This is an early look at the roster, or at least an idea of what the current state is. Now I know this prediction will be wrong. In fact, I hope it is wrong because we have some weaknesses that need to be addressed before early September. Centre, and backup MLB and SS are glaring needs.

There will likely be some UFA signings to come, in addition to at least one or two waiver wire aquisitions.

Here is my quick take. Check the jump for my explanation.

QB	J . LOCKER	M. HASSELBECK	R. SMITH
RB	C. JOHNSON	J. HARPER	J. RINGER
FB	Q. JOHNSON
WR	N. WASHINGTON	K. WRIGHT	L. HAWKINS
WR	K. BRITT	D. WILLIAMS	M. MARIANI
TE	J. COOK	C. STEVENS	T. THOMPSON
LT	M. ROOS	M. OTTO	B. STINGILY
G	HUTCHINSON
C	E. AMANO	K. MATTHEWS	VLACHOS
G	L. HARRIS	F. VELASCO
T	D. STEWART	T. KROPOG
DE	D. MORGAN	D. BALL	M. SHEPPARD
DT	J. CASEY	S. MARKS	Z. CLAYTON	D. HARRIS
DT	M. MARTIN	K. KLUG	S. SMITH
DE	K. WIMBLEY	DOUZABLE	S. SOLOMON
OLB	W. WITHERSPOON	Z. BROWN
MLB	C. MCCARTHY	T. SHAW
OLB	A. AYERS	MCGRATH	P. BAILEY
CB	J. MCCOURTY	C. HAWKINS	R. MOUTON
CB	A. VERNER	SENSABAUGH	T. CAMPBELL
FS	M. GRIFFIN	M. MARTIN	R. JOHNSON
SS	J. BABINEAUX	C. SCOTT
K	R. BIRONAS
P	B. KERN
LS	B. BRINKLEY
KR	MARIANI	WRIGHT	WILLIAMS
PR	MARIANI	WRIGHT	WILLIAMS

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This story will obviously blow up to some serious discussions about how Peyton will come in and bring us a Super Bowl. While I still don't think the Titans are serious in their pursuit of Manning, I have to admit I was a little surprised when I saw the Titans as one of 12 teams interested.

Maybe the coaching staff wants to see what Peyton has left in his arm? Maybe they will bring him into Nashville to throw some passes? I can't believe that they would actually sign Manning. If they did, they would obviously have to cut Hasselbeck and let Locker sit another year. That doesn't seem like a wise move in my opinion, or something that the Titans would do.

My guess is that their interest is purely from either a PR or research standpoint. PR because all of the UT fans would maybe buy Titan season tickets purely on a whim that Peyton might be our QB (he won't), and research being bringing Manning in, and seeing what he can and can't do. If he ends up going to a team that we end up playing in 2012 (Dolphins, Jets?), then we can at least know what he is capable of.

Here is the link:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/08/peyton-mannings-camp-has-already-heard-from-12-teams

They are:

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1. Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

DeCastro (G, Stanford) would be nice here, but there is more talent for interior OL in round 2. Ingram is a bigger DE (275-280 pounds) who would be a nice fit in Jerry Gray's defence. Our only DE under contract for 2012 is Derrick Morgan. I can see the Titans drafting Ingram and also signing another free agent DE like Dave Ball or perhaps squeeze out a couple more years from John Abraham, provided he comes reasonably cheap.

2. Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin

A big mauler. Something the line has been needing for a while. Wisconsin linemen are well coached so Zeitler could start right off the bat. Goodbye Leroy Harris.

3a. Ryan Broyles, WR/PR, Oklahoma

Broyles was a first round talent whose stock will fall to the third round because of a torn ACL suffered earlier this season. The Titans already have options at receiver, but don't have a prototype slot reciever like Broyles. Broyles would probably start the season as the #4 receiver behind Britt, Washington and Williams. So long Hawk.

