 Coming up on this week's Titans All Access, with four games to go in the regular season, rookie Elijah Molden is getting used to playing longer. Here from him and this week's Nissan Insider, mean a fan who's giving his tickets away for a good reason. The defense dominated on Sunday. Coach Mack breaks it all down as he goes beneath the surface. And as the Titans secured their ninth win of 2021, General Manager John Robinson secured his sixth straight winning season. All of that and much more as Titans All Access starts now. We open this edition of Titans All Access at St. Thomas Sports Park. I'm Mike Keith and this is General Manager John Robinson and we are talking ball presented by Duncan. Congratulations on the win last Sunday, 20 to nothing over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Also want to say congratulations. Every year you've been the GM here, the team has had a winning record and that's not easy to do. Wonderful accomplishment. I know you want more, but that is still an accomplishment. No, it's fun. I'm just one part of a team of people that buy into the philosophy of how we think the game should be played. The type of team that we build, I'm blessed to have the opportunity to work for Amy and her family and call Nashville home. The win over Jacksonville was not necessarily fancy in terms of all the stats, but it was clean. Yeah, I mean, we ran for over 100 yards offensively. We didn't turn the football over. I thought we did a good job of controlling the time of possession, keeping the ball away from the end, which, you know, we got four turnovers from them, which was huge for our defense. We held them to eight rushing yards. So a lot of good things to build on. Some still think that we need to clean up, but overall, I think clean is probably a good way of putting it, Mike. What stood out to you about the defense's performance as they shut Jacksonville out? Yeah, I mean, I think at different points of the game, you could point to a lot of different players who played key roles and, you know, making those plays. You know, up front, it was Jeffrey Simmons. It was the Nico Autry with the sack early, Harold Landry with the sack on a blitz. Two big interceptions, one from Jayon, one from Rashon at the inside linebacker position. Two interceptions at corner, one from Fulton, one from Buster Scrain. You know, in our safety play with KB and Hooker continues to be outstanding. What does a shutout do for a defense's confidence? Well, I think it, you know, it just emphasizes the importance of the execution of the fundamentals, the execution of the techniques that we teach on a day in and day out basis and practice in the meetings to have confidence in the call, to trust that, you know, we're going to do everything we can to put you in the right position. If you go out and execute the details of your position, you can have, you know, not only individual success, but you can have success as a defensive unit. Coach Mike Vrabo has been really loquacious in the words that he's had to say about Buster Scrain and the way he's played in the secondary. You signed him on November 23rd. What is it about Buster Scrain that you felt like could help this defense and what has he done so far in your opinion? Well, I'll have to look up loquacious in the dictionary, Mike, but, you know, I'll tell you what, he's came in and bought into what we're about defensively. He worked out really well and we brought him in. He's played a lot of football, you know. He's played for several different teams. He's played outside corner. He's played inside corner. He's really immersed himself into learning our defense, to getting to know his teammates, practicing very hard. The benefits certainly showed on Sunday versus Jacksonville. Got to win Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. What challenges do they pose? Well, I think all three levels of the defense has playmakers. Certainly what? I mean, he's the star player. He's got 16 sacks or so and missed some time. And Hayward in there at defensive. He's perennially, he's a really good player. He's a tough guy to move. Bush is back at linebacker for him. You know, the safety tandem of Edmonds and Minka. They make a lot of plays for him in the back end. Offensively on the other side, they've got weapons at receiver with Claypole and Johnson. You know, the rookie Harris is playing really well for him. The rookie tight end, Friar moves is playing really well for him. The offensive line looks a little different. They've got some younger players in there playing, but they're big, they're strong, they're powerful. And then you've got big bend and quarterback. You know, he's done it for a long time. There's not a lot he hasn't seen. Look forward to seeing you Sunday up there, John. Thanks. We're ready. Talking ball with the GM presented by Duncan. Glad to have John Robinson with us every week. Glad to have Amy Wells with us every single week. When we come back, I'm going to head over to Nissan Stadium in the studio and join her for more of Titan's All Access. As promised, we are in the Bet MGM studio now. And as promised, Amy Wells is here. Hey, Mike Keith. Sorry you missed out with