Open Letter to Steelers Kicker Jeff Reed: It’s TACKLE Football!

As if his off-field antics weren’t enough to warrant a speedy departure.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, after a slow start to the season, had rebounded nicely and were sitting on a 10-point lead over the undefeated Minnesota Vikings at Hienz Field Sunday, when troubled kicker Jeff Reed kicked the ball deep to Percy Harvin.

Then it happened.

Harvin found a seam and hit it hard, running towards the left sideline on what was looking to be a very good return. Reed was in perfect position to make it just that, a good return.

Instead, Reed did the unthinkable.

With Harvin in front of him, Reed sidestepped him, extended his arms, and executed a perfect playground shove, which did little more than get Harvin even further outside so that he could finish the return for the touchdown.

The kicker’s job, for those who don’t know, if that after he kicks the ball (which requires a herculean amount of skill and training), is to play safety; he is the last line of defense between a stop and a score.

If he isn’t going to actually dirty his uniform and tackle anyone, his job is to position himself in such a way as to turn the runner back inside where the rest of the special teams are, in hopes that someone with some intestinal fortitude will actually tackle him.

Even the announcers were flabbergasted.

All three called the play horrible.

All three called the play inexcusable.

All three couldn’t stop re-running the play, as if they thought that if they ran it again, it would not have actually happened.

On-field reporter Tony “the Goose” Siragusa acted like he wanted to walk down the Steelers sidelines and chew Reed a new one.

But it did. It did happen. Oh, how it happened.

Not surprisingly, Reed was shown later on the sidelines sitting starkly alone, which is better than he deserved. With one sissy move, he had swung the momentum away from the Steelers and back into the waiting arms of Brett Favre and the Vikings.

Yeah, I gave him heck for re-un-retiring, but Favre is still not the guy you want to give momentum to in the fourth quarter when trailing by less than a touchdown.

Fortunately for Reed, the Steelers defense was feeling it’s oats Sunday, and put a stop to the Vikings comeback hopes thanks to an 82-yard interception return with 1:15 left in the game.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the defense stepped up and saved Jeff Reed’s behind, and possibly his job, by cutting the Vikings’ comeback hopes short at the end of the fourth quarter.

There are plenty of kickers around the league who would jump at the chance to play for the Steelers.

Between missed kicks, miffed kickoffs, drunken escapades, and now this, Reed is on his way to costing the Steelers big time in a clutch situation later this season.

Coach Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers adminstrative staff need to look long and hard at whether they want to continue keeping the potential liability that Reed is on the sidelines; or jettison him for someone who has a bit more sense, a lot more composure, and actually understands that if you are the last guy betwen the kick returner and the goal line, you TACKLE HIM . 

Or at least slow him down a little bit so someone else can tackle him.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Open Letter to Steelers Kicker Jeff Reed: It’s TACKLE Football!

As if his off-field antics weren’t enough to warrant a speedy departure.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, after a slow start to the season, had rebounded nicely and were sitting on a 10-point lead over the undefeated Minnesota Vikings at Hienz Field Sunday, when troubled kicker Jeff Reed kicked the ball deep to Percy Harvin.

Then it happened.

Harvin found a seam and hit it hard, running towards the left sideline on what was looking to be a very good return. Reed was in perfect position to make it just that, a good return.

Instead, Reed did the unthinkable.

With Harvin in front of him, Reed sidestepped him, extended his arms, and executed a perfect playground shove, which did little more than get Harvin even further outside so that he could finish the return for the touchdown.

The kicker’s job, for those who don’t know, if that after he kicks the ball (which requires a herculean amount of skill and training), is to play safety; he is the last line of defense between a stop and a score.

If he isn’t going to actually dirty his uniform and tackle anyone, his job is to position himself in such a way as to turn the runner back inside where the rest of the special teams are, in hopes that someone with some intestinal fortitude will actually tackle him.

Even the announcers were flabbergasted.

All three called the play horrible.

All three called the play inexcusable.

All three couldn’t stop re-running the play, as if they thought that if they ran it again, it would not have actually happened.

On-field reporter Tony “the Goose” Siragusa acted like he wanted to walk down the Steelers sidelines and chew Reed a new one.

But it did. It did happen. Oh, how it happened.

Not surprisingly, Reed was shown later on the sidelines sitting starkly alone, which is better than he deserved. With one sissy move, he had swung the momentum away from the Steelers and back into the waiting arms of Brett Favre and the Vikings.

Yeah, I gave him heck for re-un-retiring, but Favre is still not the guy you want to give momentum to in the fourth quarter when trailing by less than a touchdown.

Fortunately for Reed, the Steelers defense was feeling it’s oats Sunday, and put a stop to the Vikings comeback hopes thanks to an 82-yard interception return with 1:15 left in the game.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the defense stepped up and saved Jeff Reed’s behind, and possibly his job, by cutting the Vikings’ comeback hopes short at the end of the fourth quarter.

There are plenty of kickers around the league who would jump at the chance to play for the Steelers.

Between missed kicks, miffed kickoffs, drunken escapades, and now this, Reed is on his way to costing the Steelers big time in a clutch situation later this season.

Coach Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers adminstrative staff need to look long and hard at whether they want to continue keeping the potential liability that Reed is on the sidelines; or jettison him for someone who has a bit more sense, a lot more composure, and actually understands that if you are the last guy betwen the kick returner and the goal line, you TACKLE HIM . 

Or at least slow him down a little bit so someone else can tackle him.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Jeff Fisher Told a Joke, Titans Fans and Players in a Tizzy: Get Over It

I have three words for Titans fans who are calling for coach Jeff Fisher’s head—and Titans players who act like he just kicked their dog—after a joke he made at a charity function Tuesday:

GET…OVER…YOURSELVES .

On Tuesday, following the Titans embarrassing 59-0 no-show of a game against the New England Patriots, Jeff Fisher appeared at a charity for Rocketown, and was introducing former Colts head coach Tony Dungy, widely held throughout the NFL as being one of the classiest, most respected, genuinely nicest guys around.

Fisher, dressed in a coat and tie, innocently asked the audience if they were as hot as he was. He was so hot, in fact, that he had to strip out of his coat, tie, and shirt, revealing—much to the delight of those in attendance—a No. 18 Peyton Manning jersey.

As he walked back up to the microphone he stated, “I just wanted to feel like a winner.”

