NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Inside linebacker Zach Brown was the headliner in the first-team's poor tacking performance Friday night at Kansas City.
Far too often the Tennessee Titans struggle to tackle. Brown missed all but the first four snaps of 2014 with a torn pec, but now that he’s back, he is supposed be part of the solution to the team’s defensive struggles, not at the root of them.
“It was a preseason game, it was up and down,” Brown said. “You look at the film, you get better from it and you’ve just got to move on from the game. It’s frustrating, but you’ve just got to pay the next play, I’m not used to really missing tackles.
“So I got a little frustrated, but at the same time, you’ve just got to move past it, play the next play because the next play may be a great play.”
Part of the appeal of free agent strong safety Da'Norris Searcy was that he’s a sure tackler. He was on the practice field Monday after leaving Friday night’s game with a knee issue.
The defensive backs worked on tackling in their group period, Searcy said.
“The main focus point was wrapping up, first man in wrap up, second man in try to go for the strip,” Searcy said. “But the main objective was to get the guy on the ground at all costs.”
Searcy said the Titans need to regroup if and when they hit a tackling rut and be conscious that if they can’t make a tackle they need to force the ball carrier back toward help.
Ken Whisenhunt said the Titans gave up 96 yards after contact, and Searcy said he thought a good share of that was against the first-team defense.
Brown said his contribution to the extra yardage had little to do with the Chiefs.
“It was just about me,” Brown said. “I just missed tackles. Nobody’s going to be perfect, but at the same time I’ve got to make my plays. If you want to be great, you’ve got to make the plays.”
