Titans Tonight with Keith Bulluck | Coach Mac Edition

[Music] Welcome to Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans tonight with Keith Bulock. Visit titansbanking.com to learn about their convenient mobile banking pin Pinnacle Financial Partners member FDIC. Welcome to Titans Tonight. I’m Amy Wells. Rhett Bryan of course is here. He’s always here. Tonight we have Coach Mack. A special appearance while Keith Bulock is out on assignment. We’ve got Coach Mack. Thanks for hanging with us tonight, Mac. Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh, real pleasure to be here. I’m getting paid a lot of money for this, so let’s go. I think I offered you half of one of Rhett Bryan’s birthday cupcakes. So, there you go. Exactly what you offered me, which was plenty. Happy birthday to Rhett Bryan. Yes. The Tennessee Titans, well, they didn’t get the win at their home opener against the Los Angeles Rams at Nissan Stadium. However, they’re coming back to Nissan Stadium this weekend to take on the Indianapolis Colts. A division matchup, a chance to make a real impact because we know these division games are like a game and a half when you get the win. So, there’s a lot there’s a lot to talk about. I think we need to maybe start by kind of touching base on where we are organizationally, where we are after two games. And Mac, I’m glad you’re here so that we can keep a level head throughout all of this because I think that’s what’s really important and that is what you bring. So, we should start with Cam Ward. Beautiful touchdown that everybody’s been talking about to ELA manor. Um, that was a really exciting moment. Cam Ward, we saw him make some good throws. We’ve saw more of that game manager that we have seen. We saw him maintain his composure. We also saw him make some mistakes, have some moments that he would probably like back after two games. How do you feel about the progress of Cam Ward? You got a quarterback. Yeah. Got a legitimate quarterback, which gives you a chance in this league moving forward. And uh he’s he’s a young quarterback. He’s learning the league, which they all have to go through, but he has he has what it takes. uh that is uh an excellent excellent first building block for a football team. You’ve got to have a quarterback. If you don’t have a viable quarterback, you know what I always say? You’ve got a highly paid rugby team. So, this I mean, this guy is is legitimate. Now, there’s still going to be there’s going to be a lot of teachable moments. There’s a lot of learning experiences ahead, but the guy has what it takes, and that makes me excited. his statline against the Los Angeles Rams. He completed 19 of 33 attempts for 175 passing yards. He was sacked five times. He had a touchdown, no interceptions, and he rushed for about eight yards. So, there you have it. Rhett, your thoughts. I think equally as impressive on that same drive, the scoring drive, three plays prior to that, he hit Elkayiah Manor right at the boundary with a fantastic one-handed catch for 23 yards. One of their three X plays on offense that got them first and goal at the nine. And then three plays later, that fantastic touchdown happened. Eliah Manor. Uh, and we should just talk about the draft class because they’re contributing in this and it’s starting to show, it’s starting to populate. You heard uh John Bones Fossil this week when the coordinators were made available. How highly he already is speaking about Chim DK who had a 71 kickoff uh 71 yard kickoff return in week one and might have had a scoring uh punt return Sunday was upon further review the correct call and so a penalty negated that. But the explosion is there. And I the the other thing that that Bones said is he’s just impressed by his operational awareness and uh just the moment’s not too big for him two games in already and he’s so encouraged by that. So when you start looking through this rookie class, they’re contributing and they were supposed to. They’re they they the Titans needed that. They have to have that and some guys are are stepping forward. Mac, as you’re creating a team, you’ve got to like that so many key positions are growing up together, especially on offense. That Cam Ward is growing up with an Elgio Manor, with a Chimray DK, with all of these guys. is Gunner Helm. They’re all kind of coming up and we’ll be together for a while and we’ll have the same foundation set because there’s something different about being raised the same way almost as opposed to adding a bunch of people in free agency that kind of have different experiences and you have to get everybody on the same page, right? Well, you don’t build a team through free agency. You build a team through the draft and then you supplement a team through free agency. That’s what you have to do. And if you’re trying to if you’re trying to I mean it’s just been proven all the years I’ve been in this league and even before and you know before there used to not be free agency so people didn’t worry about it. I mean that that just didn’t happen. Once free agency came into the bean and once the salary cap started working then it’s a different animal that you’re dealing with the way you construct a roster. But you have to build a roster through the draft. you have to and then you can you can supplement with with free agency. They need another two draft classes just like the