setting up the Titans game (which is nationally broadcast)

Titans vs. Rams: Previewing St. Louis’ Preseason Week 2 Matchup

By Steven Gerwel

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2551769-titans-vs-rams-previewing-st-louis-preseason-week-2-matchup

The St. Louis Rams will face off with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Aug. 23, for Week 2 of the NFL preseason.

The team is coming off an 18-3 loss to the Oakland Raiders, so fans are eager to see it bounce back and correct many of the mistakes from last week.

Indeed, the preseason opener was an undisciplined mess. The game ended with 10 penalties and just a single scoring drive. It’s the same old problems that have been weighing down the team for years. If these problems are not squashed soon, St. Louis will be in trouble when Week 1 arrives.

The Rams will attempt to win back the fans with a stellar effort against the Titans. If St. Louis can get the offense rolling and cut back on penalties, the optimism will suddenly make a comeback.

This article will break down St. Louis’ matchup with the Titans, including the latest headlines, key matchups, predictions and more.

Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: KTVI Fox (St. Louis Local)

Latest Injury News

CB E.J. Gaines (Foot)

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com confirmed on Sunday, Aug. 16, that second-year cornerback E.J. Gaines will miss the 2015 season with a foot injury. Gaines started 15 games in 2014 and was considered one of the more reliable members of the secondary.

RB Todd Gurley (Knee)

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Twitter this past Tuesday that rookie running back Todd Gurley is still being limited to individual drills.

OL Rodger Saffold (Shoulder)

Rodger Saffold left Saturday’s game against the Raiders with a shoulder injury. Thomas reported on Twitter this week that he’s being held out of practice.

LB Daren Bates (Knee)

According to the Associated Press (via Fox Sports), Daren Bates sprained his MCL in last week’s game against the Raiders.

OL Cody Wichmann

Rookie offensive lineman Cody Wichmann was held out of practice on Tuesday, according to Thomas. He didn’t specify the details of Wichmann’s injury.

Key Matchups

Front Seven vs. Marcus Mariota

The Rams play in the NFC West, which means the front seven has to be comfortable shutting down scrambling quarterbacks. The team will face both Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick twice this season, so the group must work hard at containing dual-threat passers.

This week’s matchup with Marcus Mariota will be a great opportunity for practice.

Mariota did not acquire any rushing yards in his preseason debut, but we know he’s perfectly capable of torching a defense with his legs based on his college career.

Containing Mariota and providing relentless pressure should be a top priority.

Rams Secondary vs. Tennessee Receivers

Last week, when Tennessee took on the Atlanta Falcons, the Titans quarterbacks had a combined total of just four incompletions, and 12 different receivers caught passes.

Few people view the Titans as an aerial powerhouse, but there’s no doubt their passing attack was in sync last week. It will be a great challenge for the St. Louis defensive backs.

The Titans have big, physical receivers in Chase Coffman (6’6″, 250 lbs) and Dorial Green-Beckham (6’5″, 237 lbs) as well as speedy receivers in Jacoby Ford and Kendall Wright. It’s a diverse group capable of attacking opponents in a variety of ways.

If the Rams hold the Titans to a 60 percent combined completion rate with no backbreaking plays over 20 yards, it should be considered a major success.

Matchup X-Factors

The Ground Game

Last week’s ground production was abysmal. Four of the six St. Louis backs averaged three yards per carry or fewer. The top two backs on the depth chart—Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham—were held to 18 yards on five carries.

That’s not what you’d expect from a team that’s been hyped all offseason long as a ground-and-pound offense.

In fact, it’s safe to say that the lack of a run game is a big reason why the Rams were held to just one scoring drive against the Raiders. It constantly put the offense in 3rd-and-long situations.

The Rams just spent four draft picks on road-paving linemen, not to mention last year’s No. 2 overall selection, Greg Robinson, who earned his lofty draft status for his ferocious run blocking.

The line is built to open run lanes, so there’s no excuse for last week’s lack of push from the front five. It was just a lazy, uninspiring effort, and it needs to end this week.

If the Rams want the offense to pick it up, the five blockers up front have to wake up.

Nick Foles and the Passing Game

Even though Nick Foles took a couple of hits under center last week, there were still some inspiring moments between him and his receivers.

He hit Lance Kendricks for a 26-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. On the very next play, he hit Tavon Austin with a quick pass, and Austin took it for a 35-yard gain. The drive nearly ended with a Foles touchdown pass to Jared Cook, but Cook came just shy of securing the tough catch.

It’s understandable that the coaching staff does not want Foles exposed too long, especially behind St. Louis’ brutal offensive line, but it’d still be nice to see more from him in this game.

Foles had a nice debut, going 3-of-5 with 69 yards. If the coaches decide to give him a full quarter, it’ll really give us a chance to see what this offense is made of.

Prediction: Titans 20, Rams 13

Rams fans want to see more out of the offense, but it’s likely that the coaches will keep it vanilla until the regular season. With that said, expect another dry performance on the offensive side of the ball.

