The Titans' passing offense is not as regressive as we imagined through four weeks. The team ranks 11th in the NFL in passing attempts deep left, seventh in attempts deep middle and 14th in attempts deep right.
The problem lies with the success rate. The Titans are 29th in completion percentage deep right. They've completed fewer than half of their shots deep left and are 15th in attempts deep middle, though they are only averaging 13 yards per play to that portion of the field.
According to the Tennessean, Marcus Mariota has only completed 41 of his 80 attempts to any wide receiver. Head coach Mike Mularkey blames chemistry.
"We really haven't been efficient outside," Mularkey said this week. "We haven't been very precise. We haven't been very detailed. That starts with those guys outside. They need to carry over what they're being taught in the classroom and what they're doing on the practice field. ... It needs to carry over into games, and it will function better."
He added: "They haven't been together for years. That was (Mariota's) 16th start. That's four with some of these guys, four regular-season games. You're hoping you see (improvement), and I think it will based on what we're going to do. ... I think it will improve. I'm almost ensuring that it will.
"A lot of it is with the timing of Marcus because Marcus is a guy that will unload it with their backs still turned. If he understands and trusts that they're going to be where they're supposed to be, that ball will come out quicker and there won't be that hesitation you're seeing. They need to be where they're supposed to be."
Mularkey makes some good points here, but it is also hard to lean on the lack of chemistry card when a pair of rookie quarterbacks (Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott) are currently tearing up the NFL. While it is most certainly a factor, isn't it on the coaching staff to ensure that chemistry is getting developed?
General manager Jon Robinson did a nice job of surrounding Mariota with professional, experienced talent at the wide receiver position and invested in a high-upside rookie -- Tajae Sharpe -- to give Mariota someone to grow with.
Mularkey says he is "almost ensuring" that the product will improve over the next few weeks as the Titans (1-3) try to claw into second place in the ho-hum AFC South, though he might have to do better than that to make everyone believe he's the right man for the job.
