It's no secret this is our weak link and might be the piece that keeps us from making a deep run. I look at some advanced stats to try and figure out what the real issue is.
Kevin Byard was the first guy I looked at. He has been very quiet this year and hasn't been the playmaker he was when we signed him to the big deal.
Byard's missed tackle % has spiked from 2.3% last year (2 missed tackles all year) to 13.5% this year. He's already missed 5 tackles this season. He's also been targeted 16 times allowing 11 catches for 98 yards and a TD. Passer rating of 105.7. Now with no INT's the passer rating is going to be higher and most of Byard's picks come off of errant throws or tipped passes (which is the same for most safeties). However, in 2018 Byard allowed around 50% of the passes throw his way to be completed. This year it's at 68%. The INT's will probably come, but Byard has got to be better at tackling and in coverage.
Kenny Vaccaro has also had his struggles tackling this year. He has already missed more tackles this season (6) than he missed in both 2018 & 2019 (4 both years). Missed tackle % is 13.6% this season (4.5% last year). Coverage really hasn't changed much for him. He allowed around 70% completion last year and it is the same this year (note it was 53% in 2018 though). 114.7 passer rating allowed last season and 125.4 this year so far (79.9 in 2018). 20 targets 14 catches for 152 yards and 2 TD's 0 INT's.
Malcom Butler is actually off to his best start as a Titan so far, but that's in large part to the 2 INT game vs the Bill's. Completion % is down from 63% last year to 60% this year. Passer rating allowed is 79.4 which is way down from 91.3 last year and 101.4 in 2018. Butler is also the 2nd most targeted player in the NFL and the Titans have already had their bye week. Butler has allowed 31 catches on 51 targets for 366 yards 2 TD's and 2 INT's.
Jonathon Joseph is actually having a decent season allowing under 50% completion and a 94.7 passer rating. However, he has been susceptible to giving up bigger gains giving up over 16 yards per completion. 31 targets allowing 15 catches for 249 yards 3 TD's and 1 INT.
Fulton has a small sample size but he has been meh so far. But limited offseason and covid, plus injuries have probably hurt his progression a bit this year. 14 targets allowing 10 catches for 134 yards 1 TD and 1 INT. However, he has missed 16.7% of his tackles.
Not gonna spend much time on Chris Jackson or Tye Smith. It's been bad. Jackson has allowed 16 catches on 20 targets (80%) for 154 yards 1 TD. Tye has limited action as well but it's been ugly. 11 targets 9 catches (81%) for 91 yards 2 TD's.
Rashaan Evans has actually been our best LB to this point. Not only does he have 1 missed tackle so far this year (2.8% missed tackle % down from 13.3 last year), but he is allowing a 76.8 passer rating against so far this year. He's been targeted 13 times allowing 8 catches (61.5%) for 73 yards and 0 TD's. Last year Evans gave up a 86.7% completion and a 112.5 passer rating.
Jayon has been another regression candidate. Last year after he posted 77.1 passer rating against (67.1 in 2018) he's all the way up to 94.1 this year. He didn't allow a single TD in 2018 or 2019 and this year he's already allowed 2. His missed tackle percentage (8.5%) is up slightly from last year (5.4%) but still lower than it was in 2018 (9.3%) so nothing to be overly worried about.
I'll make another post breaking down our pass rusher and defensive line later today.
Kevin Byard was the first guy I looked at. He has been very quiet this year and hasn't been the playmaker he was when we signed him to the big deal.
Byard's missed tackle % has spiked from 2.3% last year (2 missed tackles all year) to 13.5% this year. He's already missed 5 tackles this season. He's also been targeted 16 times allowing 11 catches for 98 yards and a TD. Passer rating of 105.7. Now with no INT's the passer rating is going to be higher and most of Byard's picks come off of errant throws or tipped passes (which is the same for most safeties). However, in 2018 Byard allowed around 50% of the passes throw his way to be completed. This year it's at 68%. The INT's will probably come, but Byard has got to be better at tackling and in coverage.
Kenny Vaccaro has also had his struggles tackling this year. He has already missed more tackles this season (6) than he missed in both 2018 & 2019 (4 both years). Missed tackle % is 13.6% this season (4.5% last year). Coverage really hasn't changed much for him. He allowed around 70% completion last year and it is the same this year (note it was 53% in 2018 though). 114.7 passer rating allowed last season and 125.4 this year so far (79.9 in 2018). 20 targets 14 catches for 152 yards and 2 TD's 0 INT's.
Malcom Butler is actually off to his best start as a Titan so far, but that's in large part to the 2 INT game vs the Bill's. Completion % is down from 63% last year to 60% this year. Passer rating allowed is 79.4 which is way down from 91.3 last year and 101.4 in 2018. Butler is also the 2nd most targeted player in the NFL and the Titans have already had their bye week. Butler has allowed 31 catches on 51 targets for 366 yards 2 TD's and 2 INT's.
Jonathon Joseph is actually having a decent season allowing under 50% completion and a 94.7 passer rating. However, he has been susceptible to giving up bigger gains giving up over 16 yards per completion. 31 targets allowing 15 catches for 249 yards 3 TD's and 1 INT.
Fulton has a small sample size but he has been meh so far. But limited offseason and covid, plus injuries have probably hurt his progression a bit this year. 14 targets allowing 10 catches for 134 yards 1 TD and 1 INT. However, he has missed 16.7% of his tackles.
Not gonna spend much time on Chris Jackson or Tye Smith. It's been bad. Jackson has allowed 16 catches on 20 targets (80%) for 154 yards 1 TD. Tye has limited action as well but it's been ugly. 11 targets 9 catches (81%) for 91 yards 2 TD's.
Rashaan Evans has actually been our best LB to this point. Not only does he have 1 missed tackle so far this year (2.8% missed tackle % down from 13.3 last year), but he is allowing a 76.8 passer rating against so far this year. He's been targeted 13 times allowing 8 catches (61.5%) for 73 yards and 0 TD's. Last year Evans gave up a 86.7% completion and a 112.5 passer rating.
Jayon has been another regression candidate. Last year after he posted 77.1 passer rating against (67.1 in 2018) he's all the way up to 94.1 this year. He didn't allow a single TD in 2018 or 2019 and this year he's already allowed 2. His missed tackle percentage (8.5%) is up slightly from last year (5.4%) but still lower than it was in 2018 (9.3%) so nothing to be overly worried about.
I'll make another post breaking down our pass rusher and defensive line later today.