SUMMARY: The revelation by the Tennessee Titans coaching staff that they plan to <a href="http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060801/SPORTS01/608010356/1027">use Ben Troupe in myriad ways</a> this upcoming season underlies what is no doubt concern over the inadequacy of their wide receivers. Their concern is warranted considering in Drew Bennett and David Givens they have two No. 2 receivers with no other receivers who look as if they are ready to make a significant impact on the season.
http://www.gotitans.com/artman/publish/article_001605.shtml
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http://www.gotitans.com/artman/publish/article_001605.shtml
What do you think about this article? Post your comments below.
interesting since this was just posted about Bobby Wade stepping up
http://www.gotitans.com/goForum/showthread.php?t=20323
http://www.gotitans.com/goForum/showthread.php?t=20323
This is a great article though. Wade may well be a find there, but honestly, you need proven depth. Are we 4 deep? I don't know. I'd say we are 3 deep with Wade coming on like he has. He's a great slot weapon (he could be a Stoakley type WR). I think Wade makes the team easily, especially with this punt return ability.
I agree that we have two number 2 WRs, but that's not a bad thing. You don't need a number one type WR. If you have 2 above average guys, and we do, you can have a solid passing game. Throw Troupe into the mix, and our passing game will be just fine. But what if someone gets hurt? What if Givens goes down, for instance? Or Bennett? Who can step into that role? We need consistency from our sophomores, Roby and Williams. Or we need Calico to step up and do his thing.
I agree that we have two number 2 WRs, but that's not a bad thing. You don't need a number one type WR. If you have 2 above average guys, and we do, you can have a solid passing game. Throw Troupe into the mix, and our passing game will be just fine. But what if someone gets hurt? What if Givens goes down, for instance? Or Bennett? Who can step into that role? We need consistency from our sophomores, Roby and Williams. Or we need Calico to step up and do his thing.
I'm just going to give a reality check here.
Here are the 4 teams in our division and their respective rankings:
QB #25
WR #31
WR #45
QB #1
WR #8
WR #9
QB # 21
WR #14
WR #41
QB #22
WR #30
WR #42
If you think our WR's are going to cut it, you gotta be crazy, even the worst teams in our division have WR's better than us, and not only that, they have a better qb too. What we areliving on here is a dream. There's no evidence to support the fact that our #2's are stronger than anyone elses #1 and #2. It's just an ugly reality. On paper, we suck. I'm not saying I'm not hopeful tho'.
Here are the 4 teams in our division and their respective rankings:
QB #25
WR #31
WR #45
QB #1
WR #8
WR #9
QB # 21
WR #14
WR #41
QB #22
WR #30
WR #42
If you think our WR's are going to cut it, you gotta be crazy, even the worst teams in our division have WR's better than us, and not only that, they have a better qb too. What we areliving on here is a dream. There's no evidence to support the fact that our #2's are stronger than anyone elses #1 and #2. It's just an ugly reality. On paper, we suck. I'm not saying I'm not hopeful tho'.
i would say our offense could be second best in the division. until carr has enough time to find his receivers, they arent threats.
fred taylor is injured all the time(like right now) and the jags have a bunch of second day picks and a fullback behind him on the depth chart. reggie williams, ernest wilford and matt jones dont scare many people. matt jones has potential, but so did calico.
without looking at the stats i would be willing to bet money that david givens and drew bennet combined were better than jacksonville's top three combined. all we have to do is find someone to toat the rock for us, and we'll be set.
fred taylor is injured all the time(like right now) and the jags have a bunch of second day picks and a fullback behind him on the depth chart. reggie williams, ernest wilford and matt jones dont scare many people. matt jones has potential, but so did calico.
without looking at the stats i would be willing to bet money that david givens and drew bennet combined were better than jacksonville's top three combined. all we have to do is find someone to toat the rock for us, and we'll be set.
which one of those teams is us ? (not #2 i bet)
I'd have to like our options better than Jax
it looks like Matt Jones will replace JImmy Smith
with Ernest Wilford on the other side
i'd rather go with Bennett and Givens there
i would ,however, give HOU the nod (moreso if they get a line to block)
I'd have to like our options better than Jax
it looks like Matt Jones will replace JImmy Smith
with Ernest Wilford on the other side
i'd rather go with Bennett and Givens there
i would ,however, give HOU the nod (moreso if they get a line to block)
I think our receivers will be much better than many people think and we will have more depth than than we have had in the last 2 or 3 yrs. I believe Roby and Williams will be much better this year, I know we havent heard much about them but that coud be by design and we know what Jones can do when he is healthy. Although Calico is a question mark he still has a chance even if its a small one. These satitistics are a reflection of having to start a rookie almost every game last year and at times at the end of the season all the WR's on the field were rookies. Starting rookies at any position is difficult at best in the NFL and combine that with the fact our starting QB spent NO time working with them made their job even tougher. I think they did great last year under the circumstances and the experience they gained will help them make great improvement this year.