3b. (Comp for Babin) Ben Habern, C, Oklahoma

Insurance in case Scott leaves in free agency, or in the alternative, to push Amano out of the starting position. I could see them taking a center higher as I believe Amano is more of a liability than Harris.

4.Neiko Thorpe, FS, Auburn

My gut tells me the Titans either resign Griffin or another veteran free safety. Thorpe will provide depth and play special teams.

5a. Mychal Kendricks, OLB, California

He is projected to go in rounds 3-4, but I am hoping he has a poor combine and falls this far. An underrated tackling machine with a lot of explosion. I think he was also PAC 12 defensive player of the year. Verner, Ayers and Casey will know him from their college days. This would be a steal. He is the type of player who could end up being a very solid starter at the WILL position.

5b. (Comp for Tulloch) Jack Crawford, DE, Penn State

Will fill the 4th DE spot behind Morgan, Ingram and a TBD free agent signing. Munchak will like the PSU connection. Big guy who fits in well with a 4-3.

6. Adrien Cole, ILB, Louisiana Tech

Similar to Tulloch. Shorter, bulkier guy who would possibly back up McCarthy.

7. Janzen Jackson, FS, McNeese State

Played at Tennessee before being dismissed for drug issues. A physical talent from a small school. Sounds like exactly the type of guy the Titans look at with their last pick.

I am very happy right now. Week 17 is about to begin, and there is a decent chance the Titans make the playoffs. What else do you want?

Remember the beginning of the year? Or better yet, remember July, when we had only the weregiraffe Rusty Smith as our QB? Those were dark times my friends, dark times. We had absolutely no reason to think this would be a playoff season. Our team was projected by almost all media outlets to finish with 5-6 wins. Vegas was a bit more generous and had us at 6.5 wins (yes I took the over, and yes I won). The point is that we were supposed to suck this year.

Yet, here we are. Week 17 and we are on the cusp of the playoffs. We are the favourite against Houston, and Baltimore is the favourite against Cinci. Those are the two games that HAVE to go our way. I would be watching this game even if we were eliminated from the playoffs, but now I will be watching it more intently as there is something to play for (I will also be stressed out as I always am when they are playing a big game). Even if we don’t make the playoffs, we were given 17 weeks of excitement. This game against Houston is essentially a playoff game. Same do or die mentality folks. It will be exciting.

If we win the game AND make the playoffs, then it gets even better. We will be playing at Houston again in the wildcard round of the playoffs. We will be the favourite for our first playoff game (as we will have beaten Houston at their home the week before, why wouldn’t we be the favourite?). That means if we make the playoffs this year, there is a good chance we make it to the divisional round.

So, long story short, we have a lot to be grateful for.

I just took a look at our team for the 2012 season, and our biggest need isn't LB, WR, or Safety, it is actually DE. Our only DE's under contract for 2012 are Derrick Morgan and Malcolm Sheppard. I am not a huge Shep fan, and I am not too high on the team resigning Dave Ball or William Hayes. I would rather they resign Jason Jones, and use the number 1 draft pick to get a guy like Courtney Upshaw or Mercilus from Illinois. If Quinton Coples is available then even better (he is supposed to be a top 10 pick). So if we just resign Jones, who shouldn't command blue chip money, then we can use our 1st round pick to be our primary backup DE. We could use a 3rd, 4th or 5th round pick for our 4th DE, and we would be alright for the 2012 season. Keep in mind that we will likely get an extra 3rd or 4th round pick in compensation for Babin, and maybe an extra 4th or 5th in compensation for Tulloch. That is 9 picks for next year. I know some of you would rather a LB or a Safety, but looking at the upcoming talent it is likely we will get better value in drafting a DE with out 1st round pick. There doesn't appear to be a 2012 safety that is worthy of a 1st round pick, and I've never been much of a fan of using a 1st round pick on a 4-3 linebacker. You can find guys like Lance Briggs, Leroy Hill and Karlos Dansby in the later rounds. As for WR, I think D. Williams is breaking through. We should be fine with Britt, Washington, Williams and Mariani (Hawkins is a free agent, and I would be fine in resigning him as our 4th WR or getting another cheap veteran free agent/late round draft pick). So basically, my position is go for a DE. Outside of QB, they may be the most important position on the field. Also, there is some decent mid first round talent that we could get. Our needs, as I see them, are: 1. DE (Mercilus, Coples - pipedream, Upshaw) 2. LB or S (Te'o, Hightower, T.J. MacDonald, Ray Ray) 3. LB or S (Ronnell Lewis, M. Barron, Markel Martin) 3(c). DE 4. G 5. TE (to replace Graham who is a FA) 5(c). WR 6. C/G 7. S

