Music City Miracles

Jerry Gray and the Tennessee Titans Ruby Defense

2012-05-27T20:00:10Z

One of the questions MCMers have tossed around for the past two offseasons now is the types of formations Jerry Gray wants to use. The Titans are still primarily a 4-3 team that will use plenty of nickel and dime (what team doesn't nowadays?) but one of the most intriguing formations Gray employed last year was the "Ruby" formation. The Ruby package is a 3-2-6 lineup that features three safeties. I first became interested in learning about the formation after NewsToTom correctly pointed out that Gray wants to be able to use three safeties in some packages. According to Tom, we were in the Ruby package 8% of the time last year. In my next post on this formation, I'll look at how well our players, particularly some of the new additions, fit into it. For now, let's take a look at what each position will require and how it'll work.

For those of you who follow college football closely, you'll recognize that LSU sometimes uses what they call the Mustang formation. It's the same 3-2-6 lineup, but consists of two safeties and four corners. For a Titans-related connection however, it was used frequently by Gregg Williams, who had Jerry Gray as his defensive coordinator in Buffalo. That should put a smile on your face, because we know that those defenses are famous for bringing pressure on the quarterbacks. With a variety of ways to bring pressure, the opposing QB will need to make sure he has enough blockers, or more importantly, the blockers positioned correctly. It allows the defense to manipulate the offense before the snap.

The Three Defensive Linemen
Most of the time, their jobs will be really simple. They're responsible for hitting their gaps and pushing the pocket. Their roles will see very little change from any other formation. It gets a little more complicated when you start asking the linemen to cover. For instance, in Tom's post he links to two previous National Football Post articles. Each details 3-2-6 blitzes from the Saints. They can be found here and here. Last year we saw Gray drop linemen into coverage occasionally to mixed results, but I expect to see it again this year. In that first NFP post, you can see that the DE is responsible for the TE on that play.

The Two Linebackers
They've got a tough job. When Gray spoke about the hybrid defense, I think a lot of us got confused into thinking he would run a hybrid 4-3/3-4. That wasn't the case last year, and I don't think we'll see it this year. What I think is closer to the truth is Gray wanting to use more hybrid players. This is a dime package, but in order to run it properly the linebackers are going to need to be able to do a variety of things. With only two linebackers on the field, the responsibilities of each will be amplified. The players here need to be fast. When in coverage, they'll have a lot of running to do, often lining up at the traditional linebacker spots and moving into spaces vacated by the blitzing defensive backs.

The Six Defensive Backs
This is the fun part, especially for a secondary guru like Jerry Gray. All these defensive backs can be asked to do many different things, but some will do more of one thing (coverage/blitz) than others. The top corner will still spend the majority of time in coverage, usually left on an island when you bring a lot of pressure. The other corner has a lot of the same responsibilities. Gray's creativity should really show from the four players that play closer to the middle of the field. He has a free safety, strong safety, nickel corner and extra safety to work with. The extra safety can play like a dime corner. Pat Kirwan recently discussed the push to a "big" nickel package last week. In this case, we can classify this as a "big" dime package. He wrote:

The Big Nickel safety has to be able to play as a linebacker when the offense condenses the set, and of course, he has to match up on a flexed tight end when they spread out the formation.

This role can be applied to the big dime safety as well. The nickel corner and safeties can be moved all over the place before the snap, providing an 'organized chaos' look. With so many weapons at your disposal, the offense will be left guessing where the pressure's coming from. For an example of how this works, think of the role Finnegan played for us as the nickel corner (even when not in the Ruby). With this formation, we can have more of those types of players. The strength of this defense lies in the potential for so many different looks and blitz calls.

The weakness of this defense is the running back and run game. A run play has the opportunity to go for a long distance if they can avoid the blitz and put the back in a one-on-one situation. As with most blitzes, if you can find the soft spot with a hot route there's a potential for a big gain as well. This formation is used almost exclusively on passing downs.

Let me state another obvious fact- if you don't have the personnel for this package, you're going to get burned. With that in mind, the follow-up post to this will look at how our current roster fits into this formation. What do you guys think of this Ruby formation? What could the offense do to beat it? Let me know in the comments!

