2010 Tennessee Titans Year In Review

The Titans ended their disappointing roller-coaster season with a loss to their bitter rival the Indianapolis Colts, on a last second field goal. The win vaulted the Colts into the playoffs as the division winner of the AFC South and sent the lowly Titans home for the season. The Titans had a reversal of fortunes this year as they started hot out of the gates at 5-2 and leading the division. That is a stark contrast from last season’s 0-6 debacle. They also landed hall of fame talented but mercurial wide receiver Randy Moss off waivers from Minnesota. Even after losing to San Diego before their bye week, all signs pointed upward as the Titans. Vince Young was playing his best football ever in a Titans uniform as his stellar 103.1 QB rating trailed only Michael Vick in that department. Kenny Britt’s breakout performance against the Eagles (7 catches 225 yards and 3 touchdowns) had everyone gushing and projecting him on a path of stardom. Chris Johnson wasn’t on pace for his self projected 2,500 prediction but still was 5th in the league with 721 yards. The defense was boasting a league leading 25 sacks and was overachieving as a unit.

Be that as it may, No one could have predicted the way the wheels would fall off in the second half of the season. The Titans started what would turn into a six-game losing streak by losing to San Diego. The game that changed the team dynamic though would have to be the loss to Washington. Vince Young’s meltdown overshadowed the game as he would loss his cool with Head Coach Jeff Fisher and the fans at LP field. Fisher would not give in to Young’s request to go back into the game after seeing him make throws on the sidelines. Young responded was seen waving his arms at the crowd, throwing his helmet and shoulder pads in the crowd after the game and mumbling words at Fisher post game speech just to name a few things. Young would later apologize for his actions but the damage was already done. He was also put on injured reserve due a tore ligament in his thumb. In my game review I recognized that this incident could only lead the team in one or two directions. It could have galvanize the team and bring them together like never before or Young’s insubordination could cause a rift with teammates taking sides. It’s not hard to see which of the two that happened.

The team never seemed to recover from the Young-Fisher fiasco and things went from bad to worse. The newly acquired Randy Moss could never seem to find a rhythm with his new team. There is no way a player of his caliber should have only 6 catches for 80 yards no touchdowns and not even TARGARTED in some of those games. I’m just not sipping that Kool-Aid Jeff Fisher was making as he stated that Kenny Britt and Moss played the same position. It has to be a way to get both of those guys on the field. After rushing for over a hundred yards in the first two games after the bye week, Chris Johnson’s numbers declined and he had his worst game ever as a pro rushing for just 5 yards against a relatively soft Houston Texans squad. That game also featured the Finnegan-Johnson fight that ended up with both players being ejected. The incident was yet another sign of the team unraveling right before your eyes.

Despite racking up losses, the Titans still had an outside chance at winning the division. The Thursday night showdown with Peyton “The Sheriff” Manning and the Colts would be Tennessee last realistic chance to make a stand for the season. The Titans came out and showed some of life but were not able to come out with the win. The lost put them at 5-8 and with no real chance of making the playoffs. The Titans would finish out the season going 1-2 over their next three games, including the nail-biting loss to the Colts. If there was ever a season for the Titans to win the division, this was it. The Colts struggled and the Jags did their inevitable last season swoon but the Titans were no where to be found in the race.

To put this season in perspective is a complicated thing to do. It will be a season defined by turmoil and unrealized expectations. This was suppose to be the year it all came together for Vince Young but it quickly turned into a nightmare for him. Jeff Fisher future is up in the air and owner Bud Adams has to make some tough decisions moving forward. Talent wise, this should have been at least a playoff contending team at worst. The Titans never seemed to be able to move forward after the Young-Fisher confrontation. In a year of defining moments, that will definitely characterize Tennessee’s 2010 year. The Titans walk away from this season with more questions than answers, which is never a good thing. For the longest tenured coach in the league this had to be Jeff Fisher toughest year. He bore the look of a man defeated at the end of the season and maybe he will make the decision for Adams and just walk away. Vince Young’s tomfoolery has to be accounted for in some way as well. Bud Adams never chose sides in the incident and many believe that those actions created a wound to Fisher’s locker room authority that can never be healed.

Change is in the air for Tennessee and it’s quite obvious that some is needed. How much change will happen is another question. The Titans franchise has been one of the most stable in the league. Will Bud Adams roll the dice and shake up the redundancy and mediocrity that surrounded his team this year? How will the team respond if Vince Young or Jeff Fisher are let go? If Fisher is not retained, who takes his place? Do they go after a future QB in the upcoming draft? Speaking of quarterbacks, how much longer does Kerry Collins have left in the arm? Would Randy Moss even consider staying with the team, after being made a decoy for most of tenure? How healthy will offensive coordinator Mike Heimendinger be after his cancer diagnosis?