He recently tried to kill himself (again?): Taken from PFT: In 2006, receiver Terrell Owens created a major stir with a drug overdose that was believed to be a suicide attempt. Last month, Owens reportedly had another overdose, as reported by TMZ. Now, TMZ has obtained the 911 call that was placed earlier this month. Asked whether the ingestion of prescription medication was a suicide attempt, a woman who was speaking to the 911 dispatcher said, "Yes. I believe so." The last time something like this happened, Owens was a member of the Cowboys. He held a press conference at Valley Ranch to declare that he hadn’t attempted suicide. The event punctuated by a clumsy declaration from publicist Kim Etheredge that Owens has "25 million reasons why he should be alive," a reference to the $25 million contract he had signed with the Cowboys earlier that year. This time around, Owens is trying to attract the attention of an NFL team, and he has said nothing publicly regarding the incident. The content of the 911 call likely will do nothing to assist his chances of getting back into the NFL Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/27/recent-911-call-t-o-was-attempting-suicide/

In its glory days — which football historians say ran from the 1970s to the early ’90s — the neck roll (a catchall term for a few styles of protective devices that sprout from between a player’s shoulder pads) was everywhere. Longtime N.F.L. fans need not see pictures to remember Howie Long’s oversize backward clerical collar, the elephant tusks perched on Wilber Marshall’s shoulders or the rubber balloon animal that curled beneath Brian Bosworth’s helmet. Every Sunday, it seemed, was a showcase for the latest in designer neckwear. Standing in the Giants’ locker room recently, safety Deon Grant and wide receiver Devin Thomas became nostalgic when neck rolls were brought up. Grant’s eyes widened. "Growing up, man, everyone wanted a neck roll," he said. "I mean everyone. It was the thing. Neck rolls were hot." "I had one," Thomas said. "Did you?" Grant, who went to high school in Augusta, Ga., laughed. "I was in the ’hood, so I don’t even know what kind I had," he said. "But I had one. Absolutely. Everyone did."

read the rest here:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/sports/football/nfl-once-big-neck-rolls-now-nostalgia-piece.html?_r=1&ref=football

Well, my brief conversation with Cortland Finnegan prior to the game sums it up:

 

Me - “Courtland, are you guys going to win today?”

Him (shrugging his shoulders ) – “I dunno.”

Now, I know in pro football players don't really do the whole rah rah thing.  Cortland may have just been speaking from experience and saying the game could go either way, but his whole body language just told me that they going to lose. 

The whole team looked flat Sunday.  The D Line was getting no push on a weak Pittsburgh front, the O Line wasn't doing great either.  The only exception to the team being flat was Hasselbeck.  He seemed very alive and was yelling at the recievers during a lot of the TV time outs.  He had good reason to.  It seemed like there were many plays where he had to tell the backs and recievers where to line up.  I saw him do it to Cook, Ringer, Williams and Hawkins.  Nate Washington joined in to bash Hawkins on one play when Hawkins looked like he had no clue what he was doing. 

I am also pretty sure that Amano is not the smartest guy on the team.  There was that one play where the entire offense went on one and Amano thought it was on two.  He just sat there holding the ball like an idiot while everyone else was running the play.  After the refs blew the whistle for false start, Amano actually had the balls to start yelling at everyone like they got it wrong.  No Eugene, pretty sure it was you.

