| Chris Johnson rushed for 153 yards and two TDs in last season's win over Buffalo. Johnson will look for his third 100-yard rushing day of his career against the Bills when the teams meet Sunday. (US Presswire) |
In last year’s 23-17 win at Buffalo, Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson received a key block from tight end Craig Stevens, a trap block from left guard Leroy Harris and hit a crease in the right side of the line for a 48-yard touchdown.
While Marcell Dareus, a mammoth 331-pound defensive tackle, was pushed out of the play by RT David Stewart, the Bills were without DT Kyle Williams, the other half of their ponderous interior line. The loss of Williams proved critical, as Johnson rushed for 153 yards on 23 carries. Both Williams and Dareus are expected to be in the lineup when the Titans (2-4) travel to Western New York to face the Bills (3-3) on Sunday. In two career games against Buffalo, Johnson has rushed for 285 yards combined and four touchdowns.
“It seems like since I came into the league, I’ve had success against them,” Johnson said. “The main thing is every time we play them my offensive line has stepped up and given me holes to run through.”
Bills coach Chan Gailey indicated earlier this week that his team’s main problem against the run has been stopping opponents on the edges. Gailey is partially right. When defending runs towards the left sidelines, the Bills have allowed 8.1 yards per carry, according to NFLGSIS.com. Buffalo, however, has been stout on runs behind the right tackle, allowing only 2.25 yards per run.
Runs inside the tackles have been more problematic for Gailey’s defense. When the Patriots rolled up 247 yards on the ground at Buffalo in Week 4, 200 came between the tackles, according to ESPN Stats & Info. A week later, when the Bills lost 45-3 to San Francisco, the 49ers averaged more than 8.0 yards per carry on rushes between the tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. The Bills also opened the season with a 48-28 loss to the Jets.
“The games they’ve lost, they’ve lost big,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “They’ve had three games where it’s gotten lopsided on them. Some of those stats get misleading.”
Palmer lauds CJ for stellar pass blocking: Johnson received high praise from offensive coordinator Chris Palmer for his pass protection in last Thursday’s 26-23 win over the Steelers. On a third-and-8 late in the first quarter, Johnson picked up Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons on a blitz up the middle. It provided Matt Hasselbeck with ample time to connect with WR Kenny Britt on a 31-yard completion. Johnson also finished with 91 rushing yards on 19 carries.
“I’m not saying I wasn’t impressed with his running, but I was really, really impressed with his pick up,” Palmer said.
Since entering the league in 2008, Johnson has prided himself on being able to pick up run blitzes.
“If you play running back and you can’t pass block you really can’t be an every down back,” Johnson said. “You just have to throw your body in there.”
No preference for Palmer in sideline vs. booth: When Palmer called last week’s game from the booth, it marked the first time he has called a game upstairs since joining the Titans’ staff in 2011. Palmer coached from the sidelines in his first season as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator in 1997 but mostly coached from the booth when he served as the Texans’ offensive coordinator (2002-2005), and the quarterbacks’ coach for the Giants (2007-2009).
“I really like it upstairs when it’s snowing and raining. I was hoping we’d wait until we got to Green Bay (on Dec. 23), and I wouldn’t have to wait to go out in the cold,” Palmer jokingly said.
The Titans’ offensive coordinator indicated that there are advantages to calling a game from both vantage points. In Week 5 at Minnesota, Palmer noticed that a Vikings’ safety had a tendency for cheating towards the line. Palmer felt it could be countered by having WR Kenny Britt run past him. Last week from the booth, Palmer adjusted a pass call by getting a read on the Steelers’ coverage from up above.
“I think you can see better upstairs, (but) you get a feel for the game on the sideline,” Palmer said.
High grade for Morgan against Steelers: Defensive end Derrick Morgan is coming off a strong effort when he recorded a sack and two QB hits against the Steelers.
Much like a plus/minus rating in hockey, the Titans grade their linemen each week based on their impact on every snap they receive. A player will receive a positive or negative grade for each play depending on whether they complete their assignment correctly. Since the start of the season Morgan has earned a high grade in the 90s, defensive coordinator Jerry Gray said.
“A lot of times you don’t see him make the flash play, but he got one on Thursday night,” Gray said. “You see him making the dirty plays. He’s getting toppled over and he’s getting in the gaps when they can’t run the football.”
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Tennessee Titans, follow Matt Rybaltowski @CBSTitans.