This much is for certain, the Titans in some form or fashion will enter next year with some changes in place. Those changes will take place right in front our eyes over the next few months. Hopefully those changes will make for better results next year. This should be considered a lost year for the Titans.

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 13

The big showdown between the Pats and Jets turned out to be a bust. New England just controlled the game from the start. The buildup for this game was gargantuan as both teams sported a 9-2 record and were thought to be the class of the league. Rex Ryan made cocky comments and shared his philosophies to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately for him the Patriots were not into the hype, they were just into the game. The rhythm and timing of their offense with Tom Terrific was just too much for the Jets to handle. Brady just dissected what was supposed to be one of, if not the best secondary in the league. He torched the Jets to the tune of 21 of 29 for 326 yards, with four touchdowns to four different receivers, and no interceptions. Brady completed passes to eight different receivers, and has thrown 228 consecutive passes since being intercepted, a New England record. He hasn’t thrown a pick in seven consecutive games and now has at least one touchdown pass in all 12 of New England's games. One more nugget on Brady, he just set an NFL record by winning his 26th straight home game.




As for the Jets they looked overmatched, outwitted and shell-shocked. They never seemed to have much of a flow to their offense. Mark Sanchez didn’t get it done and had to be looking at Brady with envy. He finished 17/33 for 164 with no touchdowns and threw three picks in the second half. The big bad Jets with all their trash talking were suppose to come in to Boston and serve up the Pats. I can recall most people picking the Jets because of their brash style and smack talking but I had a feeling something like this would happen. They have been playing with fire the last few weeks pulling out victories over teams they should just walked over. This may be the best thing for New York however as they now know their place in the pecking order of the AFC. The Pats now have the upper hand in the division and that could mean a number one seed (with two home games) or the wild card position that would require going on the road in the playoffs.



The Patriots resounding victory leaves no question in my mind who is number 1 and with that, time to unveil the rankings.

1. New England Patriots (10-2) – The Pats have crushed all comers in their last four games and did it against some pretty formidable teams. They hung at least 31 on each team as well in that span. The list you ask? 39 points at Pittsburgh, 31 at home against the Colts, 45 on the Lions on Thanksgiving and another 45 on this past Monday nigh on the overrated Jets. So much for needing Randy Moss huh? New England this season has now beaten Baltimore, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and now the Jets. Should there be any debate who is number one now?

2. Atlanta Falcons (10-2) – Don’t look now but the dirty birds have now won six in a row after their comeback win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Matty Ice was just Matt Ryan at the beginning of the game as he threw two picks (Atlanta’s first turnovers in five games). Ryan and the Falcons showed great resiliency as they overcame his early mistakes and came back from a 10-point deficit. The more I see from this team, the more I start to believe.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) – One of my favorite lines of all time came from ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. He said Troy Polamalu play likes his hair is on fire! That is the truest way to try to comprehend how this man plays the game. The contest against them and the Ravens was just man football. Big Ben was busted up by the 4th play of the game as hits were being delivered from both sides. These teams play identical to one another but it was Polamalu’s big play that saved the Steelers. The win gives Pittsburgh the lead in the division and an inside track to a playoff bye.

4. Chicago Bears (9-3) – How does Jay Cutler do it with that porous offensive line? “Cut Dog” has a 77-percent passer with six touchdowns and no interceptions over his last three games as Chicago’s offense who looked to jell. The defense will always keep them in games and all Cutler has to do is efficient. Big game next week against the New England. We will see what the Bears are made of.

5. New Orleans Saints (9-3) - It may be too late for them to catch the hot Falcons but that was a gusty win against a desperate Bungals, I mean Bengals team. I was tweeting during the game and Deion Sanders tweet summed it up for the Bengals. He tweeted “The Bengals are like a good sparring partner in boxing. They will mix it up with you, get bloody, and fight till the end but lose by knockout. Great play to get the Bengals off-sides by Drew Brees. The Saints have a tough slate of games to end the season with St. Louis, at Baltimore, at Atlanta, Tampa Bay and this is why I don’t think they will be able to catch Atlanta.

Other News and Notables from around the league:

McDaniels axed in Denver: Not even a week after I wrote that McD was in trouble after his mini spygate episode, he was let go by the Broncos. McDaniels was 13-17 overall with Denver and was 5-17 after getting off to that hot 6-0 start last year. McDaniels exit comes as a surprise as he was just given a vote of confidence by owner Pat Bowlen last week. He becomes the third coach fired this year, joining the like of Wade “Aw Shucks” Phillips and Brad “Chilly” Childress. He will be replaced by Eric Studesville, the RB coach and former RB coach in Buffalo as well. The worst thing about this story is the way the Broncos announced his firing, via Twitter. You would think they would have more class than that. Bowlen will now be paying three coaches as he is still paying Mike Shanahan, McDaniels now and a new Head Coach in 2011. The firing also raises the question about Tim Tebow’s future.

