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With a solid debut, the Titans offense suggests it can take the NFL by storm

tabnews August 11, 2024
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What you saw from the Tennessee Titans offense on Saturday night – that sparkle, that glimmer of hope that things are going in the right direction – yes, Tyjae Spears saw that too.

“They say (in practice) all the time, 'Man, I would have gotten that tackle,' or this and that and the other. We actually saw it out there. We're still working. There's a lot of things we still have to figure out,” Spears said. “But we're off to a great start.”

Spears and the Titans' first team were on the field for two drives in the 17-13 preseason win over the San Francisco 49ers at Nissan Stadium. Both ended in touchdowns, with quarterback Will Levis sneaking in from 1 yard out to end the first series and Spears smashing in from 4 yards out to end the next series.

Fourteen plays, 79 yards, no sacks, no penalties, no turnovers. Just much cleaner, strong offensive football.

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Yes, it was the preseason. And yes, the 49ers were putting mostly second-team players on the field to defend the Titans' starters. But as far as first real chances go – especially for a team with a young quarterback, three new starters on the offensive line, two veteran receivers and a veteran running back who's just joined the team, as well as a new head coach and an offensive coordinator duo calling the shots – two touchdowns on two drives is promising.

“I thought we did a good job of putting the guys in a position to succeed and have a chance to accomplish something,” coach Brian Callahan said. “That was good. It was just a combination of guys playing well and doing everything right and a little bit of strategy going with it.”

Will Levis, Calvin Ridley and the Tennessee Titans pass offense

Levis had a pretty average stat line, completing 4 of 5 passes for 35 yards. He checked a couple times. He converted two third downs. He didn't have to endure nearly as much pressure as he did a year ago — in part because Callahan admitted he wanted to call plays to get the ball out quickly. Things were going, for lack of a better word, well.

But statistics are just statistics. Levis said the game felt different to him in key ways.

“There were some situations where I felt like I was really in the right moment,” Levis said after the game. “I was able to move on confidently and quickly and find the right answer. I think with the reps I've gotten on offense and other offenses with similar progressions, I've been able to make those more second nature than not.”

Three of Levis' four completions went to either Spears or running back Tony Pollard. His only pass to a receiver, however, was the offensive play of the day. Calvin Ridley took a shallow lateral route about 7 yards to the left on a third-and-10 attempt. Levis hit Ridley on the run, and Ridley easily changed direction to the right and passed potential tacklers to gain 22 yards, extend the drive and end Ridley's day.

Callahan said the Titans tried to throw the ball to Ridley a couple of times earlier in the game, but Levis threw his top pitcher too far on a fade route and the 49ers sensed an early Ridley read with heavy flats coverage. This time, however, the Titans' free-agent gem shined.

“You see how explosive he can be with the ball in his hands,” Callahan said. “Any time they get a chance to complete a possession together, it's great. Just another rep for us to plan for before the regular season. Their connection is developing really well. I think Calvin is such a fantastic receiver. I told Will the other day, 'You've never really thrown to a guy like that.' He's a different style of receiver than anyone he's ever played with before. The work is coming along. So good so far.”

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The Tennessee Titans’ running game and offensive line are also impressive

The two plays following Ridley's explosive run after the catch were just as crucial to the Titans' encouraging offensive day. Pollard managed two consecutive runs, gaining 8 yards on the first run and 24 on the next. For a team that starts with a right tackle who hadn't worn a helmet for 10 months before last week and a right guard thrust into the front row after his teammate abruptly retired five days ago, ripping 32 yards down the right side from the 49ers in under a minute is a huge, huge win.

“I think the unit has done a great job,” right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere said. “We've been working on it for quite a while since spring ball. All the guys have been practicing from the offseason until now. I think we've done a great job.”

Leaving the Derrick Henry era behind will require some adjustments, but the Spears-Pollard rotation seemed to work quite well. Pollard had the better day on Saturday, but the rotation itself is more important than who gained more yards.

Spears admits he didn't know what to expect on Saturday, but now that he's experienced it, he's liking what lies ahead.

“That's what I told him: It felt so natural,” Spears said. “It felt like we were meant to be here… I know it was great working with him as a brother. It just felt so natural and it felt great.”

Nick Suss is the Titans reporter for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [email protected]. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @nicksuss.

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