Titans fans lost their minds.

How dare he make light of the situation in Nashville? Does he not have any respect for his team, his players, his town, the fans? Is he so smug that he thinks he is infallible, and everything he does is above reproach?

Is he not the least bit worried that making light of the serious situation in Nashville could cost him his job?

I say again…GET OVER YOURSELVES .

Titans players acted like someone had called them a bad name during PE. LenDale White was particularly emotional in his response, even going so far as to say that no one has quit on the team, and that if he found out about it, there would be trouble.

REALLY get over yourself, LenDale.

Keith Bulluck and Jevon Kearse both were noncommittal in their comments, with both of them looking as if they might break down at any moment.

“It is what it is” was Bulluck’s response. Is that the same way you feel about the performance you and the other 52 players put on last week, Keith? It is what it is, and let it be?

Jevon Kearse, if we will remember, was a healthy—A HEALTHY—scratch two weeks ago. Healthy players who are contributing to a team’s success do not get scratched from the roster. So maybe his view of things is a little skewed.

Fans have their knickers in a twist, talking about how insensitive it was, how he should have thought before he acted, blah blah blah. As if they think Fisher is not aware of what is happening in Nashville.

If ANYONE is hyper aware of what is going on, it is Fisher. He has NEVER in his coaching career been exposed to this type of thing, and no one seems to be able to give him an answer. Not the players, not the coaches, NO ONE.

Fact is, he made a joke. And it was damned funny at that. If the Titans players want to feel like winners, then they need to STEP UP and start playing football. Stop acting like the whole world is against you, stop acting like you don’t know how to play football, get out on the field and EARN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE ARE PAYING YOU .

Here’s a thought, Titans players: if you had done your job this season, then Coach Fisher wouldn’t have had any fodder for a joke, now, would he? If you had even won a single game, and lost the rest of them in close contests, then the joke would not have been so funny, and yes, so biting, would it?

But you haven’t. Instead you have played like a bunch of rank amateurs. The way you have played this year, you almost DESERVED the whipping you got in Foxboro. There has been more than enough time to adjust to the coaching change, and more than enough time for the DC and OC to get their heads straight and figure out how to put points on the board while keeping the other team from doing the same.

Fact is, NO ONE in Tennessee, including Coach Fisher, deserves to feel like a winner right now, because you AREN’T. Right now, with a couple of notable exceptions, you are all losers on the football field.

Period.

So if Coach Fisher wants to inject a little levity into a worthy cause, then so be it. If it ticks off a few players and makes them play harder, forces them to address their shortcomings on the field, then all the better.

If it goes the other way, and the players decide to “get even” by giving up, then all I have to say is, “Sticks and stones.”

We learned way back in kindergarten about that one. So grow up.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Tennessee Titans Achieve New Heights in Reaching All-Time Lows

From the look on his face, even Tom Brady couldn’t believe what was happening—and he was the one who was doing it.

Facing a Tennessee Titans defense that was short key players, staffed by rookies on the corners, and reeling due to its 180-degree turn from the dominating unit of a year ago, Brady led the New England Patriots to—for lack of a stronger term—a 59-0 victory against the Tennessee Titans in Foxboro Sunday afternoon.

Yes, you read that correctly. 59-0.

In conditions that should have leveled the playing field somewhat—thanks to global warming, it was snowing in New England…scratch that, it was a blizzard—the differences between these two teams could not have been scripted any further apart.

How bad was it? Well, at the risk of angrily smashing my keyboard as I recall the events of this afternoon, let’s compare, shall we?

Kerry Collins threw 12 passes. He completed two of them, one in each half. Nine of them were dropped by receivers, and seven of those hit the receiver right between the numbers.

If he can’t throw any more accurately than that, and make his receivers catch the ball, then I say give him the hook permanently.

By contrast, Tom Brady’s receivers, playing—gasp!—in the same weather, didn’t drop a single pass in the first half until 55 seconds remained on the game clock. In that half, the Patriots scored 45 points, with 35 of them coming in the second quarter. 

All of them passes.

That were caught because someone wasn’t where they were supposed to be.

Except one, which was actually a well-covered play, albeit man-to-man coverage of Randy Moss in the red zone by a rookie . Nice call, coach.

That’s five passing touchdowns in a quarter. Never been done before in the NFL.

Not even when the passing game was new, and defensive backs didn’t know how to cover receivers yet.

Brady finished his work early in the third quarter, going 29-for-34 and 380 yards, with six touchdowns. Did I mention that he threw five touchdowns in one quarter?

Brady also had a pass play go for over 40 yards, something he hasn’t accomplished since 2007. He was two yards short on a second touchdown; in fact, of his six touchdowns, four of them went for 28 yards or more.

Answer me this: Who here thinks it is good practice to allow Wes Walker or Randy Moss get wide open at the second level with Tom Brady throwing the ball?

The funniest part of every catch made by the Patriots was that after each catch, the Titans defensive backs—all of them —looked dumbfounded. They held their hands up, shrugged their shoulders, and looked around as if to say, “I don’t know what just happened. How did he catch that? Who was supposed to cover him? Why didn’t anyone help me?”

Pitiful.

New England’s rookie backup quarterback came into the game, completed 9-of-11 for 52 yards, and ran for a touchdown.

Vince Young threw two passes, one of which was an interception, and handed off the rest of the game. Then knelt down on the last play. Way to see what he can do for the organization.

Kerry Collins and Vince Young both threw an interception apiece, Young fumbled once and Collins fumbled twice. Add drops by Nate Washington, Ahmard Hall, and LenDale White—who was carted off the field shortly after the drop—and the Titans dropped the ball an astounding eight times, five of them resulting in turnovers.

New England didn’t cough it up once.

Tom Brady was within spitting distance of a perfect passer rating: 28-for-34, 380 yards, six touchdowns. Zero interceptions. 152.8 passer rating.

Tennessee had not one, but two quarterbacks with 0.0 ratings. Actually, that’s not entirely true: Collins somehow ended up with a 4.9 rating, but considering the fact that he had -7 yards passing, I think someone did the math wrong.

New England punted the ball one time in the game.

Tennesse’s punter had more punts than the Titans had passing yards. But even Reggie Hodges contributed to the mayhem, shanking a punt for 21 yards as the second quarter was winding down. 

