Sportaholic Tennessee Titans Season Preview

The NFL season is approaching fast and with that in mind, its time to preview teams and project their season outcome. I have enlisted some help in that department, as I have a few guest bloggers to go over a few teams. First up is my good blogging buddy Jim Irwin from Chicago. Jim's blog is titled http://jim-heftyinfo.blogspot.com/ and he has a ton of knowledge for football and (Surprise) Politics. Make sure to check his blog, for easy access just click his link on my blog roll. Jim is in the process of previewing every NFL team in the league and he is so kind to allow us here at the Sportaholic to use his Tennessee Titans article on our site. Now its time to turn Jim loose as he gives us the lowdown on our Titans.

TENNESSEE TITANS







2010 RECORD: 6-10-0


(4th in AFC South)






HEAD COACH: Mike Munchak

By: Jim Irwin

Offense: Matt Hasselbeck (3,001 passing yards with 12 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions in 2010) comes over from the Seattle Seahawks and will be the starter. Rookie Jake Locker (Washington) will back up Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck will be replacing Vince Young (now with Philadlephia) and the retired Kerry Collins as the quarterback and brings much experience and leadership to the team. He helped lead Seattle to a Super Bowl appearance in 2005.

Chris Johnson ... aka CJ2K is in a holdout and when he does return, he will give the team perhaps the premier running back in the game.

The numbers for Johnson were way down from his 2,000 plus yards rushing season of 2009.

Last season, Johnson gained 1,364 yards rushing for a 4.3 ypc average and scored 11 touchdowns. In addition, Johnson led the Titans with 44 receptions and also had one receiving touchdown. Javon Ringer (239 rushing yards and two TD) will spell Johnson and the fullback is Ahmard Hall.

Kenny Britt (42 catches for 775 yards and nine TD) and Nate Washington (42, 687, six TD) will be the main targets in 2011. Tight End Jared Cook, who made 29 catches for 261 yards last season, is back and will be backed up by Craig Stevens. Justin Gage (20 grabs for 266 yards) and Damian Williams (16 catches) are the other wideouts.

The offensive line consists of center Eugene Amano, tackles David Stewart and Michael Roos and guards Ryan Durand and Leroy Harris.

Defense: This was a unit that would bend but not always break a year ago, evidenced by the numbers.

The Titans finished in the middle of the pack in points allowed (339), but near the bottom of the league in total yardage allowed (368) per game and passing yards (252) as well. The run defense gave up 116 yards per game, which ranked 20th in the NFL.

Up front in the revamped 4-3 defense for the Titans will be ends William Hayes and Jason Jones along with tackles Shaun Smith and rookie Karl Klug (Iowa). There are others who will see action, including rookie Jurrell Casey (USC), along with David Ball, Derrick Morgan and Jovan Haye.

The linebackers also have a rookie starter with Akeem Ayers (UCLA) playing along with Will Witherspoon and Barrett Ruud. Also in the mix are Colin McCarthy, backing up Ruud in the middle and outside linebackers Gerald McRath and Tim Shaw.

The leader in quarterback sacks from a year ago (Jason Babin) is no longer around, but David Ball (seven sacks) is up front for the team, which totaled 40 sacks last season. Jason Jones had 3.5 sacks and Witherspoon three from the linebacker position.

In the secondary, which was a big problem last season, the Titans have Cortland Finnegan and Jason McCourty at the corners with Chris Hope and Michael Griffin (four interceptions) playing the safety spots. Alterraun Verner (three picks), Vincent Fuller, Robert Johnson and Jordan Babineaux will give the Titans depth in the secondary.

The Titans had 17 interceptions last season, but ranked 29th overall against the pass, giving up 252 yards per game. They also were torched frequently by the long pass in 2010 and that has to improve as well.

OUTLOOK: The Titans are looking to unseat the Colts in the AFC South (which they did three years ago) in 2011 but have an uphill battle ahead of them.

The Colts are odds-on favorites in the division with Houston and Tennessee looking to battle for second place this year.

The offense for the Titans still will rely on Johnson (if and when he plays) in 2011, along with Hasselbeck getting acclimated to new Head Coach Mike Munchak's system.

Munchak replaces longtime (former) Head Coach Jeff Fisher for the Titans. In a bizarre scenario following the 2010 season, Fisher announced he wouldn't be back if (former Titans QB) Vince Young remained with the team.

Young departed, but so did Fisher.

It all adds up to a new look for the Titans, as they look to improve an offense that was 27th overall last season, averaging just 302 yards per game. The rushing game was solid, getting 108 per game, but the passing game averaged less than 200 yards per game in 2010 and that must improve.

The team must also score more. The Titans only had 356 points last season and were shut out by Houston (30th ranked defense last year) and had a four-game stretch when they put up just 39 total points in those losses.

The defense is looking to be revamped, especially in the front seven and will look to improve the pass rush and the coverage in the secondary as well.

Look for a 8-8 season from the Titans as they are definitely rebuilding and Hasselbeck will hold the reigns on offense until Locker is ready to take over in the future.



