SB Nation - Jacob Ford

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: All The Titans News You Need To Drive Off A Bridge Edition

August West — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:53:39 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Congratulations on continuing to deactivate our co-leader in interceptions against the best passing offenses in the league because you're loyal to the worst CB in the NFL. That's swell.

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Peter King takes is easy on us, and he's right that we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that we lost to an 11-0 division rival on the raod. I'm not going to kill our guys for that, but it's the hole we're in, and it still sucks losing to the most boring franchise in NFL history. Watching the Colts go 16-1 will be almost as good as the Pats going 18-1.

There would be no miracles or marches this time, as the Colts executed their game plan to perfection on both sides of the ball yesterday... which may be the best indicator of all that it's still the regular season.

For all of the people who made dumb mistakes that cost us that game (Brown, Washington, Fisher, etc.), you certainly can't complain about the job Cortland Finnegan did. He held Reddie Wayne to 4 catches for 44 yards and blanketed one of the league's most polished receivers all day.

Follow us through the jump for more cheapshots as I work through a combination of bile and disdain...

The Colts straight baited Tony Brown just before the half, obviously worrying that they couldn't get into field goal range without tripping over their own dresses on their own merits, but Brown still has to know when to back downand recognize that they're playing him for the retaliation penalty.

Nate Washington KILLED us in the first quarter with that drop: good teams don't let those opportunities slip away during a playoff run. This team is built to play from ahead, and 7 easy points right there keeps it even...

David Climer complains about the FGs, but in all honesty, if we make both FGs the two times we go for it on fourth down, we'd have been in a one possession game during that on-side kick.

Don Banks says we didn't capitalize on our chances (after incorrectly stating that VY had two INTs).

MJD asks a good question: where did the option go? Anyone else feeling like the play calling has been much more generic and predictable over the past few weeks? Does 'Dinger feel like he used up his bullets already? If he still had some left, these last two games were the time to use them...

Bonus Analysis: So for all of those linked articles diagnosing what went wrong, how come none of them point out the terrible D-line play much at all? Tony Brown was the only lineman we had to got penetration all day... when you take away a 100% Jason Jones and Jacob Ford this unit looks real mediocre real quick.

Pre-Game Recon: Five Questions With Music City Miracles

Jake — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:27:44 -0000

In a continuation of our pre-game cooperation with Music City Miracles, Jimmy was gracious enough to answer five questions I had regarding his Tennessee Titans. Here they are.

1. The Titans have enjoyed a resurgence since starting the season 0-6. Is this due just to the change at quarterback from Kerry Collins to Vince Young, or is there more to the recent turnaround?

MCM: The QB changes has helped because Vince Young has played very efficiently where Collins did not, but there is a lot more to the turnaround. Chris Johnson has had 3 really good games. The secondary has gotten healthy so it isn't the gaping hole that it was for a few weeks. The coaching staff finally decided to go with the young guys on the defensive line, and they have played well.

So while the QB change has helped, and it is what is getting the attention, it isn't the biggest factor in the turnaround.

2. Chris Johnson’s campaign for the Pro Bowl began in Week 2 against the Texans with 3 touchdowns and 284 all-purpose yards. Since Week 3 though, the Texans have stymied opponents’ rushing attacks for an average of 60.5 yards per game. Do you think Johnson will be slowed at all in the rematch, or will he have another huge day?

MCM: I don't expect him to have the same numbers that he did in Week 2, but I do expect him to get his yards. It only takes one or two missed assignments by a defense for CJ to put up big numbers.

The Titans also figured out how to throw a screen pass over the last 3 weeks. It is just another way to get the ball in CJ's hands.

3. The Texans have the 3rd ranked passing attack going against the Titans’ 31st ranked pass defense. How can the Titans slow down Matt Schaub and company?

MCM: By getting pressure on Schaub with the front 4 and the secondary playing their assignments.

It is close to impossible to shut a guy like Andre Johnson down, but the Titans should be able to keep him from putting up the numbers he did in Week 2 by playing their assignments. The safeties, Chris Hope and Michael Griffin, have been biting hard on the run fakes all season. Hopefully they won't do that in this game.

The front 4 has improved since the last time these two played. As a matter of fact, Jacob Ford, one of the best pass rushers on the team, wasn't even active for that game. William Hayes has replaced Jevon Kearse in the starting lineup and is playing well also. They should be able to keep Schaub from getting comfortable in the pocket.

