Arizona Victory Overshadowed By Devastating Injury To Vikings’ Henderson

The Arizona Cardinals took the Minnesota Vikings to task and handed them only their second loss of the season on Sunday night, picking Favre off twice and holding Adrian “Mr. All Day” Peterson to a total of 19 yards all night in route to a 30-17 victory.

But Kurt Warner outplaying Brett Favre was not the main storyline of the evening.

That came just past the midway point in the fourth quarter, when Vikings defenders Jamarca Sanford and E.J. Henderson collided while pursuing Arizona’s Tim Hightower, ending in a disastrous result.

As Sanford closed for a tackle, Hightower sidestepped him to the right, which caused Sanford’s dive to miss completely. Pursuing Hightower from behind was Henderson.

Sanford didn’t miss him.

Instead, he hit him high on the left leg, causing what appeared to be a severe knee injury when watching the play at full speed. When watching the replay, however, it turned out to be much, much worse.

All of us old enough to remember Joe Theismann’s playing days probably reacted in much the same way: First came the wince, then the statement, “that wasn’t his knee, that was his frigging FEMUR!” followed by the statement, “He is done. No more football in his future.”

Vikings’ head coach Brad Childress indicated that the injury was severe enough to warrant surgery, and indeed Henderson stayed overnight in Phoenix to have the surgery performed. This season, at least, is finished. I don’t care who you are, you aren’t coming back from an injury of that sort for at least a year, if ever.

All our hearts and prayers, I am sure, go out to E.J. and his family. The impact of the Vikings loss of a key defensive player is minimal in comparison to the long road back that Henderson and his family face.

Good luck and Godspeed, E.J.; we are all pulling for you.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

AFC Playoffs: Does Anyone BESIDES Indy Want In?

What a mess.

With a convincing win over the previously hopeful but now realistically hopeless Tennessee Titans on Sunday night, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts served notice that they are ready to get to the postseason and make a run for the Super Bowl.

Other than that, however, it is beginning to look like no one else cares to be there.

The next closest team to the Colts is, Lord help us, the 9-3 Cincinnati Bengals, who didn’t exactly have a major challenge this week against the beat-up Detroit Lions. But the Bengals can’t back down; not only are they in a fight with San Diego for a first round bye in the playoffs, but they have to at least manage a tie in their division to take the title.

Yes, they swept everyone in their division this year, but with Minnesota, San Diego, and the potentially dangerous Jets remaining on their schedule, the Bengals have to make sure they take care of Kansas City in case they slip up, lose one or two, and cost themselves a bye.

After the Bengals come the Broncos. While they pummelled the Chiefs on Sunday, they also had a spat of four straight losses earlier this season…one of those to Washington.

Yes, the Redskins. THAT Washington.

Of the four games the Broncos have remaining, they not only have to take on the red-hot Colts, but also Oakland, who stole one from the Steelers this week, as well as a rematch against the Chiefs in the final game of the season.

Can anyone say spoiler?

No one really knows what the heck is up in New England. Tom Brady has not, to the dismay of his legions of fans everywhere, returned to form after a season-ending knee injury last year, and Bill Belichick seems to have lost his mojo.

Some of the play-calling this year has been highly suspect, and the old excuse that “he’s always done it that way,” is beginning to wear thin.

Key to this turn of events is the Patriots loss to the Dolphins in a game that had serious division standings implications; Miami is now only one game back of the Pats, and with two road games left, New England runs the risk of dropping out of the race late.

San Diego can’t rest easy either; Denver is breathing down their necks for the division title. If San Diego drops back to the pack, then all bets are off.

Tennessee had an outside chance to slip in unnoticed. Unfortunately, they had to face the Colts in Indianapolis, and Manning quickly let the air out of the sails they had set for an extended season.

And can someone please tell me what in the world is going on in Pittsburgh? If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

Polamalu is in, then he’s out. Then in again, then out again. The defense has been, accordingly, smothering, lackluster, dominant, and run-of-the-mill. The defense has also been responsible in large part for the Steelers’ late-game losses, allowing teams to score at the last possible moment by giving up big plays, or worse, stupid penalties.

