Ahead of the start of the 2023 season, the Tennessee Titans’ defensive front was arguably the most hyped-up part of the team, and for good reason.
Tennessee was coming off its second straight elite campaign against the run and an already solid pass-rush had Harold Landry returning and also added Arden Key in free agency.
After a very promising start to the season versus the New Orleans Saints, things have cooled off significantly for both areas of Tennessee’s defense.
The unit ranks 14th against the run and the Titans have garnered an underwhelming 15 sacks in six games, tied for 18th in the NFL.
Making that lack of sack production worse is the fact that the secondary has been fully exposed whenever Tennessee can’t get home on opposing quarterbacks, which has happened far too often of late.
Hopefully Tennessee’s defense as a whole can get back on track coming out of the bye. For now, here’s a look at the Titans’ pass-rush stats through six games.
QB hits
DL Denico Autry: 4
DL Teair Tart: 3
OLB Arden Key: 2
LB Azeez Al-Shaair: 2
DL Jeffery Simmons: 2
LB Jack Gibbens: 1
OLB Harold Landry: 1
Hurries
DL Jeffery Simmons: 20
OLB Arden Key: 15
DL Denico Autry: 10
LB Azeez Al-Shaair: 4
OLB Trevis Gipson: 4
CB Roger McCreary: 3
LB Jack Gibbens: 3
OLB Harold Landry: 3
DL Teair Tart: 2
DB Elijah Molden: 1
S Amani Hooker: 1
DL Naquan Jones: 1
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting: 1
DL Jaleel Johnson: 1
DL Kyle Peko: 1
S Kevin Byard: 1
Total pressures
DL Jeffery Simmons: 25
OLB Arden Key: 20
DL Denico Autry: 18
LB Azeez Al-Shaair: 7
OLB Harold Landry: 6
CB Roger McCreary: 5
DL Teair Tart: 5
OLB Trevis Gipson: 5
LB Jack Gibbens: 4
DB Elijah Molden: 1
S Amani Hooker: 1
DL Naquan Jones: 1
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting: 1
DL Jaleel Johnson: 1
DL Kyle Peko: 1
S Kevin Byard: 1
Sacks
DL Denico Autry: 4
OLB Arden Key: 3
DL Jeffery Simmons: 3
CB Roger McCreary: 2
OLB Harold Landry: 2
LB Azeez Al-Shaair: 1
OLB Trevis Gipson: 1
Pass-rush grades (min. 10 pass-rush snaps)
Top 5
OLB Trevis Gipson: 92.8
DL Jeffery Simmons: 79.0
LB Jack Gibbens: 71.4
CB Roger McCreary: 66.7
DL Jaleel Johnson: 66.6
Bottom 5
LB Azeez Al-Shaair: 46.1
DL Naquan Jones: 50.5
OLB Harold Landry: 51.2
OLB Rashad Weaver: 55.2
DL Kyle Peko: 59.9