Bleacher Report - Articles by William Blake

Kerry Collins Is Not the Tennessee Titans' Problem

William Blake — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:22:32 -0400

There is no doubt as to what the most scrutinized position is in football: the quarterback. They're quick to be rewarded and even quicker to be ridiculed. The quarterbacks of the 0-4 teams so far have gotten plenty of heat, although the Tennessee Titans' Kerry Collins is on the sun.

No one would have predicted that the Titans start out the season 0-4. However, since that's the case, the first person to blame is Collins. And with reason; Collins has already thrown six interceptions (the second most in the league!) compared to just five touchdowns. His completion percentage is a weak 56.9% (27th in the NFL). His passer rating is 68.9, which ranks him at 28th.

So, how is this not Collins fault? His job description was to be a "game manager" and not turn over the ball, which he's already done six times.

But wait a minute! Game manager quarterbacks aren't supposed to throw that many passes, right? Collins has already thrown 153 passes, a number lower than only that of the New England Patriots' Tom Brady. Why is he throwing so much?

It's definitely not because of a deficiency at halfback. Chris Johnson leads the NFL in rushing yards, beating out second place Miami Dolphin running back Ronnie Brown by 65 yards! However, he's only been given 69 carries, only the 10th most. If somebody can average 6.3 yards per carry, you'd think he'd get the rock.

LenDale White also always poses as a threat, but the one time he's been given a chance on the goal line, he scored. If Collins wouldn't throw so much, White would surely get more chances.

It's also not that Mike Heimerdinger, Tennessee's offensive coordinator, changed his scheme to throw more than to run. It's because the Titans have been playing from behind this whole season. The only shot they've had is to throw and try to catch up quickly. So far at halftime, the Titans are losing by an average of seven points per game.

Again, why is Collins throwing so much? It's because the defense is giving up so many points. Teams are averaging 27 points per game on the Titans. Last season, the most points that Tennessee gave up was 34. They've already coughed up that many twice this season!

And you can't pinpoint it on one specific defender. Nick Harper has been beaten in coverage several times, but they're not all his fault. No one has been able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, with the occasional exception of defensive tackle Tony Brown. Cortland Finnegan, Chris Hope, and Michael Griffin could all also improve in the secondary.

Also, the defense as a whole needs to learn how to tackle again. Maurice Jones-Drew used his height for leverage on all the Titans defenders, and only a few (namely David Thornton) adjusted.

It's frustrating to watch a quarterback take six seconds to throw a pass, which means the secondary and the defensive line need to step it up. So do the kick and punt returners. If you noticed against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee returners were so bad that the Titans went out and resigned Mark Jones, who was cut in the preseason, to try to come bail them out.

Sure, Collins does deserve some blame. But is he the problem for the Tennessee Titans? That's for coach Jeff Fisher and his staff to decide.

Derrick Locke: The Most Underrated Player in the SEC

William Blake — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:29:56 -0400

While it is somewhat debatable as to which conference is the most dominant in college football, it is much less so as to which is the most physical; the SEC. It's also well known how fast the conference is; how many of the Florida Gators players run under a 4.4 40 yard dash? However, one of the most unknown players in the SEC combines both power and speed well.

His name? Derrick Locke.

Locke, a seemingly scrawny 5-9 and 180 pound junior, is easily one of the SEC's best kept secrets. He displays incredible strength, scoring 51 touchdowns in his senior season of high school. He isn't credited enough for his tough goal-line ability. How many others with his height and weight could take on some of the elite defenses of the SEC?

However, Locke even presents more of a speed threat. He is also a track star at Kentucky, and in high school ran a 10.6 100 yard dash, enough to win the state competition. Locke also won the long jump, only on a national level, at a whopping 25 feet and 4.75 inches.

However, at Kentucky, he set the freshman long jump record, improving on his old figure by half of an inch. This is less than four feet than that of the all-time record, set by Mike Powell.

Locke even has the 40 yard dash time; it's reported that he ran around a 4.21 electronically timed run. This is faster than the likes of former college speedsters, Darren McFadden, Chris Johnson, and Felix Jones.

Locke has all the measurables. However, he's also proved that he won't back down to anyone. In 2007, his freshman season, Locke ended up placing second rushing yards, and first in rushing touchdowns.

His totals included 94 carries for 521 yards, a 5.5 yards per carry average, and five rushing touchdowns. Locke did miss the bowl game against the Florida State Seminoles though with a rib injury.

But what does this tell us? Well, consider who Locke had to compete with for playing time: senior Rafael Little, junior Tony Dixon, and sophomore Alfonso Smith, each of whom brought something productive to the table.

Locke was still able to get the second most touches, a lot in part to his breakout game against the LSU Tigers. He got his chance mostly because Little was out with an injury and Dixon had been largely ineffective for the game. Locke didn't rush for a blistering amount of yards, but he made plays when plays needed to be made, including a powerful one-yard touchdown run in the first overtime. As we all know, the Wildcats triumphed, 37-43.

For the rest of 2007, Locke would get a respectable amount of looks due to the valiant effort against the Tigers. He would post a personal season high rushing total against the tenacious defense of Florida.

In 2008, Locke had another solid season, with 63 carries for 303 yards, a 4.8 yards per carry rushing average, and a score on the ground. Locke recorded his career high rushing mark against the Norfolk State Spartans, a total of 96 yards. Locke's season would end early after sustaining a pretty nasty knee injury at the South Carolina Gamecocks in the seventh game of the season for the Wildcats.

One thing Locke has improved on is his pass catching ability. In his freshman season, he caught only seven passes for 86 yards, but the next year, he would catch 23 passes for 195 yards, a significant improvement. Locke's quarterbacks in 2008, Mike Hartline and Randall Cobb, were more content to throw short passes than his quarterback in 2007, Andre' Woodson.

In a crowded Wildcats backfield, there has always been room for Locke. Not because necessarily because of his speed and jumping ability, but because he earned it. Locke figures to have a breakout 2009 season.

Why Mike Hartline Will Succeed As Kentucky's Starting Quarterback

William Blake — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:18:11 -0400

The 2008 college football season left the Kentucky Wildcats with more questions than answers.

How does the defense perform with superstars like Trevard Lindley, Micah Johnson, and (at the time) Jeremy Jarmon? How do the Wildcats improve the running game with Tony Dixon graduating? But the most pressing questions involved the passing game, many of which involved criticisms of quarterback Mike Hartline.

Hartline did not have a stellar season that Kentucky fans were used to in Andre Woodson's junior and senior seasons with the team.

Hartline even lost his job completely on the back of sub-par performances at the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Florida Gators to freshman Randall Cobb. Cobb was, after the career-ending injury to Dicky Lyons, the team's number one wide receiver!

Don't count out Hartline yet.

While Hartline is not exactly going to compete for the Heisman in 2009, everything is in place for him to succeed. One big problem that Kentucky had last season was wide receivers.

This offseason, the Wildcats landed four-star junior college recruit Chris Matthews, who was one of the biggest playmakers in JUCO this season. Throw him in with the speedster Cobb and last year's four star recruit, Aaron Boyd who comes off of injury.

To let you know how much of a problem receivers were last year, look no further than the statistics. Lyons went down midway through the game at the South Carolina Gamecocks with 33 receptions and 264 yards. The Gamecocks were the Wildcats sixth game that season. Lyons ended with the most receiving yards for the whole team! The next highest amount was 204 yards from halfback Alfonso Smith.

Another positive for Hartline is the running game. Halfbacks Smith and Derrick Locke return alongside bruising fullback John Conner. Now a senior, Smith was reliable last year as a receiver with 16 catches for 204 yards and a 71 yard touchdown. Smith also ran for 313 yards on 74 carries and a pair of scores.