Ben Roethlisberger either has a concussion, or doesn’t have a concussion, but his play has not been what we have come to expect fom him late in football games. The “Comeback Kid” needs to come back and start playing again.

I’ve sold insurance in my life, so I understand how hard it can be to close sometimes. What is happening in Steel Town, however, is ridiculous. Have they forgotten that a football game is four 15-minute quarters?

And will someone please tell Hines Ward to keep the dirty laundry in the laundry room, please? We all know you are the toughest guy in football, Hines; no need to call anyone else out because you were dumb enough to lie about a concussion and risk permanent brain damage.

Um, wait a minute…

Anyway, here’s what it all boils down to: We have one team in the AFC that has separated itself from the pack and earned a playoff spot.

We have two teams that appear to be separating, but are within a game or two of losing their spot.

We have supposed top-notch teams not only losing, but losing late to teams that they have no business losing to at this point in the season.

In other words, the AFC playoff picture is as clear as mud soup.

All of the “if the season ended today” talk is pointless, not only because it is a moot point (the season isn’t ending today, it ends on Jan. 3, so enough of that, please), but because every week, every seed except the top seed stands a chance of changing hands.

Not counting the division champions, who automatically get a playoff berth and one of the top four seeds, there are eight teams—count ’em, eight —fighting for two spots.

There are five weeks left in the season, four games for some and five for others, and the schedule plays out so that even the 5-7 Titans and the 5-7 Texans stand a chance of making the playoff race.

Division leaders and so-called “elite” teams, listen up: If you wanna play in January, you’d better start playing now . Because there are teams behind you that want your spot, and teams with no shot at all that would like nothing more than to be the ones who sent you home.

If ever there was a time to be ready for some football, it is now.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Late Game Trickery Too Little Too Late; Titans Fall To 5-7

While it lasted, it was a wonderful pipe dream.

But with a 27-17 loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, the Tennessee Titans learned a valuable lesson in reality: all the electrifying play in the world means nothing if you can’t come up big in critical games.

Not that any one particular person was to blame; Vince Young threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns—admittedly, one was a late-game strike that didn’t amount to much in the grand scheme of things—and while he didn’t have a break-away run that has defined his play of late, Chris Johnson still ran the ball for 113 yards, giving him seven straight games of 100 yards or better rushing and keeping the possibility of breaking Eric Dickerson’s record alive, if only marginally.

Peyton Manning was held to less than 300 yards passing with only one touchdown, and Joseph Addai and Co. were kept under 100 yards on the ground.

Still, the Titans team that took the field against Indianapolis was not the same team we have enjoyed watching for the last month.

On offense they looked slack; Young did not seem to be on the same page with his receiving corps, frequently throwing out routes when the receiver ran an in route, or throwing long when the receiver pulled up short (or, in the case of his one interception, vice versa).

Even when he was on the same page, his receivers let him down with a dropped pass, such as the long strike to Nate Washington that could have scored six if Washington wasn’t so apparently intent on showing Titans fans why he was the No. 3 receiver in Pittsburgh last year.

Even Ahmard Hall got in on the action, fumbling at mid-field just when the Titans looked like they were pulling it together to go on a scoring run.

On defense it wasn’t that they gave up any really huge plays; a few big ones, maybe, but what really hurt them was all the little plays. The underneath routes that allowed Manning and the Colts to pick up critical third downs; the runs that looked to be stopped in the backfield that instead turned into positive gains; the late game drive that ate up over half of the remaining time and put the Titans in a virtual no-win situation.

Not to mention the two failed fourth down attempts in the red zone that might have made a significant difference in the outcome. Red zone drives should end in points every time; the fact that Fisher and Co. felt it necessary to go for it not once, but twice, on fourth down kept six points off of the board, six points that could have made a difference in play-calling later in the game.

A recovered onside kick late in the fourth quarter went for naught; with no time outs and time quickly slipping away, the Titans failed to convert on fourth-and-10, leaving the Colts two kneeldowns away from ending the game. 

