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Pickers mailbag: Receiver drops, trade demands and patience

Pickers mailbag: Receiver drops, trade demands and patience

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sadly, I have returned to America.

But we are back, ready to examine the Titans from all angles and I've got several good posts on the runway for the week leading up to the Titans on Monday night in Dallas.

Here's this week's Periscope, hot off the presses.

Onto the top questions and topics of the week.

How responsible is WR coach for all the drops? Are drops something that can be fixed or are you kind of stuck with what you’ve got?

— EHDLO (@EHDLO) October 26, 2018

PK: The Titans have had a slew of wide receiver coaches though 20 years of having insufficient wide receivers. It’s a magical position for them in term of insufficiency. And it’s tapped into all sort of different elements.

JenningsDropEagles

But Rob Moore hasn’t run a single bad route or dropped a single ball. Certainly, a head coach, a coordinator and a position coach can help a deficient group improve on an area it’s deficient in, but ultimately it’s on the players in the moment to do better.

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Scout's take: Breaking down the Titans on third down in London

Scout's take: Breaking down the Titans on third down in London

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 Twiiter 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

IMG 6248

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The opening drive for the Titans was a good mix of run and pass, using Marcus Mariota’s legs and two quick passes to Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis which helped move the chains. 

But the Titans again could not find the end zone and had to settle for a field goal.

The Titans shortened the game and held the critical stat of time of possession with a strong run game by Lewis and a very accurate passing day by Mariota. Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor each had big drops that stopped critical drives. These are players the team is relying on, but unfortunately, they are not consistent enough to be put in those big positions each week.

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Why not a Derrick Henry carry on the 2-point conversion?

Why not a Derrick Henry carry on the 2-point conversion?

LONDON – A few final thoughts on a loss the Titans really have to be sick over at Wembley Stadium.

The run game: It was a good day for the running game, which finally showed signs of life. The 33 carries were the second-most outside of the Jacksonville win, the 164 yards were the most this year and the 5.0-yard average was the highest.

HenryPortraitDion Lewis did the most with 13 carries for 91 yards (and six catches on six targets for 64 more). He was electric and the Titans best player in London, which is why it would have made sense to win or lose with him on the 2-point conversion, certain once it was moved, by penalty, to the 1-yard line.

Derrick Henry had some good runs and two good catches. Because of his size, people overrate him as a short-yardage threat. Many figure a 6-foot-3, 247-pound back should simply be able to get a yard.

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Mike Vrabel wouldn't second-guess the 2-point conversion attempt, but I will

Mike Vrabel wouldn't second-guess the 2-point conversion attempt, but I will

LONDON – Going for it paid off huge against the Eagles. The Titans could have attempted a field goal for a tie, but risked a loss on fourth down in order to get in position for a glorious overtime win.

At Wembley Stadium they were in position likely to force overtime with a PAT, but instead went for a 2-point conversion. And when they missed it and got a second chance thanks to a penalty, they tried it again and missed it again, absorbing a 20-19 loss.IMG 6112 1

Thus they return to Nashville at 3-4, holders of a three-game losing streak heading into a bye.

Mike Vrabel said he wouldn’t second-guess it, that doing so is a job for those of us asking the questions. And so I am happy to oblige.

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MDI Mailbag: Is it growing pains for the Titans' offense, or something else?

MDI Mailbag: Is it growing pains for the Titans' offense, or something else?

LONDON -- Greetings from England, where I'm near through the first day-adjustment and really excited for a family day touring the city and taking in the Chelsea-Man U game at Stamford Bridge.

The Titans' Friday practice was uneventful but for the pretty backdrop at the Great Hall of Syon House in Brentford.MaritaCastle

My thank to MDI Construction for sponsoring all my travel for the second year in a row, including this giant trip. MDI Construction: High-quality commercial, retail and industrial construction since 2003. Their building and bidding timetable can’t be matched. 

Now onto your questions.

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Scout's take: Titans built to handle Chargers' front four

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 Twiiter 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

OrakpoRavens

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Chargers With Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Tyrell Williams and Melvin Gordon will bring a very different challenge than the Ravens did.

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To keep things normal in London, Titans sent bacon

To keep things normal in London, Titans sent bacon

OVER THE ATLANTIC, EN ROUTE TO LONDON – The bacon is different.

bacon

Jon Robinson mentioned it in a training camp visit with the Midday 180 and I asked him about it before we all set out across the Atlantic for the Titans game Sunday at WembleyStadium against the Chargers.

Now I understand many might say, Oh the pampered NFL football team needs the perfect breakfast meat and can’t adapt.

But yeah, the pampered football team needs the perfect breakfast meat and can’t adapt.

The franchise’s goal is to maintain the routine, as routine is, in many ways the lifeblood of an NFL operation.

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