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Passing Game A Titans Focus
By Phil Brame July 19, 2010
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
When your record setting running back decides to skip offseason workouts in protest of his contract situation, work on your passing game. As Chris Johnson’s absence dominated the headlines during offseason workouts, the Titans passing game featured prominently in the mini-camp and OTA practices.
Should Johnson’s holdout extend to the preseason, or even the regular season, the Titans hope that off-season focus will payoff. With Johnson back at full speed, a slight improvement in the passing game makes the Titans more dangerous offensively.
The 2009 Titans offense centered around Johnson, finishing the season averaging 351 yards per game. That ranked 14th in the league. The running game, ranked second in the league, at better than 162 yards per game. The passing game averaged just 27 yards more at 189 yards per game. That left the Titans passing game ranked 23rd in the NFL.
Johnson's numbers surged after November 1 when Vince Young returned to the starting lineup. While the running back piled up the yards, Young averaged 187.9 passing yards in his ten games as a starter. He finished with ten touchdowns and six interceptions as the Titans overcame an 0-6 start to win eight of their final ten games.
Projecting Young’s performance from last season to a full 16 games places him at or near the middle of the pack of most NFL statistical measures of quarterback performance. Young has focused his off-season work to improve the Titans' passing statistics and, more importantly, its passing game success.
"Route wise, (getting) guys in the right place and adjusting to different coverages, we’re in a good position right now," Young said. "You don’t want to get too happy with it right now. We still have a long season to go though."
Titans Offensive Coordinator Mark Heimerdinger said he feels satisfied with the progress of the passing game during the offseason workouts.
"I like where our receivers are getting in the passing game and I like the decisions our quarterbacks are making," Heimerdinger said. "We’ve definitely made progress during these 14 (OTA practices)."
The 2010 season marks the third year in Heimerdinger’s second stint as offensive coordinator. The Titans record during Heimerdinger’s first stay in Nashville has almost perfectly mirrored the current run. Playoff appearances in 2000 and 2008 with identical 13-3 records preceded disappointing seasons in 2001 and 2009 with 7-9 and 8-8 records, respectively. 2002 saw a return to the playoffs after an 11-5 regular season.
No doubt opponents spent this off-season figuring out ways to stop Johnson and the Titans running attack. That means Heimerdinger's offense must figure out ways to beat defenses via Young and the passing game.
"The biggest thing is that our passing game has to be good," Heimerdinger said. "If teams play eight man fronts and we get one on ones then we have to win out there. Vince has to throw it, complete it, and be accurate. I wouldn’t think teams will just let Chris run for 2,000 yards again so we have to be good at throwing and getting open."
The NFL's 32 teams combined to average 218.5 yards passing last season. If the Titans could get to that number, a jump of roughly 40 yards per game, they could quickly move their offense into the AFC's top echelon. New England and Houston each averaged better than 380 yards per game total offense last season.
Young will spend part of this four-week break between OTAs and training camp to work with his receivers. Young's hometown of Houston has been a traditional destination for these workouts in the past. Young said this month's workouts will move west.
"A lot of the guys haven’t been to San Diego before," Young said. "I feel like the weather is nice and we have a great trainer out there as well."
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