Mike Vrabel's job status officially called into question
JACKSONVILLE — Coach Mike Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans (3-7) are going nowhere this season. You might not have needed the team’s latest defeat to tell you that. Tennessee’s 34-14 failure against the Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3) on Sunday simply felt like another nail in the proverbial coffin. Watching a Vrabel-coached team drop their last seven consecutive […]
JACKSONVILLE — Coach Mike Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans (3-7) are going nowhere this season. You might not have needed the team’s latest defeat to tell you that.
Tennessee’s 34-14 failure against the Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3) on Sunday simply felt like another nail in the proverbial coffin.
Watching a Vrabel-coached team drop their last seven consecutive games to end 2022 was jarring. More alarming still is that, whatever rut that Titans team was in, this one somehow feels like it is digging the hole deeper. Sunday night was the first time that the status of his job was questioned.
“I don’t try to concern myself with that,” Vrabel said. “I really am focused on these players. I hurt for them. I played 14 years, won some games, won some championships. I am frustrated for players. I am disappointed for players. I want them to have success. I know how hard they work and what they put into it.
“My focus is on coaching this team and trying to get these guys to understand that there’s a fine line in this league of winning and losing and find a way to get a win. That’s what I’m focused on. I’ll let you guys fire me each week or not fire me.”
Tennessee has not won a game away from Nissan Stadium in over a calendar year.
The larger issue is that there is nearly precious little evidence of improvement under a coach that has long been renowned for being able to do the most with the least.
Vrabel is not going to lose his job this season, barring a seismic shift in ownership’s thinking. The Titans brass view their head coach as an asset. Not only because last December’s firing was a strong show of support for coaching over personnel, but because they know another team would gladly take Vrabel off their hands.
The roster remains the most glaring issue, and it is not correctable at this point.
How long ownership maintains that position with seven more weeks and, likely, a lot more losing ahead this regular season is the biggest question.
Titans are going down a dangerous path with QB Will Levis
TAMPA BAY — Quarterback Will Levis is the only source of hope surrounding the Tennessee Titans (3-6) 2023 season. The rookie could get nothing accomplished on Sunday while under constant duress in a 20-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5). Tennessee cannot afford to let Levis' development get derailed by a roster that is […]
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