Tennessee Titans' secondary again a question mark against LA Chargers
The Tennessee Titans might have to slow down quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers' electric passing attack Sunday without key defensive backs Amani Hooker and Kristian Fulton.
What else is new?
In last season's game in Los Angeles, the Titans (0-1) were missing three starters in the secondary, including Hooker and Fulton. Ahead of this year's rematch in Nashville (noon CBS), Hooker is in concussion protocol and Fulton was limited in practice Wednesday with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 1.
"That’s the way this league goes," Titans safety Kevin Byard said. "You’ve just got to step up. The next guy has to step up. Try to get him prepared, try to get him ready to go out there and play and make plays . . . At this point you have to continue to keep trying to improve and make sure that guys are staying engaged when all the starters are playing. You never know. Last year we played with three or four different safeties next to me."
If Hooker isn't able to clear concussion protocols, the likeliest candidates to get more playing time are Elijah Molden and Mike Brown. If Fulton remains limited, the Titans' options include Kindle Vildor, Tre Avery — who is coming off his own hamstring injury — and Molden, who has become a jack of all trades for the secondary.
He told The Tennessean he goes into weeks like these telling himself he'll probably end up playing three positions. He has to be as intentional as he can be as far as making sure he knows his keys. But he also admits that being a jack of all trades sometimes means you have to be a master of none, and the need to generalize his skill set depending on where he is on the field becomes a survival instinct.
"I think that’s just kind of the reality of my situation right now," Molden said. "I can’t just play one position. If you look at the reps, our reps are spread out between multiple positions. So in terms of comfort level, yes, I am comfortable. But at the same time I have to be quick on my feet and ready to change at any moment."
He isn't the only defensive back having to survive this way. With Fulton banged up, second-year corner Roger McCreary is moving back and forth between outside cornerback and nickelback. Not a rookie anymore, McCreary says he felt more comfortable roving inside and out in Week 1 against the Saints.
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When McCreary goes outside, Molden can take over in the slot. When McCreary's in the slot, Molden can play safety. Versatility is key. But so is the ability to trust your coaching and let your instincts take over.
"You can go down the other road and it gets really complicated and you can try to remember every little detail. And then you go out there and you play a little slower," Molden said. "Or you can take a step back and maybe generalize some things. You have to be fluid when you’re able to play multiple positions."
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans' secondary again a question mark against LA Chargers