one they have right now. They’ve got contributors out of this draft class and that’s what you want. You want to be able to, you know, and and it’s not just it’s not just rhetoric when you say draft, develop, and retain because that’s the way you build a football team. And so they’ve got a really good start with this with his first with his first draft class. And so as you’re doing that, that’s what you have to be able to do. And and you’re going to take some lumps along the way as you’re doing that because you’re trying to put together a talent base. This is still a razor thin team right now talent-wise just because that’s where you are in the construction of this of of your football team. That’s where you are in the construction of it. It’s just like that building that’s going up right next to Nissan Stadium right now. It’s under construction, but you can see once you get the guts of it that it’s going to be something you’re really going to like. And that’s what it is building this team. I really like that metaphor actually because it feels like right next door there’s a visual representation of kind of what’s happening on the football field which is you’re creating the framebook framework. You’re creating the skeleton for what is going to hold this team up for years to come. Yeah. Well, the metaphor is a big word for me. Uh, but I’m just telling you that this is what they are doing and they they need to stay on this path. Other rookies that are contributing right now that I think we should talk about are on the defensive side of the ball. Sure. Um, Femi Oljo is an interesting guy to me personally because we watched him have a lot of success throughout training camp. We watched him. Obviously, he has a a very gregarious personality. He’s very outgoing. He’s very easy to talk to. So, he got a lot of attention through camp just because he’s a nice guy and we really like getting to know him. Um, then you get him out there, he’s contributing. He’s obviously has a role in these games. Sometimes he’s making an impact, sometimes he’s not making an impact. What we need to remember is A, he’s a rookie. B, he’s only played in two regular season games. And three, he’s relatively new to the roles and responsibility of what his role requires now, having been a middle linebacker for so long in his career. So, as a coach, how do you approach a player like that who has gotten some recognition who who who has shown some flashes but is still new not only to the NFL but to their position just step by step by step. I mean, he this guy’s made up of the right things. And I, you know, I look, they’ve got the right kind of people, but what I like when he plays, he plays with a with a with a lot of speed. He also plays he’s a nasty player which is you’ve got to have but he’s learning that position and that position is is there’s a there’s things to that now speed to power effort all of those things he has got he’s got those things you know by the bucket load but he’s got he’s got to learn technique he’s got to learn counter punches and he he’s just he’s learning on the job right now and that’s exactly what he’s doing he’s the right type of person too. And to to me, I mean, he’s a great example of of when you take when you take a draft pick that has the base ability to do some things, you’ve got to have patience with him. You’ve got to have patience. The thing that he needs to do is to stay locked in on what he’s doing. And he needs to stay available. Stay available. The longer he’s available, the more he gets time on task. The more time on task he has, the quicker he’s going to develop. How much do you lean on the older guys to help him get there? Yeah. Yeah. You don’t really you don’t really lean on him. It It’s up to him because sooner or later out there, especially when you’re any position that you’re playing, sooner or later it’s up to you as a player. It’s up to you. But you learn you, you know, you you’ve got to be you’ve got to be uh have some natural work ethic within you regardless of who’s around you to be able to to to to get better. But what he has to do, as I said, the time on task, the veterans, the veterans will help him when they see that he’s trying to help himself. That’s how this works in this league. The veterans see that you’re trying to help yourself, they’ll help you. That’s how you That’s how you get their help. Rhett, did you have something to say? You did every right radio thing. You like looked me in the eye. We like had the exchange and I blew right past you. I’m sorry, man. I think we could take this youth movement a step further because it is a very young football team and we’ve discussed some of the rookies that have stepped forward, but there are some second-year guys who are contributing seriously as well. And I’ll start with the guy who has completely embraced the role of being a pin your ears back, go screaming down the field, and be a gunner on special teams. And that secondyear man, Bryce Oliver, the wide receiver who was undrafted out of Youngstown State. He has embraced that as much as any person I’ve ever seen on a Titans team in recent history. And he is down there with Van Jefferson and they’re affecting plays in that phase of things. Then you go to a guy that he’s not a rookie, but he’s a firsttime starter and he missed 10 games in his his rookie campaign and that’s Cedric Gray at linebacker