The game might have more excitement if the coaches decide to keep Foles and the starters in for over a quarter, but don’t count on it. After last year’s season-ending injury to Sam Bradford in the preseason, Fisher is likely terrified of a potential repeat. He’ll understandably keep Foles around for just two or three drives.

As for the defense, expect the starters to shut down the Tennessee offense completely. Then, after the starting St. Louis defense is yanked from the game, the Titans will slowly but surely acquire points against St. Louis’ undisciplined backups.

However, the final score is meaningless in the preseason. As long as the starting offense produces a pair of scoring drives, including at least one touchdown, Rams fans should be happy with that result.

Jeff Fisher looking forward to return to Tennessee

Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/20573/jeff-fisher-looking-forward-to-return-to-tennessee

EARTH CITY, Mo. — The Tennessee Titans plan to pay homage to St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher when the teams meet in Sunday night’s preseason game. The plan is apparently for a video tribute to be shown at some point during or before the game, not that Fisher will get much of a chance to stop and watch.

“That’s the first that I’ve heard of it,” Fisher said. “So I’ll probably miss it. Coaches on the sideline don’t watch stuff on the board.”

But that doesn’t mean Fisher’s first trip back to the place where he spent 16 and a half years of his coaching career doesn’t hold some meaning for Fisher. Sunday marks Fisher’s first time coaching in Tennessee since he and the Titans parted ways after the 2010 season.

Not one to show much emotion, Fisher downplayed the return to Nashville but did acknowledge that he still holds a special place for his time with the Titans.

“You know, it’s a preseason game and it’s an opportunity for us to get better,” Fisher said. “I had great memories down there, but obviously it’s been a while. I guess I’d say I’d rather go down there for a preseason game than a regular game, but we’re looking forward to it. There’s some other guys in addition to myself that have some special memories there.”

Indeed, the Rams have seven members of the coaching staff and five players who at one time or another spent time with the Titans organization but none have the longstanding history that Fisher shares with the franchise.

Fisher coached the Titans from midway through the 1994 seasons through 2010. In that time, he led Tennessee to six playoff appearances, three division titles, two AFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance. He won 147 games, the most in franchise history.

It’s those wins, and the players who helped him get them, that Fisher points to as his fondest recollections.

“I have great memories,” Fisher said. “The thing reflecting back, it’s the relationships with the players. All of the players that came through there, getting through the move process, the relocation process, and then the ’99 season and the 2000 season, where I think we had a better team than we did in ’99. It didn’t work out for us. It’s a great organization. I owe a tremendous amount to the Adams family for the opportunity. We won a lot of games down there.”

While this is Fisher’s first trip back as a coach of a different team — namely the one that beat Tennessee in that Super Bowl — it’s not his first trip back to Nashville. Fisher kept his property in the area and makes it back every once in awhile, including for the annual charity golf tournament held in honor of former offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, who died from cancer in 2011.

As with most divorces, Fisher says he’s unsure of what kind of reception he’ll get upon returning to Tennessee. So instead, he’s opting to deflect the focus to his team.

“I don’t know what to expect,” Fisher said. “I just know we’re going to go down there, focus on trying to get better and play time and keep people healthy and playing hard. [Titans coach] Ken [Whisenhunt] has done a good job down there and they have an outstanding, young quarterback. So it’ll be a good challenge for our defense.”

Nearly five years removed, it’s probably safe to expect that Fisher will be greeted warmly as the positive memories of winning linger longer than anything else.

Five Players to Watch at Titans

Myles Simmons

http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Five-Players-to-Watch-at-Titans/6081d13e-6141-415f-bb88-7b39e9560849

As we get closer to Sunday’s 7 p.m. CT kickoff, here are five players to watch in the Rams’ preseason matchup against the Titans.

1) Trumaine Johnson – No. 22



The cornerback had a standout performance in St. Louis’ contest against Oakland last week with a key pass breakup and an interception in the end zone. He continued his strong work during practice with the Cowboys in Oxnard, especially during a one-on-one drill with Dallas’ wide receivers. Head coach Jeff Fisher said this week Johnson’s strong play has to do with a solid offseason.

“He was there every day. He’s worked. He’s taken care of his body and he’s determined,” Fisher said. “If you get in that third and fourth year and play like he has, you should start making those plays when you have that kind of ability.”

Johnson likely will not play too much, as it’s still the second preseason game. But last week illustrated that the cornerback can make a significant impact in only a few possessions.



2) Chris Givens – No. 19



Last week, Givens led the Rams with four catches for 36 yards, and also had a 16-yard run. The wideout was sporting a new number (19, switched over from 13) to honor a friend who passed away. On Sunday, Givens will have a chance to continue to make an impact, as he’ll likely continue to see some good playing time. His reliable hands and quickness should aid any quarterback with whom he plays. 