MJD for MVP?: A lot buzz is being made for the Jaguars running back after his sensational performance against the Titans. The pint sized RB assaulted Tennessee for 186 yards and has five straight 100-yard games. His team sits alone atop of the AFC south and they control their own playoff destiny. He has a total of 1,177 yards so far, good for second in the league, only trailing Arian Foster of Houston who has 1,230 yards. He may be a long shot though as he plays in a small market in Jacksonville and doesn’t get the publicity he deserves. Also going against him is the fact that the MVP usually goes to a QB, as the last time a running back won was back in 2006 (Ladainian Tomlinson). If he keeps producing and the Jags keep winning though, he may have a chance.

Battered Brett: As much as some people can’t stand Favre, you have to feel a little sorry for him. He has created this iron man image and is just scratching and clawing his way to start number 300. He was creamed on the first play of the game against the Buffalo Bills and couldn’t return but now Coach Leslie Frazier is saying he expects him to start this week. Someone has to be the voice of reason here. I’m beginning to think Favre is on a mission to die on the field. He loves the game so much why not just be buried on the field with his shoulders pad and helmet on? The man is tough as nails and he proves that every week. He has every conceivable record for QBs, so why does he continue to jeopardize his well-being after football for a season that is going no where? I just don’t understand but to each their own. I hope he makes it to 300 but not at the expense of his health. Brett you will have a life after football but for some reason I don’t think you care about that.

Haynesworth suspended for last four games: The team says in a press release Tuesday that Haynesworth was punished for “conduct detrimental to the club” and that he was told of the suspension by general manager Bruce Allen.

Coach Mike Shanahan says in a statement that Haynesworth “repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time.”

This definitely sounds like the end in Big Al in D.C.

Titans vs. Texans Game Review

In a week that has been filled with drama for the Titans, with the Vince Young-Jeff Fisher fiasco and Mike Hermindinger announcing he has cancer, the game turned out to be anti-climatic. Tennessee was defeated in ugly fashion as the Houston Texans handed the reeling Titans their 4th straight loss. From the start of this game it looked like it was going to be a long day for the Titans as Matt Schaub and the Texans offense raced up and down the field. It got even worse as Cortland Finnegan got into a full fist fight with all-pro wide out Andre Johnson and both were ejected from the game.

The thought going into this one was that the focus would be turned to rookie QB Rusty Smith, as he got the start for the injured Vince Young but this one quickly turned into a dissembling of a team that was once 5-2 and leading the AFC South division. The Titans looked flat and the Texans came out and handed it to them.

Now for the breakdown of the game:

The Texans were able to do as they pleased on offense as they racked up 346 yards of offense to the Titans 162. Rusty Smith was abysmal going 17/31 for 138 yards and 3 interceptions. I wish I could have some of those throws back," Smith said. "You can't get them back." Tennessee barely looked like a threat as they were shutout by the Texans. This was Houston’s first shutout since 2004. This game was supposed to feature the two leading rushers in the league with Arian Foster of the Texans and Chris Johnson of the Titans. Foster held up his end of the bargain rushing for 143 yards but the most telling stat of the game was Chris Johnson numbers, as he was held to a career low of 5 yards rushing on 7 carries. We weren't able to run the ball at all," Johnson said. "I don't know why we couldn't run it."



The Texans came into the game ranked 31st in the league and had not held an opponent to fewer than 24 points this year but were able to take it to the Titans, holding them to just 12 yards and no first downs in the first quarter. Glover Quin recorded his first career interception on the very first play of the second quarter and would go on to set Houston’s franchise record with 3 for the game. Matt Schaub went 25/35 for 178 yards in the game but didn’t need to be spectacular in this one as the Titans offense could never get rolling.

After a Neil Rackers FG kick in the third quarter, the score was 17-0 and it didn’t look like the Titans could muster a first down, much less a touchdown. The Titans finally got some momentum and were able to drive the ball to the Houston 12 after a pass interference call on Houston safety Bernard Pollard. But rookie QB Rusty Smith would throw another costly interception to Quin yet again and the Titans would never recover.

The fight that broke out between Finnegan and Johnson was the real highlight of the game. The two had a minor shoving match on one play before taking it to an all out brawl on the next. Finnegan jabbed at Johnson’s neck and face mask and Johnson responded by ripping Finnegan’s helmet off and connected twice with two punches to Finnegan’s head and neck. Finnegan would take his turn at ripping off Johnson’s helmet before the refs got involved and separated the two. "He kept doing little things and I told him: 'Just because you're frustrated, you need to stop what you're doing,"' Johnson said. "I guess he thought it was funny." It's just a buildup of things over plays," Johnson said. "I just lost my cool."