4. Obviously Bud Adams is not an extremely popular person in the city of Houston. What is the your reaction and that of the typical Titans fan of his flipping the bird in Buffalo last week?

MCM: I am not quite sure how to react to it honestly. Part of me thought it was hilarious, and part of me thought it was just sad. I think it is safe to say after getting hammered with a $250K fine Mr. Adams will be on his best behavior for a while.

5. How do you think the game will play out on Monday, an what will the final score be?

MCM: I think this is going to be a very good game that comes down to the wire. I think Vince Young puts up his best numbers of the season and leads the team down the field to set up a field goal in the 4th quarter for the win. 24-21 Titans.

Titans vs Texans coverage

The Tennessee Titans Defensive Line At Week 11: Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of a dumpster fire

August West — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:53:12 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

CJ may carry the flag, but the defensive line carries the torch on this team.

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On the way to 13 wins and the AFC's top seed in the 2008 playoffs, one unit truly defined the Tennessee Titans: (usually after that colon I'd write 'the defensive line' like it held some sort of impact or suspense, but come on, you read the title of the post). Last year's defensive line was a nearly mythical beast -- like half Deacon Jones, half El Chupacabra, and half Manbearpig -- that relentlessly harassed offenses and disrupted any game plan that couldn't be executed in 2.3 seconds. Mothers of quarterbacks and offensive linemen cried when they would discover heir husky pride and joys would have to face Big Albert and the gang the next week. It was defense so good it bordered on sexy sometimes.

Well, that collection of talent was squandered in the playoffs, and the most dynamic talent on the line cashed in on a rebuilt image for a pile of monopoly money soaking in the Potomac Basin. With Albert gone and coordinator Jim Schwartz headed to Detroit there was much speculation as to how, yet little doubt if, the defensive line could come close to making the impact they had the year before. Sure Albert is gone, we said, but this unit was always a big rotation and that depth would be the key. Jason Jones grew into a beast at the end of last season, and the ends will be better than ever!

Cut to week 6 of 2009 and we’re all feeling a little foolish after an 0-6 start and an especially emasculating 0-59 loss to the Patriots...

The D-line struggled with a pile of injuries (Jones, Ford) and disappearing acts by veterans so beloved they had nicknames (Boom King, The Freak). Efforts to blitz and use the safeties aggressively, combined with injuries to Cortland Finnegan and Vincent Fuller, resulted in a line that couldn’t penetrate and a secondary that couldn’t cover.

Looking at the last three games, however, one that same defensive line has combined with a healthy secondary to give us a glimpse of the defense we expected at the beginning of the year. Where as a few weeks ago Tony Brown looked like the only D-lineman who did a lick of work in the off-season, we’re now looking at massive strides being made by MCM favorite Jacob Ford, self-made starter William Hayes, rookie Sen’Derrick Marks and a healthy Jason Jones. The deep rotation is also benefiting from improved play by Boom King and newcomer Jovan Haye, along with the reliable (if unspectacular) contributions of Dave Ball and Kevin Vickerson.

What has this improved play wrought? Do 10 sacks in 3 games sound better 11 in 6 games? You bet it does. Well, how about forcing 8 turnovers in 3 games (most due to pressure) after we only got 8 in the previous 6?

What about a sack rate that’s better than the vaunted Colts D-line? I mean hell, that’s all their DE’s do is play the pass.

We have the best RB in the league right now, and Vince Young is a walking headline no matter what he does, but anyone who overlooks the improvement Chuck Cecil and Jim Washburn have gotten out of the line does so at their own peril. The pressure has helped cover for our horrendous safety play, and they don’t waste their opportunities when Cecil dials-up the blitz.

Are they back to where they were in 2008? Of course not; the 2008 defensive line was a rare collection of talent, but this group is showing signs of turning into something special all the same.

So lets debate Vince Young over 600 comments in a troll call, and lets vote Chris Johnson into the Pro Bowl until he gets more votes than most presidents. But just remember: it’s going to be the success or failure of Tony Brown, Williams Hayes, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Jason Jones and Jacob Ford that decide if we’re watching a miracle or just a nifty turnaround.