As for the Pittsburgh fans, they were actually pretty nice to us Titans fans.  Although they had very little to get upset about that day, they were very courteous and appreciative of how the Titans took out the Ravens.  One lady said to me "Everytime your quarterback drops back to pass I can't help but think of McNair."

Clearly, she had some problems with her eyes because Matty looks nothing like McNair, but I appreciated the comment.

But anyway, back to my main point; the team was very flat on Sunday.  They lacked emotion and looked like they hadn't practiced in weeks.  I hope this isn't the start of a trend. 

xxx xxx xx xxx xxx xx x x x xxx xxx xxxxx xxx xxx xx x xxx xx xx x x xxx x x x xx

 

Anyone have any advice for things to do/see/eat?

I'm going with the wife so we probably won't hit the strip clubs.  

If you see me on TV, I will be the guy in the Warren Moon jersey dumping beer on Rapeyburger and wiping my ass with a terrible towel.

Go Titans.

Interesting idea.  Maybe someone can shed some light.

 

My guess would be the race would finish as follows:

 

1. CJ

2. Avery

3. Mariani

4. Tommie Campbell

5. Jason McCourty

6. Finnegan

7. Nate Washington

So if we had a 4x4 relay team, CJ, Avery, Mariani and Campbell would make a nice foursome.  I would put that team against any in the NFL.

Thoughts?  Maybe some of you have been to camp and saw these players race?

So I bought the new 2012 on Tuesday.  It is a little different than 2011 but generally the same.  The best part about the new game is seeing the revamped Titans roster in action.

 

Right now the online rosters are pretty much up to date.  They have recently cut duds like Brett Ratliff on th team, but not Tommie Campbell or Tim Shaw.  Odd.  They also have Donnie Nickey, Colin Allred, and Jamie Winborn on the team.  Asides from those screw ups, the roster is pretty much up to date.

As for the depth chart, there are a few question marks.  Gage is our #3, Cook is our #3 TE, Jason Jones is still at DT, and Ayers is a backup (to Witherspoon, with McGrath on the other side). 

When I play online I tried using Matty H but he just isn't nearly as good as Locker.  Locker is rated about 9 overall point lower, but is much faster, and has the edge on every important category but for accuracy on short throws.  The Titans are much better when you use Locker.

I also sub in Cook as the starting TE, Williams as the 3rd WR, and right now I have Jones and Morgan as DE's with Casey and Smith at DT.  Klug is rated too low to start.  Hopefully that will get corrected soon.  I also sub in Ayers for McGrath.  Ayers isn't bad.  I sometime play a strong shift 4-3 so Ayers is closer to the line of scrimmage and rush the passer with him.  I find that he gets pancaked half the time or completely beats his man the other half. 

And that just about sums up my thoughts.

Here's their current WR's:

Alexander, Danario

Amendola, Danny

Avery, Donnie

Curry, Dominique

Gibson, Brandon

Gilyard, Mardy

Jenkins, Jared

Mathews, Greg

Pettis, Austin

Salas, Greg

Sims-Walker, Mike

West, Joe

They have 8 quality receivers. No superstars, but 8 guys that show some ability.  Sims-Walker, Salas, Pettis, Gilyard, Gibson, Avery, Amendola, and Alexander.  Those guys should be on an NFL roster.  The problem for the Rams is that they will likely only keep 6.  That means 2 of the above will likely get cut.  

Word on the street is Gilyard will go.  He was a thought of as a steal in the 4th round a year ago.  The other cut is tougher to decide.  Salas and Pettis won't get cut, as they were relatively high draft picks on them this year.  Sims-Walker likely will not get cut, as he is their big free agent signing.  That leaves Alexander, Gibson (who just lit us up for an 83 yard bomb), Amendola, or Avery.  Amendola isn't getting cut, he is too valuable in the slot.  Avery was their best Wr last year before he hurt himself.  I think it will be Alexander.  

