Jim Wyatt

jwyatt@tennessean.com

The Titans returned from their bye week Monday, but couldn’t wave goodbye to the mess they made during a 2-6 start.

They plan to unleash their aggression in the final eight weeks of the season, starting with Sunday’s game at Baltimore.

“That’s what we need,” tight end Delanie Walker said. “We are 2-6, and if you are not mad about that then something might be wrong. We need to play with more anger, and play angry for four quarters. Just go out there and be nasty. Baltimore is a nasty team, but we have guys who can be nasty too.”

Said rookie tackle Taylor Lewan: “I’m not OK with being 2-6 at all. ... I guess we could always be angrier, as long as we don’t get penalties. I’ve always liked to play through the whistle, I think that’s how you should play football — have a defensive mentality on the offensive side of the ball.”

The Titans have lost six of their last seven games, leaving little reason to believe they are on the road to improvement.

In the next three weeks, they face teams with a combined record of 17-9 — Ravens (5-4), Steelers (6-3), Eagles (6-2) — before another meeting with the Texans (4-5), who beat them handily going into the bye.

Now’s not the time to worry about bruised egos. The next two games, against AFC North opponents, are expected to be among the most physical of the season. The Titans are already 0-2 against the division, with losses to the Bengals (33-7) and Browns (29-28).

Wide receiver Nate Washington, a former Steeler, cautioned that the Titans need to play with controlled anger.

“Just as we have to be ready to fight and put our dukes up, we also have to be ready to sit down and have a chess match also,” he said. “You can’t say you’re going to go out there with a fighter’s mentality, then go out there and blow assignments. We have to be enthusiastic, but also smart.”

Coach Ken Whisenhunt’s message to his team Monday: improve.

Going into rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger’s second NFL start, the Titans are last in the NFL in third-down offense. They’ve surrendered more first downs than any other defense. They’ve allowed 26-plus points in five games, more than 30 points in three games.

The Titans have committed so many penalties they’re bringing referees to practice this week.

“You’ve heard the phrase, ‘You are what your record is.’ Well, that’s what we were the first eight games,” Whisenhunt said. “But that doesn’t mean that’s what we have to be the next eight.”

Whisenhunt also talked about his experiences on other teams that completed dramatic turnarounds at midseason, but he made no predictions about the second half of 2014.

“We definitely have to go out there and play with passion, play with excitement. We have to play with an attitude and a sense of urgency,” cornerback Jason McCourty said. “I wouldn’t say we’ve lacked an edge up to now; we’ve lacked execution. ...

“Our mindset is to improve and make progress. We can’t change the first eight games, but we can impact the next eight.”

Reach Jim Wyatt at 615-259-8015 and on Twitter @jwyattsports.

NEXT GAME

TITANS (2-6) at RAVENS (5-4)

When: Noon Sunday

TV/radio: WTVF-5/104.5-FM