NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -The Tennessee Titans have a scoring problem.
Sure, they’re off to their best start at 4-2 since their last playoff berth in 2003. They are among the NFL’s best rushing offenses, and only Pittsburgh holds onto the ball longer. But they still have a hard time finding the end zone.
“We’re kicking it through the uprights, we’re not scoring touchdowns. I can cite a different example each time,” coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday. “There are a lot of things that happen in any given drive that keep you from getting out of there.
“If it was an easy thing, then we’d be doing it. But it’s not, and it’s a thing we take responsibility for, we address and we’ll continue to keep working on.”
The Titans rank 27th in the NFL with a red zone percentage of 34.62, with nine touchdowns compared to 13 field goals. They’ve been even worse over three games with four touchdowns inside an opponent’s 20 compared to nine field goals.
The struggles were most noticeable in last week’s 38-36 victory over Houston. Rob Bironas kicked an NFL-record eight field goals, including the game-winner, as the Titans went 2-of-9 inside the Texans 20.
“If we’d scored two, three more touchdowns, that gets out of hand, and we don’t have to worry about that situation,” center Kevin Mawae said.
Fisher points out two field goals came just before halftime and at the end of the game, which would improve the percentage. He also noted a reverse stopped for a loss by a blitzing cornerback.
Everything also is happening in a very short field where the quarterback doesn’t want a turnover and throws the ball away if a receiver is well covered.
The return of Vince Young at quarterback should help. Young took all his usual work in practice Wednesday, and he said he feels good and knows what the Titans must do Sunday against Oakland (2-4).
“We want to get in the end zone,” Young said.
His mobility certainly will help the Titans on play-action pass. But he may need to run more himself.
Young has scored one touchdown rushing this season, and that was back in the Titans’ season-opening 13-10 win at Jacksonville. So far, he’s run 32 times for 129 yards.
In Houston, Fisher said he thought the Titans could have run more than they threw. Their two TDs came on runs by LenDale White and rookie Chris Henry.
“We had 11 runs and 11 pass attempts once we got inside the 20. So we got balance there. But there were a couple instances where I thought we could have run it and been more efficient,” Fisher said.
Playing the Raiders might help. They are giving up points half the time their defense is backed up near their end zone.
“The worst-case scenario is to get in there, get inside the 20, and not come away with points,” Fisher said. “It’s something we just have to keep working on, and the touchdowns will eventually come.”
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