Which Titan on Defense Will Step Up and Lead?

I addressed which Titan would step up on offense here Which Titan Will Step Up on Offense?. Now lets talk about which Titan will step up on defense. In my opinion, there are more likely candidates on this side of the ball than on offense. I'm not sure what that says about the Titans defense of 2012. Draw your own conclusions. I didn't really see anyone step up, in any major way at least, on the defensive side of the ball. So who are my prime choices? Here they are in alphabetical order.

Linebacker Akeem Ayers has really had two solid seasons since the Titans drafted him in the second round in 2011. Ayers has led the team in tackles since his rookie year, playing primarily at the linebacker position. A versatile young player, he can also line up as a pass rusher, and has 8 career sacks. He is an engaging guy with a great personality and seems a natural choice to be a leader on defense.

Rookie linebacker Zach Brown had an outstanding rookie campaign for the Titans. He was third on the team in tackles with 93 and added 5.5 sacks to boot. All this despite playing in limited packages until assuming the starting role in week 8. Need more evidence the rookie is poised to be a leader on this defense? Watch the last game of the season when he had a very serious coming out party. The team was lethargic and lifeless until Brown intercepted a Chad Henne pass late in the second quarter and returned it 79 yards for a pick six.

Jason McCourty is a guy I think the Titans need to step up especially in the defensive backfield. The Titans have sorely missed Chris Hope's leadership in that group, and while safety Michael Griffin has greatly improved in the leadership category, he has not proven to be the leader the Titans need in the secondary. McCourty had a very nice 2012 season and is poised in my opinion to be a really good cornerback in the National Football League. Can he step up and be a leader in the secondary? That is my only question about him.

Defensive end Derrick Morgan has finally recovered from the ACL injury he suffered in his rookie season in 2010. The 3rd year player had a very good 2012 season, leading the team in sacks with 6.5. Morgan carries a quiet confidence onto the field, doesn't talk much and came across as a guy who prefers to let his play speak on the field. Is Morgan capable of taking that demeanor and translating it into an effective leadership amongst his peers? I think he can.

Fellow defensive end Kamerion Wimbley is another good candidate to be a leader on the Titans defense. The Titans added the 7 year veteran in the 2011 offseason. Like Morgan, Wimbley projects a quiet business like confidence. Not to take anything away from any of the other defensive players, but Wimbley has a motor that never quits and while it took a while to adjust to his new role in the Titans defense, he finished the season with 6 sacks. He brings it every play and has exactly the kind of attitude this Titans defense needs.

Honorable Mentions:

I already mentioned Michael Griff and I would also add Jordan Babineaux to the list of possible candidates. Obviously, the problem is that safety was the weakest position on the Titans defense last season and neither guy is assured of a role in 2013. Still, both guys have shown leadership qualities.Sen'Derrick Marks is also a guy I think could step up and bring leadership qualities to the team. Unfortunately, he is a free agent and it is unclear whether he will return to the Titans in 2013.

Note:

I didn't put Colin McCarthy on this list simply because he has already been a leader on the defense. Unfortunately, his injuries have prevented him from being on the field and that void showed in the Titans defense last season.

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

Examining the Titans 2011 Draft Class

I took a look at the Titans 2012 draft class and decided to go ahead and look at 2011 too. 2012 turned out to be a pretty darn good class for the Titans as 6 of the 7 have played significantly and 3 have assumed starting roles at their positions. Did 2011 fare as well? Let's take a look.

1^st Round (#8) QB Jake Locker, Washington

Now in his second year, Locker played sparingly during his rookie season but showed the promise  that led the Titans to draft him 8th overall. Locker didn't see significant action until November 20, 2011 in a tough loss at Atlanta. Locker acquitted himself quite well however and was 9 of 19 for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. He rushed once for 11 yards. He finished the year 34 of 66 for 542 yards, 4 touchdowns and a passer rating of 99.4%. He rushed for

After a hard fought battle in training camp, Locker won the starting position in 2012 only to get injured September 30, 2012 early on in the Houston Texans game, suffering multiple dislocations on his left, non throwing shoulder. He will likely undergo surgery to correct the problem following the 2012 season. Locker returned to the lineup in the Miami game, and led to his team to a great victory. I write about him extensively in my post on the Miami game. He is currently 76 of 127 for 903 yards, 6 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.8. He has 12 rushes for 103 yards with an 8.6 rushing average.

