SB Nation - Vincent Fuller

Dolphins vs Titans: Three Key Matchups

Matty I — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:15:08 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

Most important part of Sunday's game: containing this man.

It's time to turn our attention to Sunday's game in Tennessee between the Dolphins and Titans. For the third consecutive week, the Dolphins will play in what is essentially another "playoff game" - meaning a loss and their season could be over. A win and they live to play another meaningful December football game the following week. After the rough start that Miami went through, this is all we could ask for.

The Titans also had their own rough start but have battled back themselves, recovering from an 0-6 start to win six of seven and get back into the playoff picture. Their lone loss in their last seven came at the hands of the undefeated Colts. Needless to say, this one promises to be a battle.

Onto my weekly critical matchups:

Chris Johnson vs Dolphins rush defense
This is obviously a no-brainer. If the Dolphins are to win this game, then they must find a way to slow down the most dangerous runner in the NFL. Chris Johnson leads the NFL in rushing yards, over 300 yards in front of the second ranked rusher. He's run for over 100 yards in eight consecutive games and has his sights set on a 2,000 yard season. And his 6 yards per carry average is tops among all backs with at least 100 carries. He's simply a dynamic play-maker who has 20 runs of 20+ yards this season and 7 of 40+ yards and is a threat to score every time he gets his hands on the football.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have done a much better job over the past few weeks in stopping the run. They held the Patriots to just 96 yards rushing and 3.8 yards per carry. Then last week, Miami limited Maurice Jones-Drew to just 59 yards and 3.3 yards per carry. Impressive, for sure - especially for limiting MJD like they did. But this unit has not faced a back as fast and elusive as Chris Johnson. And outside of MJD, the most talented runner the Dolphins have faced this season, DeAngelo Williams, ran for 122 yards on just 13 carries against this defense.

Needless to say, the Dolphins most focus this week on limiting Johnson's impact on this football game.

Dolphin receivers vs Titans Secondary
While the Titans will look to run the ball on Sunday, I have a feeling that the Dolphins' game plan will be to throw. The Titans are seventh in the league defending the run but 31st defending the pass. Now part of that is because Tennessee has had to play some games without starting corners Cortland Finnegan and Nick Harper. But still, with both of those guys in the lineup, Matt Leinart was able to complete 68% of his passes for 220 yards.

On the season, the Titans are allowing over 258 yards per game through the air and have surrendered 27 touchdown passes - the second highest total in the league, just two fewer than the Lions. But one of my favorite pass defense statistics is even more telling. The Titans are letting over 67% of the passes thrown against them get completed. And don't let a Titans fan tell you this is because of the injuries they've sustained in 2009. Finnegan is allowing 64% of the passes thrown his way get completed while Harper's completion percentage against is a staggering 73.3%. In fact, opposing quarterbacks have a rating of 115 when throwing in Nick Harper's direction.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have really been looking to throw the football more often these past two weeks. Chad Henne is completing 62% of his pass attempts over these last two weeks and is averaging 278 yards in that span. Miami's receivers have been the key. Henne has had places to throw the football and his receivers have been consistent catching the football. In these last two games, the Dolphins have had two different 100 yard receivers - Davone Bess against the Pats and Greg Camarillo last week in Jacksonville.

For all of their faults, one thing you can say about this group of receivers is that they have a number of reliable targets. And I think the Dolphins will be able to exploit Tennessee's nickel corner. Whether it's Vincent Fuller or Jason McCourty, the Dolphins should get a favorable matchup against either - or both - of these two. Fuller has allowed 83% of the passes thrown his way to get completed while McCourty has let 89% get completed for an average of ober 14 yards per reception.

This is one matchup the Dolphins have got to exploit.

Ted Ginn vs Titans kick coverage
Here's a little "did you know." Did you know that Ted Ginn Jr. leads the AFC in yards per kick return, averaging 28 yards per attempt? Did you know that no player has more kickoff returns for a touchdown this season than Ginn - and only one player has as many? Did you know that Ginn is fourth in the AFC in kickoff returns of over 20 yards and second in the AFC in returns of 40+ yards? In fact, 72% of Teddy's returns result in at least 20 yards - the same percentage as "return star" Josh Cribbs. And only one player has more 40+ yard kick returns in the AFC than Ginn.

Meanwhile, the Titans are one of the worst teams in the league in kickoff coverage, surrendering 25 yards per kickoff return - the third most in the entire league. And with only 9% of Tennessee's kickoffs resulting in touchbacks, Ginn figures to have some opportunities to make plays on Sunday.

So how about it? Can we see something special out of one of the most polarizing players on this Miami roster?

Rams 7 Titans 47 Quick Recap

smashville — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:53:02 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

8 days ago: Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) celebrates with teammate Nate Washington (85) after running for a 39-yard touchdown against the St. Louis Rams in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Russell)

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Final - 12.13.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
St. Louis Rams	0	0	0	7	7
Tennessee Titans	14	9	10	14	47

Complete Coverage >

Despite Vince Young going down in the second quarter to a hamstring injury, the Titans still managed to blowout the Rams to move to 6-7 this year. This was the first time we have won by 40+ points since October 18, 1998, when we were still the Tennessee Oilers.

