NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans' passing offense is one of the least explosive attacks in the NFL this season. A look at the numbers shows there may be more opportunities if the Titans ran more plays from under center.
Tennessee (1-5) ranks next to last in passing plays of 20 yards or more (10). Only the Arizona Cardinals (0) have fewer passing plays of 40 yards or more than Tennessee (1). Finding ways to stretch the field could open things up for other parts of the offense.
Tennessee has had 363 offensive snaps this season. Of those, 200 have come from shotgun formation with seven plays resulting in an explosive pass completion. By comparison, three of the 163 plays from under center led to a pass completion of at least 20 yards.
"I think it really simplifies what we want to get out of the defense, the certain looks that we want to get in and out of," quarterback Cam Ward said. "I think it just helps everybody get in the rhythm, whether it's the run game or passing the ball. So I think the more that we do that, it's going to continue to help us."
Under-center dropbacks (three, five, or seven steps) allow the quarterback's timing to be married to the receiver's routes. It opens up the full route tree and allows for more deep passing concepts.
It also helps the run game as it's less predictable. Running backs get a wider view because they're lined up deeper in the backfield behind the quarterback instead of beside him in shotgun.
Offensive linemen get an advantage from under center as well because they can get to their spots more easily since it takes a tick longer for the quarterback to take the snap before dropping back and handing it to the back. The benefit is the offensive line gets time to reach their spots to make their blocks, and the back can see the play developing better, making it more likely for a positive run gain.
The Titans have had 10 explosive runs (10 yards or more), all of which resulted in a first down this season. Eight of the 10 came from under center. Ward had one of the two explosive rushing plays from shotgun, but it was a scramble, so it wasn't a called run play. Simply put, the Titans have run the ball better from under center this season.
Success in the run game not only makes an offense less predictable; it also helps the passing game. Offenses also utilize hard play-action fakes from under center because it helps move defenders out of position, opening up larger passing windows. That's especially the case against zone defense, where linebackers have their eyes locked on the quarterback so it's easier to move them closer to the line of scrimmage and sneak an in-breaking route behind them.
"When teams go under center and pass, it's more play-action passes, more deep out-breakers, deep-in breakers," rookie linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. said. "It puts us in a lot more conflict because our drops that are normally 11 to 12 yards, now we're thinking 14 to 16. So those extra three or four steps could be the difference between a 20-yard gain and an interception."
Second-year receiver Elic Ayomanor's 41-yard catch is Tennessee's longest play of the season. It was the result of a play-action pass from Ward that started under center. This is one way to make the game easier for a young quarterback like Ward who's in his second season.
"It's fun because it's harder for those guys when we have a true play-action fake," Ward said. "It's hard for those guys to see the ball. So it could get them out of their shell or whatever they're trying to show, but it also allows our guys to get wide open."
The #Titans have one play of 40+ yds. Only the Cardinals (0) have less. This is the play. It's a hard run fake from under center vs the Eagles. Watch how the run fake influences the LBs and the safety, helping Elic Ayomanor get wide open. It's an easy throw from Cam Ward. https://t.co/Jr8NFG3CXz
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 20, 2026
Sometimes it can help pass protection, especially in possible run situations where a pass rusher can't just be concerned with going after the quarterback.
"I think play-action is good in general," offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. "Whether it's from underneath or from the shotgun, it causes some indecision with the defensive line so they're not teeing off on you."
Not all situations allow for true under-center play. Down-and-distance has an impact. Take last week's 26-20 win over the Colts for instance. The Titans faced third-and-long (seven yards or more) six times, all of which were from shotgun. There's a time and place for everything.
"It's important offensively to try to stay balanced the best you can, whether that's shotgun underneath, run pass, complimenting the runs with the run actions, quick dropback, intermediate dropback, shot plays," Daboll said. "Being under center gives you a lot of advantages relative to, is it run? Is it play action pass? Is it a naked?
"We've done some drop back pass out of that. And then in shotgun, you have to do a good job of where you set the back, how you set the back. Again, It's all week to week obviously for us of what we think we need to do."
The next week's test will come against a defense allowing the seventh-fewest points per game at 20.1 points, as Tennessee will host the AFC North-leading Cleveland Browns (4-2) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) at Nissan Stadium. It also might be a task for the passing game, as the Browns allow the eighth-fewest passing yards at 205.2.
