Tennessee Titans: How Kenny Vaccaro motivates the Titans wide receivers with lessons from NOLA
NASHVILLE — Safety Kenny Vaccaro knows what to expect when the Tennessee Titans (8-6) host the New Orleans Saints (11-3) on Sunday. Spending the first five years of his career in NOLA gave the former 15th overall pick an intimate familiarity with quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Michael Thomas. "(Michael)'s going to catch everything," said […]
NASHVILLE — Safety Kenny Vaccaro knows what to expect when the Tennessee Titans (8-6) host the New Orleans Saints (11-3) on Sunday. Spending the first five years of his career in NOLA gave the former 15th overall pick an intimate familiarity with quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Michael Thomas.
"(Michael)'s going to catch everything," said Vaccaro of Thomas. "50-50 balls, (Brees) puts it up there for him. I think he trusts him that he's gonna make the play. It's his mentality. I've never met somebody as determined as Mike Thomas."
The Saints are coming off an utter domination of the Indianapolis Colts (6-8) on Monday Night Football led by their passing attack. Tennessee will try to use Vaccaro's familiarity with old teammates to their advantage in the effort to slow New Orleans down.
Thomas caught all 12 of his targets for 128 yards and a score to effectively end Indy's season. On the year, Thomas leads the NFL in receptions (133), receiving yards (1,552) and is tied for fourth in touchdowns snagged (8). It is the work ethic of Thomas, though, that left its mark on the Titans' transplant defender.
Vaccaro tries to instill the lessons learned from Thomas in a young Tennessee receiving corps.
"Kenny (Vaccaro) always reminds me," rookie A.J. Brown said. "He's like, 'Michael Thomas is working right now. He's working.' So, in between periods, he's telling me 'Go do something.'
"He was telling me that Michael Thomas came in his rookie year demanding the ball, this and that. He tells me just keep working at it and keep building that confidence in myself."
Brown's development over the course of his first season cannot be ignored.
With eight catches for 114 yards and his 7th touchdown of 2019, the Ole Miss product has already surpassed Oilers/Titans Great Chis Sanders (823 yards) for the third-highest receiving yardage total by a rookie in franchise history. Brown (893 yards this season) became the first Tennessee player with consecutive 100-yard receiving games since Nate Washington against the San Diego Chargers in 2013.
Coordinator Arthur Smith will need that same kind of production if this Titans offense is to keep pace with the likes of Brees and Thomas. It helps that Smith's top wideout and quarterback seem to be creating that same kind of chemistry.
The last time these two teams played, Marcus Mariota threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day in overtime to pull off a 34-28 victory on the road. It was Mike Mularkey's first win as interim head coach in 2015. 2019 boasts a much better version of the Titans for this next contest on Sunday.
With postseason implications minimal, Tennessee still needs a strong showing against New Orleans to prove its legitimacy as a contender.
Featured Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