who is he was the star of preseason had 19 tackles and you know all kinds of numbers. Jarvis Brownley and listen we’re I know we’re going to talk about penalties but take those away for a second. The the guy is there trying to affect things. Uh and he’s a secondyear player. So again, there’s just a lot of young fellas in this, but these guys that got some valuable reps in 2024 are paying dividends in 2025. There’s a lot to look for on this roster. Um, just with those young guys and continuing to watch them improve, not only throughout this season, but for years to come, and I should also mention, and I’m sorry to interrupt, I should also mention Jaylen Harold, who was a seventh round pick last year, already, I think, already has four or five special teams tackles through two games. So, he’s another guy who has embraced that role and that phase of things. And Mack can write you a book about it, but every coach will tell you if you sew the seeds there and you are successful there, you will earn other opportunities. Yep. And listen, Bryce Oliver could help you in a pinch in the wide receiving room right now if you needed it. And I think Jaylen Harrell could on defense because they are putting all their chips in the middle of the table in the third phase of the game. I love it. Well, we have a lot more to talk about about this Tennessee Titans game and their match up against the Indianapolis Colts. So, we’re going to take a quick break, but when we come back, there will be more Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans Tonight with Keith Bulock after this. Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans Tonight rolls on here on Titans Radio. For more Titans Banking from Pinnacle, visit titansbanking.com for all the details. Member FDIC. Amy Wells is here. Rhett Bryant is here. Coach Mack is also here filling in for Keith Bulock today. And we are talking Titans verse Colts. That’s coming up this Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Kickoff for that game is at noon. If you would like to come out, it should be a good day. I think it’s going to be a pretty day. Maybe some rain. Yeah, and I’ve been talking to the local meteorology uh team and experts here. Uh there’s a chance of some thunder showers, but it’s so early right now. I don’t know that I’d hang my hat on anything. It’s going to be warm. That’s for sure. About 93, I think, is going to be the high on Sunday. That’s warm. Yeah. So, here’s my note. Um, put some sunscreen on your neck, guys. Like, male, female, whoever you are. If you’re wearing a hat, put sunscreen on. If you are a girl and you’re going to put your hair up, put some sunscreen on your neck. I forgot that last week. And let me tell you, I have a lanyard tan on the back of my neck, which is crazy looking. and it’s itchy. So, you know what? That’s Don’t be like me. That’s a That’s a rookie mistake. I know it is. I haven’t been on the sidelines in a minute. And well, it’s the first regular season game she’s been on the sidelines in three years. So, let’s give her a little grace. I needed to grace. I mean, look, she’s young enough. Just remember who was forgiving and who wasn’t. I will. I will. It was It It was a little jarring being back on the sidelines. Like I had to get my my bearings a little bit and like remember what I was doing and how I used to cuz you know you have little routines and patterns of doing things. As long as your spatial awareness spatial awareness is good because when the heat comes to the sideline get out of the way. What do you say? Put yourself between people or furniture. People and furniture between you and the sidelines at all times. I will sacrifice anybody down there. I will put you in between me and oncoming traffic 100% of the time. Nobody is safe except for me. I am very safe. Um, but like I had to remember where I look because oh by the way the position groups offense and defense switch sides from the last time that I was on the sidelines. I knew that in my brain but walking down I was like all right now who are you? Why are you sitting down here? It was really strange. So sunscreen was the least of my problems until it was the most of my problems on Monday morning. So, don’t be like me, everybody. Bring your sunscreen to the game on Sunday. All right, speaking of baby injuries, here are some real injuries. The Titans and the Colts have released their injury report. Okay. Um, sunburns not on here, but some of you lanyard tans or not. Listen, lanyard tans not on here, but there there are some significant people on both the Titans and the Colts rosters who are here on this injury report. So, I’m going to run through the Titans in its entirety right now. Tackle JC Laam has a hip and he did not practice today. Running back Kell Mullins has an ankle and he was limited today. Wide receiver Bryce Oliver knee did not practice. Legerious Sneeed, corner, he has a back and did not practice. Nose tackle Tandre Sweat ankle. He was limited in practice today. That may or may not be something that’s good. We’re still waiting to see how he performs this week. Uh, safety Kevin Winston Jr. had hamstring and he was limited today and guard Kevin Zitler with a bicep did not practice today. Anything on here that is surprising? I don’t think so, Rhett. But a lot of it is just the dents and dings of the regular season. Uh, especially when you’re talking