Roll Call with Sarge: Titans, Munchak may be making last stand

By Hank Bonecutter | December 2, 2012 |

Clarksville Tn – Sometimes when things aren’t going well you have to fall back, regroup and hope that by doing that you can fix at least some of the things you have been struggling with and move forward in a positive manner.  That is what Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak hopes after this week’s firing of offensive coordinator Chris Palmer, who he replaced with  quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains.  Munchak better hopes the move works, because it may be the last major decision he makes as head coach after team owner Bud Adams came out earlier this season saying all aspects of the organization will be evaluated – from the front office, players, coaches, ect.
But even after that edict by Adams, the Titans squad that has been more Mr. Hyde than Dr. Jekyll in a season where most people thought they would at least battle for a wildcard spot in the playoffs, but now look to just stay ahead of the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars for the cellar spot in the American Football Conference’s South Division.  They still have an out-, out-, out-side chance of a wildcard spot if they win out, but after a horrific performance versus the aforementioned Jaguars last Sunday, which came off a blowout-win over Miami two weeks ago and a bye week last week, something had to be done to stem the tide of disfavor by Tennessee fans.
Munchak had to sacrifice something or someone and it was Palmer, but it won’t be enough to right a team that has drastically underperformed their talent level.
While most fans won’t miss Palmer and his offensive schemes, there is no quick fix for what ails Tennessee.  Yes, the Titans (4-7, 0-3 in the division) entered the season feeling they had more talent at the skill positions — and they do — than at any point since the franchise relocated to Tennessee before the 1997 season, but instead they look like Titans teams of old by getting down into the Red Zone but coming up with field goals and not touchdowns

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But it’s been more than that for the Titans.
The defense can’t put any pressure on the opposing teams quarterbacks – they rarely blitz – and the play of the special teams – once a strength of the team – is now shaky at best.  Also, there seems to be no turn to leader on the sideline to get into people’s faces and demand better efforts and not just accepting below-average play and efforts like a Steve McNair or a Keith Bullock would do in the past.  But at this point of the season only so much can be done, because the Titans are in a transition period and they don’t really have an identity on either side of the ball and every team that is a true playoff contender has that – needs that.
This week the Titans face the AFC-leading Houston Texans followed by the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, and Jacksonville to close out the season.  Only the Jets and Jacksonville look like teams left on the schedule that the Titans can hope to beat at this point, which would put them 6-10 and nowhere near the playoff picture.
I like coach Munchak, but a 6-10 season after the owner all but said that heads will roll will at best put him in murky waters as far as coming back for a third season as head coach.

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