Jevon Kearse Jumps in the Benz Instead of Staying to Support His Teammates

Jimmy — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:55:29 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

M.I.A. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

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Something that we haven't talked much about here is the deactivation of Jevon Kearse Sunday night against the Colts. I got the update on my phone walking into the stadium that Kearse was a healthy scratch. I was really surprised to see that. I wouldn't have been all that surprised to see him get replaced in the starting line-up, but Jeff Fisher deactivating a veteran player on the day of that game doesn't exactly happen every day.

Then on Monday the story took an even more interesting turn when it was reported that Kearse left the stadium once he was told instead of staying to support his team on the sidelines like all of the other inactive players. Kearse was asked about leaving today and was anything but apologetic:

"Once I got the official word I jumped back in the Benz and went home,'' Kearse said.

Nice. He also mentioned that he had family in town and that he didn't think one extra guy being on the sidelines was going to make a difference. Jim Wyatt mentions in that article that Kearse became defensive when asked if that sent a bad signal to his teammates.

You know what Jevon, it does send a bad message to your teammates and as a veteran player you should know that. This is pretty obvious sign that a guy cares more about himself than he does the team and even at 0-4, the Titans' record when he left the stadium, that is unacceptable.

To make matters worse Fisher has said that Kearse will not be fined for leaving the stadium. So I guess if you are a veteran player you can do whatever you want. Why not when the season has already gone down the crapper, right?

Now it is obvious that the season is over, and it is also obvious that Kearse is at the end of the line as an NFL player, but that still doesn't excuse the behavior and the message it sends to the rest of the team. What happens next week when Lavelle Hawkins is told for the 25th straight game that he isn't going to be active and he leaves the stadium? I mean him being on the sideline isn't going to change the outcome of the game...

Fisher said in his press conference on Monday that he is going to deal with it between he and Jevon. I hope he deals with it by making him inactive for the rest of the season since they are already playing for 2010. Might as well get guys like William Hayes and Jacob Ford work now since they will still be on the roster next season. They might also care more about how the team does than their wounded pride.

[UPDATE]- Here is a link to his interview from today.

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Tennessee Titans Run Defense

John B — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:57:42 -0000

More photos » by Tim Larsen - AP

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When they handed the Titans their first loss a year ago, the Jets ran for 192 yards against a defense that included Albert Haynesworth. This could be the game for the Jets' rushing attack to get on track. The numbers don't look terrible, but New York has had problems running the ball early in games. Defenses have stacked the box against Mark Sanchez.

Tennessee's Cover 2 scheme calls for safeties to play deep to prevent the big play. We may see 8 up front at some points, but I would guess this will be less than New England and Houston used. It is going to come down to execution. Can the Jets offensive line control the point of attack to give Thomas Jones and Leon Washington room?

As we discussed in the passing matchup preview, the Titans rotate heavily on the defensive line. We'll see Kyle Vanden Bosch and David Ball at one defensive end spot. Jevon Kearse, Jacob Ford, and William Hayes at the other. Tony Brown, Kevin Vickerson, Jason Jones, and Jovan Haye will line up in the middle at tackle.

I can see the Jets having a lot of success on the ground. In a system like this, defensive linemen are usually small, particularly at end. Since there's not a ton of blitzing, teams sacrifice size for speed. Linemen are solely responsible for generating pressure. That means there could be issues against a power run attack with a big offensive line. On the left side, where Kearse and Ford will be, the Titans will reguarly be giving 60 pounds to Damien Woody. That's also the side David Thornton will line up at linebacker. Thornton is a good player, but I'd rather run at him than standout Keith Bullock on the other side. Stephen Tulloch will play the middle. It will be a typical Jets run attack. Alan Faneca will pull to the right side. Can the Titans stop it? If not, they will definitely have to put an eighth in the box, and Mark Sanchez has shown the ability to beat those fronts.

I would like to see more Tony Richardson this week. Against the Pats, there were a lot of three receiver sets early. That doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey are the only receivers with receptions. Get the best lead blocker in the game into the action.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Tennessee Titans Pass Defense

John B — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

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Last season, the Jets went into Nashville and crushed the Titans in no small measure due to a huge day by Brett Favre. Operating out of spread sets, Favre picked Tennessee's vaunted defense, neutralizing its pass rush by consistently getting the ball out quickly and finding an open target. The strategy will be a bit different this time around with a rookie quarterback. We won't see complicated looks. The Jets have featured a scaled back playbook in the first two weeks. How can you tell? Only two receivers, one tight end, and one running back have as many as 2 receptions. The featured targets have done a great job getting open, and Mark Sanchez has been very accurate, making good decisions.

