Big Zach Attack - Sharona's Shots on Defense - Titans vs Jaguars

As I mentioned in my blog on the Titans offense, head coach Mike Munchak relieved offensive coordinator Chris Palmer of his duties on Monday. He stated he was unlikely to make any further changes and I think that's true barring a serious meltdown on defense in the remaining games. However in truth, Munchak himself may not survive.

Does Jerry Gray survive the offseason? At one point I would have said no, but the Titans defense is playing better. Against the Jags, the Titans had 7 sacks for a loss of 40 yards. One can only view that as a positive even though ultimately the Titans lost this game. Jerry Gray does need to get his act together on his blitz packages as he keeps leaving a soft spot in the middle that opposing offenses keep exploiting.

Having said that, the Titans have been much better at getting pressure and getting takeaways. Alterraun Verner had an interception against the Jags created by pressure from Sen'Derrick Marks.

As I began preparing this blog, I promised myself I wouldn't make it about rookie linebacker Zach Brown, who is just playing phenomenally. As the tape continued to roll and I continued to watch, I ended up changing my mind. I mean why not? He deserves it for the hard work he has put in and the tremendous job he is doing as a rookie. So, welcome to my ode to how well he is playing.

Not only did Brown  have that sack, he led the Titans in tackles with 10 tackles including 1 tackle for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and 2 quarterback hits. Since taking over at OLB, the Titans have manned the middle of the field for the most part. One of the more impressive things about Brown, and Akeem Ayers as well, is their versatility. I note this in  my blog on the Colts game where I do a play by play on the last touchdown in regulation. Brown and Ayers interchange seamlessly at Sam and Will. This versatility has allowed the Titans to make great use of their speed and quickness. Brown has zoomed up the list of Titans defenders in terms of defensive stats.

Finally, I continue to be impressed with how instinctual a player Brown is in both coverage and run support. Despite pre-draft reports to the contrary, he does not shy away from contact and he isn't afraid to lay the smackdown. He is turning into exactly the type of impact player the Titans envisioned when they drafted him.

Another remarkable play here too.

I am excited to watch that guy develop and continue to be a playmaker for the Titans for years to come.

Final Notes:
The Titans defensive line played really well in terms of pressure; however, the defensive ends struggled mightily against the run. It was nice to see the team sack the Jaguars 7 times though. It is also nice to see Michael Griffin continue to improve as he added a sack of his own. One major downside I took away from this game is how much Colin McCarthy is struggling right now. He simply had a terrible game and at this point health has become a big issue.

Tennessee Defensive
	TACKLES				MISC
	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HTS	TD
Z. Brown	10	8	1.5	1	0	2	0
M. Griffin	6	6	1	1	0	2	0
J. Casey	4	4	1	1	0	1	0
A. Ayers	4	4	1	1	0	1	0
J. Babineaux	4	4	0	0	0	0	0
J. McCourty	4	3	0	0	0	0	0
C. Sensabaugh	3	3	0	0	0	0	0
C. McCarthy	2	2	0	0	0	0	0
D. Morgan	2	2	0	0	0	2	0
R. Mouton	2	2	0	0	0	0	0
S. Marks	2	2	0	0	1	1	0
K. Wimbley	2	1	1.5	1	0	2	0
K. Klug	1	1	1	1	0	1	0
K. Wright	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
R. Johnson	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
T. Shaw	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
J. Locker	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
A. Verner	1	1	0	0	2	0	0
T. Thompson	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
M. Martin	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
S. Solomon	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Team	53	49	7	6	3	13	0