Tennessee Titans: Jace Amaro a Positive Takeaway From Week 3
By John Laird
With Week 3 coming to an end, Jace Amaro can stepped up as a bright spot for the now 1-2 Tennessee Titans
Sunday’s loss to the Oakland Raiders was an ugly one. The offense struggled most of the game, and the absence of Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker could have been a key factor in that. But we’re taking a look at another Tennessee tight end who put together a solid performance this week despite the rest of his team’s struggles: Jace Amaro.
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Amaro was claimed when the New York Jets decided to cut the third-year pass catcher just before the regular season. After being inactive to start the first two weeks of the regular season, many questioned whether or not Amaro would ever be able to make it on to the field and contribute to the team’s passing game. This week, Walker wasn’t able to go, and Jace Amaro finally got his opportunity. And he came away with three receptions for 59 yards for his troubles. All of those catches were on third down, too, with a pair resulting in first downs.
Now, those numbers may not jump off the page. And by no means am I saying Jace Amaro is going to put up Pro Bowl numbers this season. What fans should take away from this performance is Amaro could be a solid contributor this year.
Having another weapon to throw to is something that the Tennessee Titans are desperate for. Once Delanie Walker returns to the line up, the field could open up a little more for the for the former Red Raider.
If the coaches take anything away from this game, the passing game thrives when Marcus Mariota gets to run a faster tempo in a spread out offense. Mularkey and company must tailor the offense more to Mariota if the team is to start earning wins consistently. Putting the former Heisman Trophy winner in the shotgun with his tight ends and receivers spread out is giving your quarterback the best chance to win.
If the coaching staff decides to open up the field a little bit for their quarterback, Walker and Amaro could produce in the middle of the field. Mariota looks to his tight ends as much as any passer in the NFL, giving him another option could help get this passing the game consistent production its been lacking through the first few weeks of this season.
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With teams focusing on Walker more then any other receiving threat on the team, the 6-5 tight end could take advantage of the weaker side in coverages. Marcus Mariota looked pretty comfortable throwing to the tall target, looking to him in tightly covered situations. The newly acquainted duo looked good in key situations of the game.
Although the run game looked good on Sunday, hopefully the team will allow Mariota to play more from the shotgun and spread out formations. If that happens, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Amaro surpass his 38-catch, 345-yard stat line he put up in his lone season on the field for New York. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.