about Kevin Zitler and you’re talking about Bryce Oliver who’s literally throwing his body in front of people. Um, and you know, time has taught us and experience has taught us that the injury report today looks a lot of times much different by the time you get to Friday in the walkthrough. And that’s that’s the hope when it’s your team. Now, for the other ones, hey, you know, get well next week. Well, let’s talk about some of the other ones because there are a bunch of people on this list and I’m going to be honest, the Colts typically over report on injury reports. So, let’s take it with a grain of salt. You would know that. I do know that. Um, and not from my time there, but a year or two after they had some issues with the NFL about not being entirely forthcoming on their injury report. So, now they put everybody on corrected. Yeah. Now they put everybody on their injury report. So, some of the big ones that stand out to me, wide receiver Josh DS had an ankle and did not practice today. Uh, running back Tyler Goodson with an elbow. He was full practice. So, that’s something to note. Um, tight end Tyler Warren with a toe did not practice today. Rhett, that caught your attention. It did because through two games, and this is this is a guy that a lot of people thought he was going to be the first overall pick uh out of the the tight end group. It ended up being Colston Lovel out of Michigan uh for the Chicago Bears. But at pick 14, the Colts took him and we immediately said that night like don’t like that. Don’t like that at all. That’s twice a year a problem. 66 256 pounds. We saw what he did in his final year in Penn State and certainly when they got into the college football playoff. He’s a very physical and athletic player. He’s played 116 snaps in his first two games. Amy, wow. And has lined up all over the place in that. And he is a weapon. 115 155 yards on 11 catches. But the the killer with this and this is as a tight end position. 93 of those 155 yards are yards after catch. Wow. Well, this guy I mean the offense is carrying Indie right now. The offense is on a really hot tear up there and this guy is is a big time contributor to that. That’s he’s going to be an issue. Well, couple uh couple of things that you notice when you talk about the Indianapolis Colts. Daniel Jones is playing some really good football right now. What is working so well with him being with the Colts? This feels like a guy we haven’t seen this play this consistently well back early in his nickname sake Danny Dimes era before he started throwing pick sixes and was booed out of New York. Yeah, those were dark days. Like it’s been a minute since we’ve seen him play this well for this amount of time. 588 yards passing, two passing touchdowns, leads the team with three rushing touchdowns, 111 passer rating, has been very efficient. In fact, uh, Colts number one offense in the National Football League in yards per passing play at just over nine per play. Whoa. And he’s been a big big part of that. Uh, he’s provided some stability at a place where, you know, they drafted Anthony Richardson a couple of years ago. That has not worked out well. so far and he the minute he signed with them for for a one-year deal, you’re thinking he could be he could be good in this and it worked for him. Now, it’s a twoame sample size, but he comes in here with guns ablazing and and looks to be doing well and has a lot of weapons at his disposal. Yeah, quarterbacks are look, quarterbacks are time on task and I mean they quarterbacks are they they they can have up and down cycles. I mean, but this guy’s a talented player and Rhett’s right. He’s got a group around him now and he’s got an offense that fits him. I mean, this is uh he’s going to be an issue because he’s got a running back that is that’s a real problem. We just mentioned what the tight end is. Uh you know, Michael Pitman Jr., the the receiver there, has always given the Titans problems. Uh he’s got a good group there. And it doesn’t surprise me when you got a veteran, you got veteran quarterbacks that can soak in this league that can live through some of their down times because they’re all going to have down times. They just really are. Some it comes earlier than others. Some it comes later. I mean, but uh he is a long way from having fallen off the cliff. I promise you. Let’s talk about their run game for a second because Daniel Jones right now through two games is uh the third rusher in this. Obviously, Jonathan Taylor leads the way. The rookie DJ Giddens is right behind him in attempts. Uh this this group as a team, 161 a half yards rushing per game, twoame sample, number three in the league right now. And uh you know Jonathan Taylor 215 yards from scrimmage in that shootout game last week at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Broncos and that Broncos defense and he’s averaging five and a half yards a carry. He’s doing Jonathan Taylor things that he did in his first couple of years in the league when he was wowing and it was every week it was how many yards was Derrick Henry rushing and how many yards was he rushing and he was going to get back to back. It was it was like a a horse race. It absolutely was. Um that’s a problem and it it’s a problem because you know the Titans defense uh has allowed um quite a bit in their first couple of games. And you know having Tavandre