The two will surely be disciplined by the league when Commissioner Roger Goodell receives the game footage. The fight was fitting in a since as it signified the Titans season at this point. They are fighting with each other and with other teams. As I stated in one of previous game reviews, the Vince Young incident had a chance to either bring the team together or bring them down, and it looks as if the latter of the two is happening.

The Titans got lucky with both the Jaguars and Colts losing their games Sunday. Tennessee is actually just a game behind first place Jacksonville at 5-6 but they are also last in the division per their record. I also would like to know why Chris Johnson only got 7 carries when it obvious he should be the focal point of the offense with a rookie QB starting. Coach Jeff Fisher looked none too pleased with his team and for good reason. The Titans ship is sinking and fast. The Titans next game is versus the division leading Jaguars and those two always mix it up in this rivalry. Let’s hope for the best for the Titans and hope that they can display a better performance than the one we saw this Sunday.

Games notes: Randy Moss caught three passes to pass Andre Reed for eighth all-time on the career receptions list. Titans K Rob Bironas had his franchise record streak of consecutive games with a field goal snapped at 20.

Titans vs. Redskins game preview

Kickoff: Noon

TV: Fox

Radio: 104.5 The Zone

Weather: 54 and partly cloudy

Commentators: Dick Stockton, Jim Mora Jr., and Charles Davis

Tennessee finally gets back to friendly confide of LP field this Sunday, for their first game in nearly a month. The Titans look to rebound from a two-game losing steak. What a good time to have the reeling Washington Redskins to come to town. The Skins got flat out embarrassed by Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick was a one man show, accounting for 413 total yards and six touchdowns. The Redskins had trouble containing the mobile Vick and he was able to pretty much do as he pleased. This particularly bodes well for Vince Young, who is of course one of the more mobile QBs in the league.

Another interesting storyline going into this game is the return of former Titan Albert “Big Al” Haynesworth. He signed a $100 million deal with Washington after playing with the Titans his first seven years in the league. Haynesworth had an embarrassing play himself Monday night, when he stayed on the ground and didn’t get up as Michael Vick scrambled around (Big Al said “ I had, like a Charlie horse in my Thigh or whatever.”). This is just the latest in a number of incidents that have Redskins fans questioning his effort and Titans fans glad he isn’t with the team anymore. Mike Shanahan and Haynesworth have continuously bumped heads on his conditioning and work ethic. His rocky relationship with Shanahan led to speculation that Haynesworth could be traded back to the Titans and Jeff Fisher even confirmed the report that the Titans looked into the idea, but the deal never really got off the ground.

Haynesworth’s homecoming will definitely be something to see but the Titans are more worried about getting back into the win column. Vince Young gets the start after coming in as the second QB on the depth chart last week. Kerry Collins was initially ruled out for several weeks after injuring his calf against the Dolphins, but now coach Jeff Fisher said he will the number 3 QB. Young has to stay healthy now with the Collins injury as the Titans only have backup rookie Rusty Smith in case Young goes down. Young also has another chance to exploit one of the worst secondaries in the league. Washington is actually allowing an NFL worst 415.3 yards per game, with 286.6 of that through the air. The newly acquired Randy Moss again is pushed to the forefront in this game. After being targeted 4 times and only having one catch, Moss has yet another chance in his first home game to make his mark. He will be matched up with one of the better corners in the league in Deangelo Hall. Hall you may remember intercepted former Commodores QB and current Bears signal caller Jay Cutler four times in one game earlier this season. So that will be a key match-up in the game. As good as Hall is, he is very aggressive and has a tendency to either make the interception or get burned for a touchdown.



Now with the storylines out the way, let’s breakdown the three key factors in the game:

1. The Titans dominant defensive line vs. the porous Redskins offensive line: On paper this one is a mismatch. The Titans have accumulated 25 sacks which has them tied for 3rd in the league. Washington’s offensive line has allowed 25 sacks. The Titans should be able to pressure Donovan McNabb. McNabb has thrown 11 interceptions to 9 touchdowns and the line is to blame for some of that. If the Titans do what they do best, than they should be able to fluster McNabb out of the pocket and help the secondary out. McNabb does throw the deep ball well so you have to account for that.

2. McNabb’s Arm vs. Titans Secondary:  As I stated above, if there is one good thing McNabb still does, it’s taking a shot down field. The Redskins Anthony Armstrong is one of five players in the NFL averaging more than 20 yards per reception and his 22.6 average is the highest in team history since 1952. Tennessee allowed Miami and its three QBs to throw for 316 yards going 24 of 37 in the process. The Titans have allowed six TD passes of 20 yards or longer already this year and are ranked 25th in pass defense, so the secondary will need to step up to defend Armstrong’s big play ability. Cortland Finnegan and Alterrun Verner have to be sure in coverage and the Titans need to continue to get a good pass rush to thwart the McNabb and the Redskins passing game.

