Why LenDale White Will Have a Strong 2009 Season

Last season, the Tennessee Titans went 13-3, largely in part to a new face in Nashville, Chris Johnson. His speedy halfback style was something different from the power back styles of former successful Titan halfbacks like Eddie George, Travis Henry, and even his current teammate, LenDale White.

White shared some spotlight with Johnson; he did run for 15 touchdowns last year, which tied him for third in the NFL behind DeAngelo Williams and Michael Turner, and tied with Brandon Jacobs. However, White mostly took attacks about his weight issues.

At points in the 2008 regular season, White weighed in at over 260 pounds, even more than the New York Giants’ halfback, Jacobs.

White also took several criticisms for his rushing average; he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry this year, and took 200 handoffs. This only amounted to 773 yards, and it was very obvious that without Johnson, White was worth very little away from the opponent’s red zone.

He averaged a pitiful 3.0 yards per carry against the Baltimore Ravens at home in the playoff game, and 3.6 yards per carry against the Indianapolis Colts in the last game of the season.

However, there are many reasons to believe White will be much more effective in 2009.

First off, White seems to have the right goal in mind: win the Super Bowl. “That’s my goal; I play this game to win a Super Bowl ring,” he said in a recent interview. “I mean, the personal perks that come with it are awesome, but I want us to be champions around here.”

He’s also stated how he wants competition. “I will never run from competition. I never have, and I never will. You can go ask Reggie Bush (White’s teammate back with the USC Trojans in college), you can go get Chris Johnson, ya’ll go get anyone in America, I will never run from any competition.”

But White’s mouth is helping out in more than one way; he’s also slimmed down to around 234 pounds, he said in a previous interview. “I’m 234 pounds, and I feel great. I feel like this is my best playing weight, and I feel healthy at this weight. I feel like I’m the fastest and strongest at this weight.”

He also went on to say that this is the lightest he’s been ever since he joined the Titans back in 2006.

That’s not much of a shock; during the infamous 2006 Rose Bowl against the Texas Longhorns, it was reported that he was playing at 252 pounds. This affected his draft stock dramatically.

Some draft scouts had him being selected in the middle of the first round, but he ended up slipping all the way to No. 45 in the second round to Tennessee, who surprisingly took Vince Young in the first round.

One general manager even said, “The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing.”

The one concern about this rapid weight loss is if White will lose some power in exchange for the speed. White had plenty of power, considering he scored 14 touchdowns from inside the red zone (44), and took plenty of beatings on third down (25) and made it out well.

According to Tennessee general manager Mike Reinfeldt, White was faster and had better footwork, but still had his power at the team’s scheduled OTA’s.

As if all the fat jokes and mockery weren’t enough motivation, White is entering a contract season. There were reports that Tennessee was looking to send him along with a few other players to the Arizona Cardinals for the unhappy wide receiver, Anquan Boldin.

This apparently motivated White to lose over 20 pounds. If that motivates White enough to lose 20 pounds, imagine how much being in a contract season and all of the other incentives above will motivate him on the field.

White may be ready, but he better hope it’s for the long run. White only scored five touchdowns in the final eight games as opposed to ten in the first eight in the 2008 season. His yards per rush average also fell in the second half from 4.1 to 3.6.

I think it’s safe to say he’ll be conditioned better than last year.

More good news for LenDale White is that the receiving corps is better in 2009. Nate Washington and Kenny Britt, the two incoming receivers, are better than the two leaving, Justin McCariens and Brandon Jones.

Roll them in with Justin Gage and tight end Bo Scaife and you have a reliable passing game. This should allow White to be even more effective on third down, since defenses will have to account for these four.

White also has the best offensive line in the NFL; his big uglies include Michael Roos, Kevin Mawae, and Jake Scott. Last year, he effectively ran between tackle and guard and even wide left, averaging over four yards a carry on each type of run.