We are the first team. The sad truth.
1. Titans
2. Indy
3. Houston
4. Jacksonville
1. Titans
2. Indy
3. Houston
4. Jacksonville
The thing to keep in mind here is that the WRs are just a cog in the machine.
If the Titans can't get the run game going, few WRs in the league would be very productive on this offense. If the defense can't keep games close, same deal. Defenses will keep two deep and we'll have the TEs leading the team in receptions again.
I think this unit has the talent to be very effective but a lot of things beyond their control has to come together.
If the Titans can't get the run game going, few WRs in the league would be very productive on this offense. If the defense can't keep games close, same deal. Defenses will keep two deep and we'll have the TEs leading the team in receptions again.
I think this unit has the talent to be very effective but a lot of things beyond their control has to come together.
I agree but the article was very misleading and inaccurate. Just goes to show how perverted views of statistics can give the wrong impression.
First of all even bringing Wade into the equation is moronic. He only played in the last two games of the year, games that were meaningless and games the Titans played like doo doo. Add in that we had our third string QB playing a good part of the last game and it even gets more ridiculous.
Secondly, our rookie WRs accounted for 65 catches for 887 yards last year. Thats a 13.6 YPC average. Those guys are in their 2nd year now.
Thirdly, the offense was geared to throw alot to TEs and RBs and sure if we had Randy Moss our WRs could have looked better but a completed pass to a RB or TE is still a good play if it accomplishes the objective. The TEs caught 149 passes for 1359 yards. Our RBs caught 57 passes for 557 yards. Sure it would have been nice to have a guy like Mason out there catching some of those balls instead of a RB or TE but some teams don't throw as much to the RBs or TEs. I like spreading the ball around.
Fourthly, we had alot of players catch the football last year because they were sharing snaps. If this was the Titans of old all the stats above would have been accumulated mostly by one RB, one TE and a couple of WRs. The final results would not have been better but it would look like we had better players. Imagine one rookie WR staying healthy all year, getting most of the snaps and having 65 catches for 887 yards last year. The guy would have been ROY material.
Finally, the stats are perverted partly because we had drives stopped because of turnovers or penalties. That keeps the offense from getting into sink.
First of all even bringing Wade into the equation is moronic. He only played in the last two games of the year, games that were meaningless and games the Titans played like doo doo. Add in that we had our third string QB playing a good part of the last game and it even gets more ridiculous.
Secondly, our rookie WRs accounted for 65 catches for 887 yards last year. Thats a 13.6 YPC average. Those guys are in their 2nd year now.
Thirdly, the offense was geared to throw alot to TEs and RBs and sure if we had Randy Moss our WRs could have looked better but a completed pass to a RB or TE is still a good play if it accomplishes the objective. The TEs caught 149 passes for 1359 yards. Our RBs caught 57 passes for 557 yards. Sure it would have been nice to have a guy like Mason out there catching some of those balls instead of a RB or TE but some teams don't throw as much to the RBs or TEs. I like spreading the ball around.
Fourthly, we had alot of players catch the football last year because they were sharing snaps. If this was the Titans of old all the stats above would have been accumulated mostly by one RB, one TE and a couple of WRs. The final results would not have been better but it would look like we had better players. Imagine one rookie WR staying healthy all year, getting most of the snaps and having 65 catches for 887 yards last year. The guy would have been ROY material.
Finally, the stats are perverted partly because we had drives stopped because of turnovers or penalties. That keeps the offense from getting into sink.
The Titans have always relied on their TEs as receivers. Wycheck was the top recv'r for how many years? 5? Last year, a TE was our top recv'r, no brainer there. The Titans NOT relying on their TEs as recv'rs would be news to me.
The offense was geared to throw to the TE when the Titans were down by 20 points? Often times, the ball went to a TE because the defense was pulling back their safeties and allowing it to be the only open option. Other times, the Titans had WRs hurt or they were just unproductive.Soxcat said:
My point is that a dink to the TE is great when it results in a first down or TD when the game is close. Often times last season, it was the result of there not being any other options and the offense was never able to get back into games.
I think we'll continue to see that but the Titans have to do a much better job getting the ball to WRs more than three yards past the LOS.
Every team in the league has turnovers and penalties which impact their stats.
I'm going into the season optimistic about our WRs but I can see where many might feel our WR unit isn't anything to fear right now. On paper, it's probably the least talented group in the AFC. Let's hope that all changes.
fitantitans said:
It seemed like Wycheck was always leading the team, but actually I think he was only the leading receiver for two years, 97 and 98. Also, our leading receiver last year was Drew Bennett (58 rec for 738 yds), but Kinney and Troupe were both right behind him.
