Vision Board: Seahawks-Titans

Don't overlook the Titans, especially if you're Geno Smith: Seaside Joe 1755

Despite their best efforts this season to make me overlook them, I have not and do not take the Tennessee Titans lightly headed into Week 16’s very important matchup for the Seattle Seahawks. If the Seahawks win their last three games, only a universal-sized statistical anomaly could keep them out of the playoffs. Conversely, the Titans have nothing left to play for, and therefore nothing to lose, and scariest of all to me is the looming start for a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder and one last chance to prove himself to other teams before he becomes a free agent.

I would rather hear that Will Levis is starting than backup Ryan Tannehill, but in either scenario the Seahawks can’t lose to Tennessee and then act like they’ve been shafted if they don’t make the playoffs.

Welcome to the playoffs.

The rookie Levis, who has started the last eight games since replacing Tannehill, has not practiced this week due to an ankle injury and it is not clear if the Titans would throw him into the fire if he didn’t get any snaps to prepare. Levis was back at practice on Friday, but a Tannehill start, which would have sounded much more appealing in September than it seems now after the veteran quarterback had to swallow his pride for the last two months, could happen.

I find the difference between Levis and Tannehill this season to be small, maybe Levis was a little better, but we didn’t see the version of Tannehill that knew his career could be over. Tannehill will be a free agent in 2024 and he could see Sunday as his last start before that happens. His last showcase of what he has left in the tank.

Maybe the answer is, “Nothing”. Maybe he’s less complacent now than he’s ever been before. Or maybe Seattle will face Levis.

The Seahawks have to prepare for all scenarios in order to not find out what the Bengals found out, what the Chargers found out, what the Falcons found out, and what the Dolphins found out…Yes, teams can still lose to the Tennessee Titans. With either quarterback under center.

The Titans game is no formality, it will require Seattle’s best effort and all of our visions.

In last week’s vision board for the Eagles, I put it out into the universe:

- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 10 catches

- Ken Walker, 100 yards and a TD

- Bobby Wagner forces a turnover

Walker’s an easy one, he had 112 total yards and a touchdown. JSN didn’t catch 10 passes, but he caught the most important one. Maybe the vision board for Wagner ended up ricocheting off of Jupiter and accidentally hitting Julian Love instead, like one of those cartoon cupid’s arrow situations. I’m taking points for Walker and JSN, end of story.

Season Total:

21/42

In the interest of the “Music City Miracle”, I’m going to do the unexpected and ignore the music part in lieu of the “miracle” part. These are “miracle”-based scenes to get us through our three visions this week.

Geno parts the Red(tenness)Sea

Pete Carroll has told us all week that Geno Smith is still the starter when healthy and by all accounts from practice, that is what he is right now. If the Seahawks don’t start Geno against the Titans, there’s something fishy in the sea.

Probably fish.

So I’m operating this vision under the assumption that Geno Smith will start, which is a good opportunity for him and Seattle’s pass catchers to take advantage of a defense that is ranked 30th in EPA/pass attempt allowed.

In addition to the Titans overall defensive stats, they have also ruled out their best defensive player, Jeffery Simmons.

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting is a starter, and he’s out. S Amani Hooker is a starter, and he’s out. S K’Von Wallace was starting, and he’s out. That’s three defensive backs and Tennessee’s most-talented defensive lineman. The Titans still have their two leaders in sacks (Denico Autry, Harold Landry), but a pass defense that ranks 32nd in interceptions this season will be that much lighter in the secondary.

This has to be a time for Geno to step up, especially knowing that the quarterback behind him has dramatically increased the size of his fan club.

The Vision: Geno Smith has 0 turnovers, 2 TD

If the Seahawks can get through this game without coughing up any possessions (Tennessee is 31st in takeaways), they have good odds to end a five-game losing streak away from Seattle. The Seahawks haven’t won a road game since Week 4 at the Giants.

The Titans are 1-5 when they lose the turnover battle and 3-3 when it’s even.

The Titans are actually first in red zone defense for some reason, so Seattle needs to overcome those demons (31st in red zone offense) to give themselves the best chance to win what I would still consider to be a difficult test. Ignore Tennessee’s 5-9 record, they beat Tua Tagovailoa+Tyreek Hill+Jaylen Waddle+Raheem Mostert-De’Von Achane less than two weeks ago. They’re also 4-3 at home, with two losses in overtime and one relatively close defeat to the Ravens.

If Geno starts, then he needs to protect the football while at the same time not being too shy to take deep shots against a depleted Titans secondary.

Seahawks stop Derrick Henry in his tracks

The only way to stop the bull is to give him a taste of his own medicine. Derrick Henry has probably heard that he’s written off.

What if he takes a page out of Geno’s letter pile and doesn’t write back?

Henry is averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry and Tennessee’s passing offense isn’t doing him any favors. When the Titans last had A.J. Brown in 2021, they went 12-5 and Henry rushed for 937 yards with 10 touchdowns in only eight games. Without a number one receiver last season, Henry still rushed for over 1,500 yards but it took him 349 attempts to get there, most in the NFL. Is leading the league in rush attempts per game over the past four seasons taking a toll?

Not enough to completely end his bid as one of the league’s most dangerous runners.

The Titans are 0-6 and averaging 11.6 points per game when Henry is held under 70 rushing yards and without a touchdown. That puts them at a much more respectable 5-3 when he does either of those things. He has rushed for over 100 yards three times and he hasn’t fumbled all season.

The Vision: Derrick Henry held under 70 yards, no TD

Holding any team under 100 rushing yards is no small accomplishment for Seattle. The Seahawks have only done it five times (Rams twice, Commanders, Bengals, and Panthers) and the defense has surrendered at least 136 rushing yards in each of the last four.

Seattle needs a lock down run defense against Henry, or the Titans will forget that they’re one of the least efficient passing teams in the NFL (and have just placed number two receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on IR) and the Seahawks could struggle in both phases. Backup rookie running back Tyjae Spears has also had his moments this season, incluing 89 receiving yards in Tennessee’s upset over the Dolphins, so he’s another one to watch.

DK Metcalf has skeptics speaking gibberish

Count me among those who have expressed some skepticism about Metcalf’s ability to become an elite receiver, but if he proves me wrong then I like-a do the cha-cha along with everyone else.

In his last five games, Metcalf has 488 yards, 5 touchdowns, and is averaging 10 yards per target.

He hasn’t had a stretch like this since his one and only Pro Bowl season in 2020, during Pete’s infamous cooking phase. Except this time Metcalf is heating up as the season goes on instead of cooling down.

The last time Metcalf hooked up with Geno Smith was in Week 13 against the Cowboys and he had 134 yards with three touchdowns. He was targeted fewer times per game with Drew Lock, but proved during Monday’s most important two minutes that he can be a quarterback’s best friend in the clutch.

As noted before, the Titans pass defense isn’t good and now they have a lot of injuries in that area, but they’ve actually given up the third-fewest touchdown passes this season and only three in the last four games. However, it could be taller, bigger receivers who give Tennessee the most problems and that’s definitely what Metcalf qualifies as.

The Vision: DK Metcalf has 120 yards, 1 TD

Metcalf has had 900 yards in all five seasons now and he’s 58 yards shy of reaching 1,000 for the third time. But it’s what he’s done when it’s mattered most—being a QB’s best friend when Seattle is behind—that has done the most to change the perception that he can’t be one of the league’s top receivers.

How he finishes this season in the next three games can solidify that he is.

Share your visions in the comments and share Seaside Joe with other Seahawks fans if you think they’d enjoy it.