If White gains more speed, his outside game might improve a little, but he’ll also be able to take better control of big holes up the middle, where he took most of his 2008 carries.

White has little injury risk; he started sixteen games in 2007 where he was essentially the only halfback the team had since Chris Brown was injured and Chris Henry wasn’t good enough.

He played all 16 games last year, and didn’t take any reduced production due to an injury. He has yet to have a serious injury during his three year tenure in the NFL. His ball control is improving, since he had five fumbles in the regular season 2007, but only one in regular season 2008. 

Does White need more motivation? Probably not, but teammate Johnson gave it to him; he called for the death of smash-n-dash, the duo’s nickname last season that even sold t-shirts.

Although it didn’t seem to be too serious and that Johnson may have just been having fun, the fact is that Johnson seemed ready to be his own guy now. Considering White’s words on competition and his offseason work out, I don’t think Johnson is taking as many of White’s carries as he may think he is.

2009 is bound to be a good one for LenDale White. Be sure to watch out, because he’s motivated and he’s in shape, a deadly combination that any athlete can have.

My Tennessee Titans Madden NFL 10 Ratings

Football is the most popular sport in America right now, no doubt. Because of this, the Madden series of video games has continued strong for over 20 years now.

Whether its speculation on the Madden Curse or trying to go 16-0 in an All-Madden difficulty franchise, the games have been a source of entertainment for many of us NFL fans.

But, we all know that your favorite team’s success relies mainly in the hands of one thing; player ratings.

So, in this article, I rate each of the Titans’ starters and some significant back-ups.

 

Kerry Collins, QB, 85

Kerry Collins is not a particularly gifted or spectacular quarterback, but he can make some throws and manage games without turning the football over too much.

He was also selected as a Pro-Bowl stand in quarterback, which has to count for something. Expect his intelligence and accuracy ratings to be fairly high.

 

Chris Johnson, HB, 93

Chris Johnson will probably have one of the best two or three speed ratings in next year’s Madden game, which is a big reason he has a high rating.

But he’s not just a sprinter; he’s a football player who has some wheels. However, he isn’t particularly powerful in his running style, but should still be considered an elusive back.

 

Ahmard Hall, FB, 86

Ahmard Hall was a large reason why Johnson and LenDale White had success last season. He made some good blocks and also had a couple receptions. I’ll give Hall a couple more points that he didn’t have last season in Madden 09.

 

Justin Gage, WR, 84

You may think this rating is a little high, but if Justin Gage was healthy last season, he would’ve had a season of about an 84 or 85 rated wide receiver.

Plus, in that playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens, he had 10 receptions. He’ll have a high strength rating for a wide receiver and will be one of your favorite mid-range targets.

 

Nate Washington, WR, 83

Nate Washington is a speedier target that Tennessee needed desperately, and will likely compliment Gage well.

He’ll have the highest speed rating of the wide receivers and will be a good deep or slot target. Washington will be one of the better receivers over the middle as well.

 

Bo Scaife, TE, 86

Anyone who watched Bo Scaife last season knows this rating is fair. He isn’t explosive like Antonio Gates or tall like Heath Miller, but he is a good possession receiver and powerful.

He led the Titans in receptions last year with 58 and has been very consistent with his numbers. It’s time he breaks a higher rating than the low 80’s.

 

Michael Roos, LT, 95

Last season, Michael Roos developed into one of the top two or three left tackles in the NFL. We all know that having a dominant left tackle leads to success, which is what happened for Tennessee.

Roos is a dominating run blocker, while still being successful against the pass, considering he gave up just a single sack all season.

 

Eugene Amano, LG, 85

Eugene Amano last year was the distant weak link on the offensive line. This year, he improved a fair amount, but is still the weakest on this dominant line.

He gave up only two sacks last year, but still remains raw as a blocker and not dominant enough on the better defensive tackles in the NFL.