3. The Moss effect part 2.: A lot of attention was given to Moss for only catching one pass for 26 yards in last weeks game against the Dolphins. I won’t jump on the bad-mouthing bandwagon though. For one, he was only thrown to 4 times the whole game. For two, it’s hard to expect a guy to come in and make an immediate impact, especially when the QB situation changes on a dime at any moment with Young or Collins. And for three, his debut also came against Vontae Davis who seems to have his number this year. In two games against Davis, Moss has only that one catch he had last week. And just to be sure about my analysis, I made sure to pay extra close attention to how the Miami defended Moss. From my break down they rarely double-teamed Moss, allowing Davis to cover him for the most part. They did keep a safety in the vicinity of Moss though and didn’t have eight men in the box, except on a few plays. That allowed Chris Johnson to get those long gashing runs that he was getting all game. Johnson finished with 117 yards on 17 carries and a lot of it had to do with Moss’s presence on the field. Young and Moss got to have another week of practice under there belt, and also have one of the worst pass defenses coming to town. The Moss effect will show up even more in this game, I all but guarantee it.

Game notes and stats: The Titans enter the game with a 12-game winning steak versus the NFC. This will be only the second time the Redskins have ever visited LP field and the first time was in 2006. Donovan McNabb teams are 46-2 when he has a passer rating of 100 or higher including the playoffs. LB Brian Orapko has 5 ½ sacks in the past five games and 8 ½ in six games versus AFC opponents. Vince Young is 12-2 against the NFC and got his first NFL win against the Redskins in 2006. Chris Johnson ran for his 5th 100-yard rushing game and 21st of his career last Sunday. Randy Moss (949) needs just 3 catches to pass Andre Reed eight-most in NFL history.



Food Drive: The Titans are encouraging fans before the game to participate in the annual Second Harvest Food bank food drive. Fans can drop off non-perishable items at one of the several collection sites around LP field. The most reportedly needed items are canned tuna and chicken, canned vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, rice, chili, and macaroni and cheese.

Titans vs. Dolphins game review

The Tennessee Titans began their week with a lot of optimism going into the game with the Miami Dolphins. The buzz that reverberated was due to the Randy Moss signing and also sharing the division lead with the Indianapolis Colts. That optimism quickly changed as after the game as the Titans were defeated 29-17 in Miami.

It was a roller-coaster of a game with both starting QBs going down with injuries. Kerry Collins, who started for a injured Vince Young in the first place, left the game after halftime. Miami QB Chad Pennington only lasted two plays before he was hit while throwing an incompletion (Early world on the injury is that it a dislocated shoulder for the fourth time for Pennington) and was taken out of the game. Miami's recently demoted starter Chad Henne entered the game and in the 3rd quarter injured his knee late in the third quarter when hit attempting a pass. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam and said his knee hurt.

The game had a funny ebb and flow to it as the Titans Bo Scaife fumbled on their initial drive. The Dolphins would drive down the field on a 6 play, 80 yard drive that was capped off with a Ronnie Brown 2-yard rush for a score. The Titans would get on the board on their next drive as Chris Johnson started to find running lanes. Johnson gashed the Dolphins D for a 19-yard run at the beginning of the drive and capped it off with a spectacular 17-yard touchdown run. Miami would go for it on 4th down on their next drive and come up short, setting the Titans up with good field position at Miami's 28 yard line. The Titans would only be able to muster a FG out of the drive and went ahead 10-7, and that is how the 1st quarter would end.

In the 2nd quarter there wasn't much action. The Dolphins kicked a field goal to make it 10-10 on their first drive. Cortland Finnegan picked off Chad Henne mid way through the quarter and it was pretty much a punt fest other than that.

In the 3rd quarter, Vince Young would take over for the injured Kerry Collins. Young would fumble on his first drive and the Dolphins and former Titan Randy Starks would recover. The good field position for the Dolphins set up an easy score for the Phins. Chad Henne found an open Patrick Cobbs for a 13-yard TD pass. That score put the Dolphins up 20-10. After the kickoff was returned 27 yards, Vince Young and Chris Johnson would get hot. Johnson got it started with a 30-yard up the middle. Young would go on to connect on his next two passes, one to Javon Ringer on a dump off and another to Nate Washington. Johnson rushed again for another 8 yards and Young finished the drive off with two passes to Nate Washington, the second one going for a 14-yard touchdown. The score made it 20-17 Dolphins. Chad Henne would lead the Dolphins to a FG on the next series before getting hurt but score put Miami up 23-17.