Vanderbilt Legends Club to Host Drive for Dinger

2012-05-27T12:49:40Z

None of us will ever forget when we heard that Mike Heimerdinger had been diagnosed with cancer. The thing that sticks out in my mind is that they announced he would miss a couple of weeks, but he didn't end up missing a game. He was a fighter that way.

On June 28th and 29th of this year, the Vanderbilt Legends Club will be hosting an event to benefit the Heimerdinger Foundation, started by his family to honor the coach and raise awareness of cancer treatment options and healthier lifestyles according to News Channel 5. There will be a dinner and silent auction on the 28th, and a golf tournament on the 29th. You can get more info at Drive4Dinger.com.

As you probably guessed, Jeff Fisher and Mike Shanahan will both be on hand to participate in the event. The linked article also lists Jay Cutler and Rusty Smith as two of the more than 30 celebrities that are scheduled to participate. Calling Rusty a celebrity might be a bit of a stretch.

I am going to try to do a better job of promoting some of the charitable work that Titans' players do here. We tend to only focus on the negative things a lot of times, and that really isn't fair because these guys do a lot of good work.

Titans Chris Johnson Under Pressure

2012-05-27T01:24:50Z

The Around the League blog over at NFL.com is doing a series where they highlight a player on each team that is under the most pressure heading into the 2012 season. The pick for the Titans was Chris Johnson. That was pretty obvious.

In case you don't remember how bad he was in 2011, here is a little snippet to remind you:

It's difficult to put into perspective how awful the first half of Johnson's 2011 was, but we'll give it a shot. Midway through the season, Johnson was averaging barely three yards per carry and was on pace for a 700-yard rushing season. This was just two years removed from a campaign in which he became the sixth player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards rushing in a season.

The article goes on to say that Chris Palmer's offense is a completely different animal if CJ returns to form. Again, not exactly splitting the atom, but it is a good point. The passing offense last season was one of the best we have ever seen here, and that was without the real threat of a running game.

This is the season of optimism for just about every NFL team, but the sky really is the limit for this offense with the addition of Kendall Wright if Chris Johnson can return to form. This could be the first time in the Titans era that they will be mentioned among the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

Sporting News Ranks Mike Munchak the 18th Best Coach in NFL

2012-05-26T18:00:22Z

Everyone loves a good list, right? Well the Sporting News has ranked the current NFL coaches, and they have Mike Munchak ranked 18th. Of course the first reaction to this is outrage because he is our coach and is ranked in the bottom half, but it really makes sense. He far surpassed expectations in his first season. Now he needs to take the next big step in year two.

Look at the top four coaches on the list. All of them have Pro Bowl quarterbacks. I said when the Titans drafted Jake Locker that Munch's legacy would ultimately be tied to the success or failure of Locker. That is just the way it is in today's NFL.

That is also part of the reason why they are being so cautious with Locker's development. They want to make sure they have all of his fundamental flaws worked out before he is named the starter. That keeps some of the heat off Munchak for now, and gives Locker better odds of success.

It is a little ridiculous that John Fox is 7th on the list, but when you look at the guy's behind him, the only one that you can really make a strong argument to be ahead of him is Andy Reid. Fox and Reid have both been to a Super Bowl, but Reid's teams have averaged almost 10 wins a season while Fox's have averaged just 8.

The Master Debaters: Pratt vs. Ron

2012-05-26T16:51:47Z

Top of the morning to ya MCM!
Ron Burgundy and I have decided we'd like to start a mulit-post topic called The Master Debaters: Pratt vs. Ron. It will mainly be in the format of us interviewing each other on certain topics of our choosing (we may create a poll later on or take suggestions from the comments on future topics, but this is kind of our pilot to see if it works or not).

Basically the format will be, each of us will either support or oppose a side of the topic and we'll "interview" each other for your enjoyment. Then at the end of the post, we'll provide you with a "few things we think" could be football related, more often it will be completely random.

Please! any and all comments or suggestions are welcome as long as you are not Capt. Negative like ByThePowerOfMunchak...

Alright, let's do this Leeeeerooooy Jeeeeeeenkins!

Tonight we are talking about Concussions in the NFL and how no body likes them...

SirBurgundy:

Ok Pratt, we all know you are rather anti-Goddell. The hot topic in the league right now with the death of Junior Seau is concussions. Over 2,000 former players are involved in lawsuits against the NFL. My question is...why are they just now getting to this?

