Jags Koetter spells out why Titans defense works

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter shared some interesting insight on the Titans' defensive approach with Jacksonville media today.

This seems like a situation where I should get out of his way, so here's the best of it. Thanks to the Jaguars PR department for sharing the transcript and to the persistent questioners who got some good stuff out of Koetter.

What makes the Titans so tough on defense?

"They're one of the teams, there may be more, but they are one of the teams that can get pressure with a four-man rush. They don't have to blitz to get pressure. You have to account for their front four every down and even though people talk about one or two guys, they rotate eight guys through there and their front four, their front eight guys they rotate through there play very hard. A team that can get pressure with the front four and then they have the type of corners who have the confidence in their ability to sit on routes, so they don't give you anything. Just because they load the box with an extra guy, a lot of teams that do that invite you to throw outside breaking routes one-on-one against their corners. Their corners, they sit on routes. They're not afraid to gamble and try to steal. They're not going to just let you lob it out there on an out."

Do they have the ability to turn and close on you?

"Three of their four starting DBs have four picks and if I'm not mistaken I think four picks is tied for the league lead maybe, and they have three guys on one team. That's pretty (good) with four picks, three guys."

So if they get beat, they can make it up?

"They don't get beat very much, that's just it. They just play you tight, they gamble. A lot of teams will play off you because they're afraid to get beat deep. These guys sit on routes a lot."

So you think in your review Tennessee is vulnerable deep?

"When those opportunities present themselves, if they're in this coverage, you throw the ball here. If they're in this coverage, you ball the ball here. In that particular, couple of those plays, like the one long interception he (Garrard) tried to throw to Troy (Williamson). That was a jump ball and it got intercepted. That was the look we wanted to throw it deep. Well, Dave got flushed out of the pocket. He had to reset a little bit more so he was a little bit late. He had to throw it long and deep and then it was a jump ball. That was an example of a play that against that coverage is a little bit slow developing. There were actually two of those. Another one late when he was trying to throw to Dennis (Northcutt) and he got hit pretty good. So, he was reading the coverage right but we didn't hold up long enough."

So the Titans are vulnerable?

"Every team is vulnerable if you get the right protection. I mean I told you, they sit on routes. I'm not telling you anything that...They challenge you to throw the ball deep. They're an in-your-face defense. They're pressuring you to say 'do you have the courage to hold on to the ball and take shots down the field? Our pass rush is going to get you and our DBs are good at stealing the ball.' They're good at it."



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