2018 Titans Offense: Boom or Bust?

With a few weeks before the opening of training camp, I thought we might discuss some of the factors at play in whether or not the Titans offense will see big improvement in 2018. Here's some pros/cons to get us started.

Why the Titans offense will boom

QB: Mariota is poised to make the next step toward becoming a top 10 QB in the league. He showed toward the end of last season that he can take the offense on his shoulders and make clutch plays. He’s working hard to improve his game and will now have an offense suited to his strengths.

RB: Henry will now get more opportunities and will get the opportunity to prove he’s a 1K rusher. Lewis was possibly the best RB in the league the second half of last season. Together, they should be one of the better backfields in the league.

TE: Walker remains elite and the most consistent weapon on the offense. Smith should make big strides going into his season season.

WR: Davis flashed some potential later in the season/playoffs and the game finally appears to be slowing down for him. Matthews should see more opportunities with defensive attention shifting to Davis. Sharpe returns who had chemistry with Mariota from the start. Taylor should improve entering his second season. Seeing this unit work with Mariota during the offseason shows their commitment to improving the passing game.

OL: The strength of the Titans offense, Lewan and Conklin are making the case they’re the best OT duo in the league. There’s no reason to believe Spain, Jones and Kline won’t improve with the change to a zone blocking scheme. Having some creativity on offense should help this unit be more productive in the run game.


Why the Titans offense will bust

QB: Mariota regressed last season and now has to learn his third system in four years. Working on mechanics in year four of an NFL career isn’t a good sign. When unable to use his legs, he’s too limited and has played too often less than 100% healthy. Gabbert is not the answer at #2.

RB: Henry is a boom or bust runner. He continues to try and bounce runs outside which often lead to a negative run. His blocking remains a liability. Lewis is fragile. He played nine or fewer games each year from 2012 to 2016.

TE: Walker will be 34 when the Titans kick off the regular season. His TD production dropped off significantly last season. Smith showed little his rookie season and is coming back from a torn MCL.

WR: This is the most unproven position group on the team. Davis is clearly a work in progress and far from being the #1 the Titans need in the passing game. Matthews numbers declined last season. Sharpe returns from IR and will be an unknown after being off the field all of last season. Taylor’s one reception per game average in ’17 was a disappointment.

OL: How soon can Conklin be 100% again? Will Jones find a way to get his snaps up? The Titans run game rank plunged last season despite having the same starters that generated the #3 run game in '16.

Discuss.

 

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