 

Kevin Mawae, C, 90

Kevin Mawae is one of the most tenured centers in the NFL today, and didn’t give up a single sack in 15 starts last season for the Titans.

However, an elbow injury at 38 years old doesn’t spell great news for Mawae. He is still a top five center, but it’ll be hard to live up to last year’s Pro Bowl season.

 

Jake Scott, RG, 94

The right guard was a question mark after Jake Bell left them last offseason, but Jake Scott was a definite improvement. He came up with the second fewest sacks of all right guards at .5.

Scott could improve more, since he is only 28, and has emerged as a dominant right guard against the run and the pass.

 

David Stewart, RT, 91

David Stewart, opposite of Roos, gave up two sacks last season, but that number was the fourth fewest among right tackles.

Stewart is the tallest and heaviest of the lineman, but still has good quickness off the line. He tends to draw fines, but isn’t dirty. He can still grow a lot as a lineman, since he is only 26.

 

Jevon Kearse, DE, 80

Jevon Kearse is on the decline, unfortunately, but still had a decent 2008. He had three forced fumbles, but isn’t exactly the same “Freak” he was back in the early 2000’s.

His starting spot is very much up for grabs, but I gave it to him because he had the spot last season.

 

Kyle Vanden Bosch, DE, 92

Last season, Kyle Vanden Bosch didn’t have a monster season, mostly due to a pesky groin injury.

Vanden Bosch is still the most dominant defensive end the Titans have, and should get more credit than he has. Have fun racking up the sacks with Vanden Bosch in Madden 10.

 

Jason Jones, DT, 85

Jason Jones has only had one monstrous game (three forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and four tackles, something Albert Haynesworth will never do) but his rating is probably going to be around 85.

While its unclear which two of the three good defensive linemen for Tennessee will start, I’ll give the second year Jones one of them.

 

Tony Brown, DT, 85

Tony Brown played along side Haynesworth last season, and did pretty well. However, I’m still a little skeptical of his abilities and what he can do without Haynesworth taking two or three blockers up for him.

Brown gets the other start because he started last year, unlike the reserve Jovan Haye.

 

David Thornton, LB, 89

David Thornton is the only person who has ever beaten Keith Bulluck for the team lead in tackles since 2002, which he did in 2007.

Thornton has a good mix of speed and power, but to get up to a more elite rank, he’ll need to do a little more from the outside spot, perhaps recording more sacks.

 

Stephen Tulloch, LB, 84

Stephen Tulloch is a fast linebacker who gained a little more strength and intelligence as the season went on last season.

He was second on the team in tackles, and also led all Titan linebackers in pass deflections. If Tulloch can keep rolling, his rating could rise to the higher 80’s.

 

Keith Bulluck, LB, 98

Keith Bulluck is a truly elite linebacker in the NFL, perhaps the best we’ve seen the last few seasons as an outside backer in a 4-3 defense.

Bulluck is quick, powerful, and versatile even at 32 years old. He is probably the best player the Titans team has to offer, so have a good season with him.

 

Cortland Finnegan, CB, 95

This seventh rounder from Samford is still rising into the elite of the NFL’s cornerbacks. Cortland Finnegan was second on his team in interceptions and first in pass deflections.

Finnegan is a great man-to-man defender, and is getting better at his zone defense. He’s only 25, so he won’t leave for a while if you play Franchise Mode.

 

Nick Harper, CB, 86

Nick Harper is a hard-hitting an good zone coverage man even at 34 years old, but he took a step in the wrong direction last season with the injury.

Harper is a solid No. 2 for now, but will need to be replaced in the next one or two offseasons by the Titans’ management.

 

Michael Griffin, FS, 93

Michael Griffin really emerged last season as a ball hawk for Tennessee, leading the NFL in interceptions with seven, and bringing one back to the house for a score.

He is improving in run support, and is still young and fresh at 24. Griffin has proved early in his NFL career he was worth a first round pick.