In some ways, the Titans will not be as difficult of a challenge as the Texans and Pats presented. Tennessee's Cover 2 scheme relies more on execution than aggressively attacking the opposing quarterback with exotic fronts. For the Titans, what you see is generally what you get, a lot of four man rushes. Albert Haynesworth is gone, but the unit has a lot of talent and rotates linemen a lot. Javon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch will start at end, while we'll see Jacob Ford, William Hayes, and former Jet David Ball behind them. Tony Brown, Jason Jones, Jovan Haye, and Kevin Vickerson will line up at tackle. There are a lot of talented pass rushers from this group.

Although they will not have as many perplexing fronts as the Texans and Pats did, the Titans have the best secondary the Jets have faced this season. Cortland Finnegan is a Pro Bowl cover corner. After a rough week against Andre Johnson, he'll have plenty of motivation. I would expect to see plenty of man coverage on Jerricho Cotchery.

Nick Harper mans the other corner spot. The Titans play a ton of zone, which is where Harper is best. This is an area Chansi Stuckey should be able to find some room to work. He has been great at breaking off his routes and finding an opening. If the offensive line can protect Sanchez, Stuckey could have a big day finding holes in the zone. Ditto Dustin Keller working the seam against the linebacker corp of David Thornton, Stephen Tullock, and Keith Brooking.

If you're waiting for David Clowney to have his breakout week, it probably won't be this one. Cover 2 means the two safeties play deep to guard against vertical routes, and the Titans have a pair of really good ones in Chris Hope and Michael Griffin.

It all depends on the men up front. The Jets have been able to keep Sanchez upright the first two weeks. If he has time, he can do damage. I won't expect a game as big as Favre had last season, but there are areas the Jets can exploit the Titans with Stuckey and Keller in particular.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Baby Steps, Big Boy Checks Edition

August West — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:49:32 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Chuck Cecil is the man. He's got to learn how to compose himself a little better on the sideline, but that fire and passion will be contagious, and combustible, as the season goes on.

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Kerry Collins struggled mightily Saturday night, but I would advise against reading to much into that just as I'd advise against arguing that VY is ready to take over after a meager sample size. The real difference between the two players is that Kerry is experienced enough to learn from that game and settle back into his game management role like we need him to. The only way Kerry gets in trouble with this team is if he starts thinking he can make every throw and starts to gamble; that could be disastrous for this squad.

Vince Young's solid performance Saturday most likely earned him some extended reps with the first unit next week against Dallas. Vince looked more comfortable and confident against the Bucs than we've seen from him at the NFL level, and it's very encouraging. Next week his goal should be to maintain that mindset while still preparing as hard as possible. That will be key if he wants to experience some consistent success in the NFL, rather than wild fluctuations from week to week.

With every week of training camp and preseason contest, this year's rookie class is looking like one of the deepest and most talented we've seen in a good while. These guys were brought in to play specific roles, and that's just what they're doing right away.

Follow is through the jump to discover what we should all be a little more worried about than we are...

Kenny Britt made his debut Saturday like a boss, ending up with 5 catches for 89 yards. He did limp of the field with an injury though, and we should be hearing something today on the status of his ankle. i promised myself I wouldn't freak out about the injuries that keep creeping up with Britt just yet, so I'm staying focused on the excellent production and potential we all saw Saturday.

Should we be more worried about the mounting injuries to starters (Stephen Tulloch, Jason Jones and David Stewart) and key reserves (Jacob Ford, Colin Allred, maybe even Kenny Britt now) so early in the year? These aren't insurmountable, and all are expected back pretty soon, but adding just one or two more key names to that list could spell trouble through the tough early stretch of the schedule.

Paul K has notes from Saturday night's game, and plenty of thoughts on the Titans' youngsters.

Sure as heck sounds like Bud Adams took notice of VY's play Saturday, but I wish he'd not be quite so quick to start praising a guy whose career so far has been marked by wild ups and downs.

Javon Ringer really made a mark on the staff with his 51 yards on 7 rushes and a TD last weekend. Given how crowded the backfield is, that's an important step for the young man.

