Titans happy with progress on 3rd downs in camp and preseason – Titans Wire

After posting the worst third-down stop rate in the NFL last season, a point of emphasis for the Tennessee Titans this offseason has been improving in that area.

So far, so good, as not only has the third-down defense looked good in camp, but the Titans have held their opponents to 4-for-26 (15 percent) on third downs in preseason play.

Of course, we cant put a ton of stock in exhibition games, but well take any progress we can get after the horror show the defense was last season.

Titans safety Kevin Byard notes that communication has been better, and he acknowledged that the team was pretty terrible at challenging receivers in 2020, but feels the defense is making strides there as well.

Communication has definitely been there, urgency, all that stuff you talked about Byard said. Last year I feel like we were pretty terrible as far as challenging receivers, being tight. It was a big thing where we were playing off on third-and-7 or whatever, guys is nine yards off, stuff like that. That has been a big difference this year, but weve got to go out there and put it all together when real ball starts.

Byards acknowledgement that the defense wasnt aggressive enough against receivers on third downs in 2020 should be music to Titans fans ears. After all, it was a major point of contention throughout the campaign.

Linebacker Rashaan Evans also believes that the teams third-down defense has improved in practice and during the preseason, but understands that doesnt mean much if Tennessee cant carry it into the regular season.

I think its that sense of urgency, Evans said. I think each individual person on the defense feels that we can be a lot better from last year. I think going from practice and doing the things that were doing in the preseason, you see the results Like I always say, the consistency and the things that were doing, it has to transition into the regular season.

Evans notes that the defense having a year under its belt with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has helped build confidence, which is playing a big role in the team making strides.

Last year was already crazy enough, COVID and all those different things, and Shane (Bowen) coming in and being our defensive coordinator, Evans said. There was a lot of different things that were changing and moving. Now that we have another year, just a year under our belt, now going into some of the things, the schemes that hes trying to run and things hes trying to do, we have a lot more confidence now.

All signs point to Tennessees defense improving overall in 2021, although it must be said that it really has nowhere to go but up from here.

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Titans happy with progress on 3rd downs in camp and preseason - Titans Wire