TEAM SCHEDULE:

Week 1- at Jacksonville

Week 2- vs. Baltimore

Week 3- vs. Denver

Week 4- at Cleveland

Week 5- at Pittsburgh

Week 6- BYE WEEK

Week 7- vs. Houston

Week 8- vs. Indianapolis

Week 9- vs. Cincinnati

Week 10- at Carolina

Week 11- at Atlanta

Week 12- vs. Tampa Bay

Week 13- at Buffalo

Week 14- vs. New Orleans

Week 15- at Indianapolis

Week 16- vs. Jacksonville

Week 17- at Houston

The Chris Johnson Contract Dispute

VS.

Eric Dickerson

He has been compared to some of the greats at his position and has posted similar numbers the greats such as Eric Dickerson (who could forget those goggles and that Jheri Curl?) and Emmitt Smith. So it’s only right that he has a similar holdout just like those players. Dickerson had his holdout moment in 1985 just two years into his contract (Just like Johnson) and Smith had his infamous spat with Jerry Jones back in 1993. Ultimately both Dickerson and Smith received multi year deals to suffice them but they had to go to extreme lengths for ownership to reward them their just due. Chris Johnson is now in the same capacity as these two Hall of Fame running backs. I guess if you want to be comparable you have to emulate the greats who came before you, on and off the field right?

Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt

The Chris Johnson contract dispute has to give every Titan fan a moment of trepidation as the best player in powder blue and navy has a legit beef with his deal and is putting the Titans in a tough situation. This isn’t your run of the mill contract dispute either, as both sides have valid points and appear to have dug their feet in the ground as neither side wants to budge in a positive direction. What is so fascinating about the Johnson contract squabble is the fact that still has two years left on a contract that is clearly outdated due to his performance on the field. Everyone in the state of Tennessee, and for that matter everyone in the world, knows that Johnson is worth more than his scheduled $550,000 he in line for this year. The craziest thing about his contract situation is that his backup Alvin Pearman is due to make $630,000 this year. That's right, his backup makes more money than Johnson does which is just preposterous to think This has the makings of an extended holdout as Johnson has reason to stay away from the Titans until he is compensated the amount that he thinks he should be. However that may be hard considering the hefty 30k fine a day fine for missing camp. And of course, Johnson’s absence hurts the Titans as they look to begin a new season under a new QB and new coaching staff. For the sake of continuity, it would be beneficial for the Titans to have their best player at least show up at camp and be in the mix with his teammates.

Above all at this moment is the stalemate in the front office on Johnson. The Titans know that running backs have a short shelf life in the NFL. Most peak around 29 and go all down hill from there. Don’t believe me you say? Well take a look at this excerpt the biglead.com:

“Earl Campbell carried the ball over 1,000 times in his first three years, averaging 4.9 yards a carry. In year 4, he still carried it a lot (361 times) but dropped to 3.8 yards per carry and was never the same. In today’s NFL, he would have played to the end of his rookie contract and earned little compared to his value to the team. Barry Foster had 390 carries in his third season, then got hurt, and never made it past five seasons. Terrell Davis blew out his knee in his fifth season. Gerald Riggs had 1,093 carries for the Falcons from age 24 to 26, and never had more than 203 in a season after that. Larry Johnson had 416 carries in year 4 in the league, the same as CJ this year, and then was done.”

It kind of puts things in perspective about running backs. One thing I will counter that argument with is how the style of Johnson isn’t as physical as the players on that list. Most football fans know that Earl Campbell was a human wrecking ball and Terrell Davis had bad knees to begin with. CJ’s style is more of the quick and elusive types that don’t take on as much visceral damage as most running backs do. He has the speed and finesse to stay out of harms way on most occasions. He is only 5’11 181 pounds for goodness sakes and knows that his meal ticket isn’t trying to run over guys as much as it is to run around them. So I believe he will be able to sustain a longer than average career at his position for that reason alone.



Samari Rolle



Another equally interesting facet of this is that the Titans also haven’t been this embroiled into a contract dispute since 1997’s Samari Rolle holdout. He missed organized workouts in May and then left the team for several days near the end of training camp as he sought a long-term contract. It was less than a week after he rejoined the team that he signed a six-year, $37.5 million deal. So this isn’t uncharted territory for the Titans even though that was back in ’97 when Floyd Reese was the GM and Jeff Fisher the coach, not incumbents Mike Reinfeldt at GM and Coach Mike Munchak. Johnson wants a deal reportedly north of $30 million dollars and has seen the recent deals awarded to running backs such as Deangelo Williams of the Carolina Panthers, Maurice Jones-Drew of Jacksonville and Steven Jackson of St. Louis, All of these players have received compensation of at least $30 million and none of those players have had the success that Johnson has had.

As an illustration take a look below:

Johnson ran for 1,364 yards and 11 touchdowns last season after his 2,006-yard, 14-touchdown 2009 campaign. In just three NFL seasons, Johnson has racked up over 5,500 all-purpose yards and 38 touchdowns.

He has made three straight Pro Bowls and was named the offensive player of the year by The Associated Press in 2009.


Became the sixth player to ever rush of 2,000 yards in a season



So this goes back to the point that Johnson has clearly outplayed his rookie contract but in the defense of Tennessee, it’s only so much they can do. The league only allows a 30-percent limit on how much a player's base salary can increase from one season to the next. Tennessee could restructure a deal with guaranteed signing bonus money at the risk of what would amount into a front loaded guaranteed deal upwards of $40 million. In other words that isn’t happening as it would restrict the Titans cap flexibility over the upcoming years.