Chris Johnson, for his part, did everything he could to keep hope alive. His 128 rushing yards was just three yards shy of Lawrence Maroney’s effort for New England. But even Johnson’s hard running wasn’t enough to stem the flow of blood.

I’m even glad that the Tivo stopped early, because I felt like I was gawking at a car accident with fatalities. There was carnage everywhere, wreckage littered the entire scene, and watching the events unfold made me feel green around the gills.

All in all, the Titans put on arguably one of the worst performances, on both sides of the ball, that the NFL has seen in a long time.

Largest margin of victory in the NFL since 1970, the year the AFL and NFL merged.

Most passing touchdowns by a single quarterback in a quarter since 1950.

Worst start by the Titans organization since 1984.

Most points scored by one team in a half since 2002.

 

Suffice it to say, the Titans have some questions that need answers over the next two weeks, and some of the answers could be far-reaching.

Who will be the starting quarterback when the Titans take the field next?

Will Chuck Cecil and/or Jeff Fisher have a job at the end of the year?

Will the Titans put feelers out into the free agent market or the trade arena to see if there are any veterans who can bolster their defense?

Are blackouts imminent in Nashville when the Titans play at home for the rest of the year?

These questions and more face the Titans players and staff when they return to Nashville. How they respond over the next two weeks will determine whether they turn it around, or whether Tennessee pulls a repeat of Detroit’s disastrous 2008 season.

I for one, know which way I am leaning right now. As my friend Chris Sharp jokingly (?) pointed out, the Titans are playing so badly at the moment, they face the bye week as seven-point underdogs.

Somewhere in Michigan, Lions fans are suddenly taking a keen interest in the Titans’ remaining schedule. An 0-fer for the Titans this year makes it not quite so lonely in Detroit.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Tennessee Titans’ Decimated Defense Gives Slim Hope Of Turning The Tide

Winless.

0-5. That’s a zero and a five. Cero y Cinco.

No matter how you say it, the Tennessee Titans are on the worst slide their franchise has seen in recent memory. Going back to the end of the 2008 season, Tennessee has lost seven straight, and things don’t look to get any better this week against the New England Patriots.

Not helping matters are the mounting injuries on the defensive side of the ball, a defense that is little more than a shell of last year’s dominant unit.

In five games this year the Titans have given up 1,900 yards of offense, over 1,500 of it through the air. Tennessee was three weeks further into the season last year before they allowed that mark to be eclipsed, and they didn’t give up a 300-yard passer—one of only two on the year—until Week Nine.

This year, the only quarterback not to go over 300 yards has been rookie Mark Sanchez. 

We won’t even begin to talk about points.

Tom Brady may not be back to full speed yet, but he has got to be chomping at the bit knowing what he will be facing in the upcoming contest.

The litany of injuries to the Titans defense is chilling; nine players are dinged up, with five of them starters. 

Starting cornerback Nick Harper, out with a broken arm.

Backup safety Vincent Fuller, doubtful with a bad forearm.

Starting cornerback Cortland Finnegan, questionable with a bad hamstring.

Starting defensive end Jevon Kearse, questionable with an injured foot.

Backup linebacker Colin Alred, questionable with a bum shoulder.

Starting safety Michael Griffin, questionable with a bad neck.

Starting defensive tackle Jason Jones, questionable with a bad shoulder.

Backup linebacker Stanford Keglar, questionable with a sore hamstring.

Only backup defensive end Jacob Ford and starting linebacker Stephen Tulloch, with  ankle and knee injuries respectively, are listed as probable, but the fact of the matter is they still are listed with the injuries.

Any more injuries to the linebacker corps and someone gets activated from the practice squad.

As it stands, Tom Brady and the Patriots will face two rookie cornerbacks, Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty, and may have safety Kevin Kaesviharn at free safety.

While Kaesviharn isn’t a rookie, his resume isn’t exactly rife with highlight reel moments and hall of fame numbers.

The only statistic that the Titans have been able to maintain from last year is their rush defense; they are currently ranked third in the league. However, this is small consolation facing a team that relies on the air game; the Titans are taking the league’s 31st-ranked pass defense into Foxboro to face the league’s sixth-ranked passing attack.

the Titans’ only true hope of getting off the ball, so to speak, is to put up big numbers offensively. They are ranked in the top ten in rushing, and while their 208 yards per game only ranks them 21st in passing, it matches them up well with New England’s pass defense.

But not so fast.

With the Titans’ postseason hopes realistically shot, there may be changes in their offensive makeup. While head coach Jeff Fisher has already stated that Young will be Kerry Collin’s backup this week, he has alluded to the fact that starting Young is not out of the question; if Collins struggles, don’t be surprised to see Young under center in the second half or sooner.

The Titans have shown they are capable of putting points on the board; they have also shown they are capable of holding teams to low numbers. They have also demonstrated a propensity for colossal blunders, either getting burned deep on defense or coughing up the football on offense.

Make a blunder against Tom Brady, and he will make you pay. 

However, Brady has displayed a penchant for hesitation this year, understandable considering the injury he is recovering from. If the Titans can muster enough gumption to pressure him, they might stand a chance.

If not, then they go into the bye week at 0-6, with questions as to how they will proceed with the rest of their season.

For Vince Young fans, a loss this Sunday will be the clarion call for Collins’ departure and Youngs reascension to the throne. While it is doubtful that a win will quiet them much, it will signal that Kerry Collins still has a grasp of things under center.

Either way, Collins or Young under center is not the question that realistically needs to be asked. What needs to be asked is just what the Titans intend to do to get their suffocating defense back. Defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil has had more than enough time to figure out what is wrong; now he needs to demonstrate he knows what to do to fix it.

Another poorly contested game on defense, and calls for his head are sure to begin echoing in Nashville.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Weekly Whip Around: Week Five Musings

What a catch.

A full 360-degree turn in the air, catching the ball halfway through the rotation, then falling into the end zone for what should have been called a touchdown.

The fact that the referee overturned it—incorrectly, in my opinion—did not diminish the spectacular-ness of the catch.

However, this was just one occurrence of many that served to make this weekend special. Well, as special as any other weekend in the fall; it is, after all, football season, and we are well into it by now.

And with that, I bring you this week’s installment of the whip around the league. There is something here for everyone, I am sure.

A little magic, a little razzle-dazzle, and as always, a thing or two to make you go, “What the #$%#?!?”

