This weekly mailbag will address a series of Tennessee Titans questions that are stewing among the fan base. Friday's topics include stopping the Chiefs' weapons, the Titans-Chiefs matchup to watch and interior offensive line upgrades.
Honestly, do you think if we can shut hunt and kelce down, do we win? -- Tee Davis, via Facebook
Tee, stopping those two would dramatically increase the Titans' chances to win. The better examination might be how do the Titans plan to defend Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill?
The Titans defense's No. 1 priority is to make sure that Hunt doesn't have a big day. The Titans are the NFL's fourth-best rushing defense, allowing just 88.8 yards per game. The Rams' Todd Gurley is the only running back to rush for over 100 yards against the Titans and they hope their stout front-seven can stuff Hunt.
Expect ballhawk safety Kevin Byard to spend most of the day covering Kelce. He said he plans to get physical with him, particularly on the line. Linebackers Jayon Brown and Avery Williamson should also see some underneath and help coverage on Kelce when Byard is playing deep.
Rookie cornerback Adoree' Jackson will likely spend a lot of time trying to prevent Hill from getting big plays. Jackson is the Titans' fastest cornerback and has had a solid first season. Byard will also shade as a deep safety at times to help Jackson.
What matchup do you think the Titans need to take advantage of to win this game? Luis Velazquez, via Facebook
Derrick Henry and Marcus Mariota vs. the Chiefs 25th-ranked rushing defense. The Titans' step back in the run game might be even more puzzling than the pass-game regression, but they still have the ability to turn in a big performance on the ground.
The Chiefs have allowed opposing teams to rush for over 100 yards in 12 of their 16 games this season. Henry is coming off a disappointing season finale and is motivated to bounce back. Mariota's legs could be the wild card and might help unlock some of the zone-read success the Titans had in their December 2016 win at Arrowhead Stadium.
Do you see the Titans going for free agents or through the Draft to improve the interior O-line?
— Mark Smith (@DaIdesOfMark) January 4, 2018
Both, but the priority should be free agency. The Titans saw a significant drop-off in performance from their interior offensive line. Tennessee was the second worst team in the NFL running inside the tackles, averaging just 3.1 yards per game.
Nabbing one of the top two or three guards on the free agency market would be atop of my list of Titans needs. There's also room to draft another in the middle rounds to compete for the other starting spot or eventually develop into a starter.