In summarizing, there are no real bad guys in this situation, its just business for both sides. Johnson is at the peak of his career and deserves a new deal after outplaying his rookie contract. As we have already discussed, the short life of a RB in the NFL has been well chronicled. Johnson knows that this is his opportunity to cash in before things could change in the future. The Titans know that no matter what Johnson does, they still have under contract for another two year and could possibly franchise him for a third. They also know the history of RBs with the type of work load that Johnson has had in his first few years could eventually wear him down. Of course they would love their best player in camp to start the transition from the Jeff Fisher/Vince Young era and to give new QB Matt Hasselbeck the ultimate weapon but due to the league’s salary limitations, they are hamstrung on making a significant offer to Johnson that wouldn’t hinder there future cap space. This one has the makings of a doozy but eventually one side will have to cave and more than likely it will be Johnson. He still has two years left on his contract and can’t do much besides sit out the whole season, which would be detrimental to him as well as he would lose his free-agent accrual by one year.









I predict a deal will get done by the end of pre-season and Johnson will be available by the first regular season game. I just can’t fathom Johnson sitting out an entire season of football. He and the Titans will get a deal done but each day he misses only will make things worse in Nashville. The Titans run the risk of alienating Johnson to the point of no return i.e. Carson Palmer and the Bengals. Stay tuned as the saga is sure to grip all of Titans nation for the rest of the summer.



Palmer has vowed to never play again for the Bengals.





Kenny Britt gets arressted...... again

Well, Kenny you really have done it this time. While the entire sports world was busy wondering what’s wrong with Lebron, Britt was busy getting busted for the second time this year. Police in New Jersey say he was charged with resisting arrest after officers suspected he was carrying marijuana and tried to handcuff him in a New Jersey car wash this past Wednesday. This latest event came the day after he appeared in court for another resisting arrest traffic charge. This is what NFL coaches were afraid would happen with certain players as the lockout continues. Britt is becoming a head case following in the footsteps of former Titans greatest head case of them all, Adam “Pac Man” Jones. Jones pattern of behavior seemed more sinister than Britt’s, but he is developing his own recurring pattern that does not bode well for a guy the Titans thought was verge of becoming a star.

Britt’s first arrest was bad enough as he was ticketed for speeding, driving his Porsche 71 mph in a 55 mph zone and to top things off, he led authorities on a high speed chase. Stupidity like this makes you question how smart of an individual is this guy in the first place. This arrest came the day after a court appearance and you mean to tell me he is just casually walking around smoking weed? Come on Kenny you have got to do better. Britt has had several police involved incidents including being arrested last year for outstanding traffic tickets and was accused of not paying a bail bond he helped a friend secure and an alleged scuffle at a local Nashville night club. If I'm in Tennessee's front office I won't this guy as far as possible away from New Jersey because that where it seems Britt tends to lose his mind.

I remember seeing Britt’s record breaking performance against the Philadelphia Eagles last season when he caught 7 passes for 225 yards and saying to myself “This guy is going to be a beast”. He was the receiver the Titans have been missing in their offense since they came to Tennessee. Britt along with newly drafted QB Jake Locker and Chris Johnson were suppose to be the pillars of the offense for future of the Titans, but now Britt may be in limbo. Nashville, for all my readers who have never been here, is a small woven country community. Nashville is not use to having a scandal ridden athlete although we did get a crash course in that department thanks to Pac Man Jones.The local city media doesn’t have a lot to talk about other than its country music stars so when an athlete gives them a chance to get an exclusive for being arrested, it’s going to be major news here. If you don’t believe me just ask my old pal Vince Young.

Britt has to get his act together. While all the other Titan players have kept their nose clean during the lockout, Britt has become a head ache for the new coaching staff.New Head Coach Mike Munchak was quoted as saying Unfortunately, he’s had a few things that’ve come up for him in the offseason,” That’s something we’ll deal with when he comes in.” In other words that means that some type of discipline is coming Britt’s way as soon as the labor strife between the players and owners is over. Britt is an amazing talent this has the potential to become one of the better receivers in all of football. He has made bad decisions which we all have before so no one can judge him. But when you’re in the enviable position of being a highly paid athlete, you have to set yourself to higher standards. Britt is only 22 years old and obviously has some growing up to do but he better do it fast. I have a feeling the commish is going to chime in on Mr. Britt summer adventures as well.



Editors Note: There will be no Sportaholic Radio Show this weekend, as I will be traveling out of town to catch up with some family. Since I won't be able to able to post this weekend, I was interested in having someone come in and do some guest blogging for me. If your interested, shoot me an e-mail or drop a comment and we can work something out. Everyone have a nice and peaceful weekend.