John Robinson the first second. Yeah, I hate that I'm not there, but I got to hold it down here. Yeah, that's right. You've got the rest of the show, and we had to talk shutout. Right. Bottom line, first shutout in three years since we shut out the Giants in 2018. Pretty great performance by the defense. Oh, it was so much fun to watch. And what really stuck out to me was just how dominant the Titans defense was. From the beginning of the game to the end of the game, they were making plays, they were fired up, they were ready to go. Gosh, what a great day to be at Nissan Stadium. And what stood out to me was the atmosphere. Do you know in the North End Zone, we actually had a student section with a band and everything? It was Spirit Day. It was so cool. And Spirit Day came at the end of Spirit Week. We had been celebrating high school students and high school football all week long. It started with the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards. It ended with the Spirit Day game at Nissan Stadium. And in between, we were able to honor the Tennessee Tough Player of the Game, which is presented, of course, by Friday Night Rivals. We were able to get them all to Nissan Stadium and celebrate their achievements this season. This is our first annual MyTV30 Friday Night Rivals, Tennessee Tough Awards banquet for all of our winners. So we have 15 different players from eight different counties around Middle Tennessee that were all featured at some point during the Friday Night Rivals broadcast this season. Had the kids here tonight to give them awards, give them a tour of the stadium, give them some tight and swag, show them a little love. And just really had a great night here at Nissan Stadium. We wanted to give the big guys some love, some of those linemen, some of those guys on the outside rushing the passer, some of those really tough linebackers. So we kept an eye out during each broadcast and had the opportunity to pick some of those guys that normally don't get as much recognition and really kind of played an outstanding game on the night that they were on TV. Those are some future NFL players I bet there. I bet you're right, my kid. As a matter of fact, I bet four years ago, Elijah Molden was the Tennessee Tough Player of the game somewhere. I'm sure he probably was. Well, we know where he'll be after this break. He'll be sitting down with Amy Wells for the Nissan Insider. That's next on Titans All Access. Inside linebacker Rashan Evans returned to the field and made an immediate impact. Dave McGinnis shows us how. This is Coach Mack. We're going beneath the surface, powered by Microsoft Surface. First player we're gonna look at is second and 10 in the third quarter. The Titans are in man-free defense. What that means is they've got a host player in the middle of the field and then watch Rashan Evans. He is the low-hole free player. And what happens is he's able to read the pattern crossing in front of him. As the pattern crosses in front of him, he starts to sluff off to be able to help for something coming back in behind him. We've got a nice rush that's collapsing the pocket on the inside. Big Jeff comes inside, gets his hands up. Ball is off target just a hair and then watch Rashan in the open field. Watch him come back, make a great catch. This is a perfect interception. One of four on the day. This first one started it off. Sunday's second steal came at the hands of another inside linebacker. Coach Mack breaks down Jayon Brown's interception. Now what the Titans have done, they have employed an all-up look. Look at the front line. Everybody is all up. What the Titans do is they do a nice job of starting faking both linebackers as if they're coming, put their hands on the offensive linemen in front of them and then bail out. They bail out to be people underneath to take care of the inside routes. It works out perfectly. Jayon Brown makes a very athletic one-handed catch but this all starts from a great bogey or disguise by the defense. They fool the young quarterback. He thinks he's got everybody coming. He thinks it's zero coverage. It's not zero coverage. You've got two helpers underneath. Jayon Brown, another great interception. Interception number two on the day for the Titans. Welcome back to the Bet MGM Studios. Glad to have you with us for this edition of Titans All Access and glad to introduce you to Elijah Molden, rookie from Washington playing outstanding football for the Titans. He knows all about the NFL. His dad Alex Molden was a great NFL player in his own right, also a defensive back. So the second Molden knows the job well even before he started it. And as he tells our Amy Wells in this week's Nissan Insider, there's still a lot to learn but he did have a bit of an advantage. Five, six, seven, eight, nine. It's time to grind. Kick down the door, dropping on the docks. Guess I should just start with, what has been the biggest surprise for you being in the National Football League? There's too many, I think there's too many things that just like pinpoint one. A lot of the times it's the fact that my teammates have kids and like a couple of kids or the length of the season or just