Bleav in Titans

The timing of the decision to fire general manager Jon Robinson is difficult to ignore. It came two days after A.J. Brown caught eight passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns and led his current team, the Philadelphia Eagles, to a victory over his former one, the Tennessee Titans. ... How much did emotions – particularly embarrassment – figure into controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk's decision to make such an uncommon move? It likely was a factor given that this was not the first personnel decision she has made immediately after a disappointing on-field performance. ... There were reasons for concern regarding Robinson's job performance, but there was also a lot to like. On balance, there is no doubt that his time in charge of Titans personnel decisions was a successful one. The feeling is that he should have had the opportunity to address the issues. ... Take closer look at Brown's performance against the Titans, particularly his two touchdown catches (and one score that didn't count). ... Ryan Cowden, the vice president for player personnel since 2018, has been named interim GM. He has interviewed for similar positions around the league in recent years. So, is this a chance for him to audition to land the role full-time? If so, how much can he really show during the course of the season when a general manager's biggest moves happen during the offseason? Or are Cowden and Monti Ossenfort, another potential in-house candidate, tainted in the eyes and mind of the owner by the fact that they were Robinson confidants? ... Derrick Henry and the run game have no almost nowhere in the last four games. Who is to blame, Henry or the offensive line – or both? ... Finally, the Titans have feasted on teams with losing records this season. After back-to-back defeats, the 4-8 Jacksonville Jaguars come to town for a Week 14 matchup at Nissan Stadium.

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Following last season's playoff defeat, Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was all too familiar. The Bengals have now won three straight against the Titans since Joe Burrow became their quarterback, and their defensive front once again got the best of Tennessee's offensive line. ... Running back Derrick Henry typically gets better and more dominant as a season progresses, but as November ends and December begins, he is trending in the other direction this year. He ran for just 38 yards on 17 carries against the Bengals and has averaged fewer than three yards per rush over the last three games. ... Perhaps it's a coincidence, but the pass game has shown signs of life with the emergence of rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks and rookie tight end Chig Okonkwo. Those two and several others – Henry included – have contributed to a recent rise in yards-after-catch numbers. ... A.J. Brown was beloved by Titans fans over the previous three seasons. Since he was traded to Philadelphia in April, though, he has managed to make himself a villain with social media shots at his former team. The Pro Bowl wide receiver will be the central figure Sunday when the Titans (7-4) face the Eagles (10-1) and every day leading up to that contest. Brown is certain to be highly motivated, and he has a history of playing big in the biggest moments. The Titans, no doubt, will be equally interested in keeping him under wraps.

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The Tennessee Titans defeated the Green Bay Packers 27-17 last Thursday and then watched Sunday while their lead in the AFC South grew with Indianapolis' latest loss. The Titans are now 7-3, which prompted one of the hosts to own up to having underestimated Mike Vrabel's team in a preseason prediction of how the season would go. ... The weekend, however, did include the distraction of offensive coordinator Todd Downing's arrest early Friday morning. Downing was pulled over for speeding and eventually booked and charged with driving under the influence, which created an unwelcome distraction for a team that is playing its best football of the season. ... Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers will be a rematch of the divisional playoff contest last January that ended Tennessee's 2021 campaign. There is one word that no one with the Titans will use to describe this game, though. ... The quality of play from the offense, the passing game in particular, has dramatically improved of late. The Green Bay game easily was quarterback Ryan Tannehill's best of the season, and it showcased the continued emergence of rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks, rookie tight end Chig Okonkwo and veteran tight end Austin Hooper. ... The injury to kicker Randy Bullock continues to be an issue, and one sustained by defensive lineman Denico Autry against the Packers is likely to affect some things on that unit.

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Jeffery Simmons and Bud Dupree were out with injuries, yet Tennessee's defense produced one of its most dominant pass rush performances in recent memory, one that pressured Denver quarterback Russell Wilson on 40 of the 49 times he dropped back. ... The Titans' wide receivers bounced back from one of their worst performances in recent memory and made significant contributions, particularly Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who delivered Tennessee's longest scoring play of the season (by a wide margin) and a couple of career-highs. ... Quarterback Ryan Tannehill returned to action after having missed two games with an ankle injury, and finally got the offense (and himself) moving after a slow start. ... Offensive coordinator Todd Downing showed his creative side on two plays in particular, and the results were mixed. ... Two young defensive backs, Elijah Molden and Caleb Farley, were injured, and for one it could mean the end of his season. ... Kicker Randy Bullock also was injured (during pregame warmups, no less) but managed to kick in the contest anyway. ... A short practice week awaits as the Titans travel to take on Green Bay on Thursday night – and it's anyone's guess whether the Packers will pose a serious threat.

