I love that...

Seems a good place to post my after the game thoughts

Nine out of twenty eight.... Nine out of twenty eight... What is that? That's how many interim head coaches have stuck/lasted for their team going into the following season (since 2000 I believe). Well it's certainly possible that we could be seeing our tenth coach right here right now. Holy cow what a game!?

All you guys/gals that were at the game, I'm expecting full reports from each and every one of you. Pictures... videos... thoughts... memories. That was a hell of a performance.

Something like 9 of the first 11 plays were running plays. And not just simple hand offs to Lamar Miller. We had reverses, we had quarterback rolls. We had misdirection. We had two tight end sets. We had Tannehill under center. All on that first drive. We had screens. In the fourth quarter, with the game on the line seemingly (Titans down 24-10 and driving), we had our defense step up and force a ****ing turnover. Brent Grimes with a huge play. Then, we had Tannehill from his own endzone, drop back and launch a BEAUTIFUL DEEP BOMB to Stills for what was, to me, the play of the game.

There is no way Philbin would have allowed that play call to occur with the game on the line. We all know that. At the end of the first half, after the Dolphins forced the Titans to use their timeouts on successive running plays. The Dolphins made the first down. Then you see them turn it up, go two minute, all out passing attack. And if not for a misread between Tannehill/Cameron that drive would have ended in a score. No way that drive happens without the coaching change. Trusting your team to take the ball and go down the field. But it started off with the running plays. The successful running plays.

I thought Billy Turner played much better than Douglas had the first four games. He was out front on a lot of sweep/reverse plays. Out front with Pouncey. Dallas Thomas on the other hand... well, it was good to see Albert back, lets just say that.

But make no mistake, it all started with the commitment to the ground game out of the gates. When you can run the ball, everything else opens up. So glad to see the two tight end sets back and of course Dion Sims healthy again.

I have to say, before I continue... had a dream last night. It was fourth and 1... game on the line, Tannehill drops back, throws a low percentage deep pass to Devante Parker, who catches it, running towards the end zone. Trips over his own feet at the five yard line, and fumbles the ball thru the endzone. Hah... no kidding. I don't even think he got a snap. Regardless, glad to see Stills in over Jennings. The right call. Clearly.

Tannehill... great game after the first half and those two INT's that were not his fault. Showed good mettle to get him going in the fourth quarter. Made some big time throws and his stats were the beneficiary.

One more thing about Lazor/Campbell. There was one drive, with the Dolphins backed up, on third down, I think in the 3rd quarter, late. I saw Campbell talk into his head set before the 3rd down play and he clearly said "good call" to Lazor. Now, I was expecting a run, or something conservative, but guess what? It was a pass. Tannehill dropped back and looked to air it out. I believe he was ultimately sacked, but that tells me all I need to know about our new coach. He believes in this offense. He believes in this quarterback. And that says a lot right now.

The defense? What a difference. Just the overall tackling was so much crisper. Gang tackling. Then you've got Vernon toeing that line (I guess) on the late hits to Mariota. IN hindsight, I don't mind that, but at the time, it was a little upsetting Certainly affected the game, well the Titans offense. And if that's what it takes, that's what it takes. I saw Vernon also being used differently this game. He rushed from the left side, which I hadn't seen this season (and can't remember the last time before that). Shelby was used in the base defense more than I expected. And Wake was the beneficiary of that when he could get on the field in those pass rushing situations. And boy did he have a game today or what? Four sacks.. IN THE FIRST HALF! Jamon Meredith is still trying to grab a hold of him. Such a difference maker. And there's no question, both him and Grimes... this is a different defense if they are in form.

This defense seemed to know what the Titans were going to do on many occasions. Particularly edge plays, screens, quick throws... those types of things. The Dolphins were on the front foot. Reshad Jones and Koa Misi had very very good games. Jenkins played well. Suh was his usual force. The difference wasn't Suh, the difference was the 10 other guys playing next to him. The Titans ground game was somewhat successful early on, but when Mariota went down and the Dolphins extended to two touchdown lead, their ground game was virtually ineffective.

The missing link right now for this defense is on the back end. If the pressure doesn't get there and the quarterback has time to go beyond 15 yards, there's an air of nervousness there for me. Now, we're not giving up big plays today, but that has to be cleaned up. And when I saw Jamar Taylor go down and have to sit one play, Bobby McCain was very upset that he couldn't come on in his place. Instead they went with Bowman. McCain/Lippett... hopefully, they will see increased reps towards the end of the season so we can get some measure of their play going forward. I'm also not sure about the safety next to Reshad Jones. Thomas was beaten badly on one endzone throw that Mariota missed. We've seen Aikens beaten before. Neither one is long for this team I don't think and I doubt that we have the answer on this team right now. Kovacs? We'll see.