So in a few weeks we could have Alexander or Gilyard to choose from.  I'd rather have Gilyard as he can play special teams.   The point being, is I would rather have Gilyard than Gage, and probably Hawkins.  

CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!

 

 

The Tennessee Titans have picked up some depth on their offensive line.

Free agent tackle Adam Terry has signed with the Titans, PFT has confirmed. His huge body and long hair and beard have already been spotted on the Titans’ practice field.

The 6-foot-8, 335-pound Terry was a second-round pick of the Ravens in 2005 and was an occasional starter from 2006 to 2008. He missed the entire 2009 season and played just two games for the Chargers in 2010.

Just a heads up.  For those of you that like to get a good NFL magazine to prepare you for the season, it looks like there will be a shortage this year.  My favourite NFL Preview magazine is Pro Football Weekly.  I just called their head office and they said that due to the labour dispute they have decided to cancel publishing the magazine. 

Enough with this labour dispute!  What am I supposed to read by the pool this summer?

Before you explode, read my rational after the jump...

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Already looking forward to using this guy in Madden 2012.  I love using mobile QB's.  I think he will be rated like this (give or take).

 

		POS	OVR	SPD	ACC	STR	AGL	AWR	STA	TGH	INJ	SWG	JMP	CAT	CAR	THP	THA	TAS	TAM	TAD
		QB	73	86	87	84	82	62	92	92	81	75	88	60	80	90	75	74	70	79

What are you thinking?

 

 

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While I am against the Titans drafting a QB in round 1 this year (and likely against drafting a QB in round 2 unless Newton, Locker or Gabbert are still available), I noticed that there is an argument for drafting your Quarterback in the first round. 

Basically, 22 out of the past 33 Super Bowl winners were led by a QB taken in the first 33 picks of the NFL draft.  Out of those 11 Super Bowl winning teams that did not have a QB taken with the first 33 picks in the draft, 7 were Quarterbacked by either Tom Brady or Joe Montana. 

Before I analyze this, I'd like to point out that while Brady and Montana weren't 1st round QB's, they were both pupils of revolutionary coaches.  Brady was a student of Bill Belichick, and Montana a student of offensive guru Bill Walsh. 

So basically, if a team doesn't draft a QB in the 1st round of the NFL draft, and doesn't land a diamond in the rough gem like Brady or Montana (and team them up with a Hall of Fame worthy head coach), then the chances of that team winning the Super Bowl are drastically reduced.    

So since 1979, the only champion QB's who were not drafted with one of the first 33 picks in the draft not named Brady or Montana are:

1. Brad Johnson (who won one Super Bowl, and was aided by one of the best defences in NFL history)

2. Kurt Warner;

3. Mark Rypien; and

4. Joe Theisman, all of whom led their teams to one Super Bowl victory, while being surrounded by elite talent.

*The one asterisk is the 1991 Super Bowl that was won by the New York Giants.  While that Super Bowl was technically won by Jeff Hostetler (drafted in the 3rd round), the game plan was essentially to run the ball, keeping it away from Bills' QB Jim Kelly (a first round pick).  Furthermore, the Giants original starting QB that year was Phil SImms (1st round pick) who led the team to the playoffs before succumbing to an injury.

For more information, click to see the Jump:

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The Halloween spirited crowd rejoiced when the San Diego Chargers defeated the Tennessee Titans 33-25.  Among the many costumes in the crowd was a lone Titans fan dressed as Superman.  While the Titans may have ‘Super’ aspirations this year, it appears that the Chargers are their kryptonite.  For the 8^th straight time the Chargers defeated the Titans, dropping Tennessee to a 5-3 record before their bye week. 

NOTE FROM JIMMY- No MCM Radio tonight due to Halloween.  We will do an hour Wednesday night like always.

