What an incredibly bad weekend of football in Tennessee. Just when you thought that the Titans were about to get over the hump and beat the Colts, disaster strikes. In my opinion, it all goes back to the goal-line offense.
It was 24-14. Everything was going Tennessee's way. Ken Whisenhunt had just opted to go for a fourth down in the redzone. Then the Titans go on to get stuffed at the goal-line, forcing a field goal. If a touchdown is scored there, it's a back breaker. Game over.
So what gives with Ken Whisenhunt's obsession with tight goal-line formations? You've just drafted one of the most dynamic play-makers in NCAA history. You have one of the best possession receivers in Kendall Wright, an outstanding tight end in Delanie Walker and a gigantic receiver in Dorial Green-Beckham. So naturally, let's go with a heavy, three tight end set with a fullback.
This was Whisenhunt's explanation.
Whiz said team is trying to establish identity as power running team, hence run on two-point try
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 27, 2015
I'm not buying that. You've torched the Colts all day through the air and have mismatches all throughout the secondary. You've had success spreading the formation out at the goal-line one time already today. Why not do it again? I'm all about feeding the hot hand. The hot hand certainly wasn't the run game on this day.
I understand that the pass interference set them up at the one, but I want the ball in the hand of my quarterback in that situation. There is no reason to condense the field size on the goal-line. If anything, you want to give the defense more to worry about. By spreading them out, you have options. The Titans aren't physically dominant up front to push teams around quite yet.
Hopefully this will be a learning experience all around. There are going to be kinks to work through in this offense. So far, Mariota certainly hasn't been the issue. You have to feel good about where he's at just three games into his career. There will be better days ahead, but this one hurts.