Munchak: Griffin needs to lead with hands

Titans coach Mike Munchak says safety Michael Griffin has to do a better job of leading with his hands – and not with his helmet – when making tackles.

Griffin was called for leading with his helmet when he hit Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne in the fourth quarter on Sunday. The 15-yard penalty helped the Jaguars march for what would turn out to be a game-deciding touchdown.

It’s the fourth time this season Griffin has been called for a personal foul, and three of the calls have been for helmet-related fouls.

“He has to lead with his hands,” Munchak said. “When it’s been called on you a couple times, you have to try to adjust. It’s easier said than done, but you have to come with the hands so then it looks like you’re pulling off or you’re at least not hitting helmet-to-helmet in any way or it doesn’t look bad.

“But having said that … then all of a sudden, you could have sacked him and you held back. That’s the hard part about playing defense. You’re going to get some of those. You’ve just got to play smart.”

Griffin has been fined twice this season, once for a helmet-to-helmet hit and once for a horse-collar tackle. Munchak says he doesn’t think the league would have cause to suspend Griffin for a compilation of helmet-to-helmet fouls.

“I’m sure they look at the type of (personal fouls) he had, I guess, but I don’t see anything malicious in any way about anything he’s done,” Munchak said. “I’m hoping that’s how they look at it, that it wasn’t an intentional act of any kind, just an unfortunate one and one he’s got to do his best to be smarter about.”

Posted In: AFC South, League News, Team News

Source: Titans Insider