The defense managed to get five interceptions, two each from Keith Bulluck and Cortland Finnegan, and one from Vincent Fuller. The only disappointing thing about this game besides Young's injury was that Chris Johnson went farther off the pace to break Eric Dickerson's record by gaining only 117 yards. This game proved that CJ really does need VY.

Join August and Jimmy for MCM Radio tonight at 9 central by clicking here.

The Top Ten Best Tennessee Titans Draft Picks of the Decade

Jimmy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:00:21 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Cortland Finnegan celebrates being named by MCM as the Titans top draft pick of the decade. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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With the decade coming to an end in a few weeks, we here at MCM decided it would be a good time to do a top 10 list or two- because who doesn't love a top 10 list?

Today we start with the top 10 draft picks of the decade. Here is how this list was compiled- August, gramsey and I all came up with our own list. They sent their lists to me, actually shared it with me via google docs (which are awesome), and I averaged the three lists together to come up with what I am posting here. After the jump I have added a link that lists all of the picks the Titans made in the decade.

So without further adieu I present the top 10 draft picks of the decade:

1. Cortland Finnegan, CB, Samford (2006, Round 7, pick #215 overall)

Obviously this pick came down to Finny and Chris Johnson, but when you look at the fact that the Titans were able to draft and franchise corner, or as gramsey puts it "The best corner to ever wear Titan blue, and that includes Samari Rolle," in the seventh round, Finnegan gets the nod.

2. Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina (2008, Round 1, pick #24 overall)

He is the best running back in the league. ‘Nuff said.

3. Keith Bulluck, LB, Syracuse (2000, Round 1, pick #30 overall)

You obviously expect big things out of every first round pick, and KBull has provided those big things and so much more. He has been the heart and soul of this defense for a long time. Interesting story on this pick is that the Titans had planned on taking Deon Grant here because they never dreamed Bulluck would fall to them. Looks like they ended up on the better side of that one.

T-4. Robaire Smith, DE/DT, Michigan State (2000, Round 6, pick #197 overall)

August thinks Robaire is overrated. That may be the case, but the Titans got waaay more than they ever could have expected out of a guy they took at #197. This was another testament to pretty much the only thing Floyd Reese was good at besides backloading contracts and early round busts (more on that tomorrow), finding diamonds in the rough.

T-4. David Stewart, OT, Mississippi State (2005, Round 4, pick #113 overall)

The credit here goes to Mike Munchak as much as anyone, but that doesn't change the fact that the Titans got book-end offensive tackles in the same draft. The only thing that gets Big Country the nod over the next guy on the list is that he was selected two rounds and 72 picks later.

6. Michael Roos, OT, Eastern Washigton (2005, Round 2, pick #41 overall)

Roos is a Pro Bowl left tackle. That is a win no matter where they are selected, but it is even more impressive to get one in the second round.

7. Bo Scaife, TE, Texas (2005, Round 6, pick #179 overall)

2005 was a good draft for the Titans. I have been critical of Scaife in the past, but that by no means takes away the successes he has had in this league after waiting until the 6^th round to come off the board. I wonder how many sixth round picks have ever been given the franchise tag..

8. Stephen Tulloch, LB, NC State (2006 Round 4, pick #116 overall)

The Titans drafted three linebackers in the 2006 draft, and Tulloch has been the only one to stick. Tulloch has proved to be a vital member of this defense as he is currently the starting middle linebacker but has also played both outside linebacker positions in his tenure with the Titans.

9. Eugene Amano, C, SE Missouri State (2004, Round 7, pick #239 overall)

We had a little trouble forgiving Pinoy's boy for his transgression on Sunday to add him to this list, but it is impossible to ignore a guy that is a starting offensive lineman selected in the seventh round. Amano highlights two things about the draft strengths of the Titans- 1. they are good at picking offensive lineman and 2. they are good at finding good players from small schools.

10. Vincent Fuller, DB, Virginia Tech (2005, Round 4, pick #108 overall)

Vinny is yet another gem from the 2005 class. Fuller has held down the nickel back job for a couple of years now, and we all saw how valuable he was when he missed a few weeks earlier this year with a broken forearm.

Others receiving votes: William Hayes (2008, round 4, #103), Albert Haynesworth (2002, round 1, #15), and Justin Hartwig (2002, round 6, #187).

Click here to see the complete list of draft picks.

And there you have it. We would love to hear your comments on our list, or even your own list in the comments.

Colts 27 Titans 17 Recap: It's Officially Over Now

Jimmy — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:44:12 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Peyton waived goodbye to our playoff hopes. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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That will pretty much do it for the 2009 Titans. I know we were all hoping for the miracle playoff run, but the seventh loss of the season pretty much ends that. The thing that is even more frustrating about today is that Chris Johnson was held under the pace he needed to catch Eric Dickerson and even to get 2,000 yards. It seems that is the only thing we are going to have to cheer for the rest of 2009.