Ken Amato originally joined the Titans in 2003 as a linebacker at very bottom of the depth chart, but now a days he's secured himself a pretty solid career as a respected long snapper and emergency LB.

The distinction between DE and DT is becoming increasingly blurred on the Titans' D-line unit, writes Gary Estwick.

If there's anything you would like to share with the MCM community, please take advantage of the comments, fanshots and fanposts to do so! Or, you can always email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com.

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Tennessee Titans - Sunday November 8

Fooch — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:00:14 -0000

As we close in on training camp next week (yes NEXT WEEK!), we approach the end of the 49ers longest run of AFC South opponents. They play Jacksonville 3 weeks later, but I think most of us will agree that this stretch against Houston, Indy and Tennessee is one of the tougher stretches of the season. Tennessee put together some very impressive football last season and will certainly be a tough matchup for anybody once again.

The Tennessee Titans are represented at SB Nation by Jimmy over at Music City Miracles.

Overview
The Titans started the 2008 season on quite a roll behind the aged Kerry Collins. At the same time, their 10-0 start did not ring quite like the Patriots own undefeated start the season before. The Titans were a very talented team, but once they lose the goose-egg, things sort of spun away the rest of the way. They closed 3-3 and following a bye were upset at home by the Baltimore Ravens.

The 2008 Titans built their solid regular season thanks to a fifth ranked defense built in part on Albert Haynesworth's walk year performance. On offense, Kerry Collins led an adequate passing attack that was supported in large part by the "smash and dash" RB duo of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. The offense was ranked 16th, with an 8th ranked rushing attack.

Additions
The Titans rolled out 11 draft picks this past April and grabbed a whole assortment of players on offense and defense. They used their #1 to grab WR Kenny Britt in hopes of building up a blah passing attack. While Collins had some ok receivers, the leaders were TE Bo Scaife with 58 receptions, and Justin Gage with 651 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Titans also signed Nate Washington in free agency who they will insert into their starting lineup. Of course, if the rushing attack remains the same, who needs receivers?

A rather interesting draft choice was the addition of Michigan State RB Javon Ringer in the 5th round. Adding him to that rushing attack will certainly make for an interesting group in the backfield.

On defense, the Titans added DT Jovan Haye in free agency and Sen'Derrick Marks in the second round of the draft. In case you wonder why I mention these additions, check out the biggest Subtraction (in more ways than one) below. Additionally, the team added a potential third corner in Ryan Mouton out of Hawaii.

Subtractions
Obviously the biggest loss was Brandon Jones. Ok, maybe not. The biggest loss was of course Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth was one of the best defensive tackles in the league last season and now he is plying his trade in Washington thanks to some ~~tampering~~ good negotiating tactics by the Redskins. Even if his performance spiked because it was his walk year, he was still a talented guy and the Titans will certainly miss him.

They did, of course, also lose Jones to the 49ers. Most fans do not see this as much of a loss, but we'll see what Jones can bring to the table. If he can do more than Bryant Johnson, that would certainly be a start. Other than that, they lost Chris Simms, who was replaced by Patrick Ramsey. The only reason this could be of concern is if Collins gets hurt and Vince Young doesn't have his head together.

2009 Questions & Answers
One big question is how they'll deal with no longer having Albert Haynesworth on the line. The team was 4th against the pass and 6th against the run (per FO) and losing their leading sack man can't help. Jacob Ford finished right behind Haynesworth with 7 sacks in his first full season of play (2nd overall). He missed his rookie season with a torn achilles tendon, but definitely showed some promise in year two.

The question that gets the national media in a bit more of a tizzy is what will happen with Vince Young. At this point, Kerry Collins would appear to be the clear cut starting quarterback. Any thoughts on how long it will take (if at all) for Vince Young to get back in the drivers seat? Building around a strong rushing attack is certainly a step in the right direction. In the meantime, I'm very curious to see what 36-year old Kerry Collins will do in his secon season as starter. After his two seasons in Oakland, Collins sat on the bench for two years in Tennessee before last season. Will he put together another solid campaign in 2009?