 

Albert Haynesworth Watch 2009

Well whaddya know: The big guy actually contributed a little this week, recovering a fumble in the opening minutes of the game that led to a Clinton Portis touchdown run.

Didn’t make much difference, because the winless Carolina Panthers were able to rally in the second half to get their first win of the season over the lackluster Washington Redskins.

I understand that Dan Snyder is none too happy with his team at the moment.

 

Tackling Fundamentals 101, Part One: The Tackle

When did tackling the ball become a valid method of bringing a ball carrier down? I don’t have the time, the inclination, or the space available here to start naming names, because I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out.

Just pick a team highlight reel and you will see it, because it was all over the league this week: defenders with their heads down trying to knock a ball carrier over with a poorly placed shoulder shot—poorly placed because they couldn’t see where it was going. 

Other offenders are guilty of trying to hit the ball with their helmet, completely foregoing any attempt to wrap the ball carrier up. Others look to be playing patty cakes with the ball carrier in a struggle to gain control of the ball.

But the worst offenders don’t even try to make contact: they try to swing around behind the ball carrier and swat at the ball as he runs past, with the typical result being that the ball carrier picks up additional yardage, occasionally scoring because the defender was more worried about a highlight reel play than good ol’ fundamental tackling.

What ever happened to squaring up on a runner, making him commit, then getting your head across his body, your shoulder pad in his kidney, and plowing him into the ground? When did that become taboo?

And what ever happened to proper pursuit angles?

 

Tackling Fundamentals 101 Part Two:

Things being what they are, when are ball carriers going to get back to proper ball carrying? When are they going to figure out that defenders have only one thing in mind—to knock the ball loose—and start carrying the ball accordingly?

At first I thought I was just being nit-picky. Then I counted.

Last week there were a total of 51 fumbles. Let me say that another way: FIFTY-ONE fumbles. It doesn’t matter how many of them resulted in turnovers, the ball was dropped by a ball handler 51 times!

If we consider for just a moment that this week was a typical week in the ball-handling department, then we can say that through week five there have been 255 fumbles. I can’t look, I’m afraid I might be right. Someone else do that research and get back to me please?

I thought this was professional football; did I miss something?

 

Quarterbacks Are Football Players, Too

Look, I know that quarterbacks can find themselves in “compromising” situations. It takes guts to stand back there and throw the ball knowing that there is a possibility of being plowed by a guy you never saw coming.

And I get it, I really do; diving at the quarterback’s knees is a dangerous move, and should be penalized.

BUT, when a defender just happens to brush the quarterback’s legs on the way down after being blocked, is obviously doing everything he can to avoid hitting the quarterback in the knees, and doesn’t even make the quarterback break stride as he flings a 30-yard pass downfield, calling a penalty is a bit much.

If we’re gonna play that way, just put them in a red jersey and let’s be done with it.

 

Attention, Chicago, Kyle Orton Was NOT Your Problem

Probably the most surprising team at 5-0 is the Denver Broncos, led by the quarterback that Chicago rejected. Now, I’m not saying that Kyle Orton is putting up Hall of Fame numbers, but he is coming up big in clutch situations.

He did so again this week, going the distance—and then some—against none other than Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, defeating them 20-17 in overtime.

Something tells me Denver isn’t missing Jay Cutler.

 

Bullies Don’t Win, and Winners Don’t Bully

Yeah, I know it sounds a little passe, but it applies.

The “bad boys” act coming out of Baltimore is getting old. Ray Lewis built his career around being recognized as the biggest, baddest, nothing-sticks-to-me linebacker in the game (for those of you who are quicker than others, yes, that was a reference to the shooting incident after the 2000 Super Bowl in Atlanta).

But nowadays the facade is wearing thin.

For the second week in a row, Baltimore has been penalized for plays that were nothing more than one guy trying to intimidate another, resulting in losses for the Ravens against Cincinnati this week and New England last week.

The shot against Chad “Ochocinco” in Sunday’s game smacked of nothing less than aggression for the sake of aggression.

Time to grow up, Ray. Lead by example, fine; just pick a different example.

 

Lesson Learned

When Mike Singletary took over in San Fransisco, he had a message for his players: no more showboating, no more individualism. They were a team, and they would play—and act—as such.

Dre Bly forgot the message, but he was reminded in a big way Sunday.

After picking off a Matt Ryan pass at the beginning of the third quarter, Bly did his best—or worst, depending on who you ask—Dieon Sanders impression as he jogged towards the end zone for what should have been a touchdown.

Wide receiver Roddy White had other plans, though, and caught Bly from behind, knocking the ball loose and taking the wind out of San Fransisco’s sails.

Bly got the message: in a press conference Monday, he apologized to his team, his coach, his fans, and I think even his mother.

 

It’s All Over But The Crying

At the conclusion of the week, four teams sat at 0-5, with an additional four teams at 1-4.

Buffalo, Cleveland, Tennessee, Oakland, Kansas City, Detroit, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis all saw any playoff hopes they may have had go up in smoke this week. For the winless teams the odds were bad enough last week: only 15 percent of teams that have started 0-4 have ever made the playoffs.

But 0-5? I don’t think anyone even thought to keep that statistic.

As for the 1-4 teams? Twelve wins is what the benchmark will be for the playoffs. Unless one of these erstwhile teams finds the mojo necessary to run off 11 straight, they are looking ahead to the draft next year.

 

Kings of the Mountain

On the flipside of the coin, five teams sit at 5-0 after week five. Well, almost: New Orleans was off this week, but with the way they are playing, expect that mark next week.

Barring a colossal meltdown, the Colts, Broncos, Vikings, Giants, and Saints all seem destined to make postseason appearances this year.

 

Changes “Afoot” in Pittsburgh

Under the tutelage of Bill Cowher, the Pittsburgh Steelers built a reputation as a smashmouth, run-first team. Under Mike Tomlin, things are a little different. They can still run the ball, but Ben Roethlisberger is the man in Pittsburgh.

Through five weeks he has nearly 1,500 yards passing, eight touchdowns, and a passer rating of 102.6.

Doubters beware; he’s only gonna get better.

 

He Really Needs to Straighten out His Priorities

Quite a bit of talk was to be had this week concerning Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer being on the sidelines a mere three days after his wife of over 25 years passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. 

It was such an emotional win for the Bengals that he was awarded a game ball after the victory, then gave a touching speech about how his wife loved everyone on the team, etc. etc.

Call me cynical, call me cold, but this is not a feel-good story to me. His wife…of 25 years…had just died…and he thought it prudent to be at the game. There was no word of there having been a funeral, no word of any memorial service, he just up and went to the game.

Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe I just don’t understand that to be a professional football coach, you must be selfish enough to put everyone and everything in your life second to football. 

If that’s the case, then I am glad I am not a professional football coach.

 

How Do You Spell Exciting? W-I-L-D-C-A-T

Call me crazy, but I think Miami is on to something with their Wildcat offense. Particularly now with Chad Henne under center. Jon Gruden summed it up nicely: I haven’t had so much fun watching a Monday Night game in a long time.

It took them a while, but it is beginning to look like the Dolphins have figured out how to make the Wildcat work in the NFL. They completely snowed the Jets defense Monday, to the point that Rex Ryan called their performance “embarrassing.”

Rex has never been one to mince words, mind you, but the Miami offense looked electric. Can they sustain that all season?

 

Honest, I Really DID have a 3.5 GPA in College!

This week’s indication that being a football player requires a bit of brawn and a bit of athleticism, but not, necessarily, a heavy dose of “common” sense: Seattle Seahawks’ fullback Owen Schmitt’s pregame routine of smashing his helmet into his bare, unprotected forehead resulted in a gash being opened on his skull, which made for some pretty gruesome highlight reel shots of his face covered in blood.

Not to worry, Owen; the concussion you sustained means you probably won’t remember much about the incident.

 

Monday Night Magic

Along with the emergence of the Wildcat as a potentially legitimate offensive scheme, Monday Night Football saw two rookie quarterbacks put on a show that is usually reserved for contests between much more seasoned quarterbacks.

Okay, Henne isn’t technically a rookie, but it was only his second start ever in the NFL, and he was drafted last year. Close enough for me.

Henne of the Dolphins and Sanchez of the Jets put on an epic show in Monday night’s contest, leading their respective teams to a combined 35 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Not the kind of thing you would expect out of two guys who are supposed to be adjusting to life in the big leagues.

 

And there you have it folks; another exciting week in the books. No doubt there were items of interest I missed, but I am, after all, relegated right now to watching the Titans implode, and must rely on highlight reels and interviews to pass judgement on the week’s events.

If I missed your favorite moment, please let me know.

Until next week, enjoy!!

 

 

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Vince Young Can’t Resuscitate the Titans, Tennessee Looking for Season’s Killer

Someone charge the paddles, stat. The Titans’ organization appears dead and in severe need of resuscitation.

But at least we have one question answered. Maybe.

Down 31-9 at the end of the fourth quarter, Vince Young finally entered the huddle for the Tennessee Titans and did very little.

He handed off a few times, ran for a first down, and almost threw two picks in three failed passing attempts as the Tennessee Titans ran their record to 0-5, effectively ending any hopes they may have harbored of making the post-season this year.

No word yet on whether this move will be permanent. But if the Titans go 0-6—or rather, when—against New England next week, it may as well be.

For all you Vince Young Kool-Aid drinkers out there, I don’t think I am being overly harsh and judgmental about your savior. This game may not be any indication of his ability to make this team competitive, but next week, or whenever he plays again, will tell the tale.

I’ve seen this storyline before, but I’m going to save that for another rant later: just too much to put in a recap of an awful game.

So enough about poor Vince; he’s just trying to make a buck, right? He is as much as canonized in Texas, so it is understandable that he would be a little confused, even ticked off, by the treatment he has received since throwing what amounted to a preschool tantrum last year and getting his butt benched.

What is really ailing the Titans, now that it appears they might (or might not) have figured out their quarterback problem?

It’s not the turnovers, although Alge Crumpler may need extra protection around town for a while. He keeps dropping balls and he is going to be persona non grata in Nashville.

It’s not the interceptions, although Collins is minus-one on touchdowns vs. interceptions this year (but if you count the one he ran in, and I do, he is dead even).

It’s not the running game, although Dash sure could use the Smash from last year. Maybe LenDale White should pack the weight back on.

Let’s look at the numbers again, shall we? I realize we have been over this before, but maybe, just maybe, if we go over it again, I can get you to see what I see.

Of course, that usually doesn’t work with my sometimes intractable teen-agers, either, but hey, you can’t fault a guy for trying.

Offensively, the Titans ranked 21st overall last year, with 176.2 ypg through the air and 137.4 ypg on the ground, putting them 27th and 7th respectively.

This year they are ranked 10th overall, with 221.5 ypg through the air and 137 ypg on the ground, ranking them 16th and 6th respectively.

I don’t know what math everyone else is using, but all of those numbers—with the exception of .4 yards rushing, so I’m not gonna split hairs—look like improvements over last year.

What about points, you say? Well, let’s look at those too.

Last year, the Titans averaged 23.4 points per game for the entire season. Through the first five weeks they averaged 23 points per game, this year a mere 16.8. So that must be the problem, right? Collins and Co. can’t punch it into the end zone!

Not so fast, partner.

Let’s look a little deeper. While the Titans obviously scored more points last year than this year, there is a glaring omission in the comparison: the points differential.

Last year the Titans scored 115 points through their first five games while holding their opponents to 56. That’s a positive differential of 59 points.

This year?

The Titans have scored 84 points, while their opponents have scored—are you ready for this?—139.

I’ll let that sink in for a minute.

Okay, have you caught your breath yet? Yes, that is a negative differential of 55 points, almost the exact number of points that they held opponents to last year.

Even more appalling, they have given up 83 more points this year than last year, almost the exact number of points they have scored themselves this year.

It’s almost eerie how it is working out, ain’t it?

This is not, I repeat, NOT a Kerry Collins problem. True, he has had receivers drop more passes than nearly every other quarterback in the league this year.

In fact, after the game against Indy, he probably leads all quarterbacks in the “receivers dropping perfect passes” department.

This is not a Chris Johnson problem. Young Mr. Johnson is showing no signs of a sophomore slump, even having such a stellar game against the Texans that his shoes from the game have been enshrined in Canton.

This is not a Mike Heimerdinger problem. Coach Dinger is the same guy who ran the offense during the Titans miracle season in 1999; he is the same guy who ran the offense last year when the Titans went 13-3 (only to leave the playoffs early partly due to an Alge Crumpler fumble—ahem—and unflappable Baltimore quarterback in Joe Flacco).