lining up against people and watching throughout the years growing up. Too many to count but there's been a couple of moments where I gotta like take a little pause and kind of take it all in. This season has been a real high and low experience for you. The first couple of games of the season weren't your best games but then you bounce back in a big way against Jacksonville and you have since had some really awesome games. So how do you manage the highs and lows of the season because you've experienced both so early in your career? Yeah, I think first and foremost with someone like me, I'm very competitive and very critical of myself so I've been giving myself some grace. My rookie year, which has helped a lot. And then just knowing I've always been a player who has improved every year and really every week throughout the season. So that's kind of to be expected. First two games obviously, learning a lot but I always knew the next game would be better, and now I've kind of caught a rhythm and now it's just about being consistent. Being a corner, it has to be so hard to not live and die by the last play. Whether it was an awesome play or it was a play you wish you had back, how do you stay middle of the road even within the confines of a game? Really it's just all about the next play, kind of like a next play mentality, not like you said, not going on the past. Easier said than done but really like, I feel like I play my best whenever I'm right in the pocket in between, you know, right in the present moment. So that's what it's all about. That's even in college, I played my best when I was right there. So it's all about getting back to where your feet are. You're fortunate to be operating within a secondary that has a lot of great leadership. Kevin Byer, Jack Rabbit Jenkins, Amani Hooker, just to name a few. How helpful have those guys been in your growth even in the early part of your career? I can't even say. I think they each help me in their own way for sure, whether it's like film study or certain techniques and stuff. Just get the feel for the game, they've been huge for me. You know, picking me up after a bad play and also like patting me on the helmet and letting me know it's okay. Like I think that's a big reason why I play football is just the type of bond that I have with those guys. So being able to lean on their guidance and leadership, does it make your job a little bit easier knowing that you have those guys to fall back on? Yeah, and yeah, like you said, like when I could kind of fall back on them, it encourages me to go out there and play free and take risks and then that's when big plays happen. So your dad, he played in the National Football League and is that helpful to you going through this experience? Now, especially your rookie year, which you kind of don't know what that's like unless you know. Right, yeah. I mean, I've been preparing for my whole life, but once when you're in it, you know, it's nothing like what you thought it would be. You know, I'm talking about college is different. The NFL, it's like for a long time, this was the final destination for me. Now, once I got here, it's about setting new goals for myself. So he's been great helping me and giving me bits and pieces. And a lot of times like he won't even give me advice. So just let me know that he's there for me. What goals do you still have for yourself in the 2021 season? Really just continue to be consistent in terms of improving every game. If I can just be a little bit better than last game, it's gonna win the life where I'm at. All the highs and lows, everything that's happened. You're still happier, Tennessee Titans? Oh, no doubt. I wouldn't take it for anything, yeah. Later in Titans All Access, I'll give you my keys to the Titans knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. But up next, one of my favorite Titans All Access stories ever. It's about a Titans fan who wants to make sure other fans get to experience Nissan Stadium. You'll love this. Stay tuned. Welcome back to Titans All Access. Titans fans are the very best. We know that. And we also know that everyone loves to give gifts this time of year. So Amy, let's combine the two things for a great story. Titans fans and giving gifts. Well, all I can think of is giving the gift of going to Nissan Stadium for a Titans game. Does that sound good? Sounds great. All right, so let's up the ante a little bit and have it be that person's first Titans game ever. You mean someone gives them tickets to see their first Titans game ever? Not just someone. Kurt Obersted does that. Check this out. In years past, you know, it's kind of being here. I would see a lot of opposing fans and try finding ways to get extra fans in me. Who can it become a part of the experience and become a part of being a Titans fan and coming and seeing all the excitement that happens inside Nissan Stadium? I think the most memorable one was the Jander at my kid's school, middle school. This is years ago and it's kind of started everything. He was a huge Titans fan. I'd never been to a game and they were having this kind of like celebration for him for that week. So I talked to the principal and