This chart proves Titans OT JC Latham is better than you think

Tennessee Titans offensive tackle JC Latham is a player who always seems to draw controversial opinions. Some Titans fans believe he’s growing into a franchise right tackle. Others claim he needs replacing ASAP, or needs to switch positions inside to guard.

Latham is arguably the Titans’ most polarizing player. In Sunday’s nailbiting Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, he gave up an ill-timed sack on a questionable bootleg play-call on 1st-and-goal late in the fourth quarter. Latham does have a tendency to make glaring mistakes, drawing criticism he doesn’t always deserve.

The honest account is that Latham is a very good, ascending blocker. His 1-2 mistakes per weekend tend to be glaring, with some Titans fans forming overreactionary takes.

A recent pass-blocking chart from Pro Football Focus highlights how good Latham has actually been for the Titans through two weeks. The former Alabama standout has the highest “island rate” of any offensive tackle in the NFL, meaning he’s faced more one-on-one matchups than any other OT. Despite that, Latham has won the fifth-most matchups of any tackle when left on an island.

This means the Titans trust Latham to win one-on-one matchups. The results indicate he’s repaying their faith by doing just that at a very effective clip. Latham is still a 23-year-old blocker on the third year of his rookie contract. He’s undeniably an above-average right tackle with room to get better.

PFF has credited Latham with allowing just three pressures and zero sacks this season, though he definitely deserved blame for that Jalen Carter sack. He’s faced some good pass rushers on the Jets and Eagles such as David Bailey, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith. Most of the time, Lahtam is providing Titans QB Cam Ward with clean pockets.

Titans fans need to confront the truth about Latham.