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David Boclair, John Glennon and Denard Walker look at the Tennessee Titans' 20-17 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. First, a salute to the defense that was on the field for 91 plays and allowed 499 total yards but limited the Chiefs to just eight points until late in the fourth quarter, when Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes reminded everyone why he is one of the game's best. ... The Titans' wide receivers earned a dubious distinction when they came out of the game with no receptions. Nonetheless, rookie quarterback Malik Willis looked better than he did the previous week, and his modest passing statistics would have looked even better had a couple of his receivers made plays for him. ... Willis remains very much a work in progress. He gets sacked too often and looks frustrated at times, but he also gives defenses reasons to respect -- maybe even fear -- him at times and gives fans reasons to feel good about the future of the Titans' offense. ... With this week's game against the Denver Broncos, Tennessee enters a stretch of games that looked daunting when the schedule was released but seems to pose much less of a challenge now that it has arrived.

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The Tennessee Titans have found their identity. It's not pretty, but it's effective. They have won five straight games despite an offense that continues to score fewer and fewer points each week. That offense relies increasingly on running back Derrick Henry, who seems to get better as the season progresses. The defense, likewise, continues to get more ferocious and has allowed opponents increasingly fewer points. ... The 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans might not have been a work of art, but it was a thing of beauty in that it was a showcase for what the Titans do best on both sides of the ball. ... Rookie quarterback Malik Willis did not get much of a chance to show what he could do in his first start. He did what coaches asked him to do, which primarily was hand the ball to Henry. The limited opportunities he had in the pass game showed how much work he still has to do. ... Up next is a prime-time matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs that should serve as a litmus test for just how good this team is. After all, Tennessee's current win streak has been built exclusively against teams with winning records. ... Of particular concern with Kansas City is tight end Travis Kelce. And the challenge of containing him will be even greater if safety Amani Hooker, who left the Houston game with an injury, is unable to play this week. ... The week began with much uncertainty about the status of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. But the Titans have put themselves in a position in which they can be patient and not rush him back into the lineup if he is not healthy enough to play, even for a game such as this week's.

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The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Tennessee Titans, who have won four in a row overall, five straight against the Indianapolis Colts and once again are clearly the team to beat in the AFC South. ... Quarterback Ryan Tannehill missed one play and was clearly uncomfortable when he returned to action due to an ankle injury. Tannehill has started 49 straight regular season games. Is that streak in jeopardy, and -- if so -- is Malik Willis ready to step in? ... Tannehill did not have much in the way of targets at wide receiver in the game, yet the coaching staff and the offense still did enough to get a win. A look at what that says about these coaches and the likelihood they can continue to win that way. ... Safety Amani Hooker returned to the defense but not to his regular role at safety alongside Kevin Byard. The result was an outstanding performance by Hooker and by the guy who did play alongside Byard, Andrew Adams, not to mention the entire defense. ... Denard Walker made sure that Randy Bullock got the love and respect he deserved after a season-high four field goals. ... Finally, a look ahead to the Week 8 matchup at Houston.

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The Tennessee Titans are 8-0 under coach Mike Vrabel when they have nine days or more between games, as is the case this week when they finish their season series with the Indianapolis Colts. ... Tennessee and Indianapolis met for the first time in 2022 earlier this month, but -- if last week is any indication -- Colts could be a completely different team in terms of what they do on offense. ... The Titans' offense hoped to get a boost from wide receiver Josh Gordon, who was signed to the practice squad at the start of the regular season. That didn't happen, and Gordon has been released, which could be the final transaction of his NFL career. ... Former Titans tight end officially retired almost three years to the day since he played his last game. He called himself the "second best" tight end in franchise history. Is he right? ... The Titans and Nashville Mayor John Cooper completed negotiations on a plan that will allow the team to go forward with plans for a new, domed stadium. The deal still needs approval from the Metro Nashville Council and the Nashville Sports Authority, but at this point it looks like a good deal for all involved, which should make the final approvals all but a done deal.

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The Titans won on Sunday at Washington but lost a member of their 2022 draft class on Tuesday when the Minnesota Vikings signed safety Theo Jackson to their active roster off Tennessee's practice squad. ... The victory over the Commanders was the latest example of the unwavering competitiveness and belief of Mike Vrabel's team, which is 23-11 in one-score games over the last four-plus seasons. ... Some basic statistics paint an ugly picture of this team, but it is clear that they don't tell the whole story. ... The pass defense, expected to be a strength, continues to struggle, headlined by the ongoing issues of cornerback Caleb Farley. But help might be coming soon. ... The offensive line also needs attention during the two weeks until the next game. ... All of this and more in this episode of Bleav in Titans.

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John Glennon, Denard Walker and David Boclair examine the disparity between the Titans' performance and production in the first and second halves, and Walker explains why it needs to be fixed. ... A similar disparity exists in the impression created by the nearly-identical stats of tight ends Austin Hooper (five catches, 48 yards) and rookie Chig Okonkwo (four catches, 49 yards, 1 TD). In the case of Okonkwo, who was a key contributor against the Colts, they feel really positive. Not so for Hooper, a free agent addition who created high expectations during the offseason and training camp. ... Four games are enough to grade what the Titans have done. So, the hosts each offer their grades for the offense and defense based on their respective performances thus far. ... Finally, a look ahead to this week's game against the Washington Commanders, an opponent that has a losing record yet presents challenges nonetheless.

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