The WisePratt:

Good evening Mr Burgundy;

((SideSide Note: Actually I really don't mind Goodell, I think he's trying to make the league safer for everyone. I just wish his punishments were the same across the board, but I'll play the part for sake of argument))

I believe the problem has always been there, just not talked about. As Seau said in previous interviews, players rarely brought up concussions or other problems for fear of ridicule from other players and/or benching. This is the model of football the NFL built, your job is always at risk; every year, every camp, every play, could be your last time you step on a professional football field.

I don't believe you can have football be a safe sport, but still ask for big hits. Players need to understand what they are getting involved in before they step on the field.

San Diego's King:

Come on now, Pratt, don't you think every single one of these guys know what they're getting into? Especially once they have reached the NFL level, they have likely been playing the sport since middle school and had plenty of time to realize, "I'm going to be hit hard, which could lead to serious injury and other health problems." I honestly believe a lot of this recent concussion hysteria has been fueled by the media latching onto the shocking death of a recent NFL great. Would we be talking about all of this if it was another player from the 50s/60s era of the league? (This is not to look down upon that era; if anything, they're the ones who need the most help today financially, but I don't think the concussion issue would be as big as it is right now if it wasn't for Seau's death.)

Pratt The Infallible:

No, I honestly do not think these kids fully understand what they are getting into at a young age. They are envision riches and stardom at a very young age; we all know majority of kids already think they are invincible and are not worrying about arthritis in their knees, let alone mental/physical problems from past concussions. It's not that I disagree with Goodell's stance on making the league safer, but it is not as if this is new to the NFL. He needs to be promoting safety for the right reasons, not trying to warp the game into something it is not *a "safe" game*. The league has PLENTY of money to start researching and developing the safest equipment for the sport, why don't they invest more time in pursuing that avenue instead of trying to water down the game? Big hits, dangerous play will ALWAYS happen when you are dangling a $50 million dollar carrot infront of people.

Ron, on the jazz flute:

Didn't they just make hip and thigh pads mandatory? I think the league is taking steps, but I have to agree with you that at some point the NFL has to fully commit to making the game safer. Right now it seems like the league is reactionary rather than proactive in reaching effective solutions that can make this game safer while still providing the entertainment value fans love. What is it going to take for long-term solutions to be instituted? I don't want to see the NFL become flag football, but you can make equipment better. I think a related issue to this is injury reports and injuries in general and the competitive nature of teams/players in wanting to be on the field. How many guys do you think have had concussions and gone right back on the field a few plays later? That competitive drive isn't going to go away, coaches and players rely on winning and performing to keep their jobs, but if the league is going to have these rules on reporting injuries and protocols in place, enforce them more strictly if you really want to see changes in how player health is managed.

Pratt, looking through the bottom of a whiskey glass...:

Which goes into my biggest gripe with Goodell; there needs to consistency with his penalties/fines, if someone continues to disregard the rules and becomes a repeat offender, he gets banned from the league. Straight up.

Change the rules to make it safer, but everyone needs to follow the code; that includes Goodell himself.

Ron with the wisdom:

That's the privilege of being judge, jury and executioner. We could have an entirely separate conversation on Goodell and what his run at the top has done for the league, but as it pertains to concussions and safety, I don't think it'd necessarily be a bad thing if the league became more Orwellian in that area and got more oversight of injury reports and recovery in general. Late last year the league announced that "certified independent athletic trainers" would be present at games to help evaluate injured players and notify team medical staffs of things they might not necessarily catch in the heat of the moment. While this might be a small step in the right direction, it's not enough. I think the next step is league-employed doctors overseeing injuries and getting final say on whether a player can return. Unfortunately I think it may end up taking a major in-game injury (or reinjury for that matter) or tragic incident like Seau to get serious, sweeping changes going.. Teams fudge their reports all the time, we all know it, and teams are interested in winning, meaning player health/safety may not be priority one in the middle of a close game.

Commander Pratt:

Player health/safety in the heat of a game is not a priority - we can both agree on that.

Now! For some things we think right this second;

Ron - Do NOT ever get food from a street vendor in Nashville (I never have, just walked by them and the thought of it disturbed me). Food trucks are a different story, however.