Meet Jake Locker: The Anti-Vince Young

It was only 5 years ago that a highly touted QB from Texas was selected by Tennessee with the third pick in the 2006 NFL draft. At the time, the writing was on the wall for starter Steve McNair (RIP). Injuries and age began to curtail one of the toughest QBs ever. The heir apparent to the Titans QB throne was the scintillating Vince Young. Young was coming off an epic MVP performance in the National Championship/Rose Bowl game that saw him grow into a folk legend in Texas. Young just went bonkers on USC going off for 467 total yards including 19 rushes for 200 yards and went 30 of 40 for 267 yards thru the air. His Rose bowl performance was the icing on cake to one of the greatest college careers ever. Young was 2nd to Reggie Bush in the Heisman trophy voting his senior year and had set numerous NCAA records as he jumped early to the NFL. Titans owner Bud Adams with his Texas ties was captivated by the potential he saw and hand selected Young to replace what most would say was the best Titans QB ever.

As a result of his heroic season and career at the University of Texas, Young was seen as a revolutionary at his position of QB. Never before had the NFL seen such a hybrid mix of athleticism and throwing ability. NFL execs questioned his mechanics but a most thought he would eventually develop into an all-pro in the league someday. Young’s rookie season proved his pundits wrong as he would go on to win Rookie of the Year. Young set the NFL record for rushing yards by a QB finishing with 552 yards and would be named to his 1st Pro Bowl.

Young’s career with the Titans from that point would be considered up and down at best. To illustrate Young’s high and lows take a look at the chart below:

• He was benched for the first exhibition game in 2007 by Head Coach Jeff Fisher after he broke one of the team rules.

• Young led the Titans to a 10-6 record in 2007 and to their first playoff appearance since 2004

• In the first game of the 2008 season Young would injury his knee and refuse to go back into the game after being booed by the home crowd at LP field

• The on field incident would lead to a suicidal episode that Young denies but according to his mother was somewhat true.

• Kerry Collins would be named the starter for the remainder of the 2008 season and he led the Titans to a 13-3 record and the AFC divisional round in the playoffs.

• Young would reclaim his starting job in 2009 after the Titans started a dismal 0-6.

• He led a stunning comeback against the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals that cemented his status as the starting QB.

• He started the 2010 season with a 103.1 QB rating through 7 games, second only to Michael Vick.

• In week 11 of 2010 Young was booed again against the Washington Redskins for under performing and would injure his thumb on a throw, resulting in a season ending torn flexor tendon. Young became visibly upset with the coaching staff and trainers after they would not allow him to re-enter the game

• Young would respond by: antagonizing the crowd, throwing his helmet and shoulder pads into the stands, walking past reporters and brushing off a teammate who tried to talk to him before he left the stadium.

• Young would also storm out of the locker room during Jeff Fisher’s post-game speech, reportedly saying he was quitting on Fisher.

The last chapter of events effectively ended the Vince Young experience in Tennessee. The franchise has said it will depart with the 3rd pick of the 2006 draft after and it also fired head coach Jeff Fisher. Young and Fisher never were on the same page and it’s a shame because the relationship never reached a level of trust for either. The two were intertwined even if they didn’t like each other and their mistrust and miscommunication led to both being ousted in Tennessee. Young always seemed to lack accountability, consistency, and the leadership skills needed to succeed in the NFL. By the end of his term with Tennessee, most had labeled him a thin-skinned, injury prone, disinterested, and unstable player. What a turnaround in opinions from when Young was first drafted.





Now enter Jake Locker and newly minted head coach Mike Munchak. Just as Fisher and Young will be forever connected, so will Locker and Munchak. The Titans were said to be enamored with former Washington Huskies’ QB and took him with the eighth pick of the 2011 NFL draft. Locker was the projected top pick in 2010 had he skipped his senior season at Washington. Locker was the most polarizing player in the 2011 NFL draft. His draft stock plummeted his senior year due his regression in passing accuracy. His completion percentage dove from 58.2% as a junior to a disappointing 55.4% as a senior. He had a miserable performance on the national stage against the Nebraska Cornhuskers going 4 of 20 in the blowout loss. Locker would recover from the lackluster performance and lead the Huskies to the Holliday Bowl.

As Locker prepared for the draft, opinions on his NFL potential varied from extremely good to extremely bad. He spent most of pre-draft process working with ex-NFL QB Ken O’Brien on his mechanics and throwing motion. Many questioned his physical reckless abandon style of play as many of his highlights were him running over DBs instead throwing touchdown passes to receivers. Locker was often injured because of his style of play but it also gave him the label of being tough, a word that never associated with Young. And as much as critics criticized Locker’s mechanics and accuracy, most marveled at the intangibles he brought to his team. The one thing that can not be measured at the combine is what makes a player tick on the inside. Former coaches and teammates all raved at the leadership and resiliency that Locker played with. Again these are two things that were never associated with Young. Locker mental make-up seems to be what GM Mike Reinfeldt and Coach Mike Munchak liked best about him.

Furthermore, it seems Tennessee wanted to distance itself away from the Vince Young era as much as possible. The franchise wants to do it so bad that they drafted the exact opposite person in terms of mental construction. Locker in many ways is the anti-Young .He symbolizes everything that Young wasn’t as a tough, hardworking, and leader of men. Young is a great athlete there is no denying that but as it has been proven in the NFL, it takes more than that to cut it as a QB. Young was a celebrated star at Texas who compiled a record of 30-2 and won a national championship. Locker went through a 0-12 season and his teams never contended for the Pac-10 title much less a national title. The more you compare the two, the more you see differences in each other. Locker did not have the success of Young in college but that isn’t such a bad thing all things considered. It might actually turn out to be good that Locker had to face adversity as he will surely face plenty of it in the NFL.