 

Chris Hope, SS, 93

While Griffin is a ball hawk, Chris Hope is a much more aggressive safety. He hits harder than just about any safety in the NFL, but can still rack up picks (he had four last year).

He was voted by the fans as a reserve safety for the AFC Pro-Bowl team, and should build on that as he enters his prime.

 

Rob Bironas, K, 94

We all know that Rob Bironas has arguably the biggest leg among all kickers in the league, but he’s also becoming pretty accurate.

He hit 88% of his field goals, and hit a 51 yarder as his long. You won’t have to go for it on fourth downs with Bironas.

 

Craig Hentrich, P, 79

Craig Hentrich is getting up there in age, but he’s still not a bad punter. He ranks 25th in punting yards average, and got called on 87 times last year to punt.

He’ll get the job done, but he may retire in the next couple of seasons.

 

Ratings of Key Reserves:

• Vince Young, QB, 82
• LenDale White, HB, 87
• Javon Ringer, HB, 77
• Kenny Britt, WR, 80
• Jared Cook, TE, 81
• LeRoy Harris, C, 80
• Jacob Ford, DE, 84
• Dave Ball, DE, 84
• Jovan Haye, DT, 85
• Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, 78

Tenured NFL Coaches Are Hard to Find in Today’s Microwave Culture

In today’s workforce, there is an above-average rate of turnover among workers. Few are given the time needed to excel anymore.

This modern way of acting and thinking has some referring to it as the “microwave culture,” where success and results must be made now.

The NFL is no different.

Coming into this NFL season, a whopping nine clubs will be premiering brand new coaches; that’s over one-fourth of the league! That doesn’t even include the Oakland Raiders or San Francisco 49ers, whose current coaches began midway through last season.

Seven of these coaches are rookies with zero wins and zero losses in the NFL. Granted, two of these nine teams had long-time coaches retire (Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and Mike Holmgren of the Seattle Seahawks), but the number is still staggering.

This inferno of new coaches hasn’t been consistent with years past.  Just last season, not including Tom Cable and Mike Singletary, only four teams showed off a new coach, which amounts to around 13 percent of the league.

In 2007, just one coach was removed midseason, that being Bobby Petrino of the Atlanta Falcons, who left on his own discretion.

In 2006, two teams had midseason coaching changes.

As a matter of fact, 2006’s coaching turnover is the only recent season that even begins to compare to 2009!

The trend becoming popular nowadays seems to be firing coach’s midseason.  Last year, three coaches were fired in the middle of the season.  Apparently owners and front office people who don’t see enough production want to try to remedy the problem immediately. 

In 2009, assuming all current coaches keep their job up until Week One, only six coaches out of 32 have kept their job longer than five seasons.  Two in the NFC (Andy Reid and John Fox) and four in the AFC (Jeff Fisher, Marvin Lewis, Jack del Rio, and Bill Belichick).

This means that 26 teams have had their current coach for five seasons or less (though it should be noted that Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears and Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants have coached for five total seasons with their current teams). That is, percentage wise, 81.2 percent of the NFL.

There were nine coaching changes this offseason.  Why? Well, we can eliminate two because of the retirement of Dungy and Holmgren. The other seven, though, were fired.

Eric Mangini and Jon Gruden were fired likely due to late season meltdowns.  Rod Marinelli had a 10-38 career record with Detroit, so he probably left for the better.

Jim Haslett, the interim head coach of the St. Louis Rams, was replaced by Steve Spagnuolo. This brings the number down to three.

I still can’t think of a logical reason Denver fired Mike Shanahan, but he was one of the seven victims. The other two, Herm Edwards of the Chiefs and Romeo Crennel of the Browns, were fired due to subpar seasons and careers.

Of those seven, Mangini, Gruden, Shanahan, and Crennel had been to the playoffs in the last four seasons. And the coaches combined record from 2008 was 30-34, which just goes to show that one bad season anymore could spell doom for any coach.

