as a starter. Smith has been a serviceable addition and quality depth, but he’s not the long-term solution. Fulton and Chris Jackson are both finding their footing in the NFL, showing flashes of great potential, but struggling mightily at times as well.
Look – I know it may sound like I’m beating up on this group of guys. But, I’m not – it’s just all about the expectations. If this is your rotation beyond the two starters, you’re elated with that. But, this ain’t the time to be relying on veterans and developing young guys.
The Titans currently have three defensive backs in the top 100 of the Pro Football Focus cornerback grades:
- #18: Johnathan Joseph
- #61: Kristian Fulton
- #82: Malcolm Butler
Chris Jackson is dead last among qualifying cornerbacks, ranked at #118 of 118, with an abysmal coverage grade of 29.9. It’s just not good, and if the
Now, I always have to remind you guys – PFF isn’t the be-all end-all. But, it’s still a metric we can point to as an indicator of performance. It still shows how the Titans stack up against the NFL’s elite.
Maybe we underestimated the loss of Logan Ryan. It certainly looked like he had lost a step in 2019. In one on one situations, he was burned a couple of times in crucial situations. But, he’s a smart player that knew the defense, understood positioning, and communicated effectively. I think it’s fair to question whether or not the Titans have that in the secondary right now based on how this unit is playing.
Whatever the case may be, this is the most important issue that the Titans have to work out if they want to go on another run towards a Super Bowl.
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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