3) Ethan Westbrooks – No. 93



An undrafted free agent from West Texas A&M last year, Westbrooks has been working inside at defensive tackle a bit more than he did as a rookie. One of the reasons the D-lineman made the 53-man roster in 2014 was his versatility, and that seems to be paying dividends as the 2015 season approaches. Westbrooks has done a good job of disrupting the backfield in practice. He especially did so when the team worked with the Cowboys this week, even picking off a Tony Romo pass. Look for Westbrooks to continue breaking through the offensive line on Sunday.



4) Center position 



The three-way battle for the center spot is ongoing, and this game may be an opportunity for one of Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones, and Demetrius Rhaney to emerge as a front runner. Barnes got the start between guards Rodger Saffold and Jamon Brown last week, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case against Tennessee. What’s more, Rhaney saw time at left guard in practice with the Cowboys this week while Saffold recovers from tweaking his right shoulder in the Oakland matchup. Either way, keep an eye on Nos. 61, 67, and 65 for that center position battle.


5) Matt Longacre – No. 63 (DEF)

Longacre is an undrafted free agent out of Northwest Missouri State, and made significant contributions against the Raiders last Friday. The defensive end led the Rams with three quarterback pressures and also tallied a QB hit, according to the coaches’ tape review. As a player in the crowded and talented defensive line room, Longacre may have only an outside shot at making St. Louis’ 53-man roster. But with a few more performances like last week, Longacre could play himself into the conversation.

5 things to watch: Rams at Titans

Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/things-to-watch-rams-at-titans/article_08912313-3687-5f99-b797-e380db4d1625.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

NEXT IN LINE

It’s Round 2 in the competition for backup QB behind Nick Foles. Case Keenum, who played three series against Oakland, remains in the lead over Austin Davis. Keenum completed 12 of 17 passes, reaching Raiders territory twice but without scoring. Davis was in for only one series, and didn’t have time to do much behind the third-string line.

ON GUARD

With starting LG Rodger Saffold (shoulder) sitting this one out, Brandon Washington gets the start in Nashville. Washington had a rough beginning after Saffold went down early against Oakland, yielding sacks on back-to-back plays. Washington, who is not assured of a roster spot at this point, needs to do better Sunday night in Nissan Stadium.

THE RUN GAME

First-round draft pick Todd Gurley won’t play in the preseason, but that doesn’t mean the Rams aren’t grooming their ground game. The team gained 86 yards and 4.1 yards a carry against the Raiders, with seven players carrying at least once. Those are OK numbers, but coach Jeff Fisher says the team needs to be more productive running the ball against the Titans.

OFFENSE, OFFENSE

The Rams had only three points, 15 first downs, and 285 yards in the opener against Oakland. Sure, it’s the preseason, but no matter who’s in the game that can’t be acceptable. The Rams had only nine plays all evening go for more than nine yards. A sustained drive or two — and a touchdown or two — shouldn’t be asking for too much.

FLAG FOOTBALL

Reducing penalties has been a point of emphasis in camp. So 10 penalties against Oakland, with four more either declined or negated by offsetting flags, wasn’t what Fisher was looking for in the preseason opener. Granted, many of those penalties were committed by players who won’t make the final roster, but Fisher wants a cleaner game.

Titans expect Marcus Mariota to get blitzed

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/titansinsider/2015/08/22/titans-expect-rams-gregg-williams-blitz-mariota/32193365/

Titans Insider
John Glennon

An NFL coaching veteran of nearly two decades, the Titans’ Ken Whisenhunt can recall times — not necessarily all that long ago — when head coaches might reach out to one another before preseason games, informally discussing things like the amount of blitzing that might go on.

All that, however, apparently has changed.

“As far as when it changed, I don’t know,” Whisenhunt said. “We used to communicate, maybe, sometimes. But we don’t (now). I’ve had no communication with any of the other coaches.”

Preseason blitzing might become a topic of interest Sunday, when the Titans play host to ever-aggressive defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and the St. Louis Rams. It was Williams who created a stir back in the 2011 preseason when his Saints defense relentlessly pressured San Francisco’s then-rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick, blitzing on 32 of the game’s 46 pass plays, according to one reporter.

Should the Titans expect their prized rookie quarterback, Marcus Mariota, to face plenty of blitzing?

“There is no unwritten code of anything I know of (regarding blitzes in the preseason),” Whisenhunt said. “If there is, I’ve missed the boat on it. They’re going to do what they do. We’re going to do what we do. So we’ll see.

“I anticipate they’ll bring pressure. That’s what they do. I know that’s what their philosophy defensively is.”

Titans quarterbacks coach John McNulty said Mariota can benefit from working against preseason blitzes.

“I’d like to see how we operate against it in person before we get into the opening game (of the regular season),” McNulty said. “I feel pretty good about where we are in it (during practice), but you like to see it live.

“I know some people think that teams shouldn’t (blitz during the preseason). I don’t know why. I don’t think there’s any code like, ‘You shouldn’t blitz.’

“I think it will be good for us to see how we operate into a blitz. We’re obviously going to get blitzed the first week in Tampa.”