And despite all those firings, there are still several on the hot seat!

Brad Childress of the Minnesota Vikings had fans chanting for his firing at home games, even though he made the playoffs. Wade Phillips has been on the hot seat in Dallas, as well as Marvin Lewis and Dick Jauron.

But don’t just blame the front office. We fans have indulged into the microwave culture as well.

On ESPN.com, the fan-made coach approval ratings (after Week 17, but before the playoffs) have Phillips rated at 12 percent. Jauron is 13 percent, Lewis is at 35 percent, and Childress is at 43 percent.

Fans have screamed about how the Cowboys don’t properly use their talent, and how Jauron makes some of the worst on-field decisions of any coach in the league.

Fans don’t like how Lewis can’t keep the locker room together, and how Childress seems clueless (when asked by reporters about whether Brett Favre can help his team, Childress responded, “Don’t know. Stay tuned.”) 

However, just as the microwave culture is a put-down to unsuccessful coaches; it can also be a lift-up for recently successful ones.

The top three coaches on the ESPN.com approval ratings?

All rookies.

Tony Sparano of the Dolphins is at 95 percent, Mike Smith at 93 percent, and John Harbaugh at 92 percent.

Despite the fact that the Tennessee Titans had the best record in the NFL, coach Fisher is only the seventh best rated. Super Bowl winner Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers was eighth on the list.

Fans are obviously used to the microwave culture so much, that they can bring it down to a span of just six games. In Fisher’s case, he went 3-3 over the last six games of the season, likely the reason of his drop in rating.

In Tomlin’s case, his rating came down to one game! His rating dropped due to the fact that Ben Roethlisberger was injured and seemed to likely be out for the playoffs (though he would rally back and play) in the final game of the season against the Cleveland Browns.

The pressure to succeed in professional sports is increasing, with number-one draft choices being paid $41.7 million over six seasons.

With higher risks and more incredible athletes, being an NFL head coach is not an easy job. The microwave culture, though, acts immediately, either for the benefit or the detriment.

It will be interesting to see how it affects the number of coaching jobs lost over the next season.

 

 

 

Tennessee Titans’ Receiving Corps to Be One Of The NFL’s Most Improved

The NFL’s most elite receiving corps include that of the Arizona Cardinals, with Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and up-and-coming slot receiver Steve Breaston. You would also consider the Green Bay Packers, with Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. Maybe the New England Patriots with Randy Moss and Wes Welker, or the Buffalo Bills with Lee Evans and Terrell Owens.

However, one of the most fun to watch receiving corps in the 2009 season will undoubtedly feature the Tennessee Titans.

Last year, the Titans finished an abysmal 28th in the league in average receiving yards per game, with a mere 181.4. Only six teams averaged under 200 yards receiving, some including the Oakland Raiders and the Cleveland Browns. Tennessee also finished 28th in receiving touchdowns, and 26th in receptions. However, if you watched Tennessee’s last four games and have paid any attention to their offseason, you would notice that the numbers will almost certainly rise.

In the 2008 NFL season, Justin Gage was crippled with a knee injury. Therefore, his numbers were condensed to only 34 receptions, 651 yards, and six touchdowns during the regular season. Gage didn’t records statistics in five of the Titans’ seventeen regular season and postseason games. The 28-year old Gage showed what he was truly capable of though, nearly carrying the offense in the playoff game versus the Baltimore Ravens by recording 10 catches for 135 yards.

Gage plays a different style than most of the receivers on Tennessee’s roster, or even the NFL for that matter. Gage uses his height at 6-4 and weight at 212 pounds to bully cornerbacks. Most receivers prefer a finesse, speed game, but Gage brings different abilities to the table.

Gage’s biggest problems include his health and consistency. He has missed at least 15 games due to injuries, and no one still believes Gage can get it done. He figures to be the Titans’ number one option heading into 2009 with a lot to prove, but he has the ability to do it.

