State of the Titans

The Tennessee Titans are off to a dismal start this season. Most of this is due to the lack of a pass rush. A lot of spectators can take the easy way out and say it is because of the departure of Albert Haynesworth. Albert was a big loss to the Titans defense, but if you consider what he has done this year with the Redskins, he has been relatively quiet. So to say that the Titans lack of pass rush comes from the departure of Haynesworth is irrelevant for this season. I believe that the biggest reason why the Titans pass rush and secondary are lacking is former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leaving for Detroit. New defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil has not lived up to what Jim Schwartz did with the Titans defense. Going by the first four games of the season, it looks like the secondary is almost confused and doesn't know what to do in late game situations. It almost looks like Cecil has the linebackers and secondary playing prevent defense. The corners are playing ten yards off the receivers and the safeties are playing even deeper than that. I have always believed that prevent defense is a way to "prevent" yourself from winning. Any time you give a quarterback more than four seconds in the pocket they are going to pick any defensive unit apart. It also looks like Cecil is almost trying to hard to solve the pass rush problem. Cecil has tried putting together blitz packages and rotating players in and out on the front line. Blitz packages have not yet worked for the Titans this season. Every time the Titans have blitzed, the secondary has left a hole in the defense thus leaving a man open every time. Part of the reason for the secondary lacking is because of injuries to Nick Harper and Cortland Finnegan. The Titans' defense has been banged up for the past two games. Getting healthy is a key part in any successful team. Tonight's big showdown with the Colts should be a defining moment for the Titans' season. The Titans have always played the Colts tough and tonight should not be any different. Tonight is a chance for the Titans to show the nation on national television what they are capable of. The Titans are too good of a football team to let the season get away from them this early. Expect them to come out guns blazing tonight against the Colts.