At times last year we had receivers open down the field but McNair chose to dump it to a TE. I think part of that was his lack of coinfidence in anyone other than Bennett, part was not getting his timing down with the new receivers and part the OL. It also makes the stats look good and makes for a much better QB rating. I'm a (was before he became a Raven) McNair fan but part of the problem was him, I'm not blaming him but to many times he didnt try to make the tight throw down the field.
PhiSlammaJamma said:
Where did you get those rankings? Are you seriously telling me Jacksonville's #2 guy is better than Bennet/Givens (depending who you have as our #2)? I would totally disagree with that.
Houston have a great duo in Moulds and Johnson, but they still have David "Run for your life" Carr and a pathetic O-line, I'm not so sure they will have as much success as the WR duo should warrant.
Vigsted said:
Pathetic is pretty harsh considering they did a better job of run blocking than the Titans line did. What have the Titans done to improve their line. They lost two tackles and picked up an old center. The Texans picked up 2 high quality draft picks, a good back up, an old center and a complete overhall of system. The system change itself will improve line play. True our lines pass blocking was bad last year, but we have done something to improve ours.
I can not see how Matt Jones who had 36 rec 432 yrds and 5 TDs who is the Jags #1 is ranked above Givens or Bennett for that matter. Both had better numbers. Yes Matt was a rookie but that also means he was lining up as the #2 or usually the #3 and not always covered by a CB. Bennett had the top CB on him on almost every play last season and he still out produced him.
Now you take Matt Jones and remove Smith from the picture and you get a second year guy that Jags fans admit does not run a crisp route. I would hardly justify calling him a #1. That is like touting L White as ROY already. The guy has allot to prove and to have him out rank Bennett or Givens who are both veterans is ridiculous. Maybe after this season but that is a guess at best on how he will handle the top CBs in the league.
Then to put Wilford above Bennett is also a stretch. He has not really produced as a receiver yet. He was Jacksonville’s #2 last season and only pulled in 41 receptions but played in all 16 games. Bennett still have better rec and yard numbers but not the TDs and played in 3 less games. The Jags would not keep drafting WRs #1 if they did not think they had issues in that position.
I am not saying our guys are great but that ranking is a joke.
Now you take Matt Jones and remove Smith from the picture and you get a second year guy that Jags fans admit does not run a crisp route. I would hardly justify calling him a #1. That is like touting L White as ROY already. The guy has allot to prove and to have him out rank Bennett or Givens who are both veterans is ridiculous. Maybe after this season but that is a guess at best on how he will handle the top CBs in the league.
Then to put Wilford above Bennett is also a stretch. He has not really produced as a receiver yet. He was Jacksonville’s #2 last season and only pulled in 41 receptions but played in all 16 games. Bennett still have better rec and yard numbers but not the TDs and played in 3 less games. The Jags would not keep drafting WRs #1 if they did not think they had issues in that position.
I am not saying our guys are great but that ranking is a joke.
we lost one tackle. upgraded center. and we already have a zone blocking system(which the texans are changing to) the guards lost weight to increase their mobility.Overalls said:
have fun relying on two rookie tackles to keep your qb up-right. it should be fun to watch. now, if the texans had made the right first round pick and chose d'brickishaw ferguson, you might have something there.
OK, first of all, I like our receivers, but... you have to look at them from a realistic standpoint. Givens and Bennett are not proven #1 receivers, yet. Bobby "the human fumble machine" Wade, for all the talk we are hearing about him, was cut by the Bears. Let that sink in for a moment. The BEARS. They had a horrible passing offense, led by a rookie QB, or a sucky QB until Grossman came back in. Of course that is going to skew statistics for a receiver, but wouldn't it make more sense if they thought that Wade had some upside besides punt return duty (which he failed miserably at as some posters continue to ignore) that they would keep him on the team? They are obviously in need of quality receivers, especially last year when their top rookie receiver went down. I hope Wade pans out, but I won't hold my breath. No one else is proven. Our second year guys showed some flashes last year, but no one was exactly lighting it up like Steve Smith. And don't get me started on Calico. Our guys are better than they are going to get credit for, but as I said, from a realistic standpoint, none of our receivers are going to be on the preseason all-madden team. Of course who cares what Madden has to say?
Overalls said:
Allowing the second most sacks ever by a team is not "bad pass blocking" it is right up there with the worst pass blocking in history. Funny how you pick up "old center" and it improves your line and we pick up an "old center" and we have no improvement. Quality draft picks or not they are still two rookies being thrown to the lions. I would be surprised if Carr does not top his sack performance of last season.
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