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Kenny Britt had the most prolific day in the history of Titan wide receivers in leading the Tennessee Titans to a 37-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.  Britt, who was benched for the start of the game due to an altercation at a Nashville nightclub two nights ago, provided an instant spark to the Titan offense when he entered the game.    The former first round pick had 7 receptions for 225 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

The Eagles initially appeared to be in control of the game.  The Titans’ offense was largely ineffective as the Eagles placed 8 defenders in the box as a strategy to contain Chris Johnson.  The strategy worked in containing Johnson and also in initially shutting down the Titans’ passing game.  Kerry Collins started in place of the injured Vince Young and looked hesitant in many of his early throws.   The pressure from the Eagles’ pass rush forced Collins to throw many of his passes off of his back foot.  Collins initially succumbed to the pressure and turned the ball over three times.

The Eagles had a chance to put the game away in the 3^rd quarter when they were leading 16-7 and had the ball on the Titans’ 3 yard line.  A missed blocking assignment allowed Titan defensive tackle Jason Jones to slip through the line untouched. The disruption caused a fumble in the exchange between Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy, and Alterraun Verner recovered to give the Titans new life.  

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According to profootballtalk.com:

 

As expected, Titans quarterback Vince Young won't be starting on Sunday against the Eagles, six days after suffering a knee injury that created initial fears that he wouldn't be starting another game before the 2011 season.

Bob Holtzmann of ESPN reports that the team soon will announce that Young won't start, even though he supposedly is healthy enough to go.   Kerry Collins will start.

Young didn't practice all week, which likely was a significant factor in the decision to go with Kerry Collins.  Young was listed as questionable on the Week Seven injury report with knee and ankle injuries. 

ESPN's Chris Mortensen has characterized Young's injury as a high ankle sprain.
It remains to be seen whether Young or Rusty Smith will serve as the backup quarterback.  The other player would then be the emergency quarterback.

And if Collins plays extremely well, Jeff Fisher could end up in the same quandary that his opponent today currently is facing.

After Young led the Titans to a 7-0 lead against Jacksonville, Collins delivered the death blow, resulting in a 30-3 rout.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/10/24/vince-young-wont-start-on-sunday/

Or at least that's what John Lopez from CNNSI thinks:

"There's already one quarterback controversy in Eagles-Titans. Will there be two by the end of the day? Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick will be battling out for Philly's collective football heart all year. Don't look now, but Kerry Collins likely will start Sunday after performing nicely in a Monday night win over the Jaguars after Vince Young sprained a knee. VY remains the owner's favorite, but has been unreliable as a passer. Coach Jeff Fisher always has liked Collins. When asked about a potential quarterback controversy, Collins responded: "I'm the backup. Vince is the starter. Period. The end." Isn't that how every QB controversy starts?"

 

 

Really?  VY is an unreliable passer?  Even though he is the 5th highest rated passer in the NFL? This Lopez guy actually gets paid money to write these things.   

 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/john_lopez/10/22/ten.storylines/index.html?eref=sihp

Few people outside of Tennessee expected the Titans to win this game 30 – 3. Absolutely nobody expected the game to come down to a showdown between Kerry Collins and Trent Edwards, but that’s what they ended up getting.

 

Vince Young was taken out of the game in the 1st quarter when his knee was bent awkwardly in a scramble for a loose football.  Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard was removed in the 2nd quarter after experiencing concussion symptoms.  Both signal callers do not expect the injuries to be long term.  Young’s injury is currently being described as a sprained knee.

 

While losing their starting quarterback was a blow for the Titans, the team once again proved that they have 53 players who can be counted on.  Collins completed 11 of 16 passes in relief, and continued the recent Titan trend of not turning the football over.  Collins’ most impressive moments came when he stood in the face of the Jaguars’ blitzes and completed short passes that kept the chain and the clock moving in Tennessee’s favor.  

 

Coach Fisher reiterated this sentiment after the game:

 

“Kerry did a nice job and that is why he is here. We are very, very fortunate to have two very-talented quarterbacks. One goes down then the other steps up and goes (in the game).”