Alas, the loss realistically means an end to the Titans post season aspirations; they may still be mathematically alive, but with so many teams in front of them, their best bet at making the Super Bowl is to buy their tickets now.

Of course, the Colts win, coupled with an overtime victory by the New Orleans Saints, keeps the possibility of an undefeated Super Bowl alive. We all know that once the Colts lock up the top seed, they are likely to shut it down and allow their starters to rest and recover for the playoffs; until then, though, it sure is nice to dream about it.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Titans-Colts: Vince Young, Chris Johnson and Co. Face True Test of Skill

Over the last five weeks we have all watched with amazement as the Tennessee Titans, fueled by the re-emergence of Vince Young and the seemingly unstoppable Chris Johnson, have reeled off five straight victories after opening the season 0-6.

During that stretch, their competition consisted of two teams that beat them earlier in the season—Jacksonville and Houston—the somewhat inept Buffalo Bills, the surprisingly stout San Fransisco 49ers, and the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.

Despite close scores in the last two games, they really didn’t struggle too much against any of them.

But this week is different. This week, they face the inter-division rival Indianapolis Colts in Indy.

The undefeated Colts.

Needless to say, this game is huge for the Titans. Not only do they need the win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but the Colts wil be the truest test yet of whether Vince Young and Chris Johnson are what we think they are, to steal a phrase. As evidenced by their undefeated record, Indy is no push-over.

Peyton Manning is the type of quarterback who can hurt you quickly; it could be that no matter how well Young and Johnson play, their defense wil let them down; though their play has improved of late, the Titans’ secondary hasn’t exactly faced off with Hall of Fame-bound competition.

Not to take anything away from these guys—after all, they were skilled enough to make it to the NFL—but the names David Gerrard, Trent Edwards, Alex Smith, Matt Schaub, and Matt Leinart don’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of defensive backs throughout the NFL.

Manning, on the other hand, has accomplished enough in his career to schedule his Hall of Fame jacket fitting.

Indianapolis’s defensive unit isn’t populated by slouches either; along with ranking third in total points allowed, the group boasts 26 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and 13 interceptions, two of which they have returned for touchdowns.

The group also includes names like Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, and Bob Sanders, all names that deserve the utmost respect for their ability.

Couple the stiff competition with the fact that Tennessee is on the road, and what you have is a season-maker, or a season-breaker.

Win, and the Titans not only make the AFC wildcard race that much tighter, but they justify the accolades that Young, Johnson, and others have pulled in over the last month.

Lose, and not only are post season hopes a pipe dream, but Young’s ability to win the really critical games, his supposed maturity, his growth as a professional quarterback, will be called into question.

With Indy playing to earn the top spot in the post season, and Tennessee fighting just to get in, neither team has the luxury of playing this one close to the vest.

The question is, will the combination of Young and Johnson prove to be as effective against a team that looks destined to go all the way as it has against lesser talent?

Or will their detractors be proven correct, and will their play show that they are nothing more than slightly above-average players when faced with top-notch competition?

One thing is for certain if they lose; Vince Young will have an opportunity to show just how much he’s grown and matured over the last year.

So even if the Titans lose the game, Vince Young could walk out with a huge win in proving that he is finally ready to be a professional quarterback.

I’m just guessing, but I would bet money that Young and the Titans would rather have the “W”.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Titan’s Chris Johnson Has Some BIG Stockings To Fill This Christmas

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is undeniably having a phenomenal year. In fact, he’s on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s long-standing record for rushing yards in a season.

With five games left on the schedule—against teams Johnson has the ability to run roughshod—the chances are better than average that he’ll be crowned the new rushing king.

And he deserves it. With unmatched speed, he’s as nimble as any running back the NFL has seen since Barry Sanders, reaching full speed before you can say “boo,” and he’s not bad between the tackles either.

However, he hasn’t achieved these admittedly amazing results alone. He’s been helped out big time this year.

And when I say big , I mean BIG.

The Titans’ offensive line deserves a gargantuan amount of credit for Johnson’s success (credit to fellow bleacher creature Andy Rarick, who as a Vikings fan was brave enough to acknowledge Johnson’s superior season in another article.) While the downfield blocking from wide receivers Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and Justin Gage (before he broke his back) has facilitated his record number of 50-plus yard touchdown runs this season, Johnson would have gone nowhere fast this year were it not for the unheralded efforts of the Titans’ hogs.