You got an idea of what kind of day it was going to be on the Colts first play from scrimmage when Peyton Manning's pass to Austin Collie deflected off of his hands right to Pierre Garcon for a 27 yard play. Three plays later Nick Harper fell down trying to cover Garcon, he went for 36 yards, and set up the Colts first touchdown- an 8 yard run from Joseph Addai.

I think it is time that we stop getting mad at Harper. I wouldn't get mad at my 15 month old son if he let an NFL receiver run right by him, so why should I get mad at Harper. The person we should be mad at is Jeff Fisher for being so dang stubborn about letting veterans play. Fisher job isn't to be loyal. It is to put the best players on the field to help his team win. He clearly isn't doing that, and save the fanposts when the same thing happens to Britt when it is healthy. That is the reality of having Fisher as the coach. It always has been, and it always will be.

One of the few smart decisions Fisher has made this year is finally letting Britt return kicks. I guess someone finally told him that it is legal for rookies to do that kind of thing.

The second thing that happened during the game that made me really mad at Fisher was in the red zone on the Titans first possession. LenDale White, your short yardage back, gets 6 yards on first down to the three yard line. Instead of giving him the ball again Fisher decides to put Chris Johnson back in the game. No gain on second down with CJ, an incomplete throw on third down and the Titans have to settle for a pointless field goal.

A couple things here- LenDale is the perfect back to run against the Colts undersized defense. We talked a lot about that after the first game between these two teams. Why do you even have him on the roster if you aren't going to use him in this situation? I understand you don't want to take carries away from CJ, but inside the 5 the home run is 5 yards long. LenDale is the perfect guy to pick up those yards.

Secondly, if you are inside the five yard line against the Colts it should be four down territory every time unless a field goal will win the game as time expires. I understand why the field goal is kicked there, but it just seems all the more reason to let LenDale hit it up in there a couple more times and see where that gets you instead of being satisfied with the field goal in your back pocket.

The Titans defense stopped the Colts on their next possession and should have taken the lead following that but Nate Washington can't catch the football. We were all mad at the Steelers fans for saying what they said about Washington in week 1, but it turns out they were right. The Titans signed Washington for one reason, to make big catches down the field. He has proven time and time again this season that he cannot do that.

The next Colts possession saw another receiver running by Nick Harper, a horse collar penalty on Vincent Fuller, and big chunks of yards all over the field before another Addai touchdown run. You started to get the feeling at this point that the game was getting away from the Titans, and you got that feeling all the more when Ahmard Hall coughed up the football on the ensuing drive.

I know that we all love the Sarge for a lot of things that he does, but he has proven in his career that giving him the ball is dangerous. He has 102 touches in his career and has lost 4 fumbles, and it always seems to come after he has picked up a bunch of yards.

The next Titans possession ended in an interception. It actually could have ended earlier had Kelvin Hayden been able to pick off an out intended for Lavelle Hawkins. Rich Gannon analyzed that play perfectly when he said it was a bad decision by Young and a bad play by Hawkins when he didn't come back to the ball.

The thing that really frustrated me after the interception was the knee injury that crept up on VY after he had bounced back in bounds to hit Jacob Lacey and sat on the bench for about 30 seconds. I know the VY people are going to kill me for saying that, but that is how it looked to me. If anyone else has another explanation I would love to hear it.

The Colts did what they do with a short field and scored a touchdown to go up 21-3.

The Titans would answer with a nice drive of their own that ended with Britt catching yet another touchdown pass. The big play on that drive was a 24 yard reception by The Hawk. This will probably seem weird since I was criticizing him a few paragraphs ago, but another thing that makes me mad at Fisher is that the only thing Lavelle has done since getting to see the field is make plays. You have to wonder why he didn't get a shot sooner.

That touchdown was encouraging because it cut the score to 21-10 with the Titans getting the ball after halftime, but of course 20 seconds is way too much time when you can't cover kickoffs, can't cover receivers and Tony Brown can't keep his head. The Colts got a field goal to take away the momentum the Titans were able to build.

The second half was even more frustrating than the first. The Titans offense was able to move the ball down the field but were unable to capitalize in the red zone until it really didn't matter. The first red zone miscue came late in the third quarter. The Titans faced first and goal from the one. First down was a fumbled snap. Second down was a hold on Eugene Amano that backed the Titans up 10 yards then a 2 yard pass to Bo Scaife. Third down was a VY scramble to the two yard line. Fourth down was a horrific play call on a fade to Britt in the back of the end zone.

The defense held again only to see a Titans drive stall in the red zone again. That drive started with a snap to VY that he wasn't ready for, no idea who was at fault, and ended with a bad throw to Hawkins.

That pretty much did it. The Colts got a field goal to push the lead to 27-10 after a 15 play drive that took 7:23 off of the fourth quarter clock. The Titans came back after that to get a touchdown that didn't matter. Then they actually recovered the onside kick, but all comeback hopes were laid to rest after four incomplete passes.