One thing is clear here, the Titans needed a clean slate to start off a new era of Tennessee football. They needed to get someone who was in no shape, form, or fashion what they were trying to get away from. For everything that Young was, Locker appears not to be. Both men are supremely talented athletes but that seems to be the only things they have in common. The Titans took a gamble on guy that they trust to lead the franchise for the future. They may have reached in taking Locker at eight in the draft but they have set the course for a change in philosophy and culture within the locker room. No more VY or Jeff Fisher to blame as the scapegoat. This will be a different team that will hopefully reflect its tenacious former offensive linemen coach Munchak and the toughness and assiduous of its new QB in Locker.

In closing, I believe the Titans selected Locker with the reason of him being the exact antithetical person Young was. The Titans now have a person of strong character that won’t t be distracted every time he is booed or needs to go on suicidal watch after a bad game. Young and Locker’s physical attributes are similar but mentally these two couldn’t be further opposite from one another and that’s exactly what the Titans front-office had in mind. To all Titans fans, meet your future starting QB Jake Locker, the anti-Vince Young.

Vince Young said what on ESPN?

So VY sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Marceullus Wiley attempting to set the record straight about his demise with the Tennessee Titans. From the words coming out of Young’s mouth, you would think this guy was one of the greatest QBs of all time. Here are some of the ludicrous excerpts of the conversation:




Young said he felt he and Fisher had a great relationship but didn't get along with different personalities



As for Adams choosing Fisher over Young, the quarterback said he didn't have the slightest idea why.

"Definitely I am a starting quarterback, an elite quarterback in the NFL. I want to go ahead and start. But like it always is, the coaches have the last word

"It goes back to communication. Our chemistry should've been a little bit better ... That's why the season kind of finished like it was," Young said.

That loud noise you heard was the entire state of Tennessee’s jaws dropping at one time. What the hell is he talking about? I don’t even know to begin on start on this one. Elite QB? He had a great relationship with Jeff Fisher? Obviously he is doing some damage control here as he prepares to go to his next team, but come on Vince, your not pulling the wool over anyone with those comments. When was the last time an NFL team allowed an “elite QB” to walk? Could you imagine Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers or any other real “elite” QBs going through the things Young did in Tennessee? Thanks didn’t think so. If VY thinks that he and Fisher had a great relationship then he is just down right delusional. Hell, Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren shake their heads at the Fisher and Young relationship.

And lastly, this communication thing he speaks of. This is coming from a guy who texted, not called Jeff Fisher two days after their sideline confrontation. You would think he would have had the common decency to give his boss a call after he cursed him out and stormed out the locker room. Communication you say? How about having the entire city of Nashville on lookout for him after he reportedly left his house with a gun and in a suicidal state after not telling anyone where he was going. This guy I tell you has issues. He will get another shot somewhere in the NFL because of the nature of recycled QBs. Will he ever get the elevator to the top in his head is another question. I supported Young every since his Texas days but those memories are out of sight and out mind these days. The interview was like a smack to my intelligence. I get the sense that Young still thinks the NFL is that easy. He never made mention of changing his work ethic or his ways through out the interview. He never showed any sense of humility after being basically let go by the team and owner that had the faith to draft him 3rd despite all of the knocks he had coming out of college.

Hope you land in a good place with a solid foundation VY because you will need it.

Vince Young done in Tennessee

So Bud Adams has made his decision and it is that Vince Young is out in Tennessee. Everyone knew that either Young or Coach Jeff Fisher were not going to be back next year after their fiasco this season. Not the most stunning news but it is mildly surprising. Young was hand picked by the Titans owner to take over the franchise after the Steve McNair era. Adams had been hot on Young’s trail every since he rose to stardom as a high school star at Houston’s Madison high school. Adams being a Houston native was able to see the potential in Young as he demolished several Texas high school records. Every since Adams and Young met they seemed to have a bond between each other. After Young sensational college career, where he set multiple University of Texas records and led them to a national championship in his final year, Young was selected with the 3rd pick by Tennessee in the 2006 draft.

Young would have his ups and downs from the beginning of his tenure with Tennessee. He would have a breakout rookie season that saw him go 8-5 after being inserted as the starter by the request of owner Bud Adams. Young showed a flair for the dramatics and won over Titan fans with his three fourth quarter comebacks including one against arch rival Indianapolis. He would set an NFL record by rushing for 552 yards and was named Offensive rookie of the year.

Everyone expected a big jump from Young in 2007 after his great rookie campaign. Young would put up decent numbers finishing the season with 2,459 yards with 9 touchdowns but he also seemed to regress as he threw 17 interceptions. He would still go on to lead Tennessee to the playoffs for his first time and was named to pro bowl again after a Phillip Rivers injury.



