Tennessee Titans must position themselves well with the offensive coordinator hire
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans watched the first round of the 2022-23 NFL playoffs from the couch this weekend. It is only the second time in five seasons under coach Mike Vrabel that Tennessee has not been in the postseason mix. Seven consecutive losses to end the year will do that to you. As the Titans […]
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans watched the first round of the 2022-23 NFL playoffs from the couch this weekend. It is only the second time in five seasons under coach Mike Vrabel that Tennessee has not been in the postseason mix.
Seven consecutive losses to end the year will do that to you.
As the Titans organization works its way through a pivotal winter and spring, a new offensive coordinator is among the top priorities. The team chose not to retain Todd Downing in that position after their Week 18 debacle against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Whomever Vrabel choses to be his fourth offensive coordinator as Tennessee's head coach will be as heavily scrutinized as any move the club makes this offseason.
So, who do the 2023 Titans want to be?
Titans need a proven commodity
Easier said than done.
"I want it to be smart, tough, fast and physical," said Vrabel last week of Tennessee's offense moving forward. "There is a degree of physicality that is required in this game at every level. Be fundamentally sound, play with technique, but we have got to get faster. We have to be a faster football team. Rarely are we the fastest team out there."
2022 was a year of identity crisis for the Titans.
Tied for fourth most penalties in the sport this season (111) is not terribly smart. No one would question the toughness of Tennessee's players, but many who finished the year on the active roster were neither fast nor physical enough. A new coordinator is not going to fix all of those issues that the organization will seek to correct in the coming months, but they also cannot compound the problem.
Tennessee needs an experience OC
Lack of ability on the roster is a completely reasonable excuse when looking at the Titans offensive struggles.
Situational awareness and tendencies, however, are areas that the next play-caller Vrabel hires needs to improve. Downing had previous experience as a coordinator prior to being promoted internally by Vrabel ahead of the 2021 season. The Titans offense slumped considerably in Downing's second season on the job, though, managing to finish only 30th in total offense (296.8), 28th in points per game (17.5), and 26th in EPA per play (-0.066).
A proven track record of in-game success is what Tennessee needs from it's next OC.
New or promising candidates should obviously be considered, but Vrabel and the Titans offense need a play-caller they can trust. Having done the job before does not guarantee that level of competency. A team with so many questions moving forward needs a steady, stable presence to guide them forward.
Whoever that ends up being for Tennessee in 2023 has their work cut out for them.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