A free agent Tennessee picked up this offseason is Nate Washington. Formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington thrived with 40 receptions for 631 yards, and three touchdowns despite the circumstances. Such drawbacks were the fact that he was behind tight end Heath Miller, a four-time Pro Bowl selection at wideout in Hines Ward, and Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes. Throw in a quarterback running from his life behind a sub-par offensive line and you’ve got yourself a situation in which you have to work hard.

Washington was one of the team’s deep threats, which is exactly the type of receiver Tennessee lacked. Washington is averaging 16.4 yards per reception for his three-year career, more than any other Tennessee receiver. Washington’s biggest problem is size. He is only 6-1 and 185 pounds, and has taken some hard hits during his career. However, Washington can play, and is just beginning to hit his stride.

Another physical receiver on Tennessee’s roster is rookie Kenny Britt. Britt was drafted as a junior out of Rutgers who showed tremendous ability in the Big East. In his junior season, he recorded 87 receptions for 1,371 yards and seven touchdowns. He was often regarded as a physical threat with the Scarlet Knights, but has had several criticisms. Some don’t like his hands, and say he is too inconsistent. Some don’t like his attitude.

However, those close to Britt, such as head coach Greg Schiano and teammate Tiquan Underwood state that the questions about Britt’s personality are irrelevant. Schiano calls him one of the hardest workers he’s ever coached. Britt, like Gage, has a tough style of receiving. He uses his size (6-3, 218 pounds) and speed (4.4 40 yard-dash times) well together. He is also the only first-round talent (on draft day, that is) on the Titans’ roster. He figures to be solidly in the top four receiver rotation. 

While Tennessee’s wide receivers don’t run much deeper, (perhaps you could consider Lavelle Hawkins) the tight end group in Nashville figures to be one of the best in the NFL. Some of the tight ends include Bo Scaife, Alge Crumpler, Craig Stevens, and Jared Cook.

Scaife has always been a solid tight end for Tennessee. Since his entry into the league in 2005, Scaife has not recorded fewer than 29 catches. Last season was his breakout, when he recorded a team-leading 58 receptions for 561 yards and a pair of scores. Scaife is definitely a possesion receiver, as he averages just 9.6 yards per catch. However, Scaife was relied on early by Kerry Collins and Vince Young this season.

Scaife truly is underrated, and is ready for another strong season in 2009. However, the fact that he is only 6-3 and 250 pounds don’t compute very well together. Scaife relies on pure strength for yardage and touchdowns. He figures to be the top tight end on the depth chart for next season.

Jared Cook, the rookie from South Carolina, could easily be next on the depth chart. Cook is very agile and a strong receiver. He is 6-5 and 240 pounds, and is ready to catch passes. He can be streaky, but even some of the greatest receivers would be with quarterbacks like Chris Smelley and freshman Stephen Garcia. The wisdom of Collins should allow Cook for more offensive production than what he had with the Gamecocks.

Cook left South Carolina as a junior and recorded 37 receptions for 573 yards and three touchdowns. Cook needs to improve his blocking ability, so he will need to probably put on some muscle and be more versatile. However, don’t underestimate Cook. He truly was one of the best in one of the strongest group of tight end draftees in a while.

Crumpler and Stevens will most likely fight for the third spot. Crumpler’s experience gives him an edge, but Stevens’ youth and great blocking ability are better than that of the aging Crumpler. It seems unlikely that Tennessee will keep all four tight ends, so it is likely that at least one of the two is cut or traded by season’s beginning.

Though, with the five man rotation of Gage-Washington-Scaife-Britt-Cook, Tennessee seems much better off than last year’s Crumpler-Gage-Jones-Scaife-McCareins. Tennessee has added youth and speed to there other wise group of bruising receivers. Expect the Titans to boost themselves from 28th to the top half of the league. This group of receivers’ potential is endless.

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