Titans (0-2) not making changes
Despite having an offense that's ranked 31st in the NFL, averaging a measly 248 yards per game and last in both points and first downs per game, Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak is not considering replacing running back Chris Johnson or quarterback Jake Locker.
More Yards Than CJ2K
Chris Johnson has just 21 rushing yards through two games, fewer than the total racked up by his QB, Jake Locker. That's not all: Rookie QB Brandon Weeden and two receivers have more rushing yards through Week 2.
| Pos. | Player | Rush yards |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Jake Locker | 32 |
| QB | Brandon Weeden | 31 |
| WR | Mario Manningham | 29 |
| WR | Randall Cobb | 28 |
| * Johnson: 21 yards | ||
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As far as personnel changes, the second-year coach said Monday his best players already are on the field.
"When you're not winning, when you're 0-2, you're always going to look at everything," Munchak said Monday. "Everything always seems worse than it really is. It's not as hard to fix things as you may think."
The good news for Tennessee is that there's almost nowhere else to go but up.
A running game that was next to last in the league last season now has dropped that last spot to No. 32 overall, and Johnson has been outrushed by his own quarterback in each of the first two games. Johnson has just 21 yards on 19 carries so far, while Locker at least has run for 32 yards on four rushes.
Locker played poorly in his first road start at San Diego with his first pass intercepted as he heaved the ball off his back foot under pressure. He threw a short pass to Johnson's feet another time and wound up 15-of-30 for 174 yards. The Titans converted only 1 of 9 third downs and held the ball only 16 minutes, 21 seconds.
Munchak refuses to second-guess the decision to turn the offense over to the eighth pick overall in 2011.
AFC South blog
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"If we didn't think he could help us win these two games, he wouldn't have started so I'll just leave it at that," Munchak said. "Is he making mistakes because he's a rookie or first-year starter? I don't know. Is he throwing a bad ball because it's the first time he's played on the road? I don't buy into any of that stuff."
As for Johnson, Munchak said benching the former 2,000-yard rusher isn't being considered.
"He's a guy we expect to (make plays). Unfortunately it's been more in the passing game than the running game after two games," he said, according to the Nashville City Paper. "Yeah, we have a lot of work ahead but it's not all C.J., so we're not going to bench a running back over where we're at right now on offense."
Johnson rushed for a career-low 1,047 yards in 2011 after holding out in training camp in order to get a new deal. He ended up signing a four-year, $53 million extension with $30 million guaranteed before last season.
His yardage last season, however, was barely half his output in 2009 when he ran for 2,006 yards and earned the nickname "CJ2K." He took part in the team's offseason program before this season and had hoped to return to his old form this season.
On Sunday, a frustrated Johnson called out his teammates for not doing their jobs.
"People need to step up and do their job," Johnson said, according to The Tennessean. "They don't need to let people beat them. It don't matter who the opposing defense is, you can't let your guy beat you. You just can't give up plays. You have to make plays like they make plays. I can't speak for the defense. I can only speak for the offense."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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