Locke, however, is an even more complete back than Smith. Locke has run faster than a 4.3 40 yard dash, and has incredible power for a 5-9 190 pounder. Locke is coming off of a pretty nasty knee injury, but the coaching staff has been impressed with his recovery.

Locke is an even better receiver than Smith, recording seven more receptions in 2008, and averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

Indeed, Smith and Locke will keep defenses on their toes. One thing to note about Hartline is that he does not take sacks. Hartline was sacked just five times last year, and has the best sack to pass attempt ratio among the twelve starting quarterbacks in the SEC last year.

Even more good news for Hartline is that the offensive line might be improved in 2009. Said coach Rich Brooks of it, "I think it has improved. But we have to go out and prove that on the field."

A final point for Hartline is the comparison he has to former Wildcat quarterback Woodson. In 2005, Woodson's sophomore season, he was largely inconsistent, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions and being sacked 30 times. Woodson would battle hotshot freshman Curtis Pulley for the job, and even lost the chance to start in the last game against the Tennessee Volunteers at home.

We all know how the Woodson story would end. In his junior and senior seasons, Woodson would throw 71 touchdowns as opposed to just 18 interceptions. Woodson also holds the record for the most pass attempts in the NCAA without an interception. Woodson was projected to be a top three quarterback in the 2007 NFL Draft at times, but a poor showing in the Senior Bowl and an injury caused his stock to drop him all the way to the sixth round.

Hartline wasn't recruited by the Ohio State Buckeyes for no reason. He has some strong potential to be a talented quarterback for the Wildcats.

Why LenDale White Will Have a Strong 2009 Season

William Blake — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:59:52 -0400

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

William Blake — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:44:59 -0400

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

Former NFL MVP Murdered: Remembering Steve McNair

William Blake — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:48:40 -0400

On Saturday, July 4th, former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Steve McNair was found dead in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. It was said that the 36 year old McNair died in a shooting where he took a fatal shot to the head along with another female victim. Details are still under investigation.

In high school, McNair was a three sport star, playing basketball, football, and baseball. He was even drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 35th round of the MLB amateur draft in 1991.

However in football, McNair was an All-American out of high school, playing free safety and quarterback for Mount Olive High School. In his junior season there, he won the state championship.

McNair ultimately decided to attend Alcorn State, where he would wind up winning the Walter Peyton award in his senior season. He also set more than a dozen records in the process, as well as being named an All-American. In his senior season, he had over 6,000 yards rushing and passing, and 53 touchdowns.

McNair was the third overall pick, just like current Titans' back-up Vince Young was in 2006, in the 1995 NFL Draft. He signed a seven year deal with the Houston Oilers, who couldn't get good quarterback play from Billy Joe Tolliver, Bucky Richardson, or Cody Carlson, resulting in a 2-14 record, their worst since 1982.

In his first two seasons, McNair saw little action, throwing just 223 passes combined and starting just six games as he played largely behind Chris Chandler, who was later traded to the Atlanta Falcons.

He got his first full season in 1997, where he gave the new Tennessee Oilers stable play. He had good weapons around him, what with last year's rookie of the year Eddie George and soon to be three time Pro-Bowl tight end Frank Wycheck.

However, the receiving corps was largely unproven, as the ultimate star, Derrick Mason, was only a fourth-round rookie. The Oilers only finished 8-8 that season, but had a lot of upside.

1998 was even better for McNair personally. He brought his completion percentage up from 52% to 58.7%. He also threw one more touchdown and three less interceptions than 1997, and had 11 fewer fumbles.

His running wasn't quite like 1997, but he still was a solid dual-threat quarterback that the league wasn't used to. However, the Oilers would only finish 8-8 again in 1998.

In 1999, the Oilers became the Tennessee Titans, and it proved to be a strong season for McNair. He played in the opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, but was diagnosed with an inflamed disk, which would require surgery and him to sit out until after the team's bye week. Neil O'Donnell stepped in nicely, leading the team to a 4-1 record until McNair could return.

McNair would lead the team to the playoffs at an impressive 13-3 record. He lead the team past the Buffalo Bills in the Music City Miracle, and zoomed past division rivals Indianapolis and Jacksonville to reach the Super Bowl, where the team faced the St. Louis Rams.

Despite the team's loss, McNair still had a great season, throwing just eight interceptions and taking 17 fewer sacks than the previous year. He also ran for eight touchdowns.

McNair would go on to have some great seasons, being a Pro-Bowl selection in 2000, 2003, and 2005 with the Titans. He would also be the league's MVP in 2003 and an All-Pro the same year, where he lead the league in passer rating with a whopping 100.4.

However, following the 2002 season, McNair became less of a running threat and more of a pocket presence, which seemed to work well the following season in 2003. Since 2002, he didn't take more than 45 carries or score more than four touchdowns on the ground.

Despite great success on the field for the Titans, he wasn't invincible off the field. McNair was arrested for illegal gun possession and DUI in May of 2003, the offseason before his best season ever. His blood alcohol level was above .10 (the legal limit being .08) and had a 9 millimeter handgun with him in the car.

He had another DUI problem in 2007, though he was actually not the one behind the wheel in the pick-up truck. The charges would be dropped about two months later.

After the 2005 season, McNair's contract was up with the Titans, and they would reach an agreement to send him to the Baltimore Ravens for a 4th round selection in the 2007 NFL draft. The Titans seemed content to stick with Kerry Collins and the rookie Young at quarterback.

McNair would start 22 games for the Ravens, including all 16 in the 2006 season. 2006 was a great season for McNair and the Ravens, who started out 4-0 for the first time in franchise history and ended at an impressive 13-3. McNair completed 63% of his passes, the second highest single season percentage for him, as well as 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

One of the funny things about 2006 was that McNair joined former Titans teammate Mason, who along with tight end Todd Heap and young receiver Mark Clayton, gave the Ravens a pretty formidable receiving corps. Throw in Jamal Lewis to run the football and the Ravens had a potent offense, along with a defense of all-stars with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

2007 was a short season for McNair, who was injury plagued for a large part of it. He still completed a high number of passes, 64.9%, but threw just two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also was only able to run 10 times.

McNair, at age 35, retired. His career totals included a 60.1% completion percentage, 31,304 passing yards, 174 passing touchdowns, 119 interceptions, an 82.8 passer rating, 3,590 rushing yards, and 37 rushing scores.

McNair won't be remembered by the numbers; he will be remembered for his toughness and leadership abilities. Long-time teammate Mason said the following:

"Steve was such a happy person. I even called him 'Smile.' He was always smiling and was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. I've known him for 13 years, and he was the most selfless, happiest and friendliest person I have known. His family and my family are close, and it is a blow to us all."

He was the kind of quarterback who refused to give in and loved the game thoroughly. He is one of few dual-threat quarterbacks to succeed in the NFL, and was one of the first to use his legs as a threat.

He pioneered a new era for the Tennessee Titans and the NFL itself. McNair, who was born on Valentine's Day and died on Independence Day, will be in the hearts of the Titans and Ravens faithful for years to come.

The Top 10 Running Backs In Fantasy Football 2009

William Blake — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:33:49 -0400

What has always been the most important position to draft in fantasy football? The running back, of course! As in real football, you can't do anything without strong running backs.

If you get injury-prone ones, you need strong back-ups. If you have irreplaceable talents, you'll have to do something on their bye weeks.

In this article, I've ranked the top ten running backs in reverse order.

Factors used in the evaluation were some basic rushing stats, basic receiving stats, changes to the team that may directly effect him, and style of runner.

10. Steve Slaton, HB, Houston Texans

Steve Slaton was one of the 23 halfbacks taken during the 2008 NFL draft. However, he was just a third-rounder, and when you're on a roster with Chris Brown and Ahman Green, you won't get a great workload.

Slaton, though, thrived when both Brown and Green went down to injuries, by rushing for a division leading 1,282 yards on 268 carries. His nine rushing touchdowns or also a nice touch to his resume.