Sweat back in the mix if possible would be a great help for the teeth of the Titans defense but yeah Jonathan Taylor is a problem. Yeah. Well, the Rhett and I, you know, every week we dig into the the opponent and the thing that that I mean, we we looked at the other thing that I mean, the game within the game is that Jonathan Taylor is really really running very well out of 11 personnel, which means you got three wides, one tight, one back in there, but that also means you’re spreading out the defense. And so that that makes it I mean they’re not they’re not they’re not bunched up running the football a lot. they are spread out and that makes it that’s a big big problem if somebody can spread you out and still be able to make those kind of yardage on the ground. To Max’s point, Jonathan Taylor 29 of his 43 carries are from 11 personnel. That’s 67 and a half% and uh of that 197 of those yards came out of that personnel grouping and that’s 70 more than any other back in the league right now. The Titans have, at least in recent history, done a pretty good job of containing Jonathan Taylor, but to your point, they have so many other offensive weapons right now that you don’t just need to focus on one guy. There’s a lot to worry about there. Absolutely. And and we talked about uh Tyler Warren being one of those. Tyler Warren was drafted high enough he made the giant tight end that they drafted three four years ago. Galani Woods who was a problem in the red zone. He made him expendable and they still have Moi Cox who is a Titans problem in the red zone and has been for some time. And then Alec Pierce who they drafted a few years ago out of Cincinnati. Josh DS we talked about being on the injured uh injury report who’s a very fast young receiver but Michael Pitman Jr. I mean, Mack coached his dad with the Cardinals. Michael Pitman Jr. continues to be an issue as well. So, there there’s plenty of weapons for him to choose from. The problem with Jonathan Taylor as a back is he’s one he is one of those backs. And you’re right, they have had games where they have they have bottled him up, but then he’s hit one or two explosives that open it up. That’s the issue with a back like that. And so that when you’re playing a back like that, I mean, you’ve gota you’ve got to grind every down because anytime he can take it not only for those yards that Red is talking about, but he can take it the distance. Oh, he’s right because how many times in his career against the Titans stopped him for maybe a one-yard loss or no gain or two yards and then 50 or a 70? He has a capability at any given moment if he gets the right crease. Yep. Well, a lot to watch and uh a lot of things that could potentially happen in this game, but the Titans defense is going to do their best to contain it all. Speaking of containing, I got to contain this conversation. We’re going to take a quick break, but when we come back, more to discuss on Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans Tonight. Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans Tonight continues on here on Titans Radio. Guys, I want to talk about special teams, which the fact that Mac didn’t just fall over dead right there is very impressive. But I mean, Joey Slide, can I just stop a minute? Yeah, please. I’ve never been one in my whole career in any conversation I’ve ever been in to say, “I told you so.” But I told you so. I know. For those of you who don’t know, maybe you’re new to the Titans world, I don’t like to watch special teams practice. It is not that I don’t respect or appreciate special teams as a whole. I think it’s a very important phase of the game. I think a lot of things can happen in that time. There are points to be scored in in special teams moments as we saw, but I don’t like to watch them practice. And so Mac thinks that I hate special teams overall, which isn’t entirely true. So I I do think that it is remarkably more exciting this year though. Like if people are leaving during the special teams periods, whether it be kickoff, some sort of a field goal, a punt, any sort of play that would require the special teams unit where typically you go get a hot dog, don’t get that hot dog. Hang on. Wait for the defense to come out. Wait for the offense to come out. Maybe just wait for halftime. Like, don’t do it during teams. Anything could happen. Well, I just I knew what a big thing it was because I’m a huge huge proponent of John Bones Fossil. As you should be, just because I’ve known him a long time. Uh made a real hard effort with Jeff Fischer to go get him when we were with the Rams. He is one of the best. I knew he would make an immediate impact on this special teams group here and not because he’s a miracle worker because he is so invested in it and he makes his players invest themselves in it. They enjoy doing it and I’m so happy to see and we look right now for for two weeks they have been a solid solid force on this football team. A a legitimate force. I mean, they’re in tops in the league right now in a lot of field position metrics. The Titans have won field position metrics in both of these ball games solely because of the special teams and it’s uh it’s an important thing that they have to continue. Rhett, one of the things that’s been the most fun to watch is Chim DK. I mean, holy smokes, that guy can fly. The numbers that he posted at the