Both the Titans and the Dolphins would go three and out on their next drive and than the 4th quarter of play began. Tyler Thigpen would come into the after the Chad Henne injury in the 3rd and spark the Dolphin offense. He initiated a 9 play drive that ended with a Anthony Fasano TD catch on his first drive. The Dolphins would try for the 2-point conversion and fail making the score 29-17. Tennessee would drive the field off the arm of Young and finally got Moss involved with a 26 yard catch that would be his only. Young however was sacked on 3rd and 10 on Miami's 29 and the Titans were forced to go for it on 4th and 20. Young floated a pass in the area of Justin Gage that was intercepted by Reshad Jones. That was the game as Miami was able to run a few plays and run out the clock.

The Titans now fall to 5-4 and their next game is at home vs. the Washington Redskins.

Game Observations:

The not so much Moss effect: I of course expected more out of Moss. The only catch he had came in the 4th but the QBs did try to get to him as he was targeted 4 times. He also drew a 33-yard defensive pass interference call but other than that was he was ineffective this game. It was actually a bad game for me,” said Moss

Chris Johnson was able to find running room and finished 117 yards on 17 carries. Moss did have an effect in that department as you didn't see as many 8 man fronts against the Titans. Look for more of the same from him as the year goes on.

The Dolphins Wildcat offense was extremely successful versus the Titans. After only gaining 30 yards on 20 snaps out of the formation, the Dolphins were able to get considerable chunks of offense against Tennessee.

Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins Preview

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The Titans now have their bye week behind them now and a new toy on offense in Randy Moss. Tennessee (5-3) now takes on a tough Miami Dolphins (4-4) team. Miami, as their record indicates has had an up and down year. They have won all their games on the road and loss all at home, which bolds well for the Titans. Miami's losses have come against solid teams including three division leaders in New England, Pittsburgh, and the New York Jets. Miami also benched starter Chad Henne in favor of veteran and former Moss teammate Chad Pennington. 

Vince Young is expected to be able to start and will have his chances against the Dolphins. Miami has given up nine plays of 25 yards or more through the air in the past four weeks, something Moss could help exploit. The Titans' Young is the AFC's highest-rated passer at 103.1 and doesn't have a turnover in his last five games.The Dolphins on the other hand have a minus-eight turnover ratio in losses and are plus-one in wins. That is one of the reasons Miami is turning back to Pennington as Henne has already thrown 10 interceptions. Henne's last game versus the Titans, he threw 3 interceptions in a 27-24 Titans win back on Dec 20 of last year. Miami also addressed their secondary releasing former first round pick Jason Allen and adding veteran cornerback Al Harris to bolster that unit.

Now lets breakdown the keys to the game for the Titans:

1. The Moss effect -  Former Minnesota coach Mike Tice had a formula for getting Moss the ball. 40% of all passes were to go to Moss. I doubt that will be the case here in Tennessee but its all but certain that offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger will call special plays for the former all-pro. Moss has 10 touchdowns in 10 meetings with the Dolphins.The Titans can utilize Moss in a variety of ways including in motion, on the outside, play-actions and as a decoy. His mere presence will mean no more eight in the box defensive formations because teams respect Moss's abilities. It will take time for the Titans to work Moss into the system but once he gets the playbook down, you will see his explosive capabilities. Even without Moss knowing the system yet, he still will have an impact for Tennessee this game.

2. Pressure Pennington and Protect Vince- The Titans look to get pressure on Chad Pennington. The Titans lead the league with 3.3 sacks a game. Miami has a good offensive line only allowing 15 sacks this year. They have all-pro Jake Long anchoring the line. If they Titans can find a way to apply heat to Pennington it should set up some turnovers. Pennington has never been mistaken as a mobile QB and he has sat out this entire year so I look for the Titans to be able to get to him a few times in the game. At that same token the Titans have to protect Vince Young. Young has been in and out of the lineup because of various injuries to his ankle, knee and Achilles. To be fair the two most recent injuries Young suffered was not at the hands of the offensive line as Young was out of the pocket on one and was at the bottom of a scrum for the ball on the other. Cam Wake has been a revelation this year for the Dolphins and has already racked 8.5 sacks in eight games this year.The Dolphins are ranked 10th in the league with 21 sacks and the Titans are 4th with 26. Bottom line, these are two teams who get to the QB. Who ever protects the QB the best this game will have the advantage.

