ARLINGTON, Texas – In the closest thing you’ll find to a Week 9 must-win, the Titans followed the instruction, surviving a couple early turnovers en route to a 28-14 win over the Cowboys.

They are 4-4 and very much in the mix for a playoff berth where 5-3 would currently have the last Wild Card spot and 6-3 Houston is atop the AFC South.

The offense looked like a disaster early, with a quick strip sack of Marcus Mariota given up by Jack Conklin resulting on one turnover and a Dion Lewis fumble another. But Kevin Byard’s end zone interception helped even things out in the early stages. [Unlocked]

ARLINGTON, Texas – There are plenty of players we’ve hardly heard from during the Titans’ 3-4 start.

While contemplating the Titans’ game against the Cowboys tonight at AT&T Stadium tonight, one has repeatedly come to mind.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Greetings, folks. Welcome to a big, long football weekend.

Here's the big Periscope in advance of Monday night's Titans-Cowboy's game in Dallas.

#Titans talk ahead of MNF in Dallas https://t.co/un8J0vFTff

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) November 2, 2018

And now we move on to some people's favorite part of the mailbag, the actual mail.

Why are the o-line struggles not discussed more thoroughly? I know this o-line has a good reputation but injuries/the interior have made it a glaring weak spot. Watch 2 pt attempt vs. Chargers, LG gets mauled. #PKmail

— nate (@natetweets69) November 2, 2018

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Blake Beddingfield was a Titans' scout for 19 years, through the 2017 draft. He was the team's director of college scouting for his final six years. Follow him on Twitter at @BlakeBeddingfi1. He’s brought to you by Party Fowl. Eat hot chicken and drink boozy slushes in The Gulch, the Boro or in Donelson.

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special contributor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans front office had a blind trust coming into the 2018 season. 

They trusted that a rookie head coach would be the answer to put them over on top. They trusted that a rookie offensive coordinator would be ready to call plays at a playoff level. They trusted that the young second-year receivers would take the next step as playmakers. They trusted that their high priced free agent pickups would upgrade their talent.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When Mike Vrabel steps to the podium at AT&T Stadium late Monday, he needs not to tell us that he needs to do a better job coaching.

He needs to have done a better job coaching.

I don’t fault him for his default answer after a loss. It’s an automatic me-first route to accountability when things go wrong. And too many coaches, including his predecessor, don’t look first to themselves when things go bad.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans want to be more like they are on offense in the fourth quarter in quarters one through three.

"We have a quarterback that is highly rated in the fourth quarter," Mike Vrabel said. "We have to find ways to recreate the fourth quarter passing. He’s highly rated – I think he’s maybe 24-for-32, 120.0 rating, off the top of my head. We have to recreate that type of mentality throughout the game, and throughout the first three-quarters of the game."

What are the Titans doing better in the fourth quarter that they can try to do more in the first three quarters? I broke it down into a bunch of categories based off numbers from sharpfootballstats.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After an aggressive showing against the Eagles, I praised the mild-mannered Titans receivers for flipping a switch and turning into aggressive go-getters.

They have not kept it up, and I came back from London perturbed that once again, a meek group of guys played meek football and did their part to help the Titans lose.

“I know that (Marcus Mariota) was putting it in there, and I know that there were dropssssss, and so it looked like those decisions were good when balls hit guys in the hands, I mean we’ve got to make plays,” Mike Vrabel said. “They’ve got to help the quarterback. The quarterback has got to make good decisions. We’ve got to coach good. And it all goes hand-in-hand.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Want to be the sort of high-volume runner proponents of Derrick Henry say the Titans big back should be?

The key is catching passes.

If you want the volume, you need to be on the field for all three downs, and if you want to be on the field for all three downs you need to be a well-rounded back who can threaten not just as a ball-carrier but as a receiving threat.