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Titans color commentator Dave McGinnis has personal insight on Rams
Joe Rexrode, USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee Published 1:20 p.m. CT Dec. 21, 2017 | Updated 4:04 p.m. CT Dec. 21, 2017
Titans beat reporter Jason Wolf explains what it will take for the Titans to make the playoffs. Autumn Allison|USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee
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These Q&A sessions with folks who cover Titans opponents have been fun, but this week's was probably more fun than all the others combined. For one, because Titans first-year radio color commentator Dave McGinnis has a unique perspective on Rams at Titans – he coached many of these Rams players as Jeff Fisher's assistant head coach from 2012-16 (Fisher was fired 13 games into last season's Los Angeles debut). McGinnis was with the Titans under Fisher from 2004-11 as linebackers coach. For two, because McGinnis is a source of seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm. Rams and Titans fans should find his comments here very interesting.
You know this Rams roster well. How good is it?
“First of all, Jeff Fisher and I, we built this roster, you know what I’m saying? So I know these guys very, very well. This defense and special teams of the Rams has been playoff-ready for two years, ability-wise and performance-wise. The last two years, the offense has been historically bad. The offensive line was not good, was underperforming, could not get any stability at quarterback. The receivers, that was the issue. And we knew if we could ever just get, when we drafted Jared Goff, Jeff Fisher did the Rams organization a huge favor by not playing him right away because he would have ruined the kid just like David Carr got ruined when he had to play at Houston when they drafted him and got him 76 sacks his first year. He never recovered from that.
"But anyway, what Sean McVay has done is bring a tremendous offensive system in there. They traded the worst-performing left tackle in the league, Greg Robinson, who is now out of the league, and paid money for the best-performing left tackle, Andrew Whitworth. Brought a center in from Washington (John Sullivan) that was familiar with their system. Added three really, really good wideouts. And then Todd Gurley, who Jeff Fisher drafted even with an ACL coming out of Georgia because Jeff knew how special Gurley was. I mean, he knew this was a building block. He was Rookie of the Year without even starting. Had a down year last year, he wasn’t healthy and the offensive line was bad. The whole offense wasn’t good. This year, he’s an MVP candidate.
"Todd Gurley is the real deal, and Jeff Fisher could envision him being his Eddie George for the next seven or eight years. That’s how it was put together. This defensive group we left for Wade Phillips to inherit is extremely talented, especially the front seven. I mean, Aaron Donald could be the defensive MVP of the league. Michael Brockers, who we took No. 1 out of LSU, is as good as there is. Robert Quinn is a No. 1 pick. It’s a really good defensive line. And then Alec Ogletree and Mark Barron are two of the best behind-the-line linebackers going right now. Especially the way Wade is using them. ... It’s a talented team. It’s a well-coached team. We left them a lot of talent.
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"It’s just, we were the youngest team in the league four years in a row. This team has grown up together. This is one of the better teams in the league right now, personnel-wise and the way they’re playing."
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Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers
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Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) walks off the
Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) walks off the field as the 49ers celebrate their game winning field goal as the Titans lose 25 to 23 at Levi's Stadium Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 in Santa Clara, Calif. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
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Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) walks off the1 of 70
Titans safety Da'Norris Searcy (21), cornerback Tye
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) walks off the
49ers place kicker Robbie Gould (9) kicks the game
Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard (59) walks off the
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) dives for a first
Titans wide receiver Eric Decker (87) congratulates
Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) celebrates
A Titans fan is happy after Titans wide reciver Rishard
Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) lets an interception
Titans wide receiver Corey Davis (84) makes a catch
Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) almost gets
49ers place kicker Robbie Gould (9) kicks a field goal
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) makes a throw
Titans head coach Mike Mularkey argues a call in the
49ers place kicker Robbie Gould (9) watches a 50 yard
Titans wide receiver Eric Decker (87) pulls in a first
Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) pulls in afirst
Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) pulls away
Titans place kicker Ryan Succop (4) celebrates a 31
Titans place kicker Ryan Succop (4) kicks a 31 yard
Titans wide receiver Eric Decker (87) makes a first
Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) pulls in a touchdown
Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) celebrates
Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) tackles 49ers
49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (11) tries to
Titans cornerback LeShaun Sims (36) tackles 49ers wide
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) is sacked in
Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) rushes through
Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) is tackled
Titans head coach Mike Mularkey questions a call in
49ers place kicker Robbie Gould (9) kicks a field goal
Titans wide receiver Corey Davis (84) is tackled in
Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) catches