3.Can CJ get finally break loose - Chris Johnson comes into this game as the 5th leading rusher in the NFL with his 721 yards. His stats are not bad this year but compared to his NFL offensive player of the year campaign of last year, they are off. It won't be easy breaking the big one on the Dolphins either. They've allowed two runs of 20 yards or more - third fewest in the league. The Moss effect will lead to fewer men in the box as I stated earlier. I find it very intriguing to see how teams will play the Titans now with Moss. It could be a pick you poison team with Johnson and Moss. I look for Johnson to break for one his signature runs this game. He will have his opportunities as teams will have to focus on who they want to stop. Moss and the passing game will also get favorable circumstances as well after Johnson loosens up the Dolphins D.

Game summary: The Titans have the edge in most departments in this game. They will look to get Moss going early and often. The defense should be able to apply pressure to Pennington and force turnovers. Chris Johnson will get opportunities he didn't have in the past as Moss opens the field and running lanes for him. Watch out for Dolphins offensive weapons Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and Brandon Marshall as they account for most of the Dolphins offense.

Game notes and streaks: Tennessee ranks second in league with 19 takeaways,The Titans have the NFL’s stingiest red-zone defense with opponents only being successful 29 percent,  In three games against Tennessee, Chad Pennington has thrown for 814 yards with a QB rating of 105.0, The Dolphins are 0-3 at home and have lost five consecutive home games since last year, Even with their .500 record, Miami has been outscored by 32 points, The Dolphins offense has scored only 11 touchdowns, which ties for second-worst in league, Ronnie Brown has played 13 consecutive games since his most recent 100-yard game, and Miami’s wildcat offense hasn't had much success this year only gaining 30 yards in 20 snaps this season.

Sportaholic Mid-Week Speed Drills

Predators Update - The Nashville Predators got off to a hot start this year, but now are just as cold. The Preds are in the midst of a five-game losing streak. Their last loss may have been the toughest defeat yet. Nashville lost to Anaheim 4-3 on a last second goal by the Ducks defensemen Paul Mara. The game winner came in with 1.7 seconds remaining in the final period. The Preds haven’t won since Oct. 24, a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nashville has went from first to last in the division in a matter of weeks. One reason of the slide has been the rash of injuries multiple players are facing.The Preds did get some good news. Top defensemen Ryan Suter was able to skate individually Tuesday morning for the first time in three weeks. Coach Barry Trotz would not give a date for his return but team doctors are saying the earliest he could possibly play would be Saturday versus the Chicago Blackhawks. Said Suter "I wish that it was something that I could just take a shot and jump in and it would be fine." Also forward Martin Erat practiced after missing three games with an undisclosed injury. No timetable has been set for Erat's return. The Preds return to the ice Thursday facing the St. Louis Blues. Hopefully they can get one in the win column and start a new winning streak.

Randy Moss update - There has been a Randy Moss sighting in Nashville. The seven-time pro bowler arrived in Nashville on Sunday afternoon. He was accompanied by head coach Jeff Fisher. On Monday, the receiver passed a physical, worked out and met with coaches to start learning the offense. He was introduced to the team and was seen working out on the Titans outdoor practice facility. That is good news for Titan fans. Sounds like Moss and willing and will be ready to go this Sunday when the Titans face the Miami Dolphins.  Coach Jeff Fisher had the best line of the day when he put into perspective what he and Moss have in common. I don't have a ring. He doesn't have a ring, so we're going to try," Fisher said.

UT Men's Basketball - UT men's basketball team suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of a division II opponent. Indianapolis beat the 23rd ranked Vols 79-64 on the strength of a 15-0 run to open up the second half. Tennessee's embattled head coach Bruce Pearl responded by giving the team a morning film session at 5:30 am. The Vols have little time to recover from the lost. They play again versus Chattanooga this Friday. I look for the Vols to come out aggressive to prove the loss was a fluke.

Another Tribute for Don Meyer - College Basketball's all-time wins leader will be inducted into the Tennessee sports hall of fame class of 2011. Meyer was courtside for the inaugural Don Meyer classic, which featured his former team Northern State took on Belmont. The announcement came at halftime of the game. It is a great honor for Meyer and he deserves it. He coached Lipscomb for 24 years compiling 665 wins for the Bison. He is a great man who faced even greater adversity in his life. He is an inspiration to all that he has touched in his life  The state of Tennessee and basketball as whole is better because of him. Congratulations to you coach Meyer, one of Tennessee finest.

Tyler Bray claims freshman honors - Tennessee freshman Tyler Bray was honored as SEC freshman of the week after his thrilling performance against the Memphis Tigers. Bray was 19/33 for 325 yards and 5 touchdowns passes. He set the UT record for most passing yards in a half with 308 and touchdown passes with 3. Congrats Tyler, we needed something to cheer about this year as Vols fans. UT faces Ole Miss this weekend in Knoxville. Be sure to Tune in to see how Bray follows up his record setting day from last week.