 

Then again, for this game, the Titan’s didn’t really need any big plays from their offense.  The Titan’s defence surrendered just 249 yards of total offense, and forced 4 turnovers.  Seeing that all of this was done on national television, perhaps this “no-name defence” will now be recognized for their efforts. 

 

The Titan defence leads the league in sacks with 24, and at the moment, the unit does not appear to have a specific weakness.  This is because of the emergence of several key players who are contributing more than most thought they would.  Defensive ends Jason Babin and Dave Ball come to mind, but no player has exemplified this more than rookie cornerback Alterraun Verner.  Verner, who is quickly becoming a fan favourite in Nashville, had another key interception that he almost returned for a touchdown.  The coaching staff clearly has confidence in Verner, as they have abandoned their initial plan of having Cortland Finnegan continually line up from the opposition’s best receiver.  Finnegan appears to have returned to his former role of lining up exclusively on the left side of the defence.   If Verner and the rest of this defence continue to make big plays, then the Titans have a realistic chance of winning the AFC South.

 

Next week the Titans defence will be put to the test when they return to Nashville to face the talented Philadelphia Eagles.  There has been no definitive word if Young will miss the game.  If Young is out for an extended period of time, then at least the Titans will have the luxury of relying not only on Collins, but on their entire team.

Once again the Titans were involved in a penalty filled game.  Fortunately for Tennessee, this time it was the opposition that had problems playing within the rules.  The Dallas Cowboys committed 12 penalties for 133 yards and allowed the Titans to pick up a 34-27 victory at Cowboys Stadium.

 

While the Cowboys could have played a better game, they certainly didn’t hand the game to the Titans.  Many key players stepped up for Tennessee, including quarterback Vince Young who played a mistake free game for the third time in as many weeks.  Young was the catalyst in helping the Titans jump out to an early 17-3 lead, hitting Nate Washington and Kenny Britt for early touchdowns.  The overall solid play of Young was not a surprise, seeing as he usually saves his best games when playing in the state of Texas.

 

Not to be outdone by Young, Chris Johnson returned to his usual stellar form.  Johnson carried 19 times for 131 yards.  His 2 touchdowns came in the 4th quarter and were ultimately the difference in the game.  

 

That being said, the game ball could have been given to a number of players, not just Young or Johnson.  Marc Mariani provided another big boost on a kick return, Alterraun Verner once again proved he is a ballhawk, and while the defense continued to bend, they beat up the opposition.  Tony Romo was sacked 6 times and threw 3 interceptions.   In short, the Titans had key contributions from just about the entire team.

 

Surely, the win will make a difference not just in the AFC South standings, but also in the level of confidence of the players and the coaching staff.  There have been many concerns about the ability of this team, players and coaches alike, to focus and play together for 60 minutes.  Today’s win shows that the Titans are once again dangerous provided they play to their potential.  Next week the Titans travel to Jacksonville and will have the opportunity to show a prime time national audience that they aren’t a group of thugs, but rather a tough, talented and well disciplined football team.

 

 

 

 

 

www.profootballsouth.com

The Denver Broncos have a savior at quarterback, and his name is not Tim Tebow.  Today, Kyle Orton dissected the Tennessee Titan’s defense for 341 yards in leading his team to a 26-20 victory at LP Field in Nashville.  While Orton played a near flawless game, the same could not be said for the rest of his team.

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The New York Giants do not like the Tennessee Titans. There are a number of reasons for this. Today’s 29-10 victory for Tennessee is probably the biggest reason. The other reasons? There are many (after the jump):

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The Tennessee Titans employ a 4-3 defense, but as the Oakland Raiders discovered today, you must account for more than 4 defensive lineman when playing against the Titans.

Rookie Derrick Morgan, free agent signee Jason Babin, and Jacob Ford took turns sacking Jason Campbell, while Jovan Haye, Tony Brown, and Jason Jones applied further pressure in helping the Titans defeat the Raiders 38 – 13.  While rotating defensive lineman has always been a staple of the Titans defense, the strategy paid extra dividends today as the Raider offensive line appeared to be too big and slow to keep up with the quick and well rested Titan defenders.