But what does Slaton have that's really going to make you want him as one of my top two backs? I have two words: Andre Johnson. Johnson draws a lot of attention in the passing game, while the 5-9 Slaton doesn't demand much coverage.

This allowed him to sneak 50 receptions, one of only eight halfbacks to be able to do that. The yardage and touchdowns weren't impressive, with only 377 yards and a single touchdown, but if Slaton can put up a similar number of catches, he'll have more opportunities to score.

I like Slaton's upside a lot.

The Verdict: Top 20

9. LaDainian Tomlinson, HB, San Diego Chargers

Two years ago, this guy was the guy. Two years later, he's struggling to make the top ten. But hey, its LaDainian Tomlinson. You're not going to go wrong with LT.

His numbers in an "off year" were still very strong. He was tenth in rushing yards with 1,110 yards and scored 11 rushing touchdowns on 292 handoffs. His receiving stats were also impressive, with 52 catches for 426 yards and a touchdown.

But don't expect a decline; at least in the receiving area. Tomlinson has yet to have a season without 50 catches. And although the running back "death age" is 30 years old (Tomlinson hit that mark three days ago) there isn't much a reason to believe that Tomlinson can't pull off another solid fantasy performance.

Give Tomlinson a look as a solid No. 2 back to a potential No. 2.

The Verdict: Top 20

8. Brandon Jacobs, HB, New York Giants

I like Brandon Jacobs' numbers to rise a lot in 2009, considering he isn't sharing so many carries. Tampa Bay Buccaneer Derrick Ward was the main thief, considering he took 182 carries!

Ahmad Bradshaw is the new second-stringer, but I never personally liked Bradshaw on or off the field. Expect most of Jacobs' numbers to rise from 219 carries and 1,089 for 15 touchdowns.

Although Jacobs has a pretty severe red flag; he gets hurt easily. The 6-4, 264 lb. Jacobs tends to do more bruising to defensive tackles and linebackers, but a big reason Ward got 182 carries was because Jacobs was hurt.

Jacobs missed three games in 2008 and five in 2007, so its likely that he'll be benched for more than just the New York Giants' bye week this season.

However, the 5.0 yards per carry average is close to as good as they come. If you can nab a solid No. 2, don't hesitate on Jacobs' as your number one.

The Verdict: Top 15

7. Frank Gore, HB, San Francisco 49ers

Okay, so Mike Martz offensive scheme didn't exactly benefit Frank Gore. But now Martz and his employer Mike Nolan are out of town, and Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye are in.

You'd think that with a quarterback of either Alex Smith or Shaun Hill you'd be doing a little more running than usual. Gore is a power back who can take hits and run for good yardage. In 2008, his rushing stats were 240 carries for 1,036 yards and six touchdowns.

Gore occasionally gets hurt, as he missed two games in 2008 and one game in 2007. His receiving stats aren't too shabby, what with 43 catches and 373 yards for two touchdowns.

Gore does have a bit of a problem finding the endzone, considering eight rushing touchdowns is his career high. Gore is a bit of a risk, but I think that with a new offense he'll be given more of a chance to shine.

The Verdict: Top 15

6. DeAngelo Williams, HB, Carolina Panthers

In 2008, who did you think would lead the halfbacks in fantasy points scoring? Maybe Tomlinson or Adrian Peterson? Maybe you picked a dark horse with Steven Jackson or Brian Westbrook.

But its likely you didn't choose DeAngelo Williams from the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers added to their rushing attack in last year's draft by adding power back Johnathan Stewart, but he only helped Williams' numbers.

On 273 carries, Williams ran for 1,515 yards and a whopping 18 touchdowns.

Williams indeed had a season to remember. But what about his receiving statistics? Actually, Williams only caught 22 passes for 121 yards and a pair of scores. And its also extremely unlikely that Williams repeats the same production as last season, especially when defenses blitz more on the Panthers.

But, with some shaky quarterbacking from Jake Delhomme and Stewart's record of injuries, Williams is still due for another superb season.

The Verdict: Top 10

5. Chris Johnson, HB, Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson is fast. Really fast. His 40-time at the NFL Combine was an astonishing 4.24, and his play in the NFL has shown it. Johnson's rushing stats were 251 carries, 1,228 yards, and nine touchdowns.

Johnson was only a rookie in 2008, and he truly put the "dash" in smash-in-dash (even if he is "Every Coach's Dream now or whatever). He also got involved in the passing game, by recording 43 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown.

However, be sure to draft Johnson with a few warnings. His teammate, LenDale White, is in a contract year and has lost some serious weight. He'll probably snatch some carries from Johnson, particularly around the goal-line.

Johnson is also coming off of an injury, but he should be able to heal it. Another thing about Johnson is that he is one of few halfbacks I can see realistically improving on all of his fantasy point-scoring statistics.

The Verdict: Top 10

4. Maurice Jones-Drew, HB, Jacksonville Jaguars

This offseason, the New England Patriots took a free agent away from the Jacksonville Jaguars; a halfbacks by the name of Fred Taylor. His back-up, Maurice Jones-Drew, is now the man in Jacksonville.

Jones-Drew has a very good combination of speed and power, and he showed that by placing in the top 25 among halfbacks in yards despite the fact he played second fiddle to Taylor. He recorded 197 carries for 824 yards and 12 scores.

Jones-Drew will also get to play behind a better offensive line, including Tra Thomas, Brad Meester, and rookie Eugene Monroe. However, unless Alvin Pearman or Chauncey Washington really strut their stuff, its likely that Jones-Drew does a lot of the dirty work alone, which could lead to injury or defenses keying on him.

Jones-Drew is a very solid number one halfback with more rewards than risks.

The Verdict: Top 10

3. Matt Forte, HB, Chicago Bears

The highest rated of all the 2008 rookies, Matt Forte boasts some serious fantasy potential for many years to come. Let's start by glancing at his rookie year stats: 316 carries for 1,238 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, and a whopping 63 catches for 477 yards and four touchdowns.

Forte has truly shown the ability to move the football by ground and by air, and with Jay Cutler in town, his numbers could improve because a lot of the pressure he faced from defenses last year will be offset somewhat.

Even better news for Forte is the fact that he can now run off tackle better with the addition of Orlando Pace. While Pace is a bit aged and roughed up, there's no denying that he can still get it done.

Center Olin Kreutz and hopefully a healthier defense will also contribute to Forte's fantasy success. He is easily a No. 1 halfback you could use for your fantasy team.

The Verdict: Top 5

2. Adrian Peterson, HB, Minnesota Vikings

Peterson had a red-hot 2008 season, by rushing for a league-leading 1,760 yards to compliment his 363 carries and 10 touchdowns. What's not to like about that production?

Well, maybe the fact that part of being a halfback in the NFL involves being an active member of the pass attack, which Peterson was not in 2008; he recorded just 21 receptions, 125 yards and zero touchdowns.

There's also no reason to believe that teams won't key on him, because he is basically the team's only proven offensive weapon.

More against Peterson; last season, he fumbled the football nine times. Granted, he only lost four, but we all know that the re-recovery a fumble for an offense is nearly pure luck.

Chester Taylor might steal some carries, but he is aging and there isn't much reason to believe he'll take more than last year. Whether Brett Favre is the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback in September or not doesn't make much of a difference on Peterson's fantasy status.

Take Peterson as your No. 1 back and expect some of the best results of all NFL players.

The Verdict: Top 2

1. Michael Turner, HB, Atlanta Falcons

There is a lot of debate over whether Michael Turner of the Atlanta Falcons or Peterson should go No. 1, but most seem to side with Peterson. However, Turner has a slight edge for me.

First off, his statistics from 2008 were 376 carries for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns. But don't draft him for his receiving ability; he had six receptions in 2008! And that's a career high for him.

