Former Titans coach attempts to explain second half woes
The Tennessee Titans (2-2) have struggled in the second half in each one of their four games to begin the season. In those 4 games, the Titans are being outscored by an atrocious margin of 64-7, and have barely held on in each of their two wins. The worst part of it all, is that […]
The Tennessee Titans (2-2) have struggled in the second half in each one of their four games to begin the season.
In those 4 games, the Titans are being outscored by an atrocious margin of 64-7, and have barely held on in each of their two wins.
The worst part of it all, is that nobody seems to have any answers.
Titans coaches and players have been quick downplay any questions regarding second half performance, choosing instead to highlight and celebrate the final score. "A win is a win, and it's hard to win in this league" most of them would tell you.
That all may be true, but this can't all be chalked up a few bad breaks or missed opportunities anymore. This is officially a trait of this team in 2022 and Titans fans deserve answers. 28 second half yards after scoring 24 first half points against the Colts is an unacceptable style of football.
Dave McGinnis, currently the color commentator for Titans radio broadcasts, has been in NFL coaching circles for over 30 years. He began his NFL tenure as the linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears in 1986, and has since been an NFL head coach for the Arizona Cardinals, and spent eight seasons on the Titans staff from 2004-2011.
McGinnis has seen his fair share of NFL teams, and during the Titans postgame show on Sunday, Coach Mac tried to provide the answers that fans crave about the team's continued second half woes.
McGinnis' comments were discussed on Monday's edition of The Buck Reising Show on Nashville radio's 104.5 The Zone.
McGinnis attributed the Titans' struggled after halftime to the amount of injuries the team has sustained. Coach Mac seems to believe that because of the are so depleted in personnel, their identity and philosophy as a team is just to "find a way."
"This football team.. let's just be very very honest, they are just so depleted with people that they are just finding a way. What a gut check this was," McGinnis said over the air.
"Clearly the colts were the healthier team, and that second half was rough, it was really rough, but they found a way to get it done," McGinnis continued. "Now, I would love for us to get some people healthy."
According to 104.5's Lucas Panzica, Coach Mac told him after the game that "this has to be a 'find a way' team" in 2022, a perfect descriptor of the Mike Vrabel Titans era and the brand of football he believes in.
The early number suggest that Mac may be on to something. After making headlines and breaking records in 2021 for having 91 different players suit up for them throughout the season, the Titans are on on the same pace just one year later.
I still tend to believe there is a larger issue than just injuries or a lack of execution, but the "find a way" philosophy could play a factor in the Titans' inability to keep their foot on the gas late in games.
Just because your personnel are depleted does not mean your second half approach should change once you get out to a lead.
It is a combination of operations, execution, and play-calling that has left a lot of meat on the bone in the second half of games. Injuries didn't do that.
Getting healthy may help, but it's on the coaches to solve that disconnect. If you can do it in the first half, you should be able to find a way to do it in the second half as well.
Image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
