The offense hasn’t exactly gotten off to the best start for the Tennessee Titans this season. Well, actually – I need to be careful how I phrase that. The offense has been getting off to white hot starts in each game, and they’ve fallen apart in second halves, balancing this unit out to a “meh” at best. Injuries, offensive line shuffling, and poor execution have caused this coaching staff to rotate guys in and out like crazy. They’re on a trajectory to get back-to-back “most players ever played in a season” titles. Nonetheless, as the offense sorts itself out, and guys get more comfortable within it, new options should emerge. After watching how he was used and how he executed in a somewhat limited role against the Indianapolis Colts, tight end Chig Okonkwo looks like one of the guys who can grow into a role and help give this offense a spark.
Here’s one example of how he has the potential to do a little bit of everything within this offense. It’s a good block – he isolates his target and neutralizes it here. Maybe you’d like to see him be a little more powerful and control the guy a little more, but shit – all he needs is to keep that lane open for long enough for Derrick Henry to get through. This run ultimately didn’t go anywhere. I’m not sure what Henry saw, or what he was supposed to do here, but this was a nicely designed play that, if he had just followed Tory Carter out there, had HUGE play potential. Carter would’ve been there to pick up his guy, Okonkwo had his guy engaged, and there’s a massive opening for Henry to hit the open field in the second level. He’d have…what? That single safety to beat?
Then, there’s Okonkwo’s ability to get down the field. I loved the way they used him in motion in the backfield on this play, similar to how they motioned him in the play pictured above. It felt like a bit of an okie doke on the defense – it looks like Okonkwo’s in position to make another block, but he jukes outside. The linebacker bit, thinking he was going to block, and all it took was that split second for Okonkwo to create enough separation to breeze past the guy. This one turned into about a 20-yard gain:
I love these two plays specifically because they show that Okonkwo has dual-threat capabilities, and the Titans can really line him up all over the place. On his touchdown catch, he was lined up in the slot, faked out and cut back in as soon as the defender bit, and worked right into the open spot. Ryan Tannehill threw it to him on a frozen rope and the result was seven points on the board. Between this catch pictured above and the touchdown catch, the Titans showed that they have a tight end that can move guys in space. I think he’s probably the only tight end on their roster that has the elite physical traits to develop into a real match-up problem. Then, there’s the fake to Henry that sealed the game for the Titans:
This is a brilliant design. This is a brilliant call. I dare say this is football porn if I’ve ever seen it. Tannehill fakes this ball to Henry, who was lined up as the lead blocker on this. The fake froze FOUR Colts defenders (checked in my highly professional screen grab) – remember when Mike Vrabel talked about causing conflict on offense? This is a great example of that. This play is already off to the races, and you have four Colts defenders that are standing frozen not knowing where to attack. Okonkwo has the athleticism to get to where he needs to be to move the chains, and he secures the catch. In turn, this play wins the game for the Titans.
But, there’s an aspect of this play that is *chef’s kiss*. The whole play is moving to the right. You’ve got a step on those three linemen and linebackers that I checked already, but you have to account for that cornerback checked to the far right of the photo. Look at Geoff Swaim. He is absolutely capable of getting up field, turning around, and securing that first down too. So, the cornerback is on an island, and you’re making him choose who to cover. It’s an advantageous spot in that either tight end probably could’ve sealed this game, but you’ve also schemed up a way to cause that DB to pause. That is “causing conflict” to a T, folks. I love that the Titans have stuff like this in their playbook, and I think Okonkwo is a guy that they can develop into a real weapon in this offense.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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