There is one x-factor in this whole debate; Matt Ryan, the team's quarterback. If he can do as well as he did in his rookie year, the team may opt to throw more to more than capable receivers Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and newly acquired tight end Tony Gonzalez, over running with the power back Turner. With all those offensive weapons, you can't key on Turner as a defense.

I give Turner a slight edge over Peterson and the field.

The Verdict: Top 2

Other running backs in consideration were:

Brian Westbrook, HB, Philadelphia Eagles
Clinton Portis, HB, Washington Redskins
Steven Jackson, HB, St. Louis Rams
Ryan Grant, HB, Green Bay Packers
Ronnie Brown, HB, Miami Dolphins

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

William Blake — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:00:32 -0400

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

William Blake — Sun, 31 May 2009 22:21:18 -0400

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.

Jay Culter To Be Traded: Who Could Use Him?

William Blake — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:37:46 -0400

Over the last two or three weeks, we've been hearing of the rising tensions between Denver Broncos' quarterback Jay Cutler and rookie Head Coach Josh McDaniels.

Apparently, McDaniels and Cutler didn't hit it off well, and any attempts at resolving the issue have been denied by either side. So, we come to April 1, and there still is no resolution.

In fact, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has confirmed that Denver will be searching for a team willing to take the young, talented signal caller.

So, which teams could be on the market for a potential superstar quarterback? Certainly there will be round-league interest, but I'll give you the top places the Broncos should try and send Cutler.

Note: These teams are listed in no particular order.

1. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions need just about everything, and quarterback is a more pressing need. They get the top pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, after finishing an NFL first 0-16 last year, so Matt Stafford has certainly been on the team's radar.

However, they have publicly shown interest in Cutler, and Denver could wind up with the No. 1 pick, a win-win situation.

Detroit was 24th in the league in passing yards, so they definitely could use someone who can consistently throw to an underrated group of wide receivers. Calvin Johnson has top end speed and is the deep threat Cutler couldn't really use in Brandon Marshall, who was more so of an intermediate route guy who liked to earn yards after the catch and first contact.

Also on the roster is Bryant Johnson, who is consistent enough. The Lions receiving corps is actually very similar to Denver's, so not a ton of adjustments will be needed.

Cutler would boost Detroit away from utter laughing stock to a team that still drafts within the top five. Don't get me wrong, Cutler is not going to instantly cure the Lions and put them back in the NFC North race, but he'll definitely be a large first step.

2. New York Jets

It looks like Brett Favre is finally no more, and Chad Pennington isn't around to be the game manager he has always been.

Thomas Jones is aging and may only have another good season or two ahead of him, and they lost one of their top two receivers to the Cincinnati Bengals, Laverneus Coles.

The offense appears to be fading slowly, save explosive halfback Leon Washington. Even with Washington though, the Jets aren't going to post great passing performances with Kellen Clemens at the helm, so they will need to invest in a young, springy quarterback.

Cutler fits the bill perfectly. He'll definitely enjoy throwing to Jerricho Cotchery, a Marshall kind of receiver with a little less explosiveness. Still, Cotchery and young guns Chansi Stuckey and David Clowney will be good targets for Cutler, and the offensive line should protect him well enough. Washington is also a good receiver out of the backfield.

The Jets are also showing interest, so the move makes even more sense. The Jets faltered down the stretch last season, and it seems as though Favre couldn't manage (or wasn't allowed to manage by teammates) the team effectively. Hopefully Cutler can mature in New York and blossom further into the great quarterback he could become.

3. San Francisco 49ers

Shaun Hill is a low-end game manager, at best. He seriously isn't good enough to be a starter in the NFL, much less for the 49ers, who had an atrocious offensive line this season.

They did fairly decent passing, ranking 13th in the NFL in total passing offense. However, J.T. O'Sullivan and Hill were harassed all season, taking the most sacks in the NFL with a saddening 55.

Cutler can't make the offensive line block, but he'll definitely learn to make his reads faster. He also has decent mobility, not to the extent of Vince Young or Michael Vick, but certainly better than most.

Cutler will get to throw to veteran Isaac Bruce and the young Brandon Jones, who was acquired from the Tennessee Titans. I've seen Jones play, and he is capable of having a pretty big game and is a reliable receiver.

The team also returns Arnaz Battle, who was looking pretty at the beginning of the season before being injured. Jason Hill also caught fire at the end of the season.

But Jason Hill wasn't the only thing catching fire for San Francisco; the 49ers won five of their last seven games of the season, including their last two. They may have not necessarily looked great doing it, but the 49ers could have something going if Mike Singletary can keep coaching well. Frank Gore would also greatly appreciate the move, so there would be less pressure on him to run and score.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Raheem Morris and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't made a huge splash this offseason. They've released several veteran players, and acquired Kellen Winslow, Mike Nugent, and Derrick Ward.

However, the quarterback situation is unclear after the team cut ties with starter Jeff Garcia. The team obviously doesn't feel great confidence in Luke McCown, since they have expressed interest in Cutler. Last year, they lost the battle for Brett Favre to the Jets, but I don't think they can lose this one.

The Buccaneers went in a downward spiral last year, but saw a star emerge in Antonio Bryant. Bryant has always been considered a good receiver, but except lazy and inconsistent.

This season, however, Bryant came on strong by placing 10th in the NFL in receptions, eighth in yardage, and 10th in receiving yards. Outside of him, the team sports Winslow, a very solid tight end, and Michael Clayton, who the team is obviously confident in, since they signed him to a five-year contract.

Tampa Bay sports a pretty flashy running game coming into 2009, with a little smash-in-dash with Earnest Graham and Carnell Williams.

Graham has really evolved his career, particularly in 2007, as a powerhouse who can play fullback or halfback. Williams was part of another famous smash-in-dash combo in college with Ronnie Brown, now with the Miami Dolphins. He also has had a strong NFL career, with an injury really limiting him since early in 2007, which was the prologue to Graham's emergence.

Now the two are together, and figure to help out Cutler carry the offensive load in 2009, along with newly acquired Ward. He will have less pressure here than anywhere else mentioned.

5. Chicago Bears

Chicago was yet another team to express interest in Cutler, which shows their lack of confidence in current starter Kyle Orton. The Bears weren't exactly stunning throwing the ball, as they only ranked 21st in the NFL in passing offense.

Chicago has the tools to compete in the NFC North with the Minnesota Vikings next year if Cutler were to arrive.

First of all, Devin Hester is one of the team's few offensive threats. He is short, but has the speed to get open on NFL cornerbacks. Last year, Hester began to come on towards the latter end of the season, totaling 51 catches for 665 yards and three touchdowns.

However, he has incredible big play ability, since he is responsible for the league's 28th longest reception, which is good for a 5-11 part-defensive back playing receiver. The team has few receivers outside of Hester, but has two strong tight ends in Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen.

No one would enjoy the move more than second-year Matt Forte, who might as well have thrown and caught his own passes, and hand the ball off to himself at times. He lead the team far and away in rushing, and was also the team leader in receptions as a rookie last season.

Forte came in a close second to Steve Slaton in rushing yards among rookies, but easily defeated Slaton in receiving.

Cutler can throw the ball to the talented Forte, but he won't need to take 316 handoffs and make 63 catches next season (which is an average of being involved in 23.7 plays per game, higher than any rookies in the NFL, and third behind Michael Turner and Adrian Peterson).

Obviously Cutler is going to be the hottest quarterback on the market over the next few days, and the five above teams seem like the hot destinations. However, don't count out the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars, two other teams who have reportedly shown interest in Cutler.

2009 NFL Mock Draft: Edition 2

William Blake — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:25:28 -0400

A lot has developed since my last mock draft; the NFL Combine, Pro-days, and a ton of speculation. The top players have definitely shifted; down stocks are the overweight Andre Smith and injured Michael Crabtree, and up are former Baylor unknown Jason Smith and senior linebacker Aaron Curry. So, without further ado, here goes my second attempt at a first round mock draft.

1. Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

Whether this is the right pick or not remains to be seen, but right now it definitely appears as though Detroit is leaning his way. Don't get me wrong, he's not a bad quarterback; he has the skill set, height, and is apparently pretty smart (a 38 on his Wonderlic puts him in the 99th percentile). I'm just not sold completely on this being the right move.

2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

I'm not a humongous fan of combine rising stars, but this guy really wasn't a rising star; he was just a star nobody knew about. As one of the Big 12's best kept secrets, Smith's work ethic and incredibly good footwork have allowed him to shoot up most draft boards, including mine. This fills a large need the Rams have.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

This guy is my absolute favorite in the draft. Aaron Curry is an intelligent outside linebacker who knows how to pressure a quarterback, as well as hit hard. Kansas City needs Curry, since they are one of the worst teams in recent memory of getting pressure on quarterbacks and registering sacks.

4. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Yes, yes, I realize Seattle picked up T.J. Houshmandzadeh, which was the main catch of the free agent class for wide receivers. But honestly; who couldn't use another receiver? Crabtree has explosiveness down the field, while Houshmandzadeh is a more possesion receiver. This is a great fit, since behind Houshmandzadeh, Seattle has no depth.

5. Cleveland Browns: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

There are no outside linebackers worth taking here, so the Browns should probably target this versatile defensive end, Brian Orakpo. He had a great senior season and career with the Longhorns playing at both positions. He should fit in well with Cleveland's 3-4 defense, and should bring some youth to the aging linebackers.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

Let's face it; what does Cincinnati not need? It really comes down to the best player available that fills their offensive or defensive line needs, and it comes down to B.J.Raji and Eugene Monroe. I would take Monroe here, since Ryan Fitzpatrick was fairly well harassed last season.

7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

The more I think about the Oakland Raiders taking a wide receiver, the more I like the idea. I dare you to name a Raiders' receiver if you're not an actual Raiders fan. Their best available WR is probably a guy named Johnny Lee Higgins. So yeah, Al Davis' "take the fast guy" strategy could actually work.

8. Green Bay Packers: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State

Green Bay had a decent team last year, but the Pack's main problem was the fact that they allowed quarterbacks to throw all over them with no pressure. Aaron Maybin, a Penn State guy, should be the remedy for now, as Green Bay tries to cope with an injured Aaron Kampman.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Rey Maualuga, LB, USC

Why this guys stock has dropped so drastically is beyond me. He is a good, powerful inside linebacker that the Jaguars could desperately use now that Mike Peterson is out of town. Another interesting pick here would be a guy like Chris Wells who could compliment Maurice Jones-Drew now that Fred Taylor is gone.

10. San Francisco 49ers: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

Mark Sanchez seems like the pick most people like here, but I think that Mike Singletary is a guy who is going to build up his defense and stick with Sean Hill. In fact, Singletary won a Super Bowl on a team that didn't have a top flight quarterback in Jim McMahon. Besides, Hill was a decent quarterback at the end of last year.

11. Buffalo Bills: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

Buffalo has two strong receivers in Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, and a capable slot in Steve Johnson, but the Bills don't have a reliable tight end (unless that's what you would call Robert Royal). Brandon Pettigrew is one of the best pass catching tight ends we've seen in a few drafts, so Buffalo can't pass on him.

12. Denver Broncos: Knowshon Moreno, HB, Georgia

You can bet Josh McDaniels, an offensive guy, is going to try and get as many offensive weapons as he feels necessary in this draft. Knowshon Moreno, a pass catching halfback, could be his guy. And besides, no Denver runningback ran for more than 350 yards last season. Yikes.

13. Washington Redskins: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

Its hard to fathom the fact that the number one pick in my mock draft about a month ago could slip this far, but it really could happen. Scouts were not impressed with his shape or figure, and he was definitely sluggish. However, the Redskins need an offensive tackle, and he is their guy.

14. New Orleans Saints: Brian Cushing, LB, USC

Another great USC linebacker, Brian Cushing can really give the Saints some explosiveness from the outside. Middle man Jon Vilma is a top tier linebacker, and armed with Cushing at his side, the Saints defense should really see a boost, especially if their injured players can return.

15. Houston Texans: William Moore, S, Missouri

This could be a bit of a reach, but William Moore is really the kind of player the Texans could use. Houston struggled to defend the pass (remember the meltdown against the Colts?) all year long, and Moore's physical style of play and interception ability really should aid Houston in their quest to make it into the playoffs.

16. San Diego Chargers: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

This is probably a steal, but B.J. Raji hasn't really separated himself from the other defensive tackles as much as most people probably thought he would. Jamal Williams isn't getting any younger, so Raji is definitely going to get to play throughout the year as Williams is going to need more breaks.

17. New York Jets: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

Brett Favre is gone, folks. The Jets need someone besides Kellen Clemons and late pick Eric Ainge to contend for the job since they unwisely ran Chad Pennington out of town. Sanchez has the tools to be a top ten pick, but who will honestly take him and use him is the question I'm asking.

18. Chicago Bears: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

Chicago had one main weakness last year; pass rushing. Mark Anderson performed well under expectations, so it looks like Chicago is going to need to add someone. Everette Brown, a star defensive end from Florida State, could be the man that meets the Bears' call.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

Since Tampa Bay said goodbye to Jeff Garcia and Joey Galloway, it looks like they are really willing to start from square one on offense. Percy Harvin, an athletic wide receiver who can do just about anything on offense, is their best bet. His speed, hands, and ability to play through injury will assist the new Buccaneers quarterback.

20. Detroit Lions: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

The Lions need a little of everything, and since they have their signal caller, they need someone to keep him standing up right, no? Michael Oher is really a lot better than people think, and if they do draft him, they can finally move Jeff Backus back to his more natural left guard position.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Chris Wells, HB, Ohio State

Whether Andy Reid and the Eagles will admit it or not, they need a halfback to actually run the football. Brian Westbrook is prone to injury, and Donovan McNabb relies heavily on Westbrook to pass catches. If either or both get hurt (which isn't really going out on a limb), then a power running game lead by Chris Wells would be nice to have.

22. Minnesota Vikings: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

Why not improve your strengths? The defensive line in Minnesota could be perfect from left to right if Ayers pans out, since they already have Jared Allen, Pat Williams, and Kevin Williams dominating the other three spots. There are not quarterbacks or tackles worth taking here, so Minnesota could very well trade up or down to get better value and more picks.

23. New England Patriots: James Laurinitus, LB, Ohio State

I love this pick; James Laurinitus is a quick, hard-hitting young linebacker that the Patriots could definitely use. He, along with Jerod Mayo, will really give New England a much stronger defense that they'll need to get back in the race in the AFC East, which currently belongs to Miami.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Clay Matthews, LB, USC

The third USC linebacker is as good as either of the first two, and will definitely help out in Atlanta. The Falcons lost a ton in free agency, and need a defensive tackle, a cornerback, and two outside linebackers. Clay Matthews is the best value, although Peria Jerry is not a bad consolation prize.

25. Miami Dolphins: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

Vontae Davis will boost an old Miami secondary well. He is definitely going to be needed, as Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Jerricho Cotchery, and Wes Welker all lurk in the tough AFC East. Davis will rejuvenate the aging defense as a whole, who began to fall off at the end of last season.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

Darius Butler is a Baltimore Ravens defense kind of guy; a hard hitting ball hawk. Butler will step in and immediately get minutes, as three of the top four Raven cornerbacks are over age 30. Butler is going to bring youth and speed to the defense, something its going to now need as its primary players are aging.

27. Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

Indianapolis has two star defensive ends in Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney, but not a very reliable defensive tackle. Peria Jerry should change that, as he could step in and start. He's an SEC defender, so you know he has the speed and power to compete for minutes in the NFL.

28. Philadelphia Eagles: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

Tra Thomas left for Jacksonville, which was one of Philadelphia's greatest fears this offseason. At 21, there were no offensive tackles available, but Eben Britton is a much better value with their second pick from Carolina. Britton won't be able to step in and start, but will provide valuable depth and could start eventually in his career.

29. New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

Until the Giants make a decision on Plaxico Burress, I'm going to continue giving them wide receivers. Either way, Hakeem Nicks' speed and big play ability is something many New York receivers lack. Nicks could start immediately, since Amani Toomer is aging and Kevin Boss isn't as reliable as we thought he was from his playoff performances in the playoffs two years ago.

30. Tennessee Titans: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

D.J. Moore, a Nashville guy, is Tennessee's best bet. Nick Harper is aging, and I am not sold on either Reynaldo Hill or Eric King starting and playing several minutes. Moore can step in and either start or be a reliable nickel back, which are two things Tennessee needs most.

31. Arizona Cardinals: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

Wouldn't it be something if Tyson Jackson fell this far? This is a good pick for the Arizona Cardinals, who need a defensive end or outside linebacker that fits their strong 3-4 defensive style. Jackson, a dominant SEC defensive player, fits both bills well.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alexander Mack, C, California

Pittsburgh's starting center, Justin Hartwig, isn't really cutting it. Besides, he is more of a guard forced to be playing center, and the Steelers were lucky to make it by with him. Alexander Mack should provide valuable depth at the position and could probably step in and start snapping footballs to Ben Roethlisberger in Week 1.

Which Teams Should Enter the Anquan Boldin Sweepstakes?

William Blake — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:45:28 -0500

We've all heard of the Anquan Boldin situation, and how the Arizona Cardinals aren't exactly satisfying his salary wants, and he's already stated that the chances of him returning are doubtful. Boldin has established himself as one of the top twenty or so wide receivers in the NFL in just six seasons. So, since Boldin could be one of the top catches for a receiver-seeking team, who should heavily pursue Boldin?

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay makes so much since; they are projected to be about $42 million under the cap in 2009, which is the most under in the NFL. Raheem Morris, the successor of Jon Gruden, needs to make a move to win over the fans in Tampa Bay with some kind of move this offseason with so much cap room.

And its not just that the Buccaneers should sign him for the heck of having him; they have one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL. Antonio Bryant seems to be Jeff Garcia's only decent target, with Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard on the sidelines more than on the field. Teams are going to double team Bryant next season and make him ineffective, and the other receivers just aren't ready to take a lot of spotlight from secondaries.

Boldin makes a ton of sense, and I think that Tampa Bay should heavily pursue him, since he and Bryant would make a good 1-2 and heavily improve the offensive talent for Tampa Bay, which is aging.

2. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee also makes a lot of sense for Boldin. The Titans haven't had a go-to guy at wide receiver since Derrick Mason, but Justin Gage and Brandon Jones are peeking with impeccable timing. Throw Boldin in the Titans receiver mix, who are $34 million under the cap.

Boldin should also help Vince Young, who looks like the next guy after Kerry Collins leaves. Young has always seemed uncomfortable throwing to wide receivers, and could really improve his intermediate and long range passes. Boldin, who is known for his crisp route running could pay dividends in the long run for Young's NFL future, who really could be a good quarterback with his size and mobility.

The fact that Tennessee picks 30th in the first round is also a bit of help, so they won't have to dole out as much cash to their rookies. Line up Boldin and Gage in the flankers with the speedy Jones in the slot and suddenly Tennessee's receivers are good.

3. Buffalo Bills

The Bills have a young offense with some good talent, but are a player or two away. Boldin, who would line up across from Lee Evans, would be a perfect fit in Buffalo. Trent Edwards, who needs a target besides the constantly double teamed Evans, could really use Boldin for the same reasons as Young of the Titans.

The Bills have a lot of needs on their defensive line, but since they select 11th, they can nab a top defensive end, say Brian Orakpo, with their first round draft pick. The Bills, who are $27 million under the salary cap, have some room to work with, so Boldin could make a ton of sense.

Throw in Boldin with the young group of receivers. With him, James Hardy, Lee, and Steve Johnson, you have four receivers you can put out on the field at any one time.

4. San Francisco 49ers

Name a 49ers receiver. Go ahead. After pondering for a moment (unless you're a fan) you probably came up with Isaac Bruce. Well guess what? He's 36 years old. Though he had a solid season this year, he's going to run out of gas sooner or later. Also on the roster are Josh Morgan, Bryant Johnson, Jason Hill, and Arnaz Battle, all who are still unpolished receivers.

During his short coaching tenure in San Francisco, head coach Mike Singletary has already proven that he isn't your average coach, and we know from his NFL career is that he expects the best out of everyone when he lead the Chicago Bears defense some 25 years ago as the captain of a talent-heavy defense. Singletary is going to make a move, I'm nearly positive. Boldin is probably on his short list of people to bring into the organization.

Frank Gore is a top tier halfback in the NFL, but he needs a passing game to take some pressure off of him. Boldin, along with the committee of receivers and Vernon Davis, is definitely better than just the last two. The 49ers caught some fire late last season, going 5-2 in the last seven weeks of the season. Boldin will keep the flames alive with his crisp route running and catching ability.

5. New York Giants

The Giants are on my list of teams this year of teams who are going to underachieve compared to their last season or two. The wheels came off at the end of the season when Plaxico Burress was suspended for the rest of the year in Week 14, and the Giants went an abysmal 1-4.

The Giants receivers are well under par without Burress, with Amani Toomer pushing 35 this September. Domenik Hixon picked it up late last season, but he is a slot receiver with his weight being so low. Who knows if he'll keep it up? Steve Smith was fairly consistent but fell on the depth chart late in the season. Between Sinorice Moss, Derek Hagan, and Mario Manningham, there were 19 catches. Kevin Boss, the tight end, was a bit disappointing and inconsistent compared to his big postseason in 2008.

Boldin is needed to help out Eli Manning, who seemed to slip a bit late in the season. His passer rating eclipsed 77 once in the last five games. Boldin, whose skill set is very similar to Burress (and is probably better), should be an instant replacement, whether New York decides to bring Burress back or not.

Who doesn't have room for a 28-year old wide receiver who records 89 catches for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 12 games? And on top of that, on a roster with Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston?

Boldin could go anywhere with his abilities, but these five teams above are the ones who should heavily pursue him.

Blake NFL Ranks: 2009-2010 Season Preview

William Blake — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:19:40 -0500

After the Super Bowl, it's another long, seven-month offseason. The only significant events that occur are the NFL Draft and the Pro Bowl, where the latter takes place in less than a week. So, while the 2008 season is still fresh in our minds, why not take an extra early look at the 2009 season?

Tier 1: Elite 5

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

This one is really a no-brainer. This team wins with their rough, physical play and with a strong defense, running game, and passing game. This team really is the most complete in the NFL. Also bear in mind that they did this off the toughest schedule in the league.

2. New England Patriots

There really is no clear-cut No. 2 behind Pittsburgh, but New England is always a safe bet. Tom Brady could be back, and if not, Matt Cassel isn't a bad consolation. Look for the Patriots to dethrone Miami in the AFC East.

3. Tennessee Titans

People are really counting out the best team in the NFL's regular season. True, they do have a difficult schedule, but their powerful defense and commanding running game keeps them in every game. Tennessee could put together another winner.

4. Carolina Panthers

This team is very similar to Tennessee; a commanding running game, an experienced quarterback, and tops in a tough division. I'm just not as confident in their defense, but then again, they are the best in a declining NFC.

