Titans’ Harold Landry hoping to turn pressures into more sacks, turnovers

Entering Week 4 of the regular season, Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry looks poised for a breakout season. In the Titans’ win last week against the Colts, Landry tallied a career-high 12 pressures, five of which resulted in a hit on the quarterback.

The former 2018 second-round pick out of Boston College has 1.5 sacks through the first three weeks of the season and he knows that continued quarterback pressures will lead to more success.

“That’s just the first step to getting sacks, but I think they’ll come,” Landry said following the Titans 25-16 victory over the Colts. “I just feel like I just gotta keep being relentless getting to the quarterback and [the sacks] will come.”

After recording 4.5 sacks during his rookie season, the Spring Lake, North Carolina native tallied a career-high nine the following year. While his sack production dropped in 2020, Landry nearly replicated his statistics in tackles and tackles for loss.

He’s led the Titans in sacks each of the last two years and does all the little things right. Aside from pressuring the quarterback, Landry has been involved in batting passes down, recovering fumbles, and covering receivers out of the backfield.

Last year, he led Titans’ linebackers in pass coverage, allowing just 5.3 yards per completion on at least five attempts.

“I think his instincts, his awareness, his execution of the game plan is perfect [especially] on that third down last week of what we were trying to get done… just in the pass rush, he’s playing well whether he’s on the line of scrimmage, off the line of scrimmage, and I’ve always liked him. Just gotta keep going,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said of Landry.

The Titans have just seven sacks heading into their Week 4 matchup with the New York Jets. Quarterback Zach Wilson has been taken down 15 times thus far, most in the NFL, and the Jets’ offensive line leads the league with a 38.5 percent pressure rate allowed.

Everything certainly lends toward the Titans’ pass rush having a successful week. Of course, continued pressure on the quarterback leads to turnovers, something the defense has yet to create more than once.

After finishing with the best turnover margin (+11) a year ago, Tennessee is at a -6 after three weeks, the second-worst mark in the NFL.

Turnovers have been the hot topic this week, partly because Jets quarterback Zach Wilson leads the league with seven interceptions. Landry and the Titans’ pass rush has to find a way to create turnovers.

“It’s definitely a big emphasis for us on defense,” Landry admitted. “We’ve had guys come close, but obviously the more attempts you have, the more chances the ball is gonna come out.”

The Titans and Jets will kickoff from MetLife Stadium at noon CT on Sunday.