After several years of being an old school, run-first team, the Tennessee Titans look primed to transition into a more modern NFL offense that is focused on throwing the football.
Not only do the Titans have a promising young quarterback in Will Levis who has shown the ability to push the ball down the field, they also hired a head coach in Brian Callahan who stresses the importance of the pass game.
During the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2023 media luncheon, Callahan went into detail about his offensive philosophy, and it’ll be music to the ears of any Titans fan who wants a more modern offense.
“The teams that win the most games are generally the teams that pass the ball the best,” Callahan said (H/T Mike Herndon and Paul Kuharsky). “Usually because they have really good quarterbacks and usually because they have guys that can make plays on the football outside. And so you’re seeing teams invest in that part of the game, really across the board.
“And we’re no different. We spent really two top 35 picks on receivers (Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins) and on a quarterback (Joe Burrow), so we’ve invested in it as well. I do think that that’s the shift in the league these days. The passing game has become the focal point. However, that does leave you opportunities to be really effective and efficient running the football because defenses do the same thing.
“They still give the resources to the pass game which then gives you opportunities hopefully in the run game, to run against light boxes, the numbers game and all that stuff. So I think the running back is still an important part of an NFL offense. It just has changed in the way that people view it and look it at. But you still have to be able to do those things to play good football.”
New #Titans head coach Brian Callahan on the importance of the passing game in the modern NFL
(accidentally cut off the best part on my last tweet, so I re-did it) pic.twitter.com/VglLFldldk
— Mike Herndon (@MikeHerndonNFL) January 23, 2024
While the Titans figure to have one aspect (Levis) of what they need to enact Callahan’s vision for the offense, they’re still sorely lacking in two other areas: wide receiver and offensive line.
Thankfully, the Titans will have plenty of cap space and two top-40 picks to aid in the process of improving both of those position groups in 2024.
