'It's not going to be easy': Titans' senior writer Jim Wyatt weighs in on Week 1 matchup

Miles

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Mar 18, 2019
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AD: Do the Titans feel like he can keep that same kind of production going in 2020?


JW:
"I think the team is confident he can keep doing it. I think obviously you've got to regain and pick up that momentum again. Just because you did it at the end of 2019 doesn't necessarily mean you're going to do it in 2020. The offensive line's going to undergo some changes. The biggest one: Jack Conklin is gone at right tackle. Dennis Kelly is the favorite to be the starter there, I think, in Week 1. But the team drafted Isaiah Wilson in the first round out of Georgia, and at some point he's going to take over. That doesn't necessarily have to be in 2020, but at some point in the future he's going to. This offensive line's got to continue to open up holes, and they've got to continue to make plays downfield. If they can do that, I have no question Henry's going to show up for camp in good shape and be ready to go right out of the gate."


AD: The Titans will be moving forward without tight end Delanie Walker, linebacker Wesley Woodyard and cornerback Logan Ryan. Which player will be the toughest to replace?


JW: "Well, Delanie, unfortunately for him, he was a great pro but he dealt with injuries the last couple of seasons. [He ended] up not really being a factor at the end of last season … was on IR and just wasn't the same player. Because of Jonnu Smith developing, because of Anthony Firkser, because of MyCole Pruitt, I think at the tight end position, they're in pretty good shape. Wesley Woodyard, one of the greatest pros I've ever been around. Just a committed player and teammate, who even though he took a backseat last year as far as the playing time goes, he still made an impact. Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans, the team's [starting] inside 'backers, they were on the field the most. David Long, a [2019] draft pick, was on the field a lot. Wesley, again, played in situational packages and was a great leader, but his snaps were down last year. So that leads me to saying that Logan Ryan is probably the player they'll miss the most, because he was on the field all the time. He helped them in coverage. He helped them in blitz packages. He helped step up in areas where guys were hurt. So he's going to be missed, and they're going to have to have guys step up and play well to replace him. Malcolm Butler's back, Adoree' Jackson's back, they drafted Kristian Fulton in the second round of the draft. They signed Johnathan Joseph from the Texans. They've got some other players that they're going to count on to still be solid in the secondary, but Logan Ryan's been a really good player for this team for the past three seasons. He was playing at a high level last season, which will end up being his last in Tennessee."


AD: What's the general feeling around the team in Nashville as we head into 2020?


JW:
"People are excited, especially after what happened in the playoffs last year. To finish the season like the team did and to win at New England and win at Baltimore and then all of a sudden you find yourself against the Chiefs for a chance to go to the Super Bowl. People got amped up here — as amped up as they've been in years. It's a tough start as far as being on the road a little bit, but I think the mentality here is you've got to start off better than you did last year. The Titans were able to overcome a 2-4 start last year, but you don't want to find yourself in another hole at the start this year, because you've got five out of the last seven games on the road. It's a tough [road] down the stretch. The team would love to get off to a good start, win against Denver. It's not going to be easy. That's a tough place to play. I know people there will be fired up. Hopefully we'll have fans in the stands, and it'll be a great atmosphere on Monday night. But regardless, the Titans obviously would like to win that game and get off to a good start."


AD: We're still several months away here, but what will you be looking for in this Week 1 game and what do you think will be a key factor?


JW:
"I think offensively, I expect the Titans to play well. I think if you look at the starting lineup now, as we're speaking in May, I can pretty safely name the 11 starters. … I named Dennis Kelly at right tackle and Isaiah Wilson trying to unseat him there. That's really the only question mark this team has. The rest of the offensive line is set, the receiving corps is set. The running back, quarterback — set. The questions are on defense, and I guess heading into the season, I'm just curious to see how some things play out. They've got to figure out how to move on without Jurrell Casey, who was a great player here. They've got to figure out a way to keep it going without Logan Ryan. Wesley Woodyard has been a leader even though he was in a reduced role. And they lost Dean Pees, their defensive coordinator from last year, who retired. They're going to go into the season with a new play-caller and some new pieces. How quickly that comes together will go a long way in determining what kind of a start the Titans get off to."
 
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