Editors note: Remember to follow me on Twitter and also on Thenashvillewire.com

Sportaholic Mid-Week Speed Drills

The Nashville Predators seem to be cooling down after their hot start. They lost last night to the Phoenix Coyotes 4-3 to extend their season high losing streak to 3 games. The veteran defensemen Ed Jovanoski posted a hat trick for the Coyotes. Nashville had been the NHL’s best team in one-goal games, going 23 straight without losing in regulation, dating to Feb. 9 but were unable to pull this one out. The Preds entered the 3rd period up 3-2 but allowed two power play goals, one by Lee Stempniak and another one to Ed Jovanski. Steve Sullivan had a breakway before the two goals were allowed in the 3rd but could take advantage of it.Pekka Rinne did have 28 saves in the losing effort. "We did a decent job, but we’re going to need to find a way to win some games here,” Predators coach Barry Trotz said. The Preds looking to get back on their winning ways begining this Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.

Vandy's and Tennessee's men basketball teams both began their season on on the right note. The 23rd ranked Vols defeated Brevard 91-42. Scotty Hopson led the Vols with 17 points and super freshman Tobias Harris added 16 as UT looks to put the Bruce Pearl allegations to the side for the moment. Vandy defeated Alabama-Birmingham 69-53. Sophomore Jeff Jenkins sparked the Commodores with 19 and Jeffrey Taylor chipped in with 11. "I think it was just what we hoped to get in an exhibition game - a team that's well coached and stuck with their plan," said head coach Kevin Stallings of Alabama-Huntsville. "

Tennessee Volunteers football team will start freshman QB Tyler Bray for the first time vs. Memphis this year. With the Vols going nowhere this year (2-6, 0-5 SEC) this was the logical move for coach Derek Dooley. I'm very high on Bray. I like his arm and moxie. He showed what he could do against Georgia this year, making some beautiful throws and showed confidence. The future is now in Knoxville and it looks bright at QB with Bray at the helm. Check out Bray's cool tattoo as well: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Headlinin-Tyler-Bray-and-his-amazing-back-tat-;_ylt=AnV6qVqo.g4Sut_c_2luYz3ynYl4?urn=ncaaf-281854

Vandy's football team welcomes Florida to town this weekend. The Commodores will try move on without leading rusher Warren Norman. Norman dislocated his right wrist in a loss to Arkansas on Saturday. Vandy's offense has already been dreadful this year, scoring 18.2 ppg this season while generating 286.8 total ypg, so it going to be tough sledding without their top back.

The talk of town has been the Randy Moss signing. Everyone seems to be excited to see what's in store for the Titans. It's good that they have a bye week to get Moss acclimated to the team. I'm still curious to see which Moss will show up here in Nashville. I think coach Jeff Fisher will get the best out of him though. He has way more control of his team than Brad Childress. I look for the Titans to have a special package for him when they face Miami in two weeks. Chris Johnson will benefit the most because you can't put eight in the box versus Moss. Do so at your own risk. The arrival of Moss came at the right time, with sources close to the team reporting that Kenny Britt could be out for 6 to 8 weeks.

Update: Adam Schefter reports Moss claimed off waivers by Titans

It never fails. As soon as I open my big mouth, I have to stick my foot in it. Not even 24 hours after writing my post on why I don't think Randy Moss would become a Titan, looks like he is. ESPN insider Adam Schefter, is reporting that Moss was claimed off of waivers today by Tennessee.

It still will be up to Moss if he decides to report to the Titans. If he does not, Tennessee will send him a 5 day letter and at the end of that five days, they have the right to put him on the Reserve/Left Squad list.

Wow. Let me catch my breath as I write this. Everything negative I stated in my earlier post now has become a mute point. The Titans will be taking on a different animal if Moss does report. I have a feeling this has something to do with the injury to Kenny Britt's hamstring as well. Britt's injury may be season ending and under the best circumstances he will be out for an extended amount of time. Hopefully Kenny can get back on the field and we can see what the offense would look like with both of the talented receivers.

The biggest beneficiary of this? That right, Chris Johnson. He will now be able to have more open lanes to run because defenses have to respect Moss's deep threat ability. Put eight in the box at your own discretion. He will add another dimension to the offense if he comes to town and I will be excited to see it if he does make his way to Nashville.

The question now becomes will he report and if he does which Randy Moss will Tennessee get? The me first sulking one of Oakland or the team oriented one from New England? Can he keep his mouth in check and put up big plays for the offense? Can he co-exist with Jeff Fisher? There will be plenty of questions but make no doubt about it, this is a bold statement by the Titans. I guess I underestimated "Bottom line Bud" and the front office. It is a low risk, high reward move. I may not have bought into the idea, but looks like the Titans did. Good for them.