This team looked a whole lot more like the team that started the season 0-6 than the one that was 5-0 out of the bye. A lot of people were talking this week about how the Colts aren't that impressive because they have barely won a lot games, but we saw today why they are so good. They don't make mistakes that kill them, they are really good on third down and their defense bends but doesn't break. That is the type of ball that wins championships. The Titans just simply aren't there this season.

If you loved how negative this recap was, you will love MCM Radio tonight at 9 for sure. Click here to join us.

Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts Series at a Glance

Jimmy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:00:29 -0000

The Colts lead the all-time series between these two teams 17-13, and the Titans are 7-10 in Indy. There has only been one postseason meeting between the two that was won by the Titans. The last six meetings have been split after the Colts won the 7 previous.

The earlier meeting this season was won by the Colts going away. That game was also played without Cortland Finnegan and Vincent Fuller.

Chris Johnson owes the Colts one because he was held to a season low total of 34 yards rushing in that game.

As a side note, Peyton Manning is still the bane of my existence and is leading the league with 3,415 yards passing. That is 310.5 yards per game which is crazy and puts him on a pace for just shy of 5,000 yards.

The broadcast will be handled on CBS by Ian Eagle and Rich Gannon.

Info from the NFL release after the jump.

PASSING	Young: 83-132-1,010-4-2-90.2	Manning: 298-423-3,415 (1L)-24 (1C)-11-102.5 (1C)
RUSHING	Johnson: 217-1,396 (1L)-6.4-9 (T2C)	Addai: 160-583-3.6-7
RECEIVING	Britt (R): 33-521-15.8-2	Wayne: 79 (2L)-987 (2L)-12.5-9 (T1L)
OFFENSE	351.3	393.4 (3L)
TAKE/GIVE	-5	+7 (3C)
DEFENSE	368.2	332.2
SACKS	3 tied: 4	Freeney, Mathis: 9.5 (T3C)
INTs	Finnegan, Hood: 3	Bethea: 4
PUNTING	Kern: 45.4	McAfee (R): 44.7
KICKING	Bironas: 77 (3C) (23/23 PAT; 18/22 FG)	Stover: 41 (20/20 PAT; 7/8 FG)

NOTES

TITANS: Aim for 6th consecutive win…QB VINCE YOUNG is 23-11 (.676) as starter & aims for 10th consecutive win. Is 10-4 (.714) as starter against AFC South…RB CHRIS JOHNSON seeks to become only player in NFL history with 7 consecutive 125+ yard rushing games. Is only player ever to rush for 125+ in 6 in row & avg. 5.0+ yards per carry in each game. Johnson (1,396) needs 55 rush yards to surpass EARL CAMPBELL (1,450 in ’78) for 4th-most rush yards in franchise history in season…Rookie WR KENNY BRITT (Round 1, Rutgers) leads AFC rookies & ranks 4th among NFL rookies w/521 receiving yards…TE BO SCAIFE (199 rec., 1,912 yards) needs 1 rec. to surpass ALVIN REED (199) for 2nd-most career rec. in franchise history for TEs & needs 88 rec. yards to become 3rd TE in club history to reach 2,000 (FRANK WYCHECK, 4,958; Reed, 2,818)…DE KYLE VANDEN BOSCH aims for 3rd consecutive game w/sack…K ROB BIRONAS aims for 4th consecutive game w/50-yard FG…COLTS: Have won franchise-record 20 consecutive regular-season games & can tie 2006-08 Patriots (21) for longest such streak in NFL history. Ind. is 1st team in NFL history w/7 straight seasons with at least 11 wins…QB PEYTON MANNING (24) needs TD pass to become 1st player in NFL history with 25 TD passes in 12 consecutive seasons. Manning is 5-2 at home vs. Ten. & has completed 130 of 175 passes (74.3 pct.) for 1,468 yards with 12 TDs vs. 4 INTs & 112.3 passer rating. Colts have won 13 consecutive games when Manning passes for 300+ yards…RB JOSEPH ADDAI has 3 rush TDs in past 4…WR REGGIE WAYNE (987) needs 13 receiving yards to record 6th consecutive 1,000-yard season. Wayne (892) needs 108 rec. yards to reach 1,000 career against Titans…TE DALLAS CLARK (74) needs 4 receptions to surpass career-high of 77 in ’08 & seeks (834) 15 receiving yards to surpass career best of 848 in ’08. With 84 rec. yards, Clark (3,916) can become 2nd Colts TE with 4,000 (JOHN MACKEY, 5,126)…DE ROBERT MATHIS tied-2nd in NFL w/5 FFs in ’09 & has 35 career. Mathis needs 2.5 sacks to surpass career-high of 11.5 in ’05 & ’08...LB CLINT SESSION posted 1st career INT-TD return last week.

