The OTP | Week 2 Recap with Coach Callahan

The OTP | Week 2 Recap with Coach Callahan

[Music] I’m Taylor Zarzer and this is the OTP. Coach, through two weeks, your team is fighting hard. You’re building a culture I know that you are proud of, but I also know you want wins to come too. That’s all that really matters in this business at the end of the day is is how do you put yourself in position to win games? U we’ve been in great position through three quarters and in the first two games against good football teams. I think we went toe-to-toe with teams I think are both playoff caliber football teams had chances, had opportunities, and we just haven’t found a way to close the game out. Um, and really any phase, offense, defense, or special teams that we haven’t made the play to help us win the game. Um, so far and a lot of really great things about how we’re playing, what we’re doing, the things that are happening, the improvement that was made from week one to week two. um excited about those things and really confident that that we’re really close um to being the type of football team I think we’re capable of being. Um but thus far have not don’t have the results to show for it and that’s just that’s disappointing and I know people want wins and they want to see all those things and and I know they’re coming but we got to do a little bit better job of finishing football games uh in all three phases. You’ve been around this league your entire life and you have seen teams being built, teams that uh unfortunately didn’t have the right kind of culture and no one ever bought in and it didn’t work and then you’ve been part of teams that did build a culture and ultimately went to the Super Bowl and won it. What would you say about the culture you have here right now? Uh, I think all all of the characteristics we look for um from a football team standpoint, we we exemplify uh when it comes to uh how we work every day, what we do in the building, how the guys interact with each other, how we treat each other, um the effort and intensity that we play with. Uh all of those things are are what you what you want it to look like. We just have to find a way to to close out a game when we’re in striking distance. and thus far through two weeks haven’t been able to to do that yet. And I think that’s going to come and that comes with um the confidence and we have a lot of young players playing and there’s some things that that we can do better from a coaching perspective to put us in a better spot. But I do think that um when it does when it does click and we and we make the play or two necessary to win the game, um I think we have a chance to to hopefully get some momentum rolling and get a few of them. I think that’s sort of the idea. and all the teams I’ve been on that have done this type of thing and and have had some struggles and some battles and but all of a sudden you hit a streak where you get you get hot and things start clicking and you find a way to to win a few in a row. You’re a big sports guy. So am I. Uh you text me every once in a while about golf. Uh we love baseball, basketball. I would argue having the right quarterback is the most important thing in all of sports. I I bet you wouldn’t disagree given what you’ve coached through the majority of your life. And certainly I I thought this the entire off seasonason, but I really felt it in this game at home at Nissan Stadium. The Tennessee Titans have their quarterback. Yeah, Cam has been everything that we would hope that he could be, especially early on, the first two games of his career against some good defenses. Um got better from week one to week two. Did some really impressive things from a pocket movement and accuracy standpoint. Um he’s he’s getting better at a really rapid rate. starting to understand how to play NFL football from the quarterback position. Um, the sky is the limit for his his ability. I mean, he really has a chance to be a excellent quarterback in this league and our job is to help him get there and keep growing through the process and learning, but um everything I’ve seen from him has been incredibly incredibly um exciting. Yeah. And I know that you said in your press conference on Monday, one of the key um things that a new quarterback that has a lot of talent needs is an effective ground game so that you respect the ground game so that the quarterback can take shots in the passing game. What do you think of what Tony Pard has done the first two games? Uh everything that we would have hoped from Tony. He runs hard. He puts the ball in the right spots. Um he’s got great vision as a runner. He’s got great toughness as a runner. I think we did a really excellent job interior offensive linewise um yesterday being able to move the interior of their defense. You know, I think Kevin Zitler and and Lloyd and Pete really did a nice job of of moving the line of scrimmage and giving Tony some softness to find uh in the running game. Um but been very pleased with Tony. He’s everything that he was for us a year ago. I mean, he’s a productive back. He’s been a productive back his whole career. uh he does things the right way and he’s a big part of of what’s going to ultimately be I think a pretty good offense as the year gets going and rolls along because we get better every week and the ability to move the line of scrimmage and run the football is paramount to your ability to help the quarterback balance out the offense and and do all the things that allow you to to play off of those looks in the passing game. So was pleased with that part of the performance. And and while I have a second coach and I’m thinking about it, how about an update on Taj Spears who should be back in a few weeks, right? Yeah, this will be week uh of his IR stint. He can return and starting after week four. So, we got two this week and next and then hopefully he he starts his return to play. And when you come off of that IR after four weeks, you then have a three-week window to be activated. So, hopefully he’s really he’s far along from that process. Um we’ll see where he’s at, but but excited to potentially get him back soon. Yeah. and him develop even more depth. When you bring Helman’s creamy buffalo chicken dip to the watch party, you can cheer too loud or block the TV or be a couch coach and no one will eject you from the game. That’s a hail mayo. Helman’s the official mayo of the Tennessee Titans. This summer, SeatGeek has your ticket to the best live concerts in Nashville at Nissan Stadium. 