Let’s face it – every day we are routinely bombarded with questions. When you’re an emerging media company in Nashville, people just want to know what your opinions are on everything. It’s only natural. And, since our duty is to serve the people, well, we have no choice but to be present. That’s the SoBro Way. Also, aren’t mailbags just a barrel of laughs anyway? Welcome to the newest weekly recurring feature up in this bitch: The SoBros Mailbag. As always, hit us with those mailbag questions @SoBrosNetwork on Twitter, email ’em to me anonymously at thesobrosnetwork@gmail.com. And, holy shit, I need to update this terrible intro paragraph that I’ve been using literally ever since I started writing this column…
Question:
@StoneyKeeley when you open the mailbag questions can discuss why the titans special teams is never aggressively trying to block punts swing momentum
— Wesley Snipes (@MrLez_Said_What) September 25, 2024
Answer:
Man, I really don’t know! It’s an observation that I’ve had this season as well, though. There have been times when I’ve thought, “okay, here’s where you really go after the punt” with offenses backed up. But, they don’t! It’s like they’re hyper focused on coverage and preventing the big return without taking into account how a big play like that can swing a game…which…I mean, they should know because they’ve had two punts blocked on ’em this season!
Question:
At this point if the season, what overall letter grade do you give the Titans? If you want to break it down by coaching, management, offense, defense & special teams, feel free to do so.
— Ed Helinski 🇺🇸🇵🇱 (@MrEd315) September 26, 2024
Answer:
At this point, it’s hard to give them anything other than an ‘D’ through three games. Things just aren’t jelling right now, and this doesn’t look like a cohesive team at all. Now, there are moments when the vision shines through and I catch myself thinking, “man, if they start hitting on this stuff, this team is going to look a lot different!” But, they have to execute on that and right now, they’re not. Here’s how I’d grade the categories you mentioned, Ed:
- Coaching: C – We’ve seen a couple of good defensive game plans. We’ve seen the first offensive drives scripted well. We’ve even seen players applying technique and getting better (J.C. Latham, for example). But, the failure to adjust with a good counterpunch in the second half of games is bringing this grade down big time.
- Management: D – Good in the first quarter, but they’ve let each of these three games slip away from them the further into the game they’ve gone.
- Offense: F – The line is bad, receivers are dropping balls, the quarterback’s making bad decisions. It looks clunky out there, and the issues are compounding one another.
- Defense and special teams: C – The defense has been great, but the Packers game was concerning. The special teams miscues bring down what would’ve been a ‘B’ for the defense alone.
Question:
Do you ever miss the smell of cigarette smoke in public?
— Outdoor SoBro (@OutdoorSoBro) September 26, 2024
Answer:
I actually do. I think a little secondhand smoke every now and then would actually keep me from smoking cigars. It would scratch that itch, so to speak. My parents didn’t smoke, so I only got to smell the wonderful scent of tobacco smoke hanging in the air when we went to restaurants and sat a little too close to the smoking section. It’s crazy to think that would ever fly today, but man, in a weird way, there’s something nostalgic about that smell that takes me back.
Question:
The Titans franchise is the epitome of an Ouroboros, from excitement to disappointment year in and year out from old guards to the new hotness. What is the game plan by AAS to fill the new stadium and to sell this product to fans? How do we make this snake stop eating its own…
— Jake Robertson (@GloryDaySports) September 26, 2024
Answer:
Jake, this is actually a conversation I’ve been having behind the scenes with anyone who will engage in it. I like this regime…the front office and the coaching staff alike. But, if they don’t start winning games, at what point does Amy’s track record with JRob and Vrabel show up in the rearview mirror, chasing Brian Callahan and Ran Carthon down? Maybe the answer is “use this and next year’s offseason cycle to load up the roster and then go get Arch Manning in 2026.” I’m more comfortable in the here and now saying the answer should just be “patience with this new regime.” But, will Amy show it? That’s the real question. If we start hitting reset and preaching patience with a new staff and roster every couple of years, this franchise will remain in purgatory, including the year that shiny new stadium opens up.
Keep the questions coming – catch y’all next week!
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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