2^nd Round (# 39) SLB Akeem Ayers, UCLA

Ayers started every game his rookie season and finished 6th on the tackle list, behind fellow rookie linebacker Colin McCarthy, with 76 tackles. He had 1 forced fumble, 1 pass defended, 2 sacks, 1 QB hit and 12 QB hurries. In 2012, Ayers has been allowed to rush the passer more as the Titans are blitzing more. Ayers currently leads the Titans in tackles at 76, and additionally has 3 sacks, 2 QB hits, 8 QB hurries, and 2 batted passes. He has played 565 out of 709 snaps. 

3^rd Round (# 77) DT Jurrell Casey, USC 

Casey started every single game for the Titans in his rookie season, and had an outstanding rookie campaign. He played 661 snaps out of 1142 and posted 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 4 QB hits, 5 QB hurries, 1 pass defended and a forced fumble. Casey has likewise played every game in 2012 with a snap count of 475 out of 709. He has 30 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 4 QB hurries, 4 tackles for a loss and 1 forced fumble. 

4^th Round (# 109) LB Colin McCarthy, Miami

I don't think its a stretch to say the Titans drafted their leaders of the future in this draft. If Jake Locker is the leader of the offense, and he is, equally as important is McCarthy to the defense. McCarthy didn't' see significant playing time until week 4 of his rookie year, but once he did the Titans never looked back and he has been the starting MLB from that time forward. He played 542 out of 1142 snaps while posting 68 tackles (5th on the Titans), 2 QB hits, 2 QB hurries, and 2 forced fumbles.

The unquestioned leader of the defense, the Titans defense suffered dramatically when McCarthy went down in week 1 against the Patriots. McCarthy returned against Minnesota but was visibly not the same until the Miami game where he had his best performance of the year. I write about it in detail in my post on that game. He has played 323 out of 709 snaps while posting 36 tackles, 1 QB hurry, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 pass defended and a pick six. 

4^th Round (# 130 compensatory) RB Jamie Harper, Clemson

Harper saw limited action his rookie season and has shown flashes but has yet to make a significant impact. In 2011 he played 59 snaps and had 17 attempts for 44 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 lost fumble. He caught 4 passes for 32 yards. In 2012 he has played 29 snaps and rushed for 11 yards on 13 attempts with 3 touchdowns. He has caught 1 pass for 8 yards.  

5^th Round (# 142) DT Karl Klug, Iowa 

I am at a loss to explain Klug's situation. Klug was a rookie sensation in the Titans defense and led the team with 6 sacks. Additionally, he had 5 QB hits, 13 QB hurries, 4 batted passes, and 2 forced fumbles. He was on the field for 520 out of 1142 snaps. In 2012, he  has played 187 snaps out of 709 and has 2 tackles. Granted, rookie Mike Martin has made a big impact and is better against the run but I can't help but feel for Klug. 

6^th Round (# 175) OT Byron Stingley, Louisville

Didn't play his rookie year and has only played one snap in 2012. I have written about Stingley before he is a big athletic guy I am keeping an eye upon.

7^th Round (# 212) DT Zach Clayton, Auburn

Clayton played 28 snaps his rookie year and posted 3 tackles. A developmental player he is currently on the practice squad.

7^th Round (# 251) DB Tommie Campbell, California (PA) 

Campbell was a guy I noticed immediately in training camp in 2011. A big, tall athletic corner with a great backstory, Campbell saw significant playing time on special teams and became a key contributor. He recorded 8 tackles and forced a fumble. Campbell continued his special teams play in 2012 posting 6 tackles. He has been injured and he has also commited some costly penalties but he is still a key contributor and a guy to keep an eye upon as he continues to develop.