Hmmm…

You know where this is going. You all are smart enough to see it, but you are so enamored with the idea of Vince Young saving this organization you refuse to allow yourselves to admit it.

This is a defense problem.

Remember those numbers we went over a few paragraphs ago? Well, let me add some more for good measure.

In 2008, the Titans numbers were stellar: 293 yards per game overall, seventh in the NFL in total defense, 93.5 yards on the ground and 199.8 yards through the air per game. In 16 games last year they gave up 300+ yards passing only twice—once to Aaron Rodgers and once to Ben Roethlisberger—both in games that they won.

This year, four of the five quarterbacks they have faced have gone for over 300 yards.

Do I have to remind you of their record?

Yes, I know they had two rookie cornerbacks. They also had two veteran cornerbacks and two veteran safeties through the first three games this year.

Again, do I need to remind you of their record?

Last year, the Titans were ranked seventh overall on defense. This year they are a dismal 22nd, ranked just behind the Detroit Lions for yards given up per game.

The Lions have a ready excuse; they are the Detroit Lions, and lost all their games last year. No one expected them to do anything this year, so everything is a bonus.

Tennessee led the NFL with a record of 13-3, and should have gone to the AFC Championship, possibly the Super Bowl, had it not been for a terrible ball-handling game against Baltimore.

They have no excuse.

But, somewhat like my teen-agers, they are doing it anyways. They know and admit that it shouldn’t be happening, but they have no more answers than those asking the questions.

They put forth effort occasionally, and show flashes of their old selves every now and then, just as they did this week against Indianapolis.

But eventually something else takes their attention, they stop giving 100 percent, and the end result is a big fat F.

Vince Young is not the answer, although this might be the perfect time to put him in and see just how well he has learned to deal with adversity, because there is a season full of it ahead.

Even Coach Fisher knows this is all wrong. In the post-game interviews, he sounded more tired than he ever has. The fact that this season is obviously getting to him speaks volumes.

Is there any chance the Titans can lure Jim Schwartz back next year?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Weekly Whip Around: Week Four Lessons, Tidbits, and What The *^%$?

Well, another week of professional football is in the books, and like the first three weeks it did not disappoint. We learned a few things, had our eyes opened about a few things, and shook our heads on a regular basis.

All part-and-parcel of what is becoming one of the more memorable NFL seasons in recent memory.

The format has changed a little this week. I am combining another series, the Albert Haynesworth Watch 2009, into this series in the interest of brevity.

Also, instead of a litany of lessons learned, a combined list of lessons, interesting occurences and facts, and questions that tend make you go “what the…?!?” will all be provided here for your enjoyment. Some weeks will have more lessons than others, while other weeks, naturally, will have more questions.

And, of course, there will be some weeks—like this week—where points of interest, at least to me, will take center stage.

So, without further ado…enjoy!

Let’s start things off with a “bang,” shall we?

 

Albert Haynesworth Watch 2009

Apparently Big Al’s injured “glute” kept his production to a minimum. He didn’t show up on the stats sheet at all against Tampa Bay. Maybe he should have just sat this one out and rested. Of course, that would involve using the injured glute, but hey, he could always use a pillow. 

Boy, that $100 million is really looking like a bargain. Yesiree.

 

Quarterback most likely to be replaced before mid-season

Either Jason Campbell of the Redskins or (audience participation moment: insert your choice for quarterback here. Please remember to provide solid justification, or I will make fun of you in front of everyone). Seriously, folks, to “squeak” out a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as poorly as they are playing, is just ridiculous.

 

Worst 0-4 team of the week

The Tennessee Titans, without a doubt. In weeks one through three, one or two plays would have made the difference in a win or a loss. But to get utterly destroyed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, an interdivision rival, says a lot about the current character of this team.

The defense seems to have already given up, and the offense isn’t far behind. Johnson and Collins are doing what they can to keep it together, but one more loss and there will have to be wholesale changes on both sides of the ball.

And possibly on the sidelines.

In a funny little ironic twist, the Titans are running their “Code Blue” promotion this week for the home game against Indianapolis. Code Blue, for those of you who don’t know, is the hospital emergency code for an immediate response to an adult in need of resuscitation, usually from a heart attack.

How fitting.

 

Record most likely to never be broken

Brett Favre has now played against, and beaten, every team in the NFL.

Don’t see that happening again for a loooooong time, if ever.

 

Smartest rookie play of the week

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez had this to say about his performance against the high-flying New Orleans Saints: “If I have to take ownership of this loss, I’m willing to do that, because this team played well enough to win and it was my mistakes that cost us the game.”

Way to go, kid. You have already figured out how to deal with the fickle Jets press. Had you NOT owned up to “your” mistakes, then the ripping would have commenced.

Instead, you stepped up, took accountability—never mind that you were playing against Darren Sharper, arguably one of the best cover safeties in the league, or that your offensive line kept putting you in a position to make throws you otherwise wouldn’t have—and by doing so actually endeared yourself to the New York/New Jersey press.

 

Stupidest rule of the week

Some of you might think I’m going to pick on the roughing the passer ridiculousness. But you would be wrong.

Instead, I want to know what bonehead thought it would be jolly good fun to require that the only person on offense who could advance a fumble inside of two minutes is the person who fumbled the ball? Was this really an issue? Did we have an epidemic of players intentionally fumbling balls inside of two minutes in hopes that one of their teammates would be the first to pick it up and score?

Or is this just a case of them deciding we needed yet another rule to maintain the status quo?

 

Most unlikely division leader at 4-0

The Denver Broncos.

Kyle Orton was not supposed to be able to lead this team very far; his departure from Chicago was one of the happiest days in Chi-town since Barack Obama became president. He was supposed to be a total bust.

Instead, he has been surprisingly efficient, with nearly 1000 yards passing, five touchdowns, a 97.6 passer rating, and most importantly, no turnovers.

Not bad for the guy who was the reason for all Chicago’s problems. I’m partly hoping for a Chicago-Denver Super Bowl so the issue can be put to rest as to who the real problem child is…

 

Most unlikely division leader NOT at 4-0

All hail the San Fransico 49ers.

Who would have thought that this team would be so solid? Yes, they lost to Minnesota. So have the other three teams that went up against the Favre Factor this year.

But Mike Singletary has done something special in San Fran, something that needed to be done for a long time. He kicked the prima donna complex out of the organization. Even erstwhile draft pick Michael Crabtree seems to have gotten the message that holding your breath and throwing a tantrum until you get your way isn’t going to fly with this particular coach.

Shaun Hill is doing what he is asked to do under center, which is make smart plays and not turn the ball over. The injury to Frank Gore isn’t going to help, but the way this team operates, they will pick up the ball and charge on.

 

Most surprising performance of the week

Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker was out due to turf toe, forcing the Steelers to rely on second-year running back Rashard Mendenhall. Up until week four, he had gained all of 45 yards this season and had a career total of 113 yards. He also had Coach Mike Tomlin in his ear telling him he better straighten up or he was most likely going to be reiding the pine for a long, long time.

Apparently he got the message: Mendenhall ripped off 165 yards with two touchdowns on the ground, and threw in an additional 26 yards receiving as he helped lead the Steelers to victory against the nemisis San Diego Chargers. 

If the lesson sticks, look for Pittsburgh to be tough for the rest of the season, with or without Willie Parker.

 

If you can’t tackle, ’em, rob ’em

An “A” for effort goes out to Jacob Hester of the Chargers and Clay Matthews of the Packers, who stripped the ball away from Stefan Logan of Pittsburgh and Adrian Peterson of Minnesota, respectively. Unfortunately, these “heads up” plays weren’t enough, as both San Diego and Green Bay fell to their opponents.

 

Best move of the week

This is a toss-up between Hakeem Nicks of the Giants and Brandon Marshall of the Broncos.

Nicks took a short pass from Eli Manning that he turned into a 56-yard touchdown reception, thanks in part to his slamming on the brakes so hard at the two-yard line that he threw up rooster tails, and the defender pursuing him ran headlong past him out-of-bounds.

For his part, Marshall took a deep out from Kyle Orton, cut left into the middle of the field, then cut back to the outside and eluded five Cowboys defenders to score the game-winning touchdown for the Broncos.

 

And there you have it, folks. If things continue this way throughout the season, we are likely to see teams in the playoffs—deep in the playoffs—that haven’t been there since before the AFL and NFL merged.

I’m all for it.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Tennessee Titans at 0-4 Goodness Sake; Troubles Mounting, Need Answers Fast

(Author’s note: Kudos to my friend Richard Rogers for the title. I am no where NEAR that creative on my own.)

Uninspired.

Lackadaisical.

Confused.

Out of touch.

Unable to communicate.

Lost.

Deflated.

All of the above terms have been used in recent weeks to describe the mounting disaster coming out of Nashville, Tennessee. And all of them point to a central question:

What in the world is wrong with the Tennessee Titans?

The team with the best regular season record in 2008, the team that reeled off 10 straight wins to start the 2008 season, the team that boasted one of the top defenses in the league in 2008, sits at 0-4—staring 0-5 right in the face with the red-hot Indianapolis Colts coming to town next week—and no one can explain why.

Is it the coaching? Defensive Coordinator Chuck Cecil is in his first year at the position, but it’s not as if he is unfamiliar with a defense. He was, after all, one of the most feared defensive backs of his day, and until last year was the Titans’ defensive backs coach. 

And he is working with the same bunch of guys he had last year, with a couple of new faces mixed in, so he isn’t having to figure out who can do what.

Offensively, Mike Hiemerdinger is in round two with the Titans. It was coach Dinger that helped coach the Titans to their Super Bowl berth following the 1999 season, where the difference of one step was all the difference between a win and a loss.

Head Coach Jeff Fisher takes a lot of heat from fickle fans who need someone to blame. The same man who last year was hailed as a brilliant mind, one of the top coaches in the league, is now hearing calls for his head—changes must be made, fans say, and the best place to start is at the top.

I couldn’t agree more, actually, but I would go a level or two higher than Jeff Fisher to start making changes, if you catch my meaning. Coach Fisher is one of the top coaches in the NFL; it’s not his fault if they guys on the field don’t do their job, right?

Is it the defensive players? After all, they are the ones at the point of attack. If they don’t execute, then opponents score. But it isn’t as if they are getting blown off the ball.

Sure, they had their worst game against the rush playing Jacksonville, giving up 137 yards on the ground—it took six different players to accumulate that number, but they did so nonetheless.

However, even with the Jaguars topping 100 yards rushing, the Titans are still holding opposing teams to an average of less than 80 yards per game. 

Their passing defense is a different story: In three of their four contests, they have allowed opposing quarterbacks to eclipse 350 yards through the air. That’s got to be the problem, right?

Hang on a second. In two of those contests, the difference was a field goal. So it isn’t like they are giving up touchdowns every other pass. A lot of the yards come after crossing routes against a zone defense (although they have been beaten a few ties deep), and tackling, not necessarily pass coverage, seems to be at isue.

Jacksonville sure put a hurting on them, though, possibly taking advantage of the fact that the Titans are reeling from what is happening to them.

But then again, the players can only run the plays that are sent in, right?

Is there a quarterback controversy brewing that the Titans have somehow been able to keep under wraps? Coach Fisher publicly announced, yet again, after the Jaguars game, that Kerry Collins was their starter, and gave them the best chance to win.

Really, coach? The best chance?

A look at the numbers, oddly enough, seems to confirm this assertion. Although he is only averaging 228.5 total yards per game through the first four games, Collins is averaging almost 11 yards per pass, and he is dead even on touchdowns versus interceptions (yes, he ran one in, but I’m counting it anyways).

He needs to work on his release, though. A blind man could see when, and where, he is about to throw the ball. A little tweaking there might help bring the interceptions under control, and could bump up the other numbers.

Vince Young may have paid his dues in the eyes of his supporters, but Coach Fisher obviously thinks he still has a lot to learn.

Are the receivers slacking off? There sure do seem to be a lot of dropped passes. Nate Washington seems intent on showing everyone in Nashville why he was the No. 3 receiver in Pittsburgh, cutting routes wrong and dropping passes that should stick to his hands like Velcro.

But Justin Gage is doing okay, and Kenny Britt is showing that he has the potential for a long and illustrious career in the NFL, no matter who he plays for. Even Bo SCaife and an aging, but still capable, Algee Crumpler are hauling in bag passes at key moments.

They all, however, are dropping big passes at key moments, too.