5. Arizona Cardinals

How about some love for the team who challenged the Pittsburgh Steelers the most? Unfortunately, Arizona can really mess it up this offseason if they lose Todd Haley, Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin, and/or Kurt Warner.

Tier 2: Making the Playoffs

6. Indianapolis Colts

Losing Tony Dungy is a dagger to the heart for this organization, but it seems as if most of the talent is returning. Reggie Wayne is developing into one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Expect Peyton Manning and crew to piece together a good one.

7. San Diego Chargers

San Diego really doesn't realize how lucky it is. The Chargers have a lock for five or six wins in their pathetic division, and have another couple of easy wins out of their division. They have to prove that they are elite, because the clock is ticking for them.

8. New York Giants

I probably shouldn't but I absolutely hate the Giants. Their running game is very effective, but there's always at least one member missing. Eli Manning has declined from his 2008 playoff run, and there are no receivers. It could be tough in New York.

9. Baltimore Ravens

Last year, I thought the Ravens' window was rapidly closing, but since Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh have been so successful together, the defense has been re-energized and the window is rapidly opening.

10. Minnesota Vikings

Why Minnesota wants to fire Brad Childress blows my mind. This team is evolving, but it seriously needs a quarterback. Their defensive line and pair of running backs are probably the best combinations out there, and a passing game would really give them a boost.

Tier 3: Fightin' for a Spot

11. Philadelphia Eagles

I don't have a man crush on the Eagles like most seem to do, but they do look good for a playoff spot, as the Giants are really leaving the door open for the other three teams in the NFC East. Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid did their job in 2008.

12. Miami Dolphins

Miami had a remarkable turnaround in 2008, but really were just bad in their early playoff exit. Chad Pennington was efficient all season minus the playoffs, and this team's creative single-wing offense can carry them far.

13. Washington Redskins

I like the Redskins a lot this season. Jason Campbell took a step forward this year, and Jim Zorn really is not a bad coach. The defense just needs to step up, as Clinton Portis keeps the running game powerful. This team is going to be a sleeper.

14. Chicago Bears

Chicago is a young team with tons of potential, but gaping needs as well. The Bears are in a weak division and should enjoy a good run for the playoffs in the wide-open NFC North. Matt Forte is a great offensive catalyst.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jon Gruden was evidently a cancer in the Tampa Bay locker room, but whether the firing will fix the on-the-field problems remains to be seen. Jeff Garcia needs another reliable target and the defense needs to add a few players.

16. Atlanta Falcons

I don't like Atlanta this season. I really feel that they maxed out their potential last season and their defense's holes are going to be exposed. Still, the offense is capable of putting points on the board, so the Falcons will compete in the NFC.

Tier 4: On the Verge

17. Dallas Cowboys

I've already mentioned how open the NFC is, and Dallas has a beautiful opportunity to establish themselves this season. Too bad the Cowboys have become a soap opera and have forgotten how to play football. They need some serious help.

18. New Orleans Saints

This team is so close, yet so far away. They quietly put together one of the best offensive seasons the NFL has seen, with Drew Brees at the helm. The running game needs to get started, and the defense needs to stop people.

19. Denver Broncos

Just like New Orleans: a great offense but a sad defense. Their defense and offense are just a little worse, plus they lost Mike Shanahan. They are still the second-best in a bad division, which isn't always a bad thing.

20. Houston Texans

Houston is still a young team that advanced past Jacksonville this season and should look to improve even more. I love just about everything about this team, and they should be in the playoffs in two or three years.

21. New York Jets

Personally, the New York soap opera is just as annoying as the Dallas one, but thank goodness they don't show up as much. They have a few stars, but also several holes. Brett Favre may or may not stay, and Thomas Jones is aging.

22. San Fransisco 49ers

I'm usually one of the first to dump on the 49ers, but they have really shocked me. They finished the season extremely hot, and Mike Singletary as coach is a good choice. Shaun Hill is a good temporary quarterback.

Tier 5: Maybe Next Year

23. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo has dropped from a safe second to a distant fourth as far as overall talent. Still, they seem to win games thanks to Marshawn Lynch, their halfback. Lynch is really the key to the success in Buffalo.

24. Green Bay Packers

Green Bay was a real disappointment this season and is losing ground to Chicago and Minnesota in the NFC North. Aaron Rodgers had a decent season but probably could have made better use of Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.

25. Oakland Raiders

Oakland could be a good team. They have the halfbacks: Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush. JaMarcus Russell wasn't terrible this season, and the defense still needs improvement. They need some offensive linemen.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jack Del Rio's squad just absolutely fell apart this season and has collapsed in the AFC South—and it's not looking better. The team is old, with Fred Taylor over 30 years old, and David Garrard has few targets. The defense has also been a disappointment.

27. Seattle Seahawks

Mike Holmgren really didn't deserve this, but that's how it crumbles. The injuries just piled up, and poor Holmgren may have had to sign himself to play, he was running out of reserves so quickly. The Seahawks can move up.

Tier 6: The Bottom 5

28. Cleveland Browns

Eric Mangini will improve the Browns, but not immediately. The team is just bad at every position, and they may regret not trading Derek Anderson when his value was high. Mangini has his hands full, that is for sure.

29. Kansas City Chiefs

Scott Pioli will help the Chiefs develop their many young players, as well as fix the off-the-field problems. Kansas City really is the worst in a terrible division, which is never good. Don't expect an immediate improvement.

30. Cincinnati Bengals

If any coach needed to be fired this offseason, it was Marvin Lewis. The Bengals management is just terrible, and the players are no better. However, they caught a little fire at the end of 2008.

31. St. Louis Rams

I thought St. Louis would improve last year, but it just didn't work out. With five wins the last two seasons, St. Louis is really desperate. The Rams need everything, starting with an offensive line.

32. Detroit Lions

No comment. Seriously. No comment.

2009 NFL Mock Draft: Edition 1

William Blake — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:56:55 -0500

The NFL playoffs are coming to a peak, but another huge story line going along in the NFL is the draft. Thursday was the deadline to declare, and now that we have all the players in the pool, I'll take a rather early look at the draft coming up in April. (I have the Super Bowl as Arizona-Pittsburgh with Pittsburgh winning only because they are the higher seed.)

1. Detroit Lions: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

The Lions need everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. But on offense, it all starts with the big uglies up front, and Andre Smith is one of the bigger, more powerful left tackles in this draft, and his showing against SEC defenses have blown scouts away. Smith would be a nice building point for the offensive line in Motown.

2. St. Louis Rams: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

Though this pick is very high for Eugene Monroe, he is still a strong player, and St. Louis is really that sad up front. Orlando Pace is toast, so Monroe is really going to have to play minutes early and often for the Rams, although I think that he is up to the task with his combination of strength and speed.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Again, another surprising pick, but if you think about it, can you name a Kansas City receiver besides Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez? Michael Crabtree could line up across Bowe and perform well. If it were up to me, Kansas City would trade down and take a defensive end, but there are no ends worth taking here.

4. Seattle Seahawks: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

With Crabtree off the board, Seattle could trade down and wait for a halfback or wide receiver, but in this situation, Malcolm Jenkins is the best bet for this dwindling secondary. Jenkins is a good shut down corner, and could switch to safety. Jenkins could play well alongside Marcus Trufant.

5. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

This is low for such a strong linebacker. Aaron Curry is incredibly quick and can replace the old Willie McGinest. He can really fill in anywhere in a 3-4 defense that adds another linebacker. Curry should be a top three pick, but this is a pretty good situation for Curry.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

Michael Oher is another SEC offensive tackle who is smart and strong, just not to the extent of Smith. The Bengals need somebody who can give Carson Palmer even the extra second of time to throw. Chris Perry and Cedric Benson, as bad as they are, could be slightly more productive if given better holes.