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He had a couple of good ones against Denver, too. Gunner Helm has already been a big factor in this offense. You’re counting on a lot of these rookies. Yeah, and they’ve answered the bell so far for that rookie class to come in and produce. I mean, Chim’s been outstanding as a returner, both as a dual returner on top of as a kickoff return and punt return. I mean, a 71 yarder in the opener and a kickoff return and a a a touchdown as a as a returner with a punt that got called back, but to still to see him do that. Uh, and then we give him the ball in a bunch of different ways offensively. I mean, reverses and screens and all the things that you try to get a guy with that sort of ball carrying ability. He’s done a really nice job. And then, I mean, Alex shown that he is a big, strong, physical presence in the boundary as an exce. And that’s what we felt like we needed. That’s why we drafted him as a good compliment to Calvin. and he’s done those things. He’s gone up against these corners and and made contested catches uh and and found ways to produce on the football. And that’s hard to do as a young player in your first two games to have the type of uh target share in production. And to see that has been really encouraging. Gunner’s been really solid, too. He’s been a much better blocker, I think, than he probably is going to get credit for, but he’s been a integral part of our offense early as well. So, got a lot of young guys doing things the right way and playing pretty good football for us. Coach, uh, defensively, I felt like the the defense had as stiff of a challenge as you’re going to see in the National Football League. Not only with Matt Stafford, I I know you have a ton of respect for him, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Last week on this show, you said he’s one of the five best in the league and soon to be a Hall of Famer one day. But he’s not the only guy on that offense that’s going to be a Hall of Famer. Dvonte Adams, they’ve added to that offense. Puka Nakua is off to quite possibly the best first threeear start we’ve ever seen. What did you think of your defense’s ability to compete against that offense? Yeah, we held them in check for for again for three quarters. You know, I think they they’re going to make their plays that that offense is going to is going to make plays. They’re going to gain explosive plays. They do a great job with their play action game and um making you fit the run and fit the play action, which is hard. I thought our guys did a pretty dang good job of it. Um, you know, and you’re gonna you’re gonna lose one-on-one reps to receiver of Dvonte Adams caliber. I mean, he’s he’s going to make his plays, too. And, um, I thought we we bottled their offense up for the most part um, for for a majority of the game and then got away from us at the And I think that’s been our biggest area of focus is how do we how do we finish the game better in all three phases and and how do we make that play that uh wins us the game, you know, that that puts us in position to go take a lead or or we score on defense or we find a way to get a long touchdown drive offensively that to kick us over the top uh late in the game. And I think that’s what we’re working towards. We haven’t found that yet for the first two weeks, but was really pleased with how the defense played early on. They they really did a good job against the run game. Um, that offense does a a nice job of staying manageable. You know, they don’t get in third and long very often, so it’s hard to get a lot of your pressure packages up because they’re in third and four or fiveish most of the time. Um, but they they proved that what they showed is that they’re they’re a playoff caliber offense and and they made the plays that needed to be made down the stretch to win the game and ultimately we didn’t. Jeff Simmons in the back field quite a bit in the game. So was Draymond Jones. Cody Barton had an interception and Legerius needed a full football game back as one of the dynamic cover corners in the National Football League. Yeah, those those guys did a good job. We generated some pressure and again part of what makes that offense hard is that they they run the ball and play action so they keep your rush a little bit at bay. But Jeff has has been through two games everything that we expect Jeff to be. He’s been disruptive. He’s been dominant against the run. He’s he’s made the pocket muddy for quarterbacks. He takes on the slot of the offensive line of protection. these double teams all the time. Um we’ve done a good job of crushing the pocket. Need to find more find more opportunities. And then to see Larius go out there and do some really good things in that game um was really positive. He’s he’s he’s getting back closer to the the player that he is used to being coming off his injury and and lack of practice time leading up to it. Um playing against a really really good player. and they’ve had a lot of matchups over the years and I think Lger’s had a bunch of really good wins and and Devonte had some wins and that’s how that goes when you play, you know, kind of one-on-one coverage with two really good players. Going into this season in the offseason, you talked about fixing some things and improving things. And I know some, as you have already said in