Pratt - Diablo 3 is incredible... if you can ever get it to actually work on your computer.

Poll

Thoughts, should we ever do this again?

Jake Locker Football Camp

2012-05-26T15:00:21Z

Tennessee Titans QB Jake Locker is hosting a football camp at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee on June 16th and 17th. Click through the jump to see all of the details.

Here's a little background:

"Join Tennessee Titans quarterback and for football instruction and fun at the 2012 Old Spice Jake Locker Football ProCamp presented by Fifth Third Bank!

Open to boys and girls ages 7-14, the two-day event is June 16th-17th from 9 AM-12:30 PM at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin.

Locker will be on site the entire camp to direct camp activities, provide instruction and give daily talks highlighting the finer points of the game of football and beyond. He will be joined by a selection of the top prep and college coaches from the area.

Use the promo code "Locker10" for $20 off camp registration. For more information, visit www.JakeLockerProCamp.com or call 888-389-CAMP (2267)."

For more information on the Old Spice Jake Locker Football ProCamp , visit http://www.JakeLockerProCamp.com or feel free to contact the Marketing Coordinator for this event, Andy Hoerr, at ahoerr@procamps.com.

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration!

Create a Caption #59

2012-05-26T12:00:38Z

Above is the next picture for the Create a Caption Contest.

Rules:

- Write a sentence, or a dialogue describing what's occurring in the photo.
- If you like a caption that's been written, recommend it, by clicking the "actions" button under the comment, and then the "rec" button that appears. Recommend as many comments/captions as you like.
- The winner will be the user with the most "recs"
- I'll post the winner tomorrow

So what do you think is happening in the picture?

Start thinking and place your recs!

A little Insight...

2012-05-25T23:00:00Z

Begin to Understand

When he was on the field, he was a force to be reckoned with. At 6-2 and nearly 290 lbs he routinely overpowered much larger offensive lineman. In 1999 he was a beast. He recorded the team’s first playoff sack against the Bills in the Music City Miracle game. Two weeks later he sacked Mark Brunell in the AFC Championship game for a safety. Even though he made some truly great plays during the Titan’s early years he will mostly be remembered for his off the field choices. The player I’m talking about is Josh Evans. He had All Pro talent with a common man’s addition. Josh was suspended five times by the NFL for the use of marijuana. I like many, found it difficult to understand how someone could squander such an opportunity. All that money and fame let alone the privilege of playing a game for a living. Nearly ten years removed from the game, Josh sat down with me to tell his story.

Josh opened with “People just don’t understand. I was surrounded by tragedy, drugs, and violence growing up. It’s all I knew” He lived with his Uncle Kenny and 13 others in a dilapidated two-bedroom home in Central Alabama. Uncle Kenny was his primary male role-model. His uncle was a bigger than life high school football player. “He was my everything.” Kenny was highly recruited by multiple SEC schools and his future seemed bright. It was until Kenny shattered his spine making a bone crushing hit on an opposing running back. The hit left Josh’s uncle paralyzed from the neck down. At the tender age of six he was trusted to care for his bed-ridden uncle. One of his favorite tasks to do for Kenny was to roll his uncle’s joints. If he did it well enough he would be rewarded with a couple of drags off one of the cigarettes. Strike one.

During this time more people around Josh were involved in drugs and violence than those that weren’t. Josh’s Mom was in an abusive relationship that resulted in her being shot in the face at point-blank range. At the age of eight Josh was forced to live with his Aunt and Uncle. Uncle Bobby was a good man but he had problems with drugs as well. He fell victim to one of the most damaging and addictive drugs anywhere. He was addicted to Crack Cocaine. Strike two…

Josh lived with his Uncle Bobby until his Step-father Joe was released from prison. Joe served time for killing a man during a drug dispute. He was released from prison just in time to come home and care for Josh and his Mom. During this time Uncle Kenny died so Josh’s step-dad became his primary role-model. This was another bad turn of events for Josh. See, his step-dad was the biggest drug dealer in the county. Josh use to sneak excess drugs off his step-dad’s dresser so he could sell them to get money for video games and candy. Strike three…

This was only the beginning…I'll tell more this story soon

--Oilers2Titans77