2008 was the season where things begin shaky for Young. In the first game of the season, Young was under performing against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The fans let him know about it as they showered him and the Titans with boos, something Young was not use to. Young’s rough day included only throwing for 110 yards and being intercepted twice. Young was slow to head back into the game. Once Young did reluctantly get back into the game he sprained his knee two plays later and was on crutches after the game. This would be the first incident between Young and Jeff Fisher. Fisher was noticeably angry that Young did not wasn’t to go back into the game. Fisher would name Kerry Collins as the starter for the rest of year due to Young’s unenthusiastic response. Young would also be subject to a suicidal incident that led to an all out search for his whereabouts in Nashville. He was reported as dismayed when he left his home according to his mother and he was also noted as having a gun. Fisher and Young’s mother notified the police who found Young. Young stated that he was fine and the situation was way overblown. Collins would lead the team to a 13-3 record and a first round bye in the playoffs. The season would end in the divisional round with a lost to Baltimore however.

The 2009 campaign saw Young relegated to the sidelines at the beginning of the season. The Titans however begin the season a dismal 0-6 and thus prompting owner Bud Adams to once again request Young’s services. Even as Adams urged Fisher to make the change and Fisher obliged he stated that “I'm still in Kerry Collins' corner because I don't believe that our record is a reflection of the quarterback play," Fisher said. "It's a reflection of the team play. I'm still in his corner, but we've decided to go ahead and make this change." Young would prove Fisher wrong as he would go on to lead the Titans to eight victories in ten tries. He led a stunning comeback against the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals that saw him at his best. He capped a 99-yard drive at the end of the game with a game winning pass to Kenny Britt. It was the first game I remember thinking this guy is on to something as he was poised and threw the deep ball better than I could ever remember seeing from him. Young again would make the Pro Bowl as a replacement for Phillip Rivers yet again.

Coming into this season, it was supposed to be the coming of age for Young as he finally had taken the starting QB job back from Kerry Collins and had a full off season to solidify his standing with the team. He had put to bed the rumors of his childish acts and selfish mentality. Young showed in the preseason a new more dedicated work ethic and it proved to be working at the beginning of the season. Young looked comfortable in the pocket and his throwing as well as he ever has as a pro.

The Titans reflected from Young’s new found confidence and would start hot going 5-2. Young was enjoying his best statistical year as he had a QB rating of 103.1 at that junction of the season trailing only Michael Vick for the highest rating.

Everything changed for Young, Fisher and the Titans when the Washington Redskins came to town in week 9. The Titans were not playing the most inspired football and the fans again let them know about it. Young seemed to take exception. He began to wave his hands up and down to antagonize the crowd in Nashville, something you never do. Young was enjoying a decent game until he was injured making a throw. Young would try to tough it out and re-enter the game but trainers and Coach Jeff Fisher would not let him. Young self-destructed after the teams decision. His list of incidents after include: throwing his helmet and shoulder pads into the stands, walking past reporters and brushing off a teammate who tired to talk to him before he left the stadium and mumbling words at Jeff Fisher during his post-game speech. Young would also storm out of the locker room before Fisher was finished delivering his rant and Fisher reportedly stated that he was quitting on his team. Young responded back by saying that he wasn’t quitting on them but he was quitting on Fisher.

This was later stated by Fisher “I am very disappointed. I think his teammates are disappointed,” Fisher said. “You know, there is going to be frustration in losses. There is going to be times when you have to dig deep and fight and turn to one another. I don’t think you run, and so I am disappointed

In my opinion that was the straw that broke the camel’s back in Nashville. Not only was Young immature and childish in response to good decision by fisher and the training staff not to put him back in the game but he also sullied his reputation with the fans. There were already rumors about his mental fortitude after his previous meltdowns. Some said that in the locker room teammates preferred Kerry Collins to start as well. Coach Jeff Fisher seemed to never be in Young’s corner from the very beginning. He tried to suffice with Young on many occasion to soothe owner Bud Adams’s prized possession. But in the end neither man could stand each other’s presence. Young seemed to always think Fisher was against him and was never able to gain his coaches confidence. Both are to blame for the relationship not working. Fisher went out of his way to say that even if Young was not injured, he would not be his starting quarterback anymore, which I can understand due to his antics. What I will never understand between Fisher and Young is their lack of communication. Young didn’t even speak to Fisher about the incident until a few days later and resorted to sending him a text message to apologize. Fisher stated that a man would have spoken to him face to face to offer an apology which I agree to but again did he have to make that statement publicly?

In the end this was a relationship doomed to fail. Young was sort of a diva and thought he would have his own rules as he did everywhere else he played. Fisher is an old school guy who treats everyone the same until they earn the respect of him and the team. Bud Adams fostered Young and also splintered the relationship of Young and Fisher. It’s a shame that it couldn’t work out. It is surprising that Adams choose Young over Fisher as Young was suppose to be Adams protégé.As for Young, I’m sure he will land on his feet. There is always a team looking for a QB. The Young and Fisher saga has sadly played its last note in Music City.

So what do you guys think Vince Young's legacy will be remembered as in Tennessee?