said, hey, I have these extra seats. Let's find a way for him to get to the game. So I guess they informed him on everything and I guess he got really emotional, broke down and it was a neat experience out, you know, making a difference in some of his life. You know, I know for me, I've been blessed to be able to come in here to Titans and never miss a game and everything but for a lot of people, they haven't. And some it might just be financial issues. Sometimes they just haven't really had the opportunity and so over the past years, it kind of started with one little idea and let's just give them away for the whole season and see, make sure so we get some people in here that can potentially maybe come to season, take a hold or at least come back for another experience. Such an awesome gift to give somebody. Awesome. You know what else is an awesome gift to give somebody? Money. Money. Money. Yeah, let's do some of that. Maybe during the Thursday night football game. Put a little jingle in your pocket. I like it. A winter wonderland. Wow, Mikey, you're really fired up. This is an awesome opportunity to win some money and also give some money to the Titans Foundation. It's the Titans Raffle. And that's a really exciting thing. You go online to buy tickets at TennesseeTitans.com and then Thursday night during the third quarter, a winner will be pulled and you will get a portion of the entire pot. The rest of the money goes to benefit the Tennessee Titans Foundation, which helps charities all over the state of Tennessee. So again, TennesseeTitans.com to get registered for the Titans Raffle during the Thursday night game against San Francisco. Put a little jingle in your pocket. Money for you, money for a good cause. Absolutely. When we come back, it's time for... Mikey's Key. Yes, next. Second year quarterback Christian Fulton got the team's third takeaway. Coach Mack is back with a closer look. Now what you're looking at, this is an overload pressure. You've got three defensive linemen lined up to the right side of the offensive formation. We've got a man out here on the left-hand side that's in a wide, wide nine out here. So what we're going to look at, we're going to get a fish hook and get the quarterback flushed. The quarterback is going to be flushed away from his throwing hand. And then Christian Fulton does a very, very good job of being able to get back, read the route and see what's happening from across the field. He gets back, gets in perfect position. And what he does that is so extremely hard to do is he's able to track the ball in the air while backing up, goes up, and high points the football and makes a tremendous, tremendous play. Welcome back to Titans All Access. It is time for Mike Keith's Keys. And I'm fired up about these Mike Keith. We're heading to Pittsburgh. It's a big game against the Steelers. Where are the keys to victory? Well, first key is they're brought to you by VisitMyrtleBeach.com. Did you know Saturday, 78 degrees in Myrtle Beach? Is it really? Yeah, time to go. Get out of the winter cold and enjoy VisitMyrtleBeach.com. Key number one, run the dang ball. I've been saying it for 20 years, not every week. But this week it's especially important. Steelers have not played great run defense this year, which is surprising. Titans felt like they should have had a lot more yards on the ground in the game against Jacksonville. A missed block, a bad angle, a cut that wasn't quite right. The Titans felt like they were close. They need to capitalize on that this week and run the dang ball. All right, what's key number two? Get after Ben Rofflesberger up the middle. Rofflesberger does not move the way he once did. Pressure up the middle on him makes it extremely tough. It was a key in the game against the Los Angeles Rams, against Matthew Stafford. I said it right here on Titans All Access. It turned out to be very true. I think it's the same sort of deal with Rofflesberger. Pressure, but not from the edges, although that's good too. More so from the middle. All right, we've covered offense, we've covered defense. Give me a final key. Kevin Byrd, let's talk Kevin Byrd. Time for another pick, time for another scoop and score. Time for another big play from the guy who's going to the Pro Bowl, in my opinion, Kevin Byrd. These are the kind of games when Kevin Byrd makes a play you win. Not saying he's the only guy, but I'm looking for a big Sunday from Kevin Byrd at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. I'm fired up, Mike Keith. And those are brought to you by our friends at visitmirtlebeach.com. Reminds you Titans and the Steelers Sunday at noon central time, Amy Wells and Rhett Bryant. Headline Titans countdown on Titans Radio beginning at 11 a.m. central. For Amy Wells, I'm Mike Keith. Thanks for joining us for Titans All Access and we'll see you next time. The things that make a difference like taking time to connect with family, helping the new team member feel welcome, and looking out for others. This season, there's something small that makes a big difference. Flu vaccines protect the ones we love. Make a difference. Get your flu vaccine today. Learn more at tn.gov. www.tn.gov.au