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Tennessee has the pieces on offense to put up 27 points a game in the right system, but the constant confusion and options in the Chris Palmer system clearly did not work out. These three steps could help simplify and strengthen the offense.
1. Move Jake Locker outside of the pocket.
As a Titans fan I am optimistic about Jake Locker as a QB, but I think there are a few things that he has proven to this point. He has top-end arm strength and speed, but he struggles to read defenses pre-snap and he doesn't trust his offensive line. The way to use all of those things to Tennessee's advantage is to roll him out on bootlegs and play-actions passes.
Chris Johnson is enough of a threat to freeze linebackers and rolling Locker out will do two things to help him. Firstly, it will cut the field in half which will give him two or three options and if he is confused by what he sees he can either run or throw it away. The other thing it does it that it will slow down pass rushers. Suddenly gap integrity is crucial for defensive linemen and (as Russell Wilson and RGIII showed last year) when they lose contain you can make them pay.
2. Don't be afraid of Chris Johnson's contract, use Shonn Greene.
There have been times over the past few years where Chris Johnson has just had bad games. That isn't a back-breaking issue unless the coaching staff feels some obligatory need to keep him in the game. I don't know if the Titans were trying to prove that Johnson's contract wasn't a mistake by giving him the ball so many times, but this year if he hits a cold streak they need to take him out and use Shonn Greene.
Greene isn't a game breaker, but he has averaged 4.1 yards and totaled 138 first downs over the last three years. Say what you will but this is a man that has gotten it done in between the tackles, and we need to be able to pound the ball no matter who the running back is. Time of possession gassed the defense last year, we would be wise to not repeat our mistakes.
3. Add a right guard!
The Titans are one great right guard away from having their best offensive line since the Bruce Mathews era, and it is could coincide with Chris Johnson's career peaking and Jake Locker still at his best athletically. Having two running threats on the field at one time is bad enough for defenses, but throw in a complete offensive line and Titans fans could see two-toned blue near the top of the league's rushing total for the first time in years.
This year there are four great options to come in and play right guard: three in the draft (Warmack, Cooper, Warford) and one in free agency (Brandon Moore). If the Titans finish what they started when they signed Andy Levitre then the pressure is off of a lot of players. Suddenly Locker has time to make a decision when he stays in the pocket, and he can let plays develop without feeling rushed. Chris Johnson miraculously has a three-yard surge from the offensive line to build up speed to make his cuts. Taking away 20 defensive snaps by grinding out the rushing game will also give the Titans defense time to replenish, game plan, and keep their best players on the field longer.
Summary: In the end, the Titans are a team built to run whether the QB has the ball or if he hands it off. Fighting where we have talent and confusing that identity left the Tennessee offense reeling under the Palmer regime. All Titans fans can hope for now is a more complete rushing effort under Dowell Loggains in his first full time offensive coordinator job.