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Why one burgeoning Titans defender will struggle to get snaps

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – He’s been praised for his relentlessness and he’s been a steady force in the Titans' first two preseason games.

Rashad Weaver is in a good place heading into his second year. The broken fibula he suffered in Week 3 against the Colts last season has long healed and has not held him back in this training camp or preseason, when he’s registered three tackles, two for a loss with a sack and a forced fumble.

Rashad Weaver

Pool photo/ Donald Page, Tennessee Titans

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Titans' disjointed 2-minute work against Cardinals story of joint practice

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Disjointed work by the Titans’ offense in 2-minute drill work against the Cardinals was the main viewing development of the joint practice session on Wednesday.

Charged with moving to a touchdown with 1:20 on the clock, the first- and second-team offenses struggled to string anything together. It was a relative wash as Arizona's offense struggled against the Titans in the same situation.

Ryan Tannehill

Ryan Tannehill dealt with penalties, a lack of separation, a lot of pressure and a bit of receiver confusion (notably from Kyle Philips and Dez Fitzpatrick).

“In that 2-minute, we just weren’t playing at a high level, what we expect offensively,” Tannehill said. “Just too inconsistent from today, we have to learn from it, clean it up…

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Mike Herndon: Development check on Titans' rookie QB Malik Willis

Mike Herndon: Development check on Titans' rookie QB Malik Willis

By MIKE HERNDON, columnist 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- With Titans starters playing sparingly in the preseason so far, the development of Malik Willis has taken center stage over the last two weeks.

The third-round pick out of Liberty has started and played one drive into the second half against both Baltimore and Tampa Bay, completing 13 of 28 pass attempts (46.4%) for 187 yards (6.7 YPA) with one passing touchdown and zero interceptions for a passer rating of 80.5.

Malik Willis

Pool photo/ Donald Page, Titans

Willis has also added 80 yards rushing on 10 carries with a touchdown on the ground.

The Titans have scored on five of Willis’ 16 drives (31.3%) during the preseason, averaging 1.44 points per drive. Those numbers aren’t great, but it’s worth noting that Willis has been behind center for every Tennessee scoring drive so far.

However, the raw stats don’t come remotely close to telling the story of where Willis is from a development

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Two new Titans defenders who are making an impression

62595634 33DD 4F7B 9A96 657072905D1DNASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two players largely unknown to Titans fans made some noise in the team’s second preseason game, so let’s take a bit of a look at Lonnie Johnson (right) and David Anenih.

Tennessee claimed Johnson off waivers from Kansas City on Aug. 16. He said the Chiefs let him go early to give him the best chance to latch on elsewhere and get started.

He was a second-round choice in 2019 by the Texans out of Kentucky. That was Anthony Midget’s final year as part of Houston’s coaching staff, and the Titans cornerback coach was certainly asked what he thought about Johnson.

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Scout's take: The Titans' personnel through two preseason games

Scout's take: The Titans' personnel through two preseason games

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Preseason Game Two for the Titans allowed the coaching staff and front office to focus heavily on the positions that are still up for competition.

Malik Willis

Pool photo/ Donald Page, Titans 

Backup quarterback, starting right tackle, backup running back, the wide receiver rotation, backup defensive line, backup inside and outside linebackers, starting cornerback opposite of Kristian Fulton, backup safety and punter. 

The special teams’ decisions will impact some of these backup positions but also there will be 4-5 designated special teams coverage players.

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What Titans rookie QB Malik Willis said was better than what he did

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Malik Willis made small gains in preseason game No. 2.

But the Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback still had fits of indecision, ran when he didn’t have to and threw off target too often.

He played one series into the third quarter and made three electric plays that will be heavily circulated on social media but that hardly offer a full sense of his spotty effort in a 13-3 Tennessee win over the Buccaneers at Nissan Stadium.

Malik WIllis

© Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

The best thing about his night wasn’t in what he did but in what he said afterward, where he showed calm accountability and shared a clear understanding of what he is, and isn’t, doing right now and how he needs to sort through it.

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Day Two highlights of joint practice for the Titans: Caleb Farley and Dontrell Hilliard

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Caleb Farley awoke and kept people out of the end zone while Dontrell Hilliard visited it a few times as the Titans wrapped up two days of practice work with the Bucs.

Those two will key my observations from Thursday morning.

Dontrell Hilliard

Dontrell Hilliard/ © George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Farley: Farley had a really bad day in his first go against Tampa, with smaller receivers breaking off routes to get great cushion among his struggles.

But he went to the tape, evaluated what he was doing and bounced back with a much stronger showing that included an interception that killed a Bucs’ series just inside the front right pylon of the end zone on a pass intended for Vyncent Smith. He also had a couple of breakups and gave up a score on a wheel route to Deven Thompkins.

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Rewatch Titans' broadcast on all the hot topics

Screen Shot 2022 08 18 at 8.16.01 PMNASHVILLE, Tenn. -- One man did his best to watch nearly 170 players Wednesday and Thursday.

I certainly came away with impressions of the Titans after two days of joint practices against the Buccaneers, and I know you have a ton of questions.

So we gathered gather and chatted about all of it, with you bringing your best questions and me bringing my best answers.

You can watch rewatch on Twiiter, on our public Facebook page or on YouTube below.   

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