The importance of getting after a quarterback truly cannot be understated. Creating consistent pressure on a quarterback can limit their effectiveness while sacking them ends up being a drive-ending play more often than not.
According to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis, there have been a combined total of 212 touchdown drives across the league this season, but only 13 of them (6.1 percent) saw an offense overcome a sack en route to getting to the end zone.
Buy Titans TicketsUnfortunately for the Titans, they’re one of the most sacked teams in the NFL.
Tennessee enters Week 4 being tied with Chicago Bears for the second-most sacks allowed in the NFL with 13, which amounts to 4.3 sacks per game through three contests.
Tennessee also owns the second-highest percentage of drives in which the team has allowed at least one sack (36 percent) during it, trailing only the Washington Commanders at the moment (37 percent).
there have been 212 TD drives this season
on only 13 of them (6.1%) did the offense allow a sack
the lowest rate of TD drives allowing a sack we've seen since 2016
sack avoidance is massive
% of drives an offense allows at least one sack in 2023:
37% – Washington Commanders…
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 27, 2023
To make matters worse, a large chunk of these sacks are coming from the Titans’ highest-paid offensive lineman on the team, who is supposed to be protecting the blindside.
Left tackle Andre Dillard heads into Week 4 accounting for two more sacks allowed (six) than the next closest player (three), and three more than any other tackle.
Unless the Titans’ $29 million tackle finds a way to turn things around, this entire offense is likely going to continue struggling whenever he’s out there.
Dillard definitely isn’t the only problem, but he’s easily the biggest one, and when that’s the guy playing the most important position upfront, it’s almost never going to end well.
The Titans must figure out a way to get this problem under control or we could be in the midst of another lost season in Tennessee.