Kevin Mawae, Michael Roos, Eugene Amano, Jake Scott, and David Stewart have given Johnson the room he needs to do his thing, meaning Johnson’s been spared from big hits up the middle this season.

It’s hard for a defensive counterpart to make a tackle when they’re sitting on their duff watching Johnson fly by at warp speed—all in the while looking for some syrup to go with the pancake he just received.

And it hasn’t just been up the middle where the big fellas have been helpful. Roos and Mawae, in particular, have been able to get to the edge on pull blocks, not giving defenders a chance to make a play.

Also, let’s not forget Ahmad Hall. On the rare occasions when there has been someone in the Grand Canyon-sized holes opened by the offensive line, Hall has stepped in and made short work of linebackers or blitzing defensive backs to allow Johnson to turn on the afterburners and fly.

Football is, after all, a team game. No one man can take the field and expect to do anything without the help and support of his teammates, and Johnson’s season has been indictive of that teamwork. Without the blocking provided by his teammates, he would be just another run-of-the-mill halfback with a lot of speed, but nowhere to run.

The Titans’ offensive line—and Ahmad Hall—should have a pretty Merry Christmas this holiday season.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Chris Johnson Versus Adrian Peterson: Why Is This Even an Issue?

Quite a bit of talk is bandied about nowadays as to who is the better running back: Is it Adrian Peterson, the Vikings‘ powerhouse who wows crowds and worries defenders with his ability to hit the hole hard and gain yards after contact?

Or is it Chris Johnson, the fleet-of-foot phenom running for Tennessee who makes otherwise fast defensive backs look like they aren’t even trying to catch him?

How does one decide?

We will, of course, have our favorites.

Titans‘ fans insist that there is no other back like Johnson, and they are justified in holding that opinion. His speed is otherworldly, he hits “gone” in about two steps, and he isn’t even beginning to show signs of late-season fatigue.

Peterson, on the other hand, is a bruiser. While he can turn a fair rate of speed, he has the ability to find and hit the seam in the middle, burst through, and gain yardage he has no business gaining. At the goal line, the Vikings hand him the ball with confidence that he can score, evidenced by his 12 rushing touchdowns this year.

Now, I’m no dummy; I know full well that there are statisticians out there with much more ability, time, and access than I have who can refute the argument I am about to make at will. And that’s the fun of running the numbers: Someone always shows up with something else to consider just when you think the job is done.

So, without any further ado, and no more gilding of the lily, let’s begin, shall we?

 

Total Rushing Yards

This one is a no-brainer. Johnson leads all backs in the NFL with 1,396 yards on the ground. In fact, Peterson is not even in the top two in rushing yards; Steven Jackson of St. Louis has 36 more yards that Peterson, coming in at 1,120 to Adrian’s 1,084.

Edge—Johnson

 

Average Yards Per Game

I know what you’re thinking: “Why didn’t you just include this in the last stat?” Because Johnson has started one more game than Peterson, that’s why. All things being equal, that should give Peterson an advantage in this category, right?

But all things are not equal. Peterson still played in all 11 games so far, and once again Johnson wins this one running away, so to speak. Averaging 126.9 yards per contest, he far outpaces Peterson’s 98.5 yards per effort.

Edge—Johnson

 

Yards Per Carry

Okay, you might be saying, “What about Adrian Peterson’s ability to gain yards after contact? This has got to be one in his favor, doesn’t it?”

Alas, you would be wrong. While Peterson is averaging a very respectable 4.7 yards per rush, Johnson bests him with a 6.4 yard average. For those not picking up on it, that means Johnson has done more work with fewer carries than Peterson; 13 fewer carries, to be exact.

Again, all things being equal, if Johnson had those other 13 carries (which he doesn’t need, but just for fun lets look at the numbers), and was able to maintain the 6.4 yard average, then he would be sitting on nearly 1,500 yards. If that were so, would there be any doubt of his ability to break Dickerson’s record?

