One stat that new Titans' OC Tim Kelly must fix in 2023
It's no secret that the Tennessee Titans had an anemic passing attack in 2022. Only the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears averaged fewer passing yards per game than the Titans. The Titans have been a run-first team for years now, and that seems unlikely to change in 2023. Getting leads early and maintaining those leads […]
It's no secret that the Tennessee Titans had an anemic passing attack in 2022. Only the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears averaged fewer passing yards per game than the Titans.
The Titans have been a run-first team for years now, and that seems unlikely to change in 2023. Getting leads early and maintaining those leads is absolutely crucial with type of offense. Unfortunately, the Titans got behind way too often in 2022, and it was hard for the team to recover.
NFL analyst Warren Sharp recently revealed a statistic that put this into perspective.
Sharp's analysis reveals that the Titans were tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the fewest amount of drives that ended in points when the team was losing in the second half. In this scenario, the Titans only scored 22% of the time.
Essentially, if the Titans were losing after halftime, they were probably losing the game. This is due in no small part to the lack of passing attack. It's hard to be a run-heavy team when you're working against the clock.
New offensive coordinator Tim Kelly will have his work cut out to improve in this area. The team has not significantly addressed the receiver position this offseason, even though DeAndre Hopkins rumors do persist.
This means Kelly will have to come up with more creative playcalls to keep defenses on their toes. For example, less running on first down should be considered, as too many drives were starting in negative territory. When your offense is consistently faced with 2nd & long, it can be a recipe for disaster when you have no consistency in the pass game.
Derrick Henry is still an elite running back and should still be utilized hevaily. Instead of repetitive, non-productive runs, Henry needs to be factored into the passing game more. The star RB led all Titans with 386 yards after the catch in 2022. Henry also had a 69-yard reception, which was the longest passing play of the season for the team.
Getting Chig Okonkwo more involved in the latter parts of games would also help. Only Henry averaged more yards per catch than Okonkwo in 2022, yet Okonkwo's opportunities were limited. With Geoff Swaim and Austin Hooper no longer on the roster, there's no excuse for Okonkwo to not be heaily involved in the offense.
If Tim Kelly can get the Titans' offense to a point where being down in the second half isn't a guaranteed loss, it will be a job well done.
Featured image via © George Walker IV / T | 2023 Feb 7
