Warren Sharp is an intelligent and well-respected NFL analyst who uses analytics to point out trends with various NFL teams.

In his most recent Twitter thread, Sharp decided to pick on former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing. He starts out the thread by calling Downing a double agent: 

"I spend a lot of time objectively researching every team each offseason… looking for the good & bad as open minded as possible… but one thing I will never be talked off of is my belief that Todd Downing was a double agent trying to make life difficult for the Titans offense"

Anyone who watched the Titans' offense the past two seasons probably agrees with this statement. It was a wildly frustrating offense, and Downing could never unlock it in the way Arthur Smith previously could. 

One notable observation was the Titans' consistent tendency to rely on the running game during first downs. As pointed out by Sharp, they maintained the second-highest run rate among all teams in the league on first down. Remarkably, the Titans persisted with this strategy even when faced with opposing teams aggressively stacking the box, a tactic used against them at the fourth-highest rate in the league. It is no surprise that these rushing plays proved to be the fourth least efficient in the entire NFL.

Here is where it gets even crazier. The Titans' first-down passing offense was the third most efficient in the NFL, yet they rarely passed. This could be why Sharp jokes that Todd Downing was a double agent for the team. This graphic puts into perspective just how crazy Downings' playcalling was:

These numbers confirm what the eye test told us: Downing was actively hurting the Titans' offense the past two seasons. Either Downing was unaware of these numbers, or he just chose to ignore them:

their first down runs did almost nothing but force them into third downs

highest rate of being forced into 3rd down after a first down run in the NFL

but they repeated it, over and over and over

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 21, 2023

Nevertheless, there is renewed optimism as the Titans enter a new chapter with Tim Kelly as their offensive coordinator in 2023. Kelly will hopefully breathe new life into the Titans' offensive strategy. With this newfound direction, the team is primed to shed the frustrations of the past and bring their offense to the 21st century. 

Featured Image via: © George Walker IV/The Tennessean-USA TODAY Sports