Arizona Cardinals Chat With The Enemy: Music City Miracles

Andrew602 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:10:53 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Vince Young has undoubtedly been the difference maker on offense and has led the Titans to a four-game win streak.

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We were recently able to talk with Jimmy, the lead blogger at Music City Miracles about the Tennessee Titans. We also answered 5 questions for their site, which you can view here Music City Miracles.

1 - The Titans are obviously on a roll after a really rough start to the season that included tough losses to some of the best teams in the AFC. Some have listed the quality of your opponents as one of the big reasons for the turnaround while others note the lack of turnovers from the offense. What is the biggest difference in your mind between the first six games and the past four?

It is hard to say what the biggest difference is. A lot of it has to do with the secondary getting healthy. The biggest concern for most Titans fans in the offseason was the lack of depth at corner, and in the first 5 games they lost both starting corners and their nickelback. All of those guys are back now.

Of course switching to Vince Young has provided a spark to the offense. He has played well and having him on the field opens some things up for Chris Johnson, but I would say that the defense was the bigger problem in the first 6 games.

2 - Chris Johnson is starting to challenge Adrian Peterson for the "best back in the league" title and it seems as that he can do just about anything with a football. After seeing him first hand for the past year and half, does he have a noticeable weakness that you'd attack if you were a defensive coordinator? Or is it simply about praying that he doesn't hurt you too much?

The only real knock on his is that he takes a lot of negative plays. Obviously his biggest asset is his speed, and sometimes he thinks he can pick up some yards running to the sideline if a defensive line gets some penetration. I am not sure that I would really call that a weakness, but it is the one thing that people point too when they are making the case for Peterson.

That really is about it. I would say defending him is all about keeping him from the 1 or 2 big runs he has been getting every week through this four game stretch especially.

3 - Vince Young seems to do just enough at QB to keep defenses honest and it seems as if they're tailoring the offense around him finally (options and option reads out of shotgun), but he still looks pretty raw as a passer. How do Titan's fans feel about his future with the team and how do you see him ultimately making his mark in this league?

We are starting to feel really good about his future with the team. A month ago pretty much every Titan fan thought VY would be on another team when 2010 kicked off, but he has played really well over these four games. He spent time in the film room really learning the offense and has been making great decisions.

As for his mark in the league, I would say it will be in an offense like he is running right now. He is never going to be the Manning/Brady type that shreds a defense from the pocket. He is at his best when he is throwing some from the pocket and making some plays with his legs.

4 - The Titans defense seems to have turned a corner during the recent win streak as well. To what do you attribute their improved play over the past four games?

The health of the secondary. Vincent Fuller, the Titans nickel back, went down in week 3. Pro Bowl corner Cortland Finnegan went down in week 4. That left the only remaining starter Nick Harper, and he is terrible. Both guys returned after the bye week, and the team has played a lot better.

5 - The general consensus at ROTB after watching last nights game is that the Cardinals must shut down Chris Johnson and the Titans run game in order to win. Regardless of how that's done (jumping out to an early lead or stacking the box), is Vince capable of winning a game right now if he has to truly shoulder the load?

That is the question we as Titans fans are all waiting to see the answer too. It is really impossible to tell because he hasn't had too at this point, but judging by the way he has handled the offense in his 4 starts I really think that he is. Hopefully we don't have to find that out.

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.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Maybe The Crowd Was Just Chanting 'Freebird' Edition

August West — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:09:49 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Vince Young walks off the field with Tyler McNair, one of Steve's sons. No joke here because that's some damned fine stuff Vince is doing to step in and help give these kids the father figure they're missing now that Steve is gone. I think it's an amazing thing to do, and I can only hope I have friends who could step in like in the same situation.

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Der Commish was in the box with Bud Adams, and later on in the stands, at Sunday's game. I guess we're to assume that Goodell wasn't in the box when Bud let this double eagle salute fly. You can already hear the fun police coming down on Bud, but I personally thought it was pretty funny (as long as it stays an aberration). I'm sure he'll be fined, and I'm sure he'll never miss the money.

Vince Young's approach, mechanics and body language are a complete revelation this year and truly fun to watch. Combine that with the 3 game win streak, and Vince is garnering a lot of the respect he didn't get his first three seasons in the NFL.

Chris Johnson is the best running back in the NFL. Don't believe me? Still think it's Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson has just had a few nice weeks this year? Check-out their career numbers through their first year and a half in the NFL:

Player	Attempts	Yards	YPA	TDs
Johnson	395	2,187	5.54	15
Peterson	414	2,164	5.23	18

Boom. Pan seared.

Follow us through the jump for my baseless speculation personal theory on why Bud Adams was giving birds for no charge on Sunday...

Mike Florio has a blah blah blah link on Bud's gesture, but I have a Florio-esque-'I have no evidence whatsoever and neither does anyone else so you can't just disprove the insinuation no matter how retarded or irresponsible it is, can ya?'-theory, but maybe Bud was talking to Goodell in that box about the CBA and the possibility of an uncapped year, and Bud didn't like what he heard? Maybe the double clutch wasn't meant for the Bills, but rather the Commish after he had left the box. Sure it's a stretch, but at least I'm admitting it upfront.

