NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Shockingly, I opened the mailbag and it was filled with Ryan Tannehill questions.
I did my best to dig through them and I think we get to some interesting information about him.
First, I encourage you to make sure you get to this week's podcast between now and kickoff. Quality stuff in there with a lot of Titans' voices and my commentary.
Get it on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeart and YouTube.
Onto the best of what you passed along. Thanks for that and feel free to send questions via Facebook or Twitter (I'm not calling it X) anytime. If you're a member you can easily find me through the private Facebook page, and those questions get priority.
Alex Law What is Tannehill’s history after bad games - does he normally bounce back quickly or does he go on cold streaks?
In the matchups following the five-worst passer ratings games of Ryan Tannehill’s Titans' career, he rebounded to contribute to a win four times.
Here are his passer ratings jumps from the bad game to the next week:
32.7 to 98.4
40.5 to 103.3
58.4 to 60.2
60.2 to 81.5
68.9 to 106.8
So that offers hope for him to be significantly better a week after his career-low 28.8 passer rating from the Titans' 16-15 loss in New Orleans.
Matthew Frazier If Tannehill has another game like week 1 will we see Willis?
I can’t see a scenario against the Chargers where a healthy Tannehill is replaced in the game by Malik Willis unless it’s at the end of a blowout.
When things go badly, many people presume the alternative has to be better. The version of Willis we saw in the preseason was better than the version we saw fill in for Tannehill for a couple of games last year which got benched in favor of Joshua Dobbs. But if the Chargers are giving Tannehill a hard time, they will give Willis a harder time.
I’d look for the Titans to stick with even a struggling Tannehill for a good while before contemplating a change, and I’m not sure if the time comes that they pull the plug Willis will be the replacement. Will Levis is more the future, I believe.
Recently you answered a question I posed regarding Henry’s effectiveness with less chances. Is the better question, how effective can Tannehill can be if asked to pass more? Is he more a limiting factor?
— The General (@mac9nj) September 15, 2023
They are 10-13 in games where he attempts 30 passes or more, 5-8 since 2021. Generally, when he’s had to throw a great deal, the Titans have been behind and playing catch-up late.
Brian Moore IIRC you've appreciated NWI and Kinsey and the effort and intelligence the slowish veteran receivers bring but also said they needed some fresh talent. IIRC Vrabel said they needed speed and playmakers. With Burks and Phillips injured last year and this year there's some fair warning to be prepared. They had Roberson and Harrison making plays often in camp. How critical is it that Vrabel went away from play makers and stuck with NWI?
Or that Kearis didn't even get a target last game? It seems to me that Henry invites the eight man front and since it's so congested, a slot WR better be capable of catching it and getting the heck out of dodge. I don't think NWI is "made for" the role in the slot. Maybe I'm wrong. What do you think of NWI and Chig dealing with the congestion or traffic?
Well, you’re not quite remembering correctly. I appreciate what Mason Kinsey can do for them as a practice squad contributor, but I simply don’t think he’s going to compete with NFL talent on Sundays. Once again Kyle Philips is down and once again they aren’t looking to a guy very much in his mold to be part of the replacement strategy.
I’m fine with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as the fourth wide receiver. And he had the best separation of any Titans target in New Orleans with an average of 2.9 yards. I think the Titans are overly reluctant to add a small, slippery downfield threat type. A guy who cost a high draft pick like Zay Flowers doesn’t seem to get on their radar, but neither do Rashid Shaheed types. He ran a 4.3 as an undrafted out of Weber State in 2022 and hurt the Titans in New Orleans.
DeAndre Hopkins wasn’t doing anything with a lot of chances and Treylon Burks was not getting open. Why would we hit NWI for actually being the one guy making plays? He and Chig Okonkwo should be fine dealing with traffic. You complain they go away from the playmakers to NWI but then also complain they don’t go to Kearis Jackson? You're contradicting yourself.
I want them to get people open and throw to them, but I am not looking for them to take the people who have the best chances of being dangerous and/or reliable off the field for an unproven undrafted rookie who’s active primarily to catch punts.
Philips is a slot guy, but they don’t have to replace him with a pure slot guy, and they will move people through there with NWI getting a lot of it. The biggest surprise at receiver for me was that Chris Moore played so little.
Jim Belaskie (Khalil) Mack and (Joey) Bosa will be a tall task for our tackles, what can we do to limit the sacks?
Run it more, for starters. Play the quick passing game. Move the pocket.
Then help Andre Dillard and Chris Hubbard with chips and help – I discuss that in this week’s podcast and Blake Beddingfield hits it in his game preview.
Hey #Paul, fellow Titans fans often lament about the offense (rightfully so), with QB being a major cause for gripe the past few years. What “type” of QB would #fit our philosophy as a team? (Jalen Hurts skillset “fits” in Philly, #Roethlisberger fit in Pittsburgh).
— Key Stat Man (@KeyStatMan) September 15, 2023
Thanks, #KSM
To me, this is the backward way to look at it. Really good quarterbacks are a rarity. You can’t be particular about them, you have to grab whichever one you can.
They think they got a very good one in Will Levis. And he’s a tough, big-armed quarterback with a quick release who can run the sort of offense they’ve been running.
But think of your broader question this way. Mike Vrabel was asked during camp about being so invested in a run-centered offense and he talked about having inherited a team that had a great running back and he and his staff using what they had.
The type of quarterback that would fit them is a top-flight quarterback. You have to believe Vrabel and his coaches would be smart enough to craft an offense around him, whether he turns out to be Levis, Malik Willis or a guy yet to be determined.
Jalen Hurts didn't fit the Eagles but the Eagles sure fit him now.
Steve Cavendish When the Titans recover a fumble off the kickoff like they did, do they ditch the opening script? Or do they start calling plays fresh? I’ll hang up and listen.
Well, they jump into the script where they are. So what were they intending to do with from a range around the New Orleans’ 24 just with a fresh set of downs?
They weren’t looking to get into a first-and-15 with a false start by Trevon Wesco, that’s for sure. Then from third-and-13, they weren’t looking for a DeAndre Hopkins false start to push them back to the 32 and a third-and-18.
So they’re off the plays they want to run early and onto long-yardage plays script pretty quickly.
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