Don’t think so.

Edge—Johnson

 

Total Yards from Scrimmage

Both Peterson and Johnson are versatile backs; that is, if need be they can catch a pass and run with it, albeit typically out of a screen, so they are effectively just starting their runs from the flat instead of the backfield. So how do our two superstars fare here?

Peterson has 27 receptions for 233 yards, with his longest one being 44 yards. That’s an average of 8.6 yards per catch. Not too shabby for a running back.

But hang on a minute. Johnson has 33 receptions for 294 yards, including a 69-yard completion that went for a touchdown.

In the same game, he had a second rushing touchdown of more than 50 yards.

More on that next. But for now…

Oh, by the way, that’s an average of 8.9 yards per catch.

Edge—Johnson

 

Total Touchdowns

Why total touchdowns? Because we just got finished talking about how both backs are versatile enough to contribute in the passing game, that’s why. Got to count those touchdowns in the comparison.

Peterson leads the way in this category; his 12 rushing touchdowns best Johnson’s 10, with nine rushing and one receiving.

This is a tricky comparison, though; Johnson is not a goal line back. LenDale White gets the call in goal-to-go situations because he is built to slam into the middle and push the pile. Not quite as well as he did before coming off the tequila, mind you, but he still has two touchdowns in goal line rushes that would bring Johnson’s total to 12, equaling Peterson. 

Another factor that must be looked at here is how and where the touchdowns occurred. Johnson has five touchdowns from scrimmage of better than 50 yards each.

Peterson? He has one.

Against the Browns.

I know, right?

Johnson also has a receiving touchdown, while Peterson has none. With Brett Favre slinging the rock, you’d think this would be the other way around. Alas, it isn’t.

Edge—Johnson (you thought I was going to go by pure numbers there, didn’t you?)

 

100-Yard Games

Another seemingly easy category. Johnson has racked up seven 100-yard games, including six straight over the last six weeks. These seven include a 197-yard effort against the Texans and a 128-yard effort against New England, both of which were losing efforts for the Titans.

What makes this special is that Johnson was able to rack up solid yards even when his team was losing, sometimes badly. In two of the six games Tennessee lost and Johnson didn’t gain 100 yards, he managed to gain more than 80 yards in each.

Adrian Peterson, meanwhile, has quietly gone about his job on a winning team; all throughout the season he has been steady, with only three games of less than 80 yards, and three games of 100 yards or more rushing against such stalwart opponents as Cleveland and Detroit.

I’ll give him kudos for his 147-yard performance against the Baltimore Ravens, but it loses a little luster when you realize that Minnesota played Detroit twice, and he only managed to gain 100 yards in one of those games.

Once again, I know, right?

Edge—seriously, you don’t know?

 

Fumbles

Had to throw this one in here, because it is a critical component of being a good running back. If you can’t hold onto the ball, you can’t run with it, plain and simple.

In 213 carries Johnson has managed to hold onto the ball 212 times. Peterson, however, has put the rock on the ground six times, although was fortunate enough to recover once.

One fumble lost versus five fumbles lost. Which way do YOU think I’m going to go with it?

Edge—you got it: Johnson

 

Team Importance

Ah, here we go; the wonderful question of the intangible contribution to the team.

Vikings fans, I am sure, are quite ready with the argument that the Vikings are 10-1 and just about have their playoff bid locked up, while the lowly Titans aren’t even above .500, and may not make the playoffs even if they do happen to run the table.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but here goes: If all things were equal this might be a valid argument. But all things are not equal.

Adrian Peterson is fortunate enough to have Brett Favre under center. Favre is playing like a man possessed right now, looking like a young kid fresh out of the draft, and Peterson is a direct beneficiary of that.

Johnson, on the other hand, plays for the “lowly” Titans, and dealt with six weeks of an under-performing Kerry Collins before the return of Vince Young. Even then he was outrunning defenders and showcasing his talent on a team that seemed bereft of much ability at all, a la Barry Sanders when everyone around him seemed to just be standing around watching.

Now, I am not necessarily discrediting Young, but as my colleague Dave Stanley points out, the situation is reversed in Nashville.