CJ extended his lead over the NFL in rushing yards to 174 yesterday. He's also still leading all non-QBs in total yards.

PFW says that Leroy Harris' versatility has boosted our O-line depth, and I couldn't agree more. Having a guy who has proven he can play four positions on the line and play them week gives the coaching staff more time to work with our young guys before throwing them to the wolves when someone goes down.

How awesome was that block VY threw Sunday when CJ reversed the field? Here's the video, with the block at the :37 mark.

Kenny Britt played a nice game overall on Sunday, while Finnegan, Vanden Bosch and Fuller took issue with a surprisingly mouthy Buffalo offense.

Despite all of the good atlk surrounding Young, the man still brings out the haters no matter what, like Ed Thompson of scout.com:

Though some are blinded by the euphoria that winning brings after a six-game losing skid, here are some facts from Young's performance over the past two weeks. He has completed 73 percent of his throws, but has moved the ball through the air an average of only 149 yards per game and thrown one touchdown pass. He has run the ball 17 times for an average of 2.6 yards per rush, scoring once.

Pretty mediocre stuff, to put it nicely.

The Titans defense continues to keep coming up with turnovers, specifically INTs, that simply weren't there in the first six games. Rod Hood also continues to prove why he should be the starter even when Harper returns at 100%.

Every time you read a great Titans-related story on the web and don't share it with the MCM community through the fanposts, fanshots or by emailing me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com a Ravens (or Steelers) fan smiles. Is that what you want?!!!!?!?!

49ers-Titans Final Injury Report

Fooch — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:00:42 -0000

Nothing surprising to close out the week. The 49ers would appear to be getting Reggie Smith back for Sunday's game, which is a nice little shot in the arm for a secondary that has had injury issues much of the season. If Smith is active and playing I'm really curious to see how the team utilizes him, given Nate Clements injury. Mark Roman moved his way up to primary safety backup, so if Roman remains in that role, Smith could be moved around in a variety of other formations.

One thing I wanted to bring up unrelated to injuries: The Sports Guy rolled out his picks for the week today and had these comments about the 49ers-Titans game:

NINERS (-4) over Titans
The strangest line of the year. I don't get it. Vince Young on the road against a good defense getting just four? Really? We're afraid of Chris Johnson that much?

The folks at MCM would have us believe Chris Johnson is a bad, bad man. He's definitely a quality running back, but the 49ers rush defense is quite solid. Vince Young will indeed have to make plays if the Titans are going to win this game.

49ers
Out
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
DE Demetric Evans (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Probable
LB Takeo Spikes (shoulder)
SS Reggie Smith (groin)

Titans
Out
RB Javon Ringer (back)

Questionable
DE Jevon Kearse (knee)
OT Mike Otto (knee)
S Vincent Fuller (groin)
CB Nicholas Harper (forearm)
OT David Stewart (hamstring)
LB David Thornton (hip)

49ers-Titans Thursday Injury Report and coordinator transcripts

Fooch — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:23:59 -0000

The only significant change today was that Jevon Kearse did not practice. He's been banged up and relatively ineffective this season (minus a sack in the opener), so we'll see if we see him on Sunday.

After the jump we've got the Thursday transcripts from Greg Manusky and Jimmy Raye.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
DE Demetric Evans (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
DT Aubrayo Franklin (not injury related)
LB Takeo Spikes (shoulder)

Full Participation in Practice
SS Reggie Smith (groin)

Titans
Did not Participate in Practice
OT Mike Otto (knee)
RB Javon Ringer (back)
DE Jevon Kearse (knee)

Limited Participation in Practice
S Vincent Fuller (groin)
CB Nicholas Harper (forearm)
OT David Stewart (hamstring)
LB David Thornton (hip)

After the jump we've got post-practice transcripts for both coordinators.

Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky
Post-Walk-Thru November 5, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On what worked well against the Colts:

"I think it was the d-line and the linebackers and secondary working together. They were pretty focused all week on the calls we had, even in the no-huddle situation and the muddle-huddle. We repped that in practice pretty much the whole week and they were concentrating and they did a good job."

On whether he can use aspects of the Indianapolis game plan in the future:

"I think every time you play a different opponent, you take it for what it is worth. If you can pull some things from one team, then yeah. If you can't, then that is what is it is usually from week to week."

On the communication in Indianapolis:

"[QB] Peyton [Manning] got us one time substituting in there, and we kind of knew that going into the game - that he has chances to get the guys running off the field and running on. He got us one time but we're always trying to get the communication down the best we can from week to week from the coaches to the players and then the players to the other players. But it worked out OK last week."

On why they have done so well defending the run:

"I think it is mostly the d-line guys and the linebackers working together, spending the extra time in the meeting rooms and going through the stuff, along with [defensive line coach] Jim Tomsula and [outside linebackers coach] Jason Tarver and [inside linebackers coach] Vantz Singletary working hard to get those guys ready to play each and every week."