combine Yeah. were real. He’s like a gazelle. Yeah. And he I mean, and he he’s pretty graceful when he does it, too. Um gazelle-like. He is just gliding. Um but when your special teams coach speaks glowingly of you at the podium when it’s unsolicited basically and John Fossil is one of the best to do it in the game right now and has been for quite some time. That tells you a lot of what you need to know. I mean, you your guys are your guys. You’re going to talk them up, but uh the just what he has already done at a twoame sample size is is impressive. I want to see him return a punt this week for a touchdown and and not have a penalty call it back. Uh and as far as the special teams unit, I want to see some other fantastic plays that involve uh the hands team and those things. I I’d love to see a blocked punt or blocked field goal. That’d be fantastic. Mhm. It definitely the Colts would have to punt to be able to do that. They’ve not done that yet. Yeah. Well, Rigberto Sanchez is getting a little rusty because they’ve had 10 scoring drives in a row or whatever it is, but they’ve not punted in the first two games. Pretty wild. Well, hopefully this is the week and they can get out there and hopefully the Titans can make a play in that phase of the game. Joey Sly is someone else who has been so much fun to watch for this Titans team. And I I think we knew in training camp that there was something there watching some of the distances that he was able to make field goals from. But I mean he is eight for eight right now overall. He is just I mean his longest 57 yards, but he can make it from just about anywhere on the field. It’s incredible. Well, people have uh erroneously think I’m a guru in this game and but I’ll admit I know nothing about kicking. Nothing. Well, I mean, when I was coaching, I knew nothing about kicking. I hired really good special teams coaches and they they got branding good kickers. I know it has to go between those two yellow things. I can I can help you there. Yeah. But watching Jo, it’s not just Joey Sly. It’s also that battery that he has to work with. those those those guys. I mean, and I’m talking about Hec and I and and and Morgan Cox is a long snapper is a is a magician. He’s a magician with that. And plus, I mean, everything that Bones does, he does he does with a purpose. But if you don’t know anything about kicking at all, you can close your eyes and listen and tell. It’s like it when you’ve got a power hitter at the plate. As soon as they make contact, you can tell that that ball’s going a long way. It’s the way it is with Joyce Sly. He that thing explodes off of his foot. It’s It’s pretty incredible to watch during practice. It really is. And then in the ball games, it’s it’s become really something that I I can’t wait. Look, we need to score more touchdowns. Yes, we need to score more touchdowns, but with the new kickoff rules and as Red has brought out, you know, that that the way that Bones has constructed to be able to return these things, you get the ball to the 35 yard line, you need you need about a first down and a half and he’s within range. So, this is this is a pretty cool thing right now. Well, and it’s taking what has historically been a point of frustration for multiple years for this Titans team at just a phase of the game that kept for whatever reason being frustrating or difficult or just one more thing, you know, and now it’s really a part of the game where the Titans are able to make some real progress. And Mac, you told us as soon as it was announced that Bones Fossil was going to be coming in here to be the special teams coordinator. You told me all of these things about him and I know to believe you, but you know, I mean, guys, teams coach, okay, whatever. I have never in my life met somebody who is that passionate about that phase of the game. Amazing, isn’t it? It’s incredible just leads to practice just to listen to him talk about it and things he saw in other games whether it be a college game or a pro game that he is watching on a Monday night or a Thursday night or whatever. He sees these things and he gets so excited to show his guys or to tell them about it or to have this teachable moment or he is just passionate about that phase of the game and what it can mean to players careers. Yeah, you you know what you hit that’s so well said. It really is that that encapsulates who he is and it just that’s why I say I I don’t ever put a stamp on a lot of people but when I do and Bones when you go to one of Bones’s meetings I mean it is it’s it’s inspiring. Yeah, it really is. He that room and his his folks in that unit that’s his dojo and he is the sensei of this. He really is. I’m serious. I believe you. I know you’re right. He he and I know he implements some things of that nature, but uh Mack has so right about one of the stabilizing forces of that unit. This team is blessed to have Morgan Cox as its long snapper to to make that part of it. That is so overlooked in this. And I’m going to tell you something else. Going back to Chim DK for a second, he’s going to see a lot of what they call dirty kicks. Did you notice on those kickoffs, he started almost squibbing it to him and there was a couple of places where he kind of had to go back and readjust and he lost the tip of the ball for a second. That last time they did it, he had it and got it in stride and