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 Turmoil

The Vince Young and Jeff Fisher saga is getting as messy as the ending of a bad Hollywood relationship. Coach Jeff Fisher reportedly told Young not to attend a team meeting being held yesterday. Initially the Tennessean reported, citing unidentified sources that Young was in the training room Monday when he was asked to leave the facility by the quarterbacks coach and told he wasn’t wanted in the building after what happened Sunday. The newspaper said Young left without incident. The story was later refuted by Fisher on his radio show but he did confirm that he sent an assistant coach to inform Young that he was not to attend the team meeting. Fisher also said that he hasn’t spoken with Young since he stormed out of the locker room after Sunday’s game. Bud Adams stated that the two will just have to work it out and the story will blow over after a few days. Adams also went on to say that he wants Young to be in the team’s plan in the future. “It is one of those things that happened” Adams said but I think he is underestimating just how bad the rift between Young and Fisher is.

So you have your quarterback who acted out like a high school freshman throwing a temper tantrum after not getting to play when trainers and the coach clearly didn’t think he was healthy enough to play. A coach who seems to never really been fond of his supposedly franchise QB, and doesn’t sound interested to talk to him either after their confrontation. And lastly an owner who thinks the two guys just need to sit down and sing Cum-bi-ya together and everything will go away. This is what makes this situation so defective. All three involved in this stand off have different views of the situation. Young believes he was slighted by Fisher and acted selfishly and immature in the aftermath, Fisher, who would rather have anyone else start at this point than Young and wants to wash his hands of him completely and the disillusioned owner in Adams who doesn’t want to play sides with the two but seems to really have an affection for Young no matter what he does.

This is a toxic mix of motives and ideas. I just don’t see a resolution in this other than one of the two being exited from the organization. The writing is on the wall for Young or Fisher. The two don’t seem to be able to co-exist in a productive manner. You know it’s bad when you have Randy Moss playing the peacemaker on the sidelines. Neither trusts the other and no other position on the field needs trust more than the QB to the coach. Look at the most successful franchises over the last decade in New England with Brady and Belicheck and Indianapolis with Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy in the beginning and now with Jim Caldwell. Could you imagine either one of those teams going through this kind of chaos? Me either. It goes without saying that the QB and the coach have to be on the same page in order for the entire team to be successful, and New England and Indianapolis prove that. When you look at the relationship Fisher had with the late Steve McNair, you can clearly the trust was there and that led to great things as the Titans had there greatest seasons in that era.

In summarizing, this is a story that is not going anywhere anytime soon. It has dominated national news and we’re not even going to speak about the way its being covered by the local media here in Nashville. This has become a fire storm of a topic. I can’t dodge it myself, as every time I talk sports to my friends and family it is all they want to talk about. It may die down in importance as the season wears on but one thing is for sure in my mind. Either Vince Young or Jeff Fisher will be gone after this season. Bud Adams will ultimately have to make that unsavory decision and it will be a tough one but its one that has to be made. Who would you rather see leave Nashville: Fisher or Young?

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 11

In what was yet another tumultuous week of games in the NFL, week 11 turned out to be one of the more normal weeks in the season. All of my top five teams won and most of them won handedly My top team, the New York Jets, however narrowly escaped defeat again, almost blowing a 16-point lead to Houston (The Texans have to be the worst finishing team in the league). New England and Indianapolis renewed their rivalry featuring the greatest QBs of our generation. Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay put an emphatic nail in Brett Favre and Minnesota, and effectively ended the Brad Childress era. San Diego is on its annual second half tear, now winning their last three games after blowing out the Broncos on Monday night (Do the Chargers get some type of super powers in the second half on the season?). Michael Vick wasn’t what he was against Washington but Philly was still able to defeat the other Manning and Giants, making it officially a bad day in the Manning family.




Now last week I said that I wouldn’t let one team leap frog another team ahead of it unless it was a loss and a very valid reason. And with that being said, I have a new # 1 on the list. Even though the Jets didn’t lose, I have my reasons that will be explained. So with that let’s jump into the rankings:

1. New England Patriots (8-2) – There is no denying this team. You can talk about the golden boy Tom Brady all you want but for me it’s all of their other parts. At the top of that list is little Danny Woodhead. This guy looks like a kid running around with men but is still able to be an effective weapon in their offense. He was the key component in the Pats victory over Indy. In one sequence Woodhead scored on a 36-yard burst showing his speed and agility. On the ensuing kickoff after the score, Woodhead came and swooped in making an exceptional tackle. That’s the kind of effort and commitment every football coach wants to see from their players. The Pats offense without Randy Moss, are now also utilzing their tight ends to their advantage with rookies Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski catching touchdown passes in nine of the Pats 10 games. It sounds like a broken record as I say every week but as long as they have Tom Brady, who by the way was 19/25 for 186 yards and 2 TDs, and the hoodie, then they will have a chance to win Super Bowls.

