NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have taken huge steps in 4 seasons with coach Mike Vrabel reaching an AFC championship recreation and incomes back-to-back AFC South titles together with a No. 1 seed.
Subsequent up?
Determining find out how to win once more within the postseason if this franchise is to finish a drought of reaching the Tremendous Bowl now at 22 years and counting.
“We’ve received quite a lot of video games ...,“ Vrabel mentioned Monday. “However we haven’t received a playoff recreation in two years and that’s when you need to be at your finest.”
The Titans (12-6) have all offseason to dissect what went fallacious after failing to reap the benefits of incomes the AFC’s high seed for the third time. Turnovers had been key in nearly all their losses, particularly the three interceptions by Ryan Tannehill of their 19-16 divisional loss to Cincinnati.
Vrabel’s 43 wins have tied him with Jack Pardee (1990-1993) for this franchise’s winningest coach by his first 4 seasons. The Titans have had three straight playoff berths, and their six consecutive successful seasons are second within the NFL solely to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
The Titans even have a core of younger gamers, and each Tannehill, Derrick Henry and Julio Jones are below contract for one more two seasons. That ought to preserve this window open, particularly with Vrabel saying he has little interest in going wherever else.
“I’m upset, however I’m not discouraged as a result of I do know the kind of folks that we now have right here.” Vrabel mentioned.
Vrabel and the Titans have a monitor report of with the ability to repair points in a single offseason.
A yr in the past, the protection was at or close to the underside in a number of statistical classes. Common supervisor Jon Robinson swapped out a handful of starters, Vrabel gave the coordinator title to Shane Bowen and the unit made main enhancements.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/sports/football/2022/01/24/titans-challenge-winning-in-playoffs-after-blowing-top-seed/20220124180116-61ef341d2e68d038df15351ajpeg.jpg)
The Titans ranked second in run protection and sixth in each fewest factors allowed and third-down effectivity. They simply tied the NFL postseason report with 9 sacks in a recreation.
“I undoubtedly really feel just like the nucleus of this group, particularly on the protection, we now have the items there to have a championship protection to exit and win a Tremendous Bowl,“ All-Professional security Kevin Byard mentioned.
Vrabel additionally defended Tannehill, whose contract and wage cap hit basically guarantee he’ll be again in 2022.
“We've got to be nice round him, however he’s proven indicators of accuracy, of decision-making, to the power to increase performs and scramble and management,“ Vrabel mentioned. “So these are all issues that you simply search for in a quarterback. And Ryan has confirmed us that.”
OFFENSIVE WOES
Sure, the Titans didn’t have Henry for the ultimate 9 video games, costing him the possibility at a possible three-peat because the NFL dashing chief. In addition they used 91 gamers, most ever in an non-strike season.
The Titans took a step again in a number of classes in offensive coordinator Todd Downing's first season. Tennessee scored 13 fewer touchdowns and averaged 53.9 fewer yards, dropping from a tie for second in most yards in 2020 to seventeenth and from fourth in factors per recreation to fifteenth.
In addition they allowed 22 extra sacks, and Tannehill’s interceptions doubled from seven to 14 not counting the three within the playoff loss. Vrabel known as Downing an incredible coach and exhausting employee — not the endorsement Titans’ followers wish to hear coming off a postseason loss.
BUSY OFFSEASON
A few of the roster choices dealing with the Titans can be straightforward.
Choosing up the fifth-year possibility on defensive deal with Jeffery Simmons after he adopted up a career-high 8 1/2 sacks with three extra within the playoff loss is a no brainer. Identical with extending A.J. Brown, a Professional Bowl extensive receiver in his second season who simply set the franchise postseason report with 142 yards receiving.
Outdoors linebacker Harold Landry can be costly to maintain coming off a career-best 12 sacks, and he additionally had 1 1/2 sacks within the divisional loss. The Titans spent huge on protection final yr in signing outdoors linebacker Bud Dupree and defensive lineman Denico Autry.
Byard mentioned he’d be completely satisfied to restructure his contract to unlock area to maintain Landry.
Left deal with Taylor Lewan missed 4 video games with accidents a yr after tearing an ACL, and his contract makes him a possible cap casualty or restructure goal.
DRAFT ISSUES
The Titans will decide twenty sixth total in April, and Robinson should have a draft nearer to 2019 when he nabbed 5 starters with six alternatives, together with Simmons and Brown. The Titans traded their 2020 first-round decide in March, and cornerback Caleb Farley, the highest decide for 2021, performed three video games and tore an ACL in his one begin.
___
Observe Teresa M. Walker at https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker
___
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL