NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Through two games, Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has distributed the football to nine different pass-catchers. The passing game has balance with Adam Humphries and Corey Davis leading the way with 13 targets each. Tight end Jonnu Smith is right behind them with 12 receptions and leads the team with three touchdown receptions.
During the offseason, Tannehill and Smith met in South Beach for three throwing sessions per week. Smith's three touchdowns have already matched his season total from last year.
"We’re just building that chemistry as far as what it takes to be a quarterback, a receiver, tight end," Smith said in May. "Just him learning my speed, me learning his speed. Feeling the football come out of his hands and just catching the football, knowing the spin on that thing. I’m only learning him more and he’s only learning me more."
The aforementioned chemistry was on full display on Tannehill's first touchdown pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday. Smith was initially running an in-breaking route, but he broke his route back to the outside as he saw Tannehill under pressure in the pocket. Tannehill fired the ball to the end zone where Smith outjumped Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard for the score.
"He goes up and gets it," coach Mike Vrabel said when asked why Tannehill trusts Smith in the red zone.
Last season, the Titans scored a touchdown on 75% of their red zone visits. Through two games in 2020, that number is 85.7% and Smith is a big part of their red zone success. Tannehill's six touchdown passes in the red zone are the most in the NFL while Smith's three touchdowns tie him for the third-most scores inside the 20-yard line.
The Titans take their balanced attack to Minnesota on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) to face a banged-up defense that has given up five touchdowns in two games, tied for second-most in the league. As Vikings coach Mike Zimmer prepares to face Tennessee, he sees a few reasons why the ball is being distributed so evenly and how it impacts defenses.
"You’re trying to cover them all," Zimmer said. "No. 1, I think they use the receivers all in really similar ways with the over routes. But I think the biggest thing is that Tannehill's making quick decisions. He's been very accurate with the football. I think based on the coverage that he's getting and the plays that are being run, I think that tends to lead to more even distribution with the receivers."
Smith isn't the only player Tannehill trusts. His 18-yard touchdown pass to Humphries was an example of the confidence as Tannehill stood in the pocket with the pass rush barreling down on him but delivered the ball to a spot down the field. Tannehill has connected on 11 of the 13 targets (84.6%) to Humphries.
Tannehill's four touchdown passes against Jacksonville tied a career high. Three different players (Smith, Humphries, and Davis) were on the receiving end of his touchdown strikes. Davis has two touchdowns this season and two weeks ago he had his first 100-yard receiving game with Tannehill as the quarterback.
.@ryantannehill1's best plays from his four-touchdown performance in Week 2 ⚔️
— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2020
@Titans | #JAXvsTEN pic.twitter.com/2uiCpl0ZsG
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith attributed the balanced attack to the "trust and comfort level Tannehill has in all of the receivers who each understand where they fit in the grand scheme of things."
"We have a bunch of guys that are making plays," Tannehill said. "I think Art does a good job of game-planning, trying to spread the thing around. When I'm out there I'm just going through my reads, trying to find the open guy, and we have guys deep in our roster that can get open. I have a lot of confidence no matter who's out there."
The players' versatility is reflected in Smith's playcalls. Formations that include putting Smith in the backfield to catch a screen pass or take advantage of Humphries' quickness in the slot are examples.
"Art does a great job of putting those guys into situations where they can play to their strengths," receiver coach Rob Moore said. "Ryan's a quarterback that gets through his progressions. He doesn't look at the jersey number or who you are. He throws it to the open guy. As a receiver, you love playing for a quarterback like that."
Tennessee undoubtedly missed A.J. Brown, who missed last week's game due to a bone bruise. But the Titans are developing a unit that is similar to a balanced basketball team where all five starters are capable of averaging 20 points. It's hard for a defense to pick who to focus on stopping.
"That makes the whole team dangerous," Brown said. "When Tannehill is throwing the ball to everybody and everybody contributes, you can't really take anybody away. Its complementary football. That's what you want. You can't have just one superstar. You want all of the guys to contribute."
Vrabel said the even ball distribution forces a defense to cover the whole field.
"A lot of times in zone coverage guys are going off the eyes of the quarterback and they're adjusting to those routes," Vrabel said. "And then if the quarterback can come back and progress through, given time from the offensive line, there's going to be some open zones and some open holes in that defense."