NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans' offensive line is working to develop a more aggressive, enforcing mindset this season under offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo and assistant offensive line coach Isaac Williams. The shift is something the offensive line has mentioned multiple times during training camp.
"Culture is what you stand for and what you allow," offensive lineman JC Latham said Monday. "We all did a moment of self-reflecting and said if we want to be the offensive line we know we can be, we can't be no pushovers, we can't be nobody's b----. All the late hits and extra stuff defenses do to bully offense, we can't stand for that."
Latham said the coaches have pointed out how certain things happen that warrant the unit to really stick together. For example, there was a play during training camp where rookie right guard Fernando Carmona was finishing a downfield block on cornerback Alontae Taylor. Carmona got into it with Taylor after the play. To the disdain of the coaches, the other linemen had already gone back to the huddle.
"Coach pointed out how if any of us gets into it, we're all getting into it," Latham said. "We all kind of felt a fire lit under us. Not only was that a moment where we needed to have our guys back, but that's also one of our rookies. That moment solidified if anybody picks on us we all gotta stand up for each other. We just can't go for no bulls----."
Not being a pushover also came to light during joint practice with the Chicago Bears before the final preseason game last month. Bears safety Xavier Woods (who played for the Titans last season) blasted free agent receiver Wan'Dale Robinson during a joint practice. Left guard Peter Skoronski and center Austin Schlottmann confronted Woods immediately after the play.
That's a change from last season when the team failed to defend quarterback Cam Ward after he took a big hit from Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair in Week 4.
"We defend our teammates, man," Skoronski said. "We're going to stay within the whistles. I don't encourage throwing punches or getting into a fight, but if cheap shots are taken on our guys, that's unacceptable, and it starts with us, the O-line."