The Titans’ offense capitalized on their defenses dominance, scoring 5 touchdowns and displaying a balanced attack.  The Raiders defense got off to a good start as they keyed on Chris Johnson early, limiting him to just 1 yard on his first 7 touches.  The strategy initially paid off, at least in regards to containing the Titans’ explosive running back, but it also exposed the Raiders pass defense to the play action pass.  The Titans first score of the game came off of a fake to Johnson, which froze Raider cornerback Stanford Routt and allowed Nate Washington to go deep for an easy 56 yard score. From that point on Johnson began to find holes in the Raider defense, and eventually broke a 76 yard run which seemed to end the game in the 2nd quarter.  It also put Johnson over 100 yards for the 12th straight game.

The big plays and great defensive play allowed the Titans’ offense to keep things simple for most of the day. Nate Washington was the only Titan wide receiver to catch a pass, as Young focused more on passing to Johnson, Bo Scaife, and Craig Stevens.

The end result was the Titans’ most convincing season opening win since the team moved to Tennessee.  The blowout win also shows that the 2010 Titans will not fall into the same hole as the 2009 Titans, a team that was severely limited due to their 0-6 start.  Head coach Jeff Fisher shared those same sentiments in his post game press conference:

“Well, we expected to win that game last year.  We didn’t.  We expected to win this and fortunately we put together a good effort in all three phases.  We came through it in great health and now we’re going to move on to number two.”

Game number two comes at home against the Steelers next week.  If the Titans’ defensive line comes through then as it did today, then it will be a very long day for the Steelers.

Player focus – Craig Stevens, Tight End

This weeks individual player focus is on the Titans 3rd year Tight End from California.  The Titans needed Stevens to fill the void left by the departure of Alge Crumpler, and today Stevens did that and more.  Stevens looked to be just as good of a blocker as Crumpler was in 2008 and 2009, while also being much more mobile.  Stevens ability to line up on the line, and in the backfield, gave the Titans’ offense a dimension it didn’t previously have with Crumpler.  At some points the Titans had fullback Ahmard Hall and Stevens in the backfield, which mimicked a 3 running back look.  Having Hall and Stevens in the backfield meant that there was no strong or weak side of the formation, something that likely caught the Raiders defense by surprise. Stevens’ mobility was even more apparent on his 2 receptions.  On both catches he caught the ball without losing his balance and managed to turn his big body upfield and get some much needed yards after the catch.

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If we get fat Albert from the 'Skins, you would have to think that even if he is a letdown when he comes back, he will have to dominate the trenches in Week 11 when we play Washington.

That much bad blood between him and the 'Skins will fuel all the 340+pounds of beef that he has.  All of us here know that when fat Albert is motivated he is like a charging gorilla.  The Washington O-Line wouldn't stand a chance.  That is reason right there why Washington may not want to do a deal with Tennessee.

Also, if the Titans had fat Al then the two games against Houston would also go much smoother.  Do any of you remember how shaky Matt Schaub looked when he played against Fat AL?  It seemed like he was always jittery when Haynesworth closed in on him (who wouln't). I can think of two instances where Fat Al took Schaub out of the game completely, and another few memories of Schaub throwing picks because he was looking at Haynesworth and not his receivers.

I would give up a 3rd and a 4th for Haynesworth.  It will mean at least 1 or 2 more wins.

I am doing mine a bit differently.  I am dividing it by locks, players who should make the team, and bubble spots.

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Me again, looking for more info for my bachelor party.  I have 20 or so guys coming down for the Titans/Jags Dec 5.  What is a good restaurant to go to, preferably near downtown?

Any good southern food/bbq joints you recommend?

 

Btw, this rule about initial posts having to be at least 75 words reallys sucks..... x x x x x x x xs f f s a d f g g jhkl gfgjk fgjhghjk gkgk gkjhkj  gkjhkj