NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The depth chart says three-wide, and the numbers say three-wide.

Roughly 44 percent of the time the Titans’ offense has lined up in three-wide. It’s their most-used personnel grouping, though they still rank just 27th in the NFL.

It’s the more modern alignment I’ve been waiting for, and the Titans seemingly have the personnel to fill the formation now.

But for Marcus Mariota, it’s not been a better scenario through two games.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When the news came down that Taylor Lewan, likely the best player on the Titans’ offense, would miss the first four games due to a PED suspension, it seemed inevitable the team would lose at least one more game than it should during his time away.

Was that the Colts’ game?

Well, we haven’t seen the full four yet. But his absence sure hurt on Sunday, when the Tennessee offense couldn’t get moving and sustained very little in a miserable 19-17 loss to Indianapolis.

They might have lost it with him, and there were plenty of culprits who did play. But I’d suggest Lewan contributed in two big ways.

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special contributor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- My game review from Colts-Titans...

The Titans were beaten by an average team with an average quarterback in Jacoby Brissett. But one loss is not the end of the season.

On offense, the Titans had their moments when they used the run game to set up balance with the passing game.

The first pass of the game from Marcus Mariota to Delanie Walker was a well-designed play but Mariota rushed the throw and it was thrown behind Walker for an incompletion.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans have a quarterback in Marcus Mariota who stared at the sidelines, letting valuable fourth-quarter time tick away after a failed fourth-down attempt at drawing the opponent offside – surprise – did not work.

They’ve got a coach in Mike Vrabel who let that scenario unfold while sitting on three timeouts, letting the clock burn with his team behind.

They’ve got a receiver in Tajae Sharpe who had a first-down catch in his hands with space to fall forward or even run for additional yardage, who inexplicably chose to move backward and surrender a new set of downs. (And then is incapable of being accountable for it after the game.)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Marcus Mariota needs to be good consistently, not occasionally.

As the Titans approach decision-making time on him, they need to see him making good decisions a good percentage of the time.

And instead, after an ugly game against the Colts that was right there for the taking at Nissan Coliseum, where the Titans swallowed a 19-17 loss, we watched him make questionable decisions. At least, to his credit, he was there to question those decisions right along with the rest of us.

Let’s run through the greatest hits of the fourth quarter in chronological order, shall we?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Welcome to the weekend. I know we're all excited for Sunday's home opener and I look forward to seeing many of you at Nissan Stadium.

Thanks for your contributions to the mail, which is always open via Twitter if you use #PKmail.

Ethan Cooper Two of the most productive players last Sunday, Cameron Wake and AJ Brown, both played under 50% of the snaps. Should we expect that to stay the same in the coming weeks or will their snap counts increase? Put differently, what is the logic of limiting snaps of your most productive guys? 

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special contributor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- My scouting advance report on Colts at Titans...

The Titans will not have to face Andrew Luck who has retired undefeated against the team. Wide receiver Devin Funchess will also miss the game due to a broken collarbone. 

This Colts will be a different looking offense without Luck, but despite the lack of an elite quarterback, they have a very talented team due to the roster-building of GM Chris Ballard and his scouting staff.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Ray Lewis certainly knows adulation from a city. 

Thursday evening before he chatted with Eddie George at an intimate off-the-record event, he chatted with The Midday 180 in an inteview we broadcast Friday.

The beloved Baltimore linebacker talked about the size of the reminder George will get Sunday about judst how beloved he is in Nashville.

"I’ve always said there are certain people that will forever be connected to certain cities," he said. "I knew where he started from. I knew what the whole roller coaster ride was all about. To see him finish it, to see how he is appreciated in this city is very close to the feelings that I have in Baltimore.

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