2. New York Jets (8-2) – The Cardiac Jets survived their latest scare, this week from Houston. They almost blew a 16-point lead as I stated above but like they always do they pulled out the win with some late game heroics. It’s hard to really know what this team is at this point. In the great words of Bill Parcells “You are what your records says you are” and if that’s the case with the Jets they are a good football team. The thing is that you can’t keep playing with fate this way. I usually don’t like to put a team higher than the team I had ahead of them but because of the Jets inability to play up their potential on a week in and week out basis, I have to drop them a slot. I can say that Mark Sanchez is showing a lot of grit in pulling off these late game comebacks and Santonio Holmes is proving why the Jets took the risk on him. Firemen Ed will have a heart attack if they continue to play these close games.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (7-3) – Mike Vick came back down to earth, after his record breaking and awe-inspiring performance against the Skins, but Philly was still able to handle the Giants. The Giants did get to Vick, with Justin Tuck sacking him three times and Vick being hit another five times behind the line. That can’t possibly be healthy for an already banged up Vick. If Philly wants to make it the Super Bowl, than number 7 has to stay clean.

4. Green Bay Packers (7-3) – I bet when Aaron Rodgers finally had some time to himself and digest the beat down he and the Packers put on the Vikings, he had to think that felt good. He beat the man who he replaced in Lambeau lore, the man who never was that fond of him, the man who many said shoes he would never be able to fill and the man who spanked the Packers twice last year in Brett Favre. The Packers are for real with a mean defense that features two of the best at their position in Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews (They have allowed 10 points in the last three games) and a high-flying offense with Rodgers leading. The former Cal QB has a 75 percent completion rate with seven TDs and no interceptions in his last two games. Green Bay was picked by a lot of experts at the beginning of the season to be a Super Bowl contender and they appear now ready to ascend to that level.

5. Atlanta Falcons (8-2) – Just another nothing to see here performance by the Falcons. They aren’t the most exciting team to watch but they know how to win games. Matt “Matty Ice” Ryan is finally back in his rookie form that saw him win rookie of the year honors. Michael “Burner” Turner also is playing like his former self as he ran all over the Rams to the tune of 131 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons will continue to march on to the playoffs and have a favorable schedule along the way. New Orleans will still have something to say about the division title though.

Other news and notables:

Vince the Villain: The way things played out for Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans begs the question: Will Young be back next year in a Titans uniform? From all indications if it was Coach Jeff Fisher’s decision he would not, but it’s not Fisher’s call. Bud “Bottom Line” Adams stated that two will just have to work out their differences but how can they at this point?



If you haven’t heard by now, Fisher did not put Young back into the game after he sustained an injury to his thumb on his throwing hand. Young looked intended on going back into the game as he was throwing passes to Randy Moss on the sidelines. Fisher stated that Young’s passes were loose and off-target, so he stayed with rookie Rusty Smith. Young was visibly upset and in the locker room after the game Young muttered words as Fisher addressed the team after their lost. Young apparently was leaving as Fisher spoke as well, and Fisher told him not to quit on his team, this being reported by Titans insider Jim Wyatt, Young said he wasn’t quitting on them but he was quitting on Fisher.



Now when you add that with the report that Young was egging on the crowd to boo and also tossing his shoulder pads and helmet into the crowd, how can this type of damage be repaired? Young definitely acted immature and childish. He takes things way to personally to be a professional athlete. You have to say that some things come with territory when you’re a highly paid and publicized figure in this world. The Boos will come sometime but you have to be a professional. I can understand being angry for not getting back into the game, but to induce the crowd and to toss your equipment in the stands is just uncalled for.



Fisher deserves some blame in this fiasco as well. His body language and actions have always showed that he doesn’t really like Young. Remember it was Bud Adams who told Fisher to put Young back in the lineup when the Titans started 0-6 last year. It was Fisher who took Young out when the Titans were getting manhandled by the Steelers earlier this year. You just get the feeling that at the end of this year, especially with the way Fisher was talking in his press conference yesterday, that one of these two men will be gone. Bud Adams seems to have this illusion that Young still will blossom into the game-changing QB that he was in Texas, but how many people believe Young will ever become more than he is? Adams will have to make a decision to either axe the longest tenured coach in the league or get rid of his hand-picked hometown QB who he has invested a lot of money and effort in. Fisher may make it easy by just walking if Adams doesn’t want to let go of Young. It almost seems as a good thing that Young was hurt and won’t be able to play the rest of this season. We will see how this play out in the off season.

The champs are back: Don’t look now but the New Orleans Saints are back marching again. After starting the season in Super Bowl hangover fashion, the Saints looked to have found their groove again. Drew Brees was 29 of 42 for 382 yards and broke Archie Manning’s (Told you it was a bad day to be a Manning) team record with his 1,850 completion. As bad as New Orleans started out of the gates, they are now just one game behind NFC South leader Atlanta. Watch out Falcons.

The epic showdown between the Sheriff and the Golden Boy: These two guys just deserve each other This is just good stuff for us fans The last six times these two have faced each other, the combined margin of victory is just 22 points. They will be known as the best quarterbacks of their generation with Manning’s 4 MVP and 1 Super Bowl and Brady’s 3 Super Bowl titles. Each year the NFL makes sure to schedule these two teams because of the sheer brilliance that is on display when they face off. Brady had the better numbers in this one but Manning was still Manning and despite making some unmanning like mistakes, still had his team close to a victory. The pick at the end soured an otherwise good game for Manning but he shouldn’t be throwing the ball 52 times like he did anyway. These two will meet again next for year for sure and maybe in the playoffs. When ever you get a chance to see these two match-up make sure you’re tuned in because you are watching greatness vs. greatness.