moved. Mhm. That’s a huge indicator that he Chim is dialed in and is going to be prepared for what they bring in him because if Rigabberto Sanchez, a Colts punter, does have to punt in this game, he’s going to try that approach uh knowing that he is a weapon that can potentially put his uh the opposition in scoring position. The other thing is, and that this can’t be overlooked, especially with the way the the the kicking game is now, the way the rules are set up, it’s so incredibly important to teach these guys that are blocking how to block in space with a limited run. I mean, and Bones is a master at that. You can already see it. I mean, that the the the kick return, the punt return, that was all set up with some really cool blocking schemes. We watch I watch practice every day. I and I know you know what he’s setting up and so you know we can’t talk about that but I can tell you it’s more than just people running down like Braveheart. I mean this this thing although that’s what it looks like. Yeah. This thing is this thing is is orchestrated and uh I’m looking forward to I look forward to it when people are kicking to us now. You do? I always have. I just You don’t I don’t look forward to watching them practice it. I really enjoy watching them execute it. All right, before Mac starts to spread more lies about me, we’re gonna take one more break and then we will be back to wrap up this edition of Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans tonight. Wrapping things up here on Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans tonight. Pinnacle Bank, the official bank of your Tennessee Titans, member FDIC. Guys, the Titans are getting ready to take on the Colts at Nissan Stadium. Kickoff for this game is at noon and Titans Countdown will be on the air at 11:00 Central time. So, make sure that you turn on your your Titans Titans radio, however you do that, whether it’s online, on an app, or on the actual radio, turn it on, listen to us. We’ve got a lot of good stuff. um including a little tribute to Mike Keith who is going to be going into the Ring of Honor. Um so we’re going to play some of his greatest hits which feels like a nice thing to do. There’s a lot of them too. There’s a lot of them and we’re really excited to celebrate Mike Keith and his legacy and uh put his name on the wall once and for all where it rightly belongs. So that’s going to be a lot of fun. That rhymed. I’m a poet. Well, you’re not that, but that rhymed. It did. Anyway, you want to make sure that you are at Nissan Stadium for all of that. Uh, that ceremony will be happening at halftime, so stick around to watch that. You can hear it on Titans Radio. We’ll we’ll make adjustments so that we’re we want to hear Mike speak and what he has to say because obviously it’s a huge honor um that Miss Amy and Kenneth and Barkley and the family uh decided to to you know put him in the ring of honor to correctly uh catalog, if you will, his career in 27 seasons as as the playby-play voice, the voice of the Titans. And it’s uh I don’t think people realize what a rarity that is because the ring of honor is usually um reserved for obviously players, general managers, serious contributors, ownership, whatever. And I think there’s a handful of of announcers who are in some rings of honor in the league, but I think it’s a very small number. Yeah, he is in rare air. He is in rare air as a uh a play-by-play guy being put on on the side of the stadium, but we know that Mike was so much more than a play-by-play guy. He was a major contributor to the Titans organization. We are excited to celebrate him. So, that will be on Titans Radio during halftime. But if you’re at the game, stay in your seats. He uh he’ll be coming out to say some words and there will be a program and a presentation and all that stuff. So, uh, be sure to catch that this Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Now, there’s also going to be a football game played at Nissan Stadium. So, guys, I want to hear about the matchups that you are the most looking forward to this Sunday when the Titans take on the Colts. Rhett, I’m starting with you. We’ve talked about him throughout this episode of of Titans tonight and I’m interested to see the players involved on the Titans defense as it pertains to Tyler Warren, the tight end, because we talked about what his production is already. 11 catches, 155 yards. 93 of that is yards after catch. He has a huge body and wingspan and catch radius and he lines up all over the place. He lined up in the slot. He lined up outside. Like I said, he’s in 116 snaps he’s been in in several different personnel groupings. Uh he is someone that the Titans have got to pay attention to. Mac, the center guard triangle against the two monsters they have at defensive tackle. That’s going to be huge. you know, uh, Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner and Deorest Buckner. Those two guys are game wreckers. And that are our the center guard triangle for the Titans has got their work cut out for them because through the years, regardless of how many different people have played across that front line, those two guys are an issue because they can collapse. That’s You hear me always talk about collapse the middle of the pocket. I mean, they they they are a force. So seeing how that is handled is going to be the game within the