On Titans RB Chris Johnson:

"A talented back, he has great speed, he has great vision. He sees the things and can react fast. He breaks a lot of tackles. He is a very good back, he is explosive. He sees the hole and he can strike and run."

On Johnson's assets:

"Body-frame wise, he is an elite back that has a lot of capabilities to break tackles and hit it fast. We have to bottle him up as much as we can. I doesn't matter if it is first, second or third down because he is an explosive player."

On whether Johnson is like Vikings RB Adrian Peterson:

"Yeah, I think he has great sight lines and good vision. He can plant, stick and drive. He takes it and sees the hole. He is an elite back in the league."

On whether the team is aware that Johnson said he wants to rush for 2,000 yards this season:

"I don't want him to get 2,000 yards against us."

On whether the good performance of the secondary last week was set up by stopping the run:

"We knew going in that he was going to get yardage. It's not like you are going to go into Indy and stop Peyton cold. We knew we were going to give up some of the plays that we did, but we kept on rallying. We stuck to it and the plan seemed to work pretty well. We could have defended some other things a little bit better, but that is what we tried to do."

On preparing for a mobile quarterback like Vince Young:

"He has a very good arm and he can also run the ball. You have to get around him, you have to swarm him, and you have to plaster your receivers on the backend. It is just a different threat. It is another threat when he has the ball in his hands, so we have to take him away as well."

On whether LB Patrick Willis will spend time matched up on Young:

"Yeah, you try to get your best athletes out on the field and have them matched up on certain guys. That is what you kind of want to do."

On whether he has looked at Young's game film from 2007:

"You look a little bit at it and see things that he has done in the past, of course, just like any player that is new. You try to take a look at him and see what he does."

On whether he plans to mix DTs Kentwan Balmer and Ricky Jean Francois into the rotation:

"Ricky and Kentwan, or probably Ricky, will be up. Kentwan will be getting a little more reps. We just want to rotate the best we can inside to keep the guys fresh. That is what Jim Tomsula and myself are trying to do each and every week."

On the play of Balmer:

"Doing well, he is doing well. He is progressing. He keeps on getting better and better each week and we are trying to get him more and more playing time and as many snaps as we can."

On whether Balmer isn't playing much because the starters are playing so well:

"Yeah, I think it is a great competition up front. I think when you always have that competition it is the best thing going into a season."

On CB Tarell Brown's game against the Colts:

"T. Brown played pretty good. It was his first start of the year and he performed well. I'm expecting big things from him now that [CB] Nate [Clements] is down right now. He will pick up his performance each and every week and get better at it."

On how Brown is different than Clements:

"I'm not going to compare guys, but T. Brown has the nod now and I expect big things from him."

On why LB Parys Haralson's sack total is down this year:

"I think the quality of quarterbacks we have played the last couple of weeks and the quick release of the quarterback, getting the ball out, is also a factor. But from our standpoint, I don't know any numbers from any other outside linebackers in the league, Parys is consistently doing what we ask him to do. At times, other guys get chances to get sacks because of what he is doing, so that is a good thing."

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Walk-Thru - November 5, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On the amount of confidence that he has in T Barry Sims being inserted into the starting lineup:

"I better have a lot. Barry is a pro, we've had previous history together over across the other side of the bay. I'm confident that he'll go in and give us his best effort and I think that his best effort will be good enough for us to do what we need to do."

On the progression of the teams run blocking:

"It's coming along, but as we start to make progress then we get another hiccup, and there is no way to anticipate or expect on the first play of the game that you lose your starting left tackle, so the continuity thing has been slow. So, we're managing and it's slowly getting better because if we can get the guy that we've got to the second level, he can go home with the ball. It's encouraging. It hasn't been as fast as we'd like, but it's getting better."

On whether the offense leaves a defender unblocked too many times:

"I don't think so. I think that it's hard to judge when you only have 18 rushing attempts. I wouldn't evaluate the running game on unblocked guys, on 18 rushing attempts when our lead ball carrier got 13 rushes in the game. What happened last Sunday, I was fine with. I thought that we ran for 118 yards or so, but one of those was a break out of 64 yards which [RB Frank Gore] is capable of doing. I wouldn't put a negative on it based on the number of rushing attempts that they had and the opportunities to get in the game."

On whether he's seen a running back with a disparity of yards gained and attempts like RB Frank Gore throughout his career:

"No, I haven't really. The only two other guys that I recall having a bunch long runs had different styles. [RB] Earl Campbell was a ricochet runner who made long runs, but his yards after contact, where most guys would go down, he made more yards on runs that would've been two or three yard runs because of his size. [RB] Eric Dickerson was a homerun hitting guy, but very seldom did he have negative runs on one of the best lines in Ram history. When those two guys come to mind, and Earl because of his ability to gain yards after the contact, he didn't have as many negatives but a normal guy would have, along with the long ones that he had."