@ San Francisco
Both ProfessorBigelow and I marked this up as a loss and part of a losing streak for the 49ers. We'll know what's up with the Titans defense at this point sans Albert Haynesworth. One of the questions is what kind of production can the 49ers get from their offensive line against the Titans front 7. If they can get some push for the running game and give Hill/Smith some time, maybe the 49ers can do some damage. It may not be enough, but it would certainly make it more competitive.

In terms of the 49ers defense versus the Titans offense, it will come down to stopping Johnson, White, Ringer, etc. It's hard to really respect the Titans passing game, so one would imagine they stuff the box against the run and leave the secondary on an island against the receivers. In the end, I think this is a hard one to call. The 49ers could pull the upset but it will be rather tough. The 49ers could sneak out a win or get blown out. I think it's closer to an upset (meaning a close loss), but I really don't know. Not a surprise at this point I suppose.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Finally, A Petition Hippies AND Gramsey Can Agree On Edition

August West — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:43:32 -0000

More photos » by ELAINE THOMPSON - AP

Still my QB.

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Much love to The City Paper's Terry McCormick for directing people to our petition to retire Steve McNair's no. 9 jersey. I wouldn't mind seeing this online campaign followed up by paper petitions being signed outside of LP Field by tailgaters when the season starts up. I couldn't think of a more noble way to spend pre-game time than trying to convince Bud Adams to do the right thing here.

Kenny Britt, Sen'Derrick Marks and Javon Ringer are the only rookies left without a contract, though talks are ongoing with all three players. Given our FO's history of getting guys in on time I wouldn't get too worried, but it would be nice to see these cats locked-up and ready to go within the next week or two.

Want to see the Bedazzlers and Colts look a little dumber? Don't worry baby birdies, I'll feed you after the jump...

Paul K embarrasses the Bedazzlers in the easiest way possible: by updating ticket sales for teams across the AFC South.

The next time some delusional hack pokes his/her head in over here to tell you how 'classy' Colts fans are, just remember that this is probably whose comment you're responding to...

David ~~Thronton~~ Thornton was on ESPN talking about the upcoming season, the loss of big Albert and several other roster notes.

One of the more ingenious web advertising schemes of this decade has been Pro Football Reference's service of letting you sponsor a particular player's page (this happens on the baseball version of the site as well), an we're proud to announce that MCM is ow the official sponsor of Jacob Ford's page. There are rumors floating around that Mr. Bulluck could be next on our list...

Don Banks gives us 5 story lines to watch for in each division as camps start up in a few weeks, though they're not exactly probing with insight or understanding, if you catch my drift.

If there's anything you would like to share with the MCM community, please take advantage of the comments, fanshots and fanposts to do so! You can also email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com.

More Dominant Defensive Line - Titans Vs. Texans

Jake — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:30:10 -0000

In the midst of the Steve McNair tragedy, Adam Schein of Fox Sports made a couple of startling statements that would usually have garnered his weekly column more attention from football fans, especially in the cities of Houston and Nashville. Schein contends that the Saints would have a better defense than the Buccaneers, the Bengals will be better offensively than the Steelers, and the Bills are better off at WR than the Patriots. Maybe most surprising of all though, was his assertion that the defensive line of the Houston Texans was superior to that of the Tennessee Titans.

Some of the national media have jumped firmly on the Texans bandwagon, but few writers have actually stated their arguments for why the team should now be considered a contender. Schein made what was upon first glance a brief yet convincing argument, although in honesty I was doing cartwheels just to hear a major NFL journalist describe any Texans defensive position group as better quality than the Titans or any other NFL team for that matter. Seriously, when have you ever heard a similar argument made by a writer who wasn’t local to Houston?

Schein designed his column to be controversial, but it appears that he firmly believes in all of his claims. All the same though, I’m sure the majority of people that read his Titans vs. Texans theory immediately scoffed. As was noted earlier, Schein’s argument was too superficial to convince the average fan of its merit much less a Tennessean. Even I was leery of agreeing with such a claim because of the presence of defensive line wizard Jim Washburn. Obviously the case required further inspection before it could be confirmed or denied.

Schein’s argument against the Titans is simple:

Albert Haynesworth has left the building. And finally, after years of defections on the defensive line where players who left Tennessee were easily replaced, the Titans' unit will dip. Kyle Vanden Bosch is an energizer bunny, but can't do it alone. I'm not sold on the Jason Jones/Tony Brown/Jovan Haye/Sen'Derrick Marks rotation at tackle.