game. Absolutely. Mine is the Titans secondary and how they are able to handle and limit some of the explosive plays by the Colts offense. Every year there are some long plays. There are some huge yardage plays by the Colts offense. This Titans secondary needs to make sure that those are not completed. needs to limit those because if you can if you can contain Jonathan Taylor and you can limit some of those explosive plays, you can really kind of make that Colts offense one-dimensional. Yeah. And that’s that’s the other matchup is the teeth of the Titans defense trying to uh stop how effective that the run game is, especially Jonathan Taylor. But your your point about this the secondary against the weapons the world. Yeah. I mean, Alec Pierce seems like he has one at every game and and when he doesn’t, it’s it’s Michael Pitman Jr. or it’s Josh DS or we talked about Moi Cox being the the savvy veteran behind Tyler Warren who they use in red zone situations and have for a long time. Uh yeah, there I mean there’s plenty of matchups to watch in this. Wasn’t it last season when Michael Pitman had the broken ribs and was hurt and was came here and made two catches at the end of the ball game that were game game winning. I mean, the dude the dude’s an issue and and you know, they’re going to have to be able to do but you they you’re right, both of you, is that they’re going to have to be able to stay on top of Jonathan Taylor first and foremost. You’re right about Michael Pitman Jr. Because the the talk was early in that week of that game that he was going to go to injured reserve. Oh yeah. And then this all out. His father or someone talked him out. That’s when pit his dad I mean his talked him out of it. Right. His dad is was tougher than pig iron. And I knew there was no way he was going to let that that that kid not play. What is pig iron? Pig iron is when you’re building something origins with coach Mac. There’s different kind of iron. Pig pig iron is a really double double triple cable steel type of iron that is so strong that you use it for for foundations. Why do you call it pig iron? Is it for pigs? No, it’s strong as a pig. You ever been around pigs? I mean, they do make footballs out of them. Yeah. I mean, have you ever you you ever been around pigs? No. I worked on a pig farm one time. You did? Yeah. Yeah, I did. Are they mean? You don’t want to fall into pig pin when they’re hungry. You don’t You don’t pigs mean you don’t want to mess with the little pigs when the big pigs are there. That, too. Let’s just say that. I just would never mess with the little pigs, I guess. If and if anybody says they’re going to beat you with pig iron, be scared. Okay. Pig iron is bad. All right. We’re learning many things. No, but it’s really good. It’s really strong. It’s really strong. Mac, when you’re when you have a young team like this team, a lot of guys who are rookies, a lot of guys who are first, second year players. Is it hard to explain to them the importance of a division matchup the very first time you do it? No. No. I mean I mean these guys don’t come into the league bolivious to what’s going on, right? Yeah. Yeah. No, no, they know. Is it hard to manage the excitement or nerves that might come with a first division matchup of a season? You want you want excitement and you want nerves because then it means you’re alive. I mean that that’s that’s what you want. You’re not worried about that. just the the the thing that you you guard against with young players is overthinking the moment. Okay, that’s what you don’t want to do. You don’t want to overthink the moment. But as far as being excited and being ready to play, you want them geared up. Well, I think they will be that. I think the Tennessee Titans are going to be excited. They’re going to be ready to play. I know I’m going to be excited and ready to play and I’m not even doing anything. Titans Radio is too. Titans radio is going to be ready again 11 o’clock central time. Titans countdown is on the airwaves. We’re going to be getting you ready for the matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. Kickoff for that game is at noon. You don’t want to miss it. It’s going to be an absolute blast. Mac, thank you for hanging out with us. This has been a lot of fun. And you taught us about pig iron. Well, I I got a lot of things I can teach both of you if you’ll just listen. I mean, you know, I don’t like to force all this knowledge that I have in my that I’ve accumulated over the years, right, on people. But if you’ll just listen, I can help you out. Well, you got to ask the right questions like what is blank? What does that mean? You got to ask for definitions. You do. You do. And the thing that you have to do is bring some sunscreen so you don’t get lanyard tan. I’m going to bring sunscreen tan. If anybody needs it, you guys just let me know. For Rhett Bryan, for Coach Mack, I’m Amy Wells. Thanking you for listening to tonight’s edition of Pinnacle Financial Partners Titans Tonight with Keith Bulock. We’ll see you next time.

Coach Mac is on assignment for Keith Bulluck this week, so Rhett Bryan and Amie Wells discuss the latest news on Titans Tonight with Keith Bulluck, presented by Pinnacle.

00:00-12:39 – Recap First Home Game
16:38-31:07 – Colts Preview
31:08-41:58 – Special Teams
41:58-47:35 – Wrap Up

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