Johnson’s performance has played a large part in the current success of the Titans and the resurgence of Vince Young, and in that vein, he is a much more critical component of his team that Peterson is.  

 

Verdict

So there you have it, folks. It should be a unanimous decision, and by my numbers it is. But I know better.

So, Adrian Peterson fans, bring your Kool-Aid and let me know where I erred (the Kool-Aid, in this case, is likely to be your favorite heart-warming adult beverage…it does get cold way up in Minnesota this time of year, after all).

This should be fun, eh?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

With Vince Young in the Limelight, Johnson Quietly Closing on Record

He dodges. He stutter-steps. He fakes left, then darts right.

And before you know it, Chris Johnson has eluded you, passed you like you are standing still, and scored. Sometimes from deep in his own territory.

So why isn’t he front-page news?

Because he plays on the same team as Vince Young, that’s why.

Young’s unbelievable resurgence in leading the Tennessee Titans on an unprecedented comeback from an 0-6 start is certainly newsworthy; not only did doubting football fans not expect him to be able to do it, but no one could have guessed the Titans would be one game back of contending—seriously contending—for a wildcard spot at this point.

Yet here they are, and Vince Young is rightfully basking in the glow of the limelight.

But he hasn’t shouldered the burden alone. Chris Johnson deserves at least some of the credit.

While the Titans were losing, he was the lone bright spot in a cloud of controversy. With two noteable exceptions against Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, Johnson rushed for right at or over 100 yards a game, averaging 99.3 yards per game for the first six weeks.

In his last five games, however, he has turned up the wick, picking up better than 130 yards in each contest and averaging—averaging —an astounding 160 yards per contest.

Unprecedented, to say the least. Record-setting at best.

For those of you counting, thats 6.5 yards every time he touches the ball. His closest competitor averages 4.7 yards a carry. Not shabby, but not enough.

Johnson also has three rushing touchdowns of over 85 yards, and six touchdowns overall of 50 yards or more, including a 69-yard reception. In one season.

In total yards, he is ahead of where Eric Dickerson was at this point in the season when the rushing record of 2,105 yards was set in 1984 (for the record, Johnson wasn’t even born then). He has also tied Dickerson and former Oiler great Earl Campbell as the only three players in history with six consecutive games with 125 yards or more. I would expect that record to fall next week against Indianapolis.

In fact, let’s go ahead and call that a record too; no other running back in the Super Bowl era has had five consecutive games at better than 130 yards per game, at least as far as I can find out.

Want another record? He is the only player in league history to have six consecutive games of 125 yards while averaging five yards or better per carry, besting the great Jim Brown by one. So far.

The only fly in the ointment is that Dickerson averaged 131.6 yards per game in his record-setting season; at the moment, Johnson is sitting at only 126.9 yards per game.

In order to take the title, he will need nearly 142 yards per game over the next five weeks, and that is just to tie the record, not break it.

However, with five games left on the schedule against defenses that rank no better than 12th against the run, this is not an unmanageable task. With defenses having to account for the scrambling abilities of Vince Young, Johnson should have lanes aplenty to run through.

And of course, there is his blazing speed to account for. A 4.2-second 40-yard-dash? Please. The only way you catch him is if he lets you.

All in all, the best thing that could happen to Johnson is for Vince Young to continue his success, at least for the next five weeks. With all the attention elsewhere, he is likely to slip under everyone’s radar and make off with Dickerson’s mantle.

Then we could have yet another Music City Miracle to go along with the first two, and possibly the one where Tennessee runs the table on the season and makes the playoffs.

Wouldn’t that be a season for the ages?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL’s Changes in Post-Concussion Treatment a “Headache” for Players

In Tennessee, Arizona Cardinals’ backup quarterback Matt Leinart faced off against a Tennessee Titans squad led by his college nemesis Vince Young, and lost.

In Baltimore, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Dennis Dixon, who had previously completed a grand total of one pass in the NFL, met “Joe Cool” Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens in primetime and lost.

Why is this an issue worthy of writing about, you ask?