On whether he feels comfortable with the offensive personnel going into shotgun and spread formations in a game through the latter part of this season:

"No, not at all. We're the same bunch that four weeks ago, were talking about how we were going to play. We haven't changed that. If that was in fact true that we were going to take this deal and flip it 360, and all of a sudden become a shotgun and wide open, and throw the ball 48 or 52 times a game, then we would have to do an awful lot of changing. We could mix that, which we have and intend to do. But as a steady diet of that, I think that the confusion that people look at the extremities of what they perceive to be the talent at the extremities and make a judgment that is not founded or even grounded at all. The quarterback has played six quarters to date and people are now starting to refer to his history and his offense in college which is five years removed. Right now, I don't delight in that prospect. Going forward, if it manifests itself into something that will help us, we will gravitate toward that. But as of now the answer to that question would be no."

On whether the additions of QB Alex Smith and WR Michael Crabtree to the starting lineup leads him to look at the options of using elements of a spread offense:

"Yes, we would think of that a little bit more. It is difficult because we're still into certain things - trying to get him to line up in the right place. There are more elements to it than just the physical body of the people that we have. There are a lot things that go into that before we say, ‘okay, we're going to switch gears and go in another direction.' We can gravitate toward that in a plan and make due because of what we see out his natural ability. But, nuances and the fine tuning of all that still takes some time in the process and then there is the exposure of the offensive line. When you take away the run threat and you're trying to block [DE] Dwight Freeney every down and your left tackle is hurt on the first play, you've got to reevaluate what you're trying to do."

On whether WR Brandon Jones is part of the evolution of his offensive scheme and will see more playing time as the season goes on:

"I don't know what evolution that you're referring to, but Brandon is in the mix of guys, from a perimeter standpoint, that we would like to get snaps. As we go forward with the four or five guys that we have, if he brings an added dimension that would help us, if that's what you're referring to from the evolution standpoint, then he would be considered in the mix."

On whether it is easier for the team to run out of 11 or 12 personnel:

"The element of the 12 personnel and the 11 personnel, it doesn't lock the box in some cases. But there aren't many defensive coaches we face, where if we eliminate the lead blocker, where we have seven they have eight, so if we go to six they have seven. So you still have the same problem. They are not going to let you outnumber them in the box. They know full-well also, if you go to a spread deal and eliminate the fullback and go to a wide receiver to try to get them into a box-count you can block with the five you have and turn somebody loose. If you go to an empty or spread look, they are going to add one on. So the numbers are the same, except you don't have a lead blocker and you are in a two-for-one situation where if you don't have enough hats to account for the people in the box, if you run back and you have five blockers and the ball carrier, they are going to have six. Or if you have seven, they are going to have eight. We are not a stretch zone team, that's not what our guy does. We are not an outside stretch zone team and run away from the overhang of the last player. We would have to make another transformation in order to do what perceptively everybody thinks we should be doing."

On whether the offense is executing the way he wants it to:

"In some areas, yes. Basically offensively, what we would like to do is we try to strive and achieve balance to be able to score points. We haven't done that in any abundance. We have been efficient in certain areas of it. We do a very good job with the stuff we have in the red zone. We haven't had the consistency in the run or the pass that we would like, but the pass part of it has appeared to be better with the change and the addition of the people we have. So, I guess the answer would be yes and no. But there are some things we do pretty well."

On what needs to improve in the run game:

"The efficiency of four-yard runs on first down. That coupled with the fact that we get an overloaded box, as was mentioned before, when we are in a 21 personnel group, we see more gap control and more eight-man fronts than we would normally like to see. When we started back then, we were more interested in the quantity of runs rather than quality because we were trying to control the clock and put it together and win in the fourth quarter. Somewhere along the way in the last two and a half weeks, that has kind of gotten lost."

On the lack of consistency on first down:

"If you want to go back chronologically, part of it, we changed the right side of the line. Part of it, we lose the back for a while. There are all kinds of symptoms as to why it is. The basic answer would be the lack of continuity and familiarity and a consistent approach with the same people who are getting comfortable playing with each other, more than anything I think."

On whether the pieces are still there to execute his offense:

"It's not the same pieces, but we have people in place. We lost [T] Tony Pashos, and then we turn around a week later and lose [T] Joe Staley, so there are some differences. I'm not using an alibi or making excuses, but this is different than what we started with over in Arizona six, seven weeks ago."

On what needs to be changed for the offense to run like he wants:

"I don't think you can talk to any, maybe other than [Saints coach] Sean Payton, any offensive coach in the league, but you never really hit that mark that you are looking for and become a juggernaut. What we need to do is continue to improve in the areas that we are lacking in the run and the pass and the pass protection. Hopefully, we can get to the place where when we possess the ball, we have a minimum of seven plays every drive. So, you get a first down every time you get the ball before you have to punt the ball. Then, the better you are on third down, the more opportunities you give yourself and the run quantity increases because you have more opportunities. But when you only have 56 snaps in the game, like we did last week, it is kind of difficult."