Titans place kicker Ryan Succop (4) kicks a field goal
Titans punter Brett Kern (6) congratulates kicker Ryan
Titans linebacker Kevin Dodd (92) tackles 49ers running
Titans head coach Mike Mularkey looks on the field
49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) is tackled by Titans
Titans linebacker Avery Williamson (54) grabs 49ers
Titans linebacker Erik Walden (93) stops 49ers running
Titans linebacker Avery Williamson (54) stops 49ers
49ers tight end Garrett Celek (88) scored a touchdown
Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) has the ball stripped
Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) sits up after
Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) goes to the bench
Titans cornerback Logan Ryan (26) leaves the field
Titans safety Kevin Byard (31) and cornerback Adoree'
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) calls a play
49ers tight end Garrett Celek (88) is stoppec by Titans
Titans wide receiver Taywan Taylor (13) runs upfield
Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) breaks through
49ers wide receiver Aldrick Robinson (19) is looked
49ers place kicker Robbie Gould (9) celebrates his
Titans wide receiver Taywan Taylor (13) runs upfield
Titans cornerback Tye Smith (33) tackles 49ers running
Titans stand during the national anthem before their
Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo (98) and teammates wait
The Titans wait to take the field before their game
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) takes the field
Titans quarterbacks Marcus Mariota (8) and Matt Cassel
A Titans fan waves his banner before their game against
Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) pregame
Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard (59) before the game
Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson (25) warms up before
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) warms up before
Titans fans get a game ball before the game against
Titans wide receiver Corey Davis (84) warms up before
Titans place kicker Ryan Succop (4) practices kicking
Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) warms up before
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Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers
You mentioned the decision to not play Goff last year. Did you and Jeff anticipate he could be this good in his second season?
“Absolutely. I mean, that’s why we drafted him. The kid’s got an arm. He’s smart. He’s a worker. He’s a grinder. Absolutely. We knew he needed some people around him, and he needed a system. And that system is perfect for him.
"Sean McVay is doing a wonderful job with that. Plus, Sean keeps him on the headset until they shut it off at 15 seconds. But the guy’s got an arm. The system is set up perfectly for him. They’ve got a great running game. I mean, we vetted Jared and Carson Wentz both, and we didn’t feel like at the time we could go wrong with either one of them.”
The Titans have done a good job against the run, but this is a huge challenge. Can they limit Todd Gurley and make the Rams one-dimensional?
“You’ve got to focus on Gurley because Gurley is a beast. The guy’s a beast, and they use him a lot of different ways. You’ve got to slow him down, inhibit what he’s doing. You just have to do that. The offense runs through Gurley, it really does. McVay knew what a special talent Gurley was, too, and Jeff Fisher recognized it immediately. That’s why we took him even knowing he wouldn’t be able to play the first six games of the (2015) season with the ACL. The guy is special.
"Do the Titans have a chance to do that? Absolutely. I mean, the Rams aren’t undefeated. They’ve been beaten. You can beat them; you just know what you’re up against. They’ve got a lot of positive momentum right now, and they’re really upbeat and grinding on the fact they’ve got everything clicking, especially offensively. Defensively, we had a more dominant defense statistically because they were playing with a really poor offense. Now that they’re playing with a good offense, once they get the score separated, they can turn things loose and they can be game wreckers.”
What about attacking the Rams defense? Lots of talk this week about using the no-huddle more. Is that something the Titans should consider?
“I’m not going to get into coaching it. They’ve got guys hired to do that. I just know this: the Rams' defense is like any other defense. You’ve got to be able to find their weak spots and attack them, and you’ve got to be able to stay ahead of the chains because if you get behind a group like this that can bring heat – they can bring pressure without blitzing, you know what I mean? – you’re in trouble.
"However you can stay ahead of the chains, with what fits your football team, that’s what you have to do. It’s like the Jimmy Garoppolo formula we saw last week. Todd Gurley is not going to hurt your defense while he’s sitting on the bench watching. So you’ve got to find a way to stay ahead of the chains. That’s imperative. If you give this offense, from what I’ve seen on tape and from knowing the personnel like I do, you give them enough shots at you, you’ve got some problems.”
Last thing. I know you don't want to give a prediction, so I just wanted to ask you how broadcasting has been this season and any big-picture observations you have from being around the Titans.
“Well I’ve absolutely loved it. I really had no expectations coming into it. I knew how much I respected and liked Mike Keith. I knew how much I liked this organization. I knew how much I loved the city. And I wouldn’t have done this anywhere else but here, because of my familiarity with the organization, with Mike Keith, with everybody here.
"And once I got into it, I absolutely love doing this, I really do. And I came because I really believed and still believe that this organization is really on the upswing. It’s in a good place. I know we’re coming off two very disappointing weeks but to me the overall future and picture for this football team – especially once I met Jon Robinson and Amy Adams Strunk – the direction this place is going, it’s a good place to be. And it’s going to be a good place to be for quite a while. I really believe that."
Reach Joe Rexrode at
jrexrode@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @joerexrode.