Both Leinart and Dixon found out they were starting after Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger found out Saturday that they were scratched due to post-concussion symptoms that prevented them from playing.

Warner woke up Saturday morning with dizziness and fuzzy vision, and Roethlisberger was complaining about headaches. Once the coaching staffs of each team found out, it was over. Warner didn’t even dress; Big Ben was relegated to third-string emergency status.

Enter Leinart and Dixon, neither of which had any idea they would be starters, and therefore had no preparation for the games they were about to play in.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I am neither advocating that either starter should have been in the game, nor am I stating beyond a shadow of a doubt that the games would have ended any differently if they had. I am also not implying that Leinart or Dixon would have fared any better had they been given opportunity to get more reps in practice.

They are backups for a reason, after all.

What I am saying is this: the NFL’s increased—might I add long overdue—attention towards and impending changes to their treatment of players exhibiting post-concussion symptoms is something that teams are going to have to prepare better for.

There is nothing that can substitute for the speed and stress of a game, but getting time with the first team in practice is crucial to the game plan. In Dixon’s case, for example, Pittsburgh could have thrown in a few more wrinkles that would allow him to utilize his skill set better.

It also would have given him more opportunity to get his reads down, and he might not have thrown a pick to a big, slow, lumbering defensive end who dropped off in zone coverage in overtime.

In Leinart’s case, he could have used the week to get his timing down and might have been able to connect on more of his longer pass attempts.

But one thing is certain: the rest of the offense for both teams would have been prepared for the decision and any adjustments that needed to be made could have been handled in practice instead of the locker room just prior to the game. 

Concussions have long been a little-talked-about issue, the 500-pound gorilla in the living room that no one wanted to acknowledge. Players have played with their bells rung for years, and none of them thought twice about “shaking off the cobwebs” and getting back in the game.

But thanks to advances in technology, as well as a better understanding of the workings of the human brain, the issue isn’t quite as taboo as it once was. Players are monitored closely following concussions, and if they can’t pass the battery of post-concussion tests, they sit. Period.

The players don’t like it too much, but it looks like they are going to have to live with it. The onus is now on the coaches to ensure that when a player suffers a concussion in a game, they know and understand that there are going to be changes in how it is handled. Backups are going to have to be ready to go and coaching staffs are going to have to make sure they get the preparation necessary.

In short, everyone is going to have to suck it up and live with the changes.

Ironically, that’s just what the new treatment of concussions will allow them to do down the road.

Live with it.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

OMG! Vince Young Drives For 99, Tennessee Titans Win Fifth Straight

Chris Johnson had another 150+ yard effort in the matchup Sunday afternoon between the Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals, including an 85-yard rush for a touchdown in the second half.

But if you watched the same Titans game I did, then you’re probably thinking, “Big fat hairy deal; did you see that catch?!?!?”

The catch I am referring to, of course, is the game-winning catch reeled in by rookie wide receiver Kenny Britt. After starting on their own one-yard line, the Tennessee Titans, led by resurgent quarterback Vince Young, drove 90 yards to the Arizona nine-yard line. But with time running out and a touchdown needed to win, they looked to be facing their first loss in the last five games.

They had already had to convert on 4th-and-long twice in the drive, both times on laser-accurate passes by a surprisingly efficient “Pocket Vince.” In fact, Young had played well in the pocket all day; he really had no choice, seeing as the Cardinals had done a fabulous job of keeping him there the entire game.

Arizona had him there again, 4th-and-goal from the nine-yard line, with four seconds remaining in the game.

Then it happened.

For only the second time in the game, Young escaped the pocket, scrambled out, and then threw a high dart to the middle of the end zone.

Enter Kenny Britt. Elevating high above the five players surrounding him, Britt hauled in the pass, took a hit on the way down, and tucked the ball away securely to score the final touchdown of the game with no ticks left on the clock.

The stadium erupted, as it should have.

Britt’s reception to score the game winner was sweet redemption from the previous series. After catching a 53-yard bomb from Young, Britt was blindsided, fumbling the ball and appearing to put a dagger in the heart of the Titans hopes of a come-from-behind win.

