Four weeks into the season, Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray has already seen too many receivers catching passes in the middle of his defense. He wants his players to do something about it – by delivering big hits, with no concern about an NFL fine being delivered as a result. “If you are worrying about that, you are not going to go out and try and blow the guy up,†Gray said. “Great football players have to put that out of their mind. You have to say: This is my territory between the numbers, and if you throw the football you better bring the Gator truck. And that’s how you have to play. You can’t play timid in the NFL.†Does Gray think his defense – ranked 31st in yards allowed and 32nd in points allowed – has been too soft? “Has anyone caught the ball in the middle of the field?†asked Gray, already knowing the answer to his own question. The Titans are allowing 285 passing yards a game. “Have we blown anybody up? … Maybe we are playing too timid.†In four games, the Titans have six sacks and one interception. Gray said he thinks his defense has been too flat-footed at the start of games. The Titans have been outscored 41-13 in the first quarter. “We can’t give up touchdowns as soon as we get off the bus, and that is what we are doing. We didn’t do that last year,†he said. “You can’t give up touchdowns in the first quarter and expect to get sacks and expect to get turnovers. (Offenses say) if I have a lead, I don’t have to throw the ball.†Source: The Tennessean
