Know Your Opponent: Regular-season Titans offensive and defensive stats from PFF

In an attempt to get up-to-speed as fast as possible on the Patriots next playoff opponent, we asked our friends at ProFootballFocus.com to put together a stats pack on the Titans. Make sure you check out their PFF Edge and PFF Elite products to give you insight, and an edge with your fantasy team. The PFF guys really know the game, so make sure you follow them at @PFF.

Tennessee's highest graded players on offense:
TE Delanie Walker 84.5
QB Marcus Mariota 84.0
T Jack Conklin 82.2

Lowest graded players on offense:
TE Jonnu Smith 41.7
WR Corey Davis 51.8
HB DeMarco Murray 71.2

QB Marcus Mariota threw 13 interceptions from a clean pocket in the regular season, tied with DeShone Kizer for the most picks in the league without any pressure. As a result, Mariota had a passer rating of 78.2 when kept clean, the fifth-lowest in the NFL. On the other hand, Mariota had a passer rating of 82.7 under pressure, which was the third-highest in the NFL. The Titans quarterback threw just two interceptions under pressure all season.

Mariota was efficient when using play action as his passer rating of 122.8 on these plays led the NFL as he threw for nine touchdowns and three interceptions on play action passes. However, Mariota’s passer rating of 66.9 when not using the play action was the third-lowest in the NFL as he passed for four touchdowns and 12 interceptions on play when he didn’t use play action.

While DeMarco Murray is Tennessee’s receiving back, he hasn’t been very efficient this season. Murray averaged 0.91 receiving yards per route run in the regular season, which ranked 52nd out of 56 qualifying running backs.

Wide receiver Corey Davis has been struggling in his rookie season as he failed to catch a touchdown pass, but was the intended receiver on three interceptions in the regular season. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 51.2 when targeting Davis this season, which was 92nd out of 93 qualifying receivers.

TE Delanie Walker has been among the best pass catching tight ends once again this season. Walker ranked sixth among tight ends in the regular season with 1.83 yards per route run while his 104 targets were the third-most at the position.

Tennessee’s offensive line has been among the best units in the league once again this season as they allowed a total of 126 pressures in the regular season, which was the third fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, the unit allowed just 14 sacks, which is tied for the fourth fewest in the league.

Tennessee's highest graded players on defense:
S Kevin Byard 90.0
DI Jurrell Casey 89.7
LB Avery Williamson 84.8

Lowest graded players on defense:
S Johnathan Cyprien 43.3
LB Jayon Brown 44.8
DI Karl Klug 70.4

Interior defender Jurrell Casey has been one of the most underrated defensive players in recent seasons; however, he had another impressive year in 2017. Casey led all 3-4 defensive ends with a run stop percentage of 12.4 percent as he made 35 defensive stops on the 283 run plays that he was on the field for.

Titans cornerbacks have struggled to keep opposing receivers out of the end zone while failing to create turnovers. Adoree’ Jackson and Logan Ryan have allowed five touchdowns apiece and are tied for 11th among cornerbacks in having allowed the most touchdown receptions.

Furthermore, neither cornerback managed to intercept a pass in the regular season as Ryan and Jackson allowed passer ratings of 106.3 and 89.8 respectively.

Safety Kevin Byard has been around a lot of big plays this season. While Byard led the league in interceptions with eight, he was also tied for second in receiving touchdowns allowed as he was in primary coverage on six touchdown passes in the regular season.

Safety Johnathan Cyprien has been a liability in coverage for the Titans this season. Cyprien allowed a passer rating of 141.4 in the regular season, the third highest among all safeties in the NFL. Furthermore, quarterbacks completed 22-of-28 passes into Cyprien’s coverage for 262 yards and three touchdowns while the Tennessee safety failed to break up or intercept a pass this season.

Tennessee edge rushers Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan quietly had solid seasons in 2017. Orakpo and Morgan ranked in the Top 11 among 3-4 outside linebackers in total pressures in the regular season as they recorded 58 and 52 respectively.