But Vince Young and company would have none of it. After the defense gave them one more shot (no thanks to punt returner Kevin Kaesviharn, who seems to have developed an aversion to catching punts), the offense took over at the one-yard line. Playing like a seasoned pro, Young calmly stood in the pocket on the Titans 99-yard final drive and continued to prove to his detractors that he is more than just a scrambler.

He’s still young and he will still make mistakes from time to time, but with each passing game Young learns just a little bit more about what it means to be a professional quarterback.

His decision-making improves with each series. His accuracy is vastly improved. His pocket presence is beginning to take shape. The simple fact that defensive coordinators find it necessary to contain him there lends credence to his ability to gain yards with his legs.

And it would seem that keeping him inside might not be as detrimental as one might think; Young threw for 387 yards and a touchdown against Arizona Sunday.

With this win the Titans pull that much closer to pulling off the improbable, that being a 10-game streak to finish out the season and make the playoffs.

But with Chris Johnson running around like wildfire, and Vince Young continuing to step up his game, the improbable is beginning to look possible.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

With Four Straight and Counting: Titans Set Sights on Improbable Goal

If there’s one thing I know about football, it is this—the improbable occurs with striking regularity.

In both individual accomplishments and team achievements, improbable events pepper the NFL history books. Memory alone conjures up the 1972 Dolphins undefeated season, going 14-0 in the regular season then 3-0 in the post season, a record that still stands.

Or how about the Immaculate Reception, a play that John Madden disputes to this day, to give the Steelers a victory over the Oakland Raiders and send them to the 1972 AFC Championship?

Individual accomplishments, you say? Rocky Bleier comes to mind, the scrappy Steelers running back who fought back from injuries received in combat during the Vietnam War to become a starting running back in Pittsburgh, winning four Super Bowl Rings.

Or maybe you’re into recent events: How about Teddy Bruschi, the New England Patriots linebacker who suffered a stroke in 2005, only to return the next year and play until 2008? Or the erstwhile Detroit Lions, who did the seemingly impossible in losing all 16 of their games last year?

The point is, the improbable happens all the time.

So I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that the Titans aren’t out of the running for the post season just yet.

Considering that they are only two games out of the wildcard race with six games remaining, I’d go so far as to say they have a better than average shot at it.

It won’t be easy; their next two opponents are the defending NFC Champion Cardinals and the currently undefeated Colts—both teams that they have lost to more than they have beaten.

While Arizona may only be 7-3, they have a deadly combination in Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald that could cause considerable trouble for the Titans secondary.

As for the Colts, they have Peyton Manning.

In Indianapolis.

In prime time.

On Christmas.

Sheesh.

Indianapolis also leads their division and is looking to guarantee themselves a playoff spot. So are Arizona and San Diego.

As for the other three, Miami is still in the hunt, and at 5-5 they need every game, just like the Titans do. A loss to Tennessee would prove costly in the tie-breaker. And vice versa.

Seattle has seven losses; while 9-7 was good enough to make the playoffs last year, it took Arizona winning the division to do it. Seattle won’t be so lucky. But they can make plenty of noise as a spoiler.

We’ll leave St. Louis alone because it isn’t polite to speak ill of the dead.

All things considered, though, this is not an unmanageable task for the Titans. Herculean, maybe, but not impossible. Improbable, yes, but not out of the question.

They do still have Chris Johnson, arguably the best running back in the league. He is a threat to both run and catch the ball, and he shows no signs of slowing down a lick.

And as evidenced in the game against Houston, game-planning against him seems to have no effect on his ability to slip defenders and pick up big yards.

LenDale White can still shove it up the middle in goal line situations. Kenny Britt is developing into a stellar receiver. Bo Scaife is making himself known to defensive secondaries.

What else? Oh yeah—that Vince Young guy.

So far, Young has come out and improved every week, gaining more comfort in the pocket with each passing game, yet still able to swing outside and make defenses react to him being on the move. And when he does move, most times he makes it count.

On top of all that, four of Tennessee’s six games are at home in front of what is sure to be a friendly crowd for Vince Young and Company.

That is, as long as they keep winning.

But who knows? Stranger things have happened.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010