During the dark, low points of Tennessee's season many fans asked expected head coach Mike Munchak to lose his job when the season was finally over. When the Titans fell to the Bears at home Bud Adams sent the team a message putting the entire roster on notice, and it looked like they had regained their 9-7 form from 2011. However a devastating defeat at the hands of the Packers in the tundra quickly gave fans the familiar combination of fear, anger, resentment, and confusion in the collective pits of their stomachs.
However, a new day has dawned and with it comes the hopes of something better for Titans fans. The team seems to be running smoothly which has provoked to write this piece filled with what Mike Munchak has done correctly. This is the greatest strength of the Titans current head coach.
He is in in sync with the front office.
Munch and Webster seem to have an outstanding relationship and instead of staying out of each others way, they have made joint decisions that look like they will really help the Titans, especially this offseason. Munch identified where he needed help and he and Webster went out and added two players each at the key positions of need: guard and safety. Not only did they address the problem, but they turned it into a strength.
Suddenly a team that couldn't run consistently last year has the inside track on the title of best offensive line in the league. Adding players who should both be named the Pro Bowl in the next two years in young standout Andy Levitre and the Chance Warmack, possibly the best overall player in the 2013 draft.
A secondary that seemed to be too far removed from the action on nearly every play last year has now added two of the best strong safeties in the league. George Wilson was quietly outstanding in his time in Buffalo, and was a very savvy player that helped his defense hold their own against the likes of Tom Brady.
There is no need to sing Bernard Pollard's praises because everybody knows just how great he is, but I should just in case he reads this and puts me on his list. Pollard is not "a thumper", he is "The Thumper", Pollard has redefined what it means to be physical and clean in a game full of personal fouls and dirty players. When he comes down hill and finds the ball carrier the entire nation feels his impact.
And without Munchak pushing and lobbying for a huge free agency period who knows if the Titans would have gotten those guys. A new coach wouldn't make his first big free agency signing a guard, that is too risky. He wouldn't have tried to take on someone with the locker room presence of a Bernard Pollard, the new coach might have been afraid of being out-shined. A new coach doesn't draft Chance Warmack in round one, he takes the flashy player.
However, a coach and front office perfectly in sync make all those moves because they KNOW how they want to build a team and this fits their mold. They KNOW how these pieces are going to be used on the field and they trust that the best moves will get made no matter what the media says about the spending or how outrageous it is for two guards to go in the top 10.
Mike Munchak has a vision for this team, and his relationship with the front office could pay off in a big way this year. An improved defense and an offense ready to grind out the yards on the ground is the "Titans Way" and his greatest strength has put the pieces in place for the Titans to get back to their identity.