Haynesworth was a force for the Titans in two consecutive seasons while playing for a record contract he would eventually receive from the Washington Redskins in free agency. After 91 total tackles and 14.5 sacks in the last two years, it’s not hard to see why so many writers believe that the defensive line won’t be the same without Fat Albert. It’s not just the production that Tennessee will miss though; it’s the role the Haynesworth played.

Schein makes the point that he believes the defensive tackle rotation sans Hayneworth is lacking. Out of the four, only Jones and Brown played for the Titans last year but performed well with 83 tackles and 9 sacks between them. Brown, however, is an undersized penetrating under tackle at 6’3" 290 pounds that benefited from playing alongside the mammoth 6’6" 320 pound Haynesworth. Jones saw increased playing time after Haynesworth’s injury in weeks 15-17, but the 6’5" 275 pound second year DT has to fill out before he could replace Albert.

Javon Haye was a Titan free agent signee after three inconsistent years in Tampa Bay. After a slow 2006, he showed flashes of potential in 2007 with 68 tackles and 6 sacks but regressed to just 33 tackles and no sacks in 2008. Besides his inconsistency, Haye is undersized as well (6’2" 285).

The only DT that has even close the size required to play in the middle is the rookie Marks at 6’2" 305. The odds of Marks playing close to Haynesworth’s level are low though. Marks suffered from ankle, shoulder, hamstring and feet injuries at Auburn, and was also accused regularly of poor conditioning and effort. Marks was a risky pick as a junior in the second round, but was likely a sign of Tennessee’s anxiety over the hole that Haynesworth left.

It’s not only the defensive tackles that are likely to suffer from Haynesworth’s absence; the defensive ends will likely experience stiffer competition as well. Schein described Vanden Bosch as an energizer bunny, but that isn’t the most apt comparison anymore. I understand that Schein was referring to Vanden Bosch’s notorious high motor, but at age 30 he’s begun to show signs of slowing down.

Vanden Bosch went from 12 sacks in 2007 to just 4.5 in 2008 while missing six games. Vanden Bosch can likely bounce back, but it’s probable that he has seen his peak. Additionally, at 32 Javon Kearse is no spring chicken either. Both benefitted greatly from Haynesworth’s dominant presence in the middle which almost always incurred a double team, insuring that neither faced two blockers regularly themselves. Who’s going to engender that kind of fear and respect out of the defensive tackles previously mentioned?

Vanden Bosch was injured for the three games that Haynesworth missed in 2008, but the year before Vanden Bosch showed signs of how much he gained from the All Pro defensive tackle’s presence. In the four games that Hayneworth missed in 2007, Vanden Bosch only recorded 1 of his 12 sacks. So in the quarter of the season that Haynesworth missed, Vanden Bosch produced a little over 8 percent of his season total. Coincidentally, the Titans lost three out of those four games.

The Titans did get help from two younger defensive ends last year, Dave Ball and Jacob Ford. Ball is a journeyman who played well for the Titans in his first year with the team, while Ford was a pass rushing specialist as a rookie tallying 7 sacks. Ball will never be dominant though, and Ford needs to develop his run stopping ability before he can be an every down player.

I’ll have more on our line as the season nears, but with a regressing Amobi Okoye in 2008, an unproven rookie Connor Barwin, and Antonio Smith who has never taken a snap outside of Arizona, an argumentative Tennessee fan could criticize our line as well. The difference, however, is that our defense has been our Achilles heel, where as the Titans have built their team around that particular unit. Our offense is explosive enough to possibly overcome defensive shortcomings, but I highly doubt that Vince Young or Kerry Collins could lead an offense from behind consistently.

The Titans were able to win thirteen games last year because of the dominance of their defense. The low scores they gave up on that side of the ball allowed Jeff Fisher to play the ball control offense that he prefers. If the Titans are scored upon early, the Titans will not be able to run their way back into the game, rather they’ll have to rely on the aforementioned quarterbacks and a receiving corps that features a rookie with reported attitude problems (Kenny Britt), a historically underachieving veteran (Justin Gage) and a free agent signee who has never played above the level of a number three receiver (Nate Washington). Unless defensive line coach Jim Washburn can somehow get someone to play at Fat Albert’s level, Adam Schein might write an "I told you so" column following the 2009 season.