I ask this as maybe an explanation and not to tee up an excuse, but how limited do you think this offense is when your quarterback is limited himself?
I mean, I'm not going to go down that narrative at all. You know, we need to play better in every position group. It starts with the offensive line. Thought we did some decent things today. But, we're not going to sit back and say (Joe Burrow) is not 100, so we only put up three points. That's just not how we're going to roll this year. So, we need to find a way to make some plays. I thought protection was decent, broke down a little bit at the end. But you know, if your quarterback is limited, and I don't know what the extent of it is, the O-line needs to be perfect, and we were not today.
At the end of the first drive, you guys were rolling, then Joe Burrow called time out. How did that play out?
I think we just got behind on the play clock and we had double play called. We tried to get a can out, but kind of just fell behind on the play clock and came, what, four yards short? That would have been nice to get a touchdown. Obviously, that's what we need to do. We need to put a premium on getting the ball in the end zone because we haven't been able to find it very much yet. But that was a solid drive culminated in a field goal, only points of the day, didn't do much after that.
Does it feel like teams are bringing more pressure this year? After four games in you got a little bit of a sample size to work with?
I think maybe. I'd have to look at the statistics. I think we're getting a lot more three-up-the-middle pressure, safeties coming in, adding late, a little blitz zero. I think we're doing a decent job. We had a good game plan coming in, didn't execute it at all to any sort of satisfaction.
Are you surprised Ted, that that execution hasn't been there now four games.
Never surprised in this league. I thought we prepared well. We've got a good team. We're not playing very good right now. You know again, credit to the Titans. They came out and beat us pretty good today. So, we're going to come back. We're going to AZ, and we need to get a win.
Execution aside, is there anything that you can do to get in the playoff mix or play like a playoff team?
I think we just got to execute and make some plays. O-line, I thought we've been playing solid. You know, that's what I'm most concerned about obviously. But you can't go every other series and have something happen, especially the way our offense is playing right now. We need to be perfect as a unit. That's a good front. Give a lot of credit to them, their coaching staff, and the whole Titans organization. We'll take our lumps now after last year and all that stuff, so the Titans fans can have their day. Kudos to them, that was a good crowd, and they played a way better game than us.
Did you hear it a little bit tonight?
Absolutely. And that's what this league is. And to the victors go the spoils. In times of prosperity, adversity is forgotten, and in times of adversity, prosperity is not remembered. And we are in times of adversity right now. So, we need to get back on the winning train, and we will. But obviously today, not good enough in any face.
