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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Every so often, we see an offbeat onside kick work. It’s a surprise and the ball does something different that is hard to track and collect. That was not the case with the Tennessee Titans’ attempt at the end of their loss to Jacksonville on Sunday. Rob Bironas placed the ball on the turf, horizontally and tried a spinner that was easily collected by Johnathan Cyprien. “It was supposed to be hard to handle the way he kicked it with the spin,” Mike Munchak said. “Obviously, they recovered it. I know [the percentage] isn’t good to get that kick. We thought it’s about making a play, and special teams needed to make one there.” Some quirky onside kicks can be great, but the risk of one like the Titans used is obvious. It simply wasn’t hard to handle. The traditional kick generally gives the kicking team a chance. Set the ball on a tee and beat it into the ground, looking for a high bounce that creates time for things to happen. It was the second time this season the Titans had Bironas try that alternate kick. It feels to me like an attempt to reinvent the wheel. “I think it’s effective,” Munchak said. “I think both [types] are effective or have been. It’s something we felt comfortable with. We hadn’t had to do one in a while, and we thought at that point that was the best way to go. The Titans hope they aren’t in position to need to try another one anytime soon. If they do, it will be interesting to see if they try this one again or go more traditional.
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