Defense wants fast start against Bucs

One thing Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray wants to see from his first team in Friday’s game at Tampa Bay is a more aggressive mindset.

Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray speaks to reporters on Tuesday. (George Walker IV / The Tennessean)



Seattle delivered the proverbial punch in the mouth to the Titans to start off last week’s preseason opener, driving 62 yards on 15 plays. Five of the Seahawks’ first six rushing attempts on that drive went for five yards or more, and Seattle finished the drive with nine runs for 39 yards.

While the Titans did hold Seattle to a field goal, the opening drive was too reminiscent of last year, when Tennessee’s bend-but-don’t-break defense spent an average of 32:11 on the field – the third-worst figure in the league.

“You always want to come out and make a statement and not have to go 12 or 14 plays to stop guys, and so the big thing we kind of talked about is we have to start faster,” Gray said. “We have to have a mindset of trying to get after the guys up front, and then make plays so you get them in third and three like we did – and then not get the pass interference. It’s little things like that where we have to have the mindset of getting off the field, other than getting down to the red zone like we did last year … and then we don’t give up three points.”

Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey agreed, saying the defense has to be ready to deliver the first blow as soon as the whistle sounds.

“We have to come off the ball way more physical and explosive,” he said. “We were catching a lot of blocks last week. This week, we have to be penetrating and getting in the backfield and making sure we’re making plays either on the line of scrimmage or in the backfield. We can’t be making plays five or six yards down the field.”

Gray said the quicker his first-team players can show they’re capable of delivering a message against Tampa Bay, the sooner they can earn a rest.

“You want to see them come with some three-and-outs, two-and-outs, even some one-and-outs like Seattle did to us,” Gray said. “That gets you fired up to play the rest of the game. You don’t want to have to go through that long drive to settle them down. You want to start off on fire, and then let’s take this guy out and this guy out. But if you don’t do that, you’ll play a little longer.”

Source: Titans Insider