these few minutes, still have work to do. Special teams was one that you really talked about in this off season through the first two weeks, coach. John Bones Fossil in every single special team’s way seems like he has improved what you wanted to see from kicking the ball, punting the ball, kicking field goals, covering returns, etc. Yeah, I think the the influx of really a new specialist group is a is a large part of that. Bones is a phenomenal special teams coach. His track record is proven. Um he really does a good job uh with teaching guys how to do the job the right way, which is great. Um, but the performance on the field has been really, really good. I think we’ve been very solid in special teams. Uh, I think Bryce Oliver has been tremendous as a gunner, uh, covering punts. Bryce’s ability to cover is largely due to the fact that Johnny Hecker’s been fantastic as a directional and hangtime punter. I thought his performance through two games has been fantastic. Um, and then Joey Sl on on his field goal attempts and some long ones, too. they haven’t been easy, but I think that specialist group when you talk and then you add Chimman as a returner, that talent level um in all of those spots I think has really put us over the top and really jumpst started that improvement. We’ve gotten great play from Mike Brown and Jaylen Harrell. I think Jaylen Herrell’s gotten I think four special teams tackles through two games, which is really productive in special teams. So, the guys that have been here have improved. Um the additions have really taken us over the top in the improvement uh areas and I’ve been really pleased with that phase of the game uh overall. You know, I think there’s some things we got to clean up uh in general. We’ve had a couple more penalties there than you would like, but I think from top to bottom, it’s a it’s a unit that people watch and go, “Man, we got our hands full this week.” And maybe this is really getting into the weeds here, but uh with the new kickoff rules, fielding those kicks is becoming more challenging as they land in the landing area. And uh the kickers are calling them dirty kicks, trying to kick them so they’re harder to field. There’s a lot of work going into that. Yeah. And that’s one of the things that Chim, you know, Chim’s a baseball player by by background, you know, he’s he’s good at tracking balls down at full speed. And the the kicker from from the Rams is probably one of the better ones when it comes to hitting those dirty kicks where the ball moves and it’s like a knuckle ball coming off and then it hits and it bounces. And I thought Chim handled a couple of those perfect and then there was one or two that were hard and he’s back there as a single returner too as well. So he’s got a lot of field to cover uh for those types of kicks. Um you know because what ends up happening is they’re trying to they’re trying to put the ball in harm’s way. It gives them more time to cover the kick. And the other part is too is they now have the the the minor touchback rule which Yes. Now the ball goes to the 20. Yep. As opposed to the 35. So as kickers are experimenting more with these kicks and trying to land the ball in the landing zone and have it roll into the end zone. It’s you’re it’s play you’re playing a field position game and they’re guys that can hit them consistently. It’s a weapon. Home is at the forefront of all we do. It’s why we’re so committed to caring for the places and spaces in which we work and live. Ashley, the official furniture provider of the Tennessee Titans. 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And if you’re broadcasting the game, we’re excited to broadcast the Titans versus the Colts game on Sunday at high noon here in Nashville. Colts whipped the Dolphins in week number one and had a crazy win against the Denver Broncos. They thought they’d lost and then there’s a penalty, a leverage penalty called that gave the Colts new life to kick a 45 yardd game-winning field goal instead of losing after missing a 60-yard field goal. What do you think of the 2-0 Indianapolis Colts? Uh, hard to hard to debate how well they’ve played offensively. Certainly, um, I don’t think they’ve I think they’ve punted like once in two games or zero some crazy amount of of offensive production. I think Daniel Jones is is doing exactly what they wanted him to do. They have talent uh at their skill positions. Jonathan Taylor’s running the ball the way he always does. Uh their offensive line has played well. I think they’re, you know, I’ve got a ton of respect for Lanarumo, longtime co-orker of mine in Cincinnati. Been a part of a lot of really big wins with him as a defensive coordinator on the other side of the ball. So, I know what he’s capable of. I know how good of a coach he is and the difference in scheme that it brings to the Colts. Um we got our hands full. Uh it’s a big it’s a big divisional game at home. You know, you got to win your divisional home games. Those are big spots in the season that you have to capitalize on and uh we’ll we’ll have we’ll have all our full energy and effort directed at them today here and you know 20 minutes or so when I get done with all my media u we’ll be full bore into the Colts and again good football team playing really good football and uh and we’re going to be have to be at our best to beat them at home. Excited for it coach. a great opportunity on Sunday to get a win in Nissan Stadium. I know how badly you want it. We all do, too. Good luck. Thank you very much for Brian Callahan. I’m Taylor Zarszer. This has been the OTP. [Music]

Tennessee Titans Head Coach Brian Callahan sits down with Taylor Zarzour to take a look back at Sunday’s home opener and prepare for a divisional rival coming to the Music City in Week 3.

00:00-05:27 – Building Culture & Recap Week 2
06:32-14:17 – Defense/Special Teams
15:16-17:14 – Wrap Up/Colts

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