How the Tennessee Titans will prepare for high-variance New York Giants
NASHVILLE — Football teams despise looking back on a previous season. Mike Vrabel's Tennessee Titans are no different when it comes to questions that require much reflection. To do so is against any football player's DNA. Given how Week 1 went for Tennessee last year, however, the resulting disaster is worth a brief interrogation. Should the […]
NASHVILLE — Football teams despise looking back on a previous season. Mike Vrabel's Tennessee Titans are no different when it comes to questions that require much reflection.
To do so is against any football player's DNA.
Given how Week 1 went for Tennessee last year, however, the resulting disaster is worth a brief interrogation. Should the New York Giants come to Nissan Stadium this Sunday as 5.5-point underdogs and upset the home team, are we to expect the Titans to chalk it up to Opening Day randomness? Of course not.
Vrabel's team has a fluid approach in preparing for a high-variance opponent like New York?
Preparation for Giants goes beyond film study
It's tough watch tape on a team with a predominantly new coaching staff and significant roster turnover.
The Giants fired Joe Judge ahead of this season, bringing in former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to run the show. In shuffling the deck with his New York staff, Daboll and new general manager Joe Schoen also turned over a considerable amount of the player personnel. Heading into Week 1 at Tennessee, the Giants are projected to have 13 new starters on both sides of the ball.
(The Giants) are gonna do stuff that we haven't seen before," safety Kevin Byard said on Monday. "I think we just have to make sure that we're keeping our composure on the sidelines and be settled. We might have to make some adjustments on the sideline because, at the end of the day, it's Week 1 in the NFL and you can expect anything."
Week 1 always brings the odd curveball, no matter how much time you take to prepare.
Titans default to their team keys
The Titans have faced Daboll's offense in Buffalo several times over the year as well as new Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale's scheme during his time in Baltimore.
A handful of players remain from Tennessee's road shutout victory over New York in Vrabel's first season at the helm. Running back Saquon Barkley, who was held in check for 31 yards on 14 carries, is among them. The Giants have tried to surround embattled fourth-year quarterback Daniel Jones with talent and improved coaching competency. There is no doubt they will try to catch the Titans on their heels.
"We try to learn the personnel the best that we can," said Vrabel. "We try to anticipate what we may see from them in all three phases. Most of the scheme stuff would probably come from somebody other than the Giants. You're watching the Giants for personnel, to see guys’ skillset and how they play. Then you just try to get them prepared the best that you can for the things that you think you might see."
How the Titans trust in and execute the plan that Vrabel and his staff put into place will give all of us watching an idea of how they feel they need to play to their strengths.
The most interesting part of football is watching the in-game approach that two coaching staffs use to try and exploit one another. Coaches like Vrabel default to team keys and principles far more than letting the talent try to win them a game.
The Giants enter this season opener with far more pressure than Tennessee does. It is incumbent upon the Titans to try and exploit that.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
