Monday Morning QB: Bills @ Titans Grades

Quarterback
I was very pleased with Vince's play. The interception looks much worse on paper than it really was. That drive seemed dead, and they were about to punt to the same area the pick was make. Plus, Jairus Byrd is always in the right place at the right time.
Grade: B

Running Back
Are you kidding me? Chris Johnson rocks! He can carry a team with his legs. Great formula the Titans are using right now.
Grade: A+

Those were the two most obvious places to look at when giving credit. The defense also stepped up and gets high praise for not giving up too much this week.
Overall Grade: A

 

The DL needs to improve it's play or teams with better OL's and RB's will chew us up. There were many times when they ran it up the gut for an easy 5+ yds and that shouldn't happen. And BECAUSE that's happening, they are able to go max protect and complete ridiculously easy passes with the QB having all day. Finny, Griff and Hope all got burned and that CAN'T continue to happen if you want to beat the Pats, Colts or Steelers....and being able to beat the elite teams is what it's all about.

The OL did NOT deserve an A grade. Amano alone had 2 costly holding penalties and blew his block on the goal line. Fortunately, CJ shook off two tacklers and ran it in, but the OL has continued to be inconsistent and Mawae is too consistently driven into the backfield against short yardage or goal line defenses. He does go all out on those screen passes...but still it's an inconsistent line. When you practically kill a red zone opportunity by having a 3rd down successful conversion called back on a hold and then have a false start...that's not good and shouldn't net you an A grade.

Hope blowing a few tackles and being out of position on a deep pass to Owens alone would keep this group from getting an A. Finny also bit on a double move and Griff too. The defense gave up a 10 point lead in a hurry and it was via the air so I wouldn't give these guys a high grade. The 2 pick 6's made the score a lot more lopsided than it was for most of the game, so I might upgrade an inconsistent performance to a B, but they have a ways to go before we can stop a powerhouse offense.

I think the TE's should have gotten less than a B. They didn't do a whole lot and Scaife had a costly holding penalty, didn't he?

I would have given the LB's an A except that there are simply too many missed tackles by the LB's and secondary. When I see a rb who is nowhere near as good as CJ catch a ball behind the LOS and run for 12 yards for a first down on 3rd and 10+...that's bad. What's worse is if one of the first 3 guys could have brought him down - no first down.

The tackling, pursuit angles, and coverage angles taken by our S's still leave something to be desired.

Oh, and BTW, we produced only 2 sacks against a team playing with essentially a backup LT and RT. We should have dominated them so the DL needs to ratchet it up a few notches!

Gut

 

I was disappointed with the blocking or the design of the blocking routes for the ground game. Johnson needs about 2-3 steps to get that speed going and it seemed to me he didn't get the support he needed some of the time to clear a lane.
It was however a beautiful day at LP, almost hot, and I can't wait for my road trip next season to Nashville. I do however need about 3 days to recover.

 

I agree with many of the author's assessments, but he seems to see only what he wants to see.

I believe he's wrong on the overall effect of VYs return. We may have been 6-3 with him but not 6-3 with KC! There is more happening here than just better running and defense. The whole scheme of things is better and more of a challenge to opponents, with VY in the game as a starter. It would not be the same, we would not be as potent if KC returned. Of course a healthy secondary makes a big difference also. Yet, the potential inherent in a decently functioning VY at QB and a CJ used for more than a battering ram makes us an offensive juggernaut! Go 'Dinger!

An area of concern, which is contrary to the author, is the OL. This season there have been glaring deficiencies! Some of them have improved. But look at how often both CJ and LDW get stopped at the line of scrimmage! No push in our line and no block scheming. Just pitiful! What's going to happen against a decent defense? VY's mobility will help greatly, but we need to look to bringing in some new talent in the draft or FA.

 

I'm willing to say VY has looked vastly better the last three games than he looked for most of 2007 but I still wouldn't concede that KC couldn't have brought home wins.
If we assume Dinger would have taken his head out from where the sun didn't shine for KC like he did for Young we probably win anyway. Also our DC had to move his head as well and seems to have done so although I still question his smarts against better offenses. I mean stopping the Bills isn't exactly rocket science.

Overall the team is definately playing way better. Heck it is a blessing just not to have punt returns dropped or fumbled. To not have to depend on two rookie starting at CB. I just hope VY is up to the task against the real competition because these teams the last few weeks aren't their real competition.