The firing of Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer came at an odd time, and it's indicative of underlying problems within the organization. The Titans offensive consistently moved the ball against the Jaguars' defense, but their drives generally stalled out, leading to five field goal attempts on the day.
From the outside looking in, the move to fire the offensive coordinator appears to have been Mike Munchak's way of saving his own hide, at least for a little while longer. It's hard to imagine the Titans' offense improving over the rest of the season, and the result will likely be Bud Adams cleaning house in early January.
Through all the confusion, it seems that Jake Locker's development is being impeded. We've seen solid quarterbacks struggle when there's a constant turnover of offensive coaches. That's exactly what happened to Alex Smith in San Francisco, and the possibility of Locker enduring the same type of fate is becoming more and more probable with each passing loss.
Locker hasn't put up all-star numbers this season, but his improvement is visible. He's completing more of his passes, despite a lack of offensive talent. No one is saying the Titans haven't struggled on offense, but any offense struggles with a lack of talent, and that's what we're seeing in Tennessee.
Bud Adams has to be careful when he begins the process of hiring a new head coach in the offseason, something that will almost certainly happen. Unlike Alex Smith's situation in San Francisco, Adams needs to help build a set of coaches for Locker that will last for many years to come. Stability is key for any young player, and at football's most important position, it's essential. No one can blame Adams for moving on from the Mike Munchak era, but when he hires a new head coach, he has to get it right.