Is it the running game? Well, all seems to be in order there. Chris Johnson is making defenses respect his ability. After a slow start against Pittsburgh, Johnson is a couple carries away from eclipsing 500 yards, averaging an astounding 6.2 yards per carry.

Yes, I know he had an unbelievable game against Houston. Fine. Take out that game and he is still averaging 4.3 yards a carry. Not too shabby.

But he only has 69 carries through four games. Not nearly enough for what he is able to produce.

LenDale White, on the other hand, has rather quickly become almost a non-factor in the offense. He has a flash every now and then, but overall he is not providing what he should to the running game.

What it boils down to is that the Titans have a whole lot of questions, but no answers to their problems. If they don’t find some quickly, they are looking at a massive fall from grace, and one of the longest seasons in their history.

I know football fans in general, and Nashville fans in particular. A more fickle bunch of fans only exists in New York, or more correctly, New Jersey, in the form of the athletic supporters who follow the Jets.

I haven’t checked, but I would bet that at least one local paper has raked Golden Boy Mark Sanchez, over the coals for daring to play like a rookie.

No one is being ripped too badly in Nashville yet, but I promise you the claws are being sharpened. If the Titans drop one more game, it’s going to be a free-for-all.

Figure it out, Titans, and figure it out soon. The fans are still with you so far, but disenchantment looms large on the horizon. A win next week against the Colts would go a long way in smoothing things over and getting back on track.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Titans-Jaguars: “Hopefully We Can Turn This Thing Around”

That’s how Titans running back Chris Johnson ended the line of questioning that asked him what he thought the team’s problems were and what it was going to take to get them back on track. 

Coming from the one guy on the Titans’ sideline who is doing everything he can to help his team succeed, the words above sound a little desperate.

Most of his answers were standard fodder for such an occasion: according to Chris, Tennessee is only one or two plays away from a 3-0 record, they just need to execute better, be more consistent, blah, blah, blah.

But at the end of the interview, he spoke what was really in his heart, revealing, intentionally or otherwise, the feeling of desperation and despair that is undoubtedly beginning to creep into the Titans locker room:

“Hopefully we can turn this thing around.”

Indeed.

But what will it take? What do the Titans have to do in order to get back on track and back to their winning ways of last year?

You are in luck, sports fan: I just happen to have a few ideas.

 

No. 1: Catch the Ball

The Titans spent big money in the off-season to acquire Nate Washington from the Pittsburgh Steelers, citing his experience and leadership as primary reasons for signing him.

The Titans apparently overlooked one very important point: experience does not always equate to top performance.

To be sure, Washington is a capable receiver. CAPABLE, but not necessarily top tier. True, he has a couple of Super Bowl rings; so does the 53rd player on any Super Bowl team roster.

Doesn’t mean he did anything much to help them acquire the ring.

Yes, I know it is a team game, but let’s be real here; would it make any sense to sign a player off the practice squad based solely on the fact that he was on a Super Bowl-winning team?

No, it doesn’t. And no, I am not comparing Washington to a practice squad guy who is probably thanking his lucky stars that he still has a shot at making the big time (at least, he still thinks he has a shot).

Simply put, Washington’s production has not solidified him amongst the upper echelon of NFL receivers. Particularly last week, he dropped way too many balls that a receiver of his supposed caliber and “experience” should be allowed.

Justin Gage has also let a few balls slip through his grasp, passes that should have been caught.

It doesn’t matter who is under center; if the receivers aren’t producing, then it may as well be me throwing the ball.

But Washington and Gage are not alone in the fumble-fingers department.

Two words for you: Ryan Mouton.

Enough said.

 

No. 2: Keep the OTHER team from catching the ball.

Okay folks, her is the crux of the issue. In two of their first three games, the Titans gave up more than 350 yards through the air.

They got beat deep nearly a dozen times, and when they weren’t getting beat deep they were playing a soft zone underneath and getting eaten alive.

This must stop, and it must stop NOW.

If Tennessee is going to have even an outside chance of making the postseason—heck, if they even want to break .500 this year—they need to fix their pass defense immediately.

Stop pointing fingers; Every team in the league runs some variant of the same plays, so everyone knows who is supposed to do what. 

The trick is to do your thing better than the other guy does his thing. And if you don’t, you don’t get to blame your teammates for not backing you up, or your coach for calling the wrong play.

If you want to coach, then take off the helmet and get your behind on the sidelines.

If you want to play, then shut up and play.

Are we listening, Nick Harper?

 

No. 3: Get the inside running game going

Okay, Chris Johnson is good….real good. But he isn’t capable of running in the middle with much effect. Normally, this would make a team’s running game one-dimensional, but the Titans are in luck. They have a backup plan in LenDale White.

Or they did, until he came off the Tequila.

With a few exceptions, LenDale has not produced as needed in the trenches. As one of my readers so eloquently stated, his lost weight has him looking less like Smash and more like Ash because he keeps getting blown up at the line (Thank you, Tony Tucker).

I don’t know what it’s gonna take; an extra helping of dinner, more work on the leg machine, maybe get back on the Tequila. Whatever it is, White needs to do it quick so he can take some of the load off of his counterpart and his quarterback.

Speaking of quarterbacks…

 

No. 4: Publicly put the quarterback question to rest

With the Titans’ 0-3 start has come rumblings that some changes need to be made. Coaching changes, play-calling, players; everyone has an idea about who needs to go and who needs to go in.

The Vince Young Kool-Aid drinkers are up in arms saying that Collins can’t lead this team anymore, and Young needs to be given his shot, since it was, after all, his position in the first place, and Collins is an interloper.

They are right, to a point. It WAS Young’s position. It was his to lose.

Which, by means of his injury and petulant behavior, he did.

Collins has not performed poorly enough to lose the position—a case I make here—and Young has not done anything notably spectacular to win the job back.

Put it to rest before it becomes toxic to an already stressed locker room.

 

No. 5: Keep stuffing the run

The Titans’ run defense is the only thing that seems to be going right for them. Opponents have been held to an average of less than 60 yards/game in their first three outings. This is a good thing, and one that needs to be built upon.

It is important that this state of affairs continues to allow thew rest of the defense to make the adjustments it needs to make the turn.

If the run defense goes away, then the Titans are staring down the barrel of a Detroit Lions-like result.

And THAT is a scenario I don’t think any of us, even the most die-hard anti-Titans fan, wants to see any time in the near future.

Sounds simple enough, right?

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