7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

JaMarcus Russell faces a big season next year, and with his only receiver being really the tight end Zach Miller, he needs a wideout to run intermediate to long range routes so he can really show off his cannon for an arm. Jeremy Maclin is the best receiver on the board, and really will spice up the Oakland offense.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

Jacksonville got a wake-up call that offensive line depth is important. Jason Smith fits the bill well. He's a little bit of a project, but his strength and speed he showed off at Baylor will keep him in a top 10 range. The Jaguars need a cornerback, and may trade down for Vontae Davis or up for Jenkins.

9. Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

The third consecutive Big 12 pick, Brian Orakpo will bring some youth and power to the Green Bay Packers aging defensive line. They had trouble getting by offensive lines and picking up sacks, and there only sack-master is Aaron Kampman. Expect Orakpo to play well in Wisconsin.

10. San Francisco 49ers: Rey Maualuga, LB, USC

Imagine this: Patrick Willis and Rey Maualuga both at linebacker in 3-4 defense. You love it, right? Its a real possibility, since Mike Singletary will obviously want to boost his defense before his offense. Percy Harvin isn't really worth taking this high anyway, so they'll have to deal with having a young, scary linebacker corps...

11. Buffalo Bills: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

Buffalo really needs someone at the tight end who can catch the football, and Brandon Pettigrew fits the bill perfectly. Pettigrew should take some attention off of Lee Evans, by far the best receiver on this team, and should get the tall James Hardy some more looks at the football.

12. Denver Broncos: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State

This would be somewhat of a steal, and since there is a bit of a drop off in linebackers, they may trade down to the 18-23 area to nab one. However, you can't not like a defensive end like Aaron Maybin, who is at Orakpo's level. Besides, Wesley Woodyard is a good middle linebacker to start to build around.

13. Washington Redskins: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

With the "Big Four" offensive tackles off the board, it seems that Washington will have to go a new route. B.J. Raji isn't a bad consolation; he has a quick first step and is really a good run stuffer, a combination anyone would like. Raji should help the Redskins emerge in the NFC East.

14. New Orleans Saints: Shonn Greene, HB, Iowa

A surprising pick, but an intelligent one at that. Deuce McAllister is as old as they come in the backfield, and Reggie Bush is injury-prone. However, when Bush is present, he shows unbelievable speed. Shonn Greene shows the most power of all halfbacks in this draft. The two could be good together.

15. Houston Texans: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

It is now okay to take Davis, who is the second best cornerback in this draft. Jacques Reeves isn't great, and is really only a back-up. Davis adds more youth to this already fiery defense including DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams, Amobi Okeye, and Xavier Adibi. He fits the bill perfectly.

16. San Diego Chargers: Brian Cushing, LB, USC

The linebackers basically fell apart without Shawn Merriman, something that the Chargers couldn't afford to happen. The offense is still explosive, and the defense was the real anchor preventing this team from taking off. Brian Cushing should add much needed depth at the outside linebacker.

17. New York Jets: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

The second consecutive Trojan taken is a real treat for the New York Jets. The Jets didn't take too kindly to Brett Favre, especially after his late season meltdown. Even if he doesn't retire, it will give them a solid back-up, as well as someone who will eventually take over the reigns.

18. Chicago Bears: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

Surprisingly, Chicago's main need isn't offense. Their pass rush was not good this season, especially considering its strength the previous seasons. Everette Brown, who had a nice career at Florida State, has his stock rising. He should fill the position nicely for the Bears.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

Jeff Garcia to Antonio Bryant. That was the only passing play of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense this year, and though it worked effectively, defenses started cracking down on it, which cost Tampa Bay the playoffs. Percy Harvin could really excel in this system with Bryant.

20. Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

Though it is unrealistic that Matt Stafford falls this far, it could really happen. Knowing William Ford and the gang, Stafford is going to get taken here. Behind Smith, Stafford may be able to succeed since Detroit has a very good receiving team, consisting of Calvin Johnson, Mike Furrey, and Shaun McDonald.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

The third straight SEC pick is going to help the Eagles' pass rush a great deal. Though they need a tight end, there isn't really one worth taking outside of Pettigrew, who was 10 spots up. Its not really worth trading up for, as Jackson would be a nice fit in Jim Johnson's defense.

22. Minnesota Vikings: William Moore, S, Missouri

The Vikings' secondary was average this season, and needs to beef up to meet the standards that the defensive line has created. William Moore from Missouri could be the bulk up they need to help Darren Sharper and the guys out back in the Minnesota secondary.

23. New England Patriots: James Laurinitus, LB, Ohio State

New England took a step in the right direction last season by taking Jerod Mayo, but the linebackers are still old. Junior Seau and Rosie Colvin were added back to the roster, and are both ancient. James Laurinitus, though undersized, has the speed and big play ability to help New England's defense out.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Ciron Black, OT, LSU

Though Atlanta made great strides this year, their offensive line still needs depth. Sam Baker isn't always an every down player, and Ciron Black can pick it up when Baker needs a break. Black would really add some depth to the offensive line in Atlanta, which will ultimately only improve Matt Ryan.

25. Miami Dolphins: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

Miami's secondary wasn't really all that great, and the whole defense in Miami is pretty old. D.J. Moore will give them some talent, youth, and speed back in the pass defense. Moore's ability is no fluke; facing receivers like Harvin, A.J. Green, and Mohamed Mossaquoi isn't easy.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

Peria Jerry's ability to stuff the run is not in question, and fits the Baltimore need perfectly. The offense is still young and growing, while the defensive line is growing old. Trevor Pryce and crew are aging quickly, and Jerry will be around to take their place when they leave.

27. Indianapolis Colts: Darrius Heyward-Bay, WR, Maryland

Marvin Harrison could be done, which means teams will crack down on Reggie Wayne, the other superstar wide receiver. Darrius Heyward-Bay, though in need of some work, could really help draw some attention from Wayne, as well as tight end Dallas Clark, who is more of a catching tight end.

28. Philadelphia Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, HB, Georgia

Go ahead and put Brian Westbrook in the slot. Westbrook and his back-up Correll Buckhalter are both rather injury-prone, and with Knowshon Moreno, Westbrook won't have to take as many carries and can make more catches to avoid injury. It also adds a little power, since the whole Eagle's offense is finesse.

29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

Kenny Britt is a pretty nice wide receiver, though a bit of a reach. But New York can take it. Amani Toomer is aging, Plaxico Burress is gone, and Domenik Hixon is not capable of being a No. 1 by himself. Britt steps into a dying group of wide receivers, and could make things better for Eli Manning.

30. Tennessee Titans: Alexander Mack, C, California

Kevin Mawae is dealing with some severe elbow issues, and a replacement is going to be needed eventually anyway. Alexander Mack leads one of the strongest classes of centers we've seen in a while, and is definitely first-round worthy. Mack will start if Mawae is out, or in two-four seasons when he retires.

31. Arizona Cardinals: Chris Wells, HB, Ohio State

Though they have had some playoff success, Tim Hightower-Edgerrin James is not the answer. James is in his 30's, the killer age for halfbacks. Hightower is a physical runner, but not an every down back. Chris Wells is. Wells could help Kurt Warner and crew march down the field, while Hightower punches in touchdowns.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

Pittsburgh could really have a dominating offense if it just had some blockers. Eben Britton should remedy these problems. They may even trade up for a chance at Oher or Monroe. Just think of the possibilities of this offense with some blockers up front...

Notable second round players picked:

Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

Max Unger, C, Oregon

Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas

Sean Smith, CB, Utah

LeSean McCoy, HB, Pittsburgh

Why Tim Tebow Will Be Successful in the NFL

William Blake — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:56:53 -0500

What assumptions have been made about the future of Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow? Well, it is certain that he will have a career extending beyond college football. But at what position? We've heard tight end and fullback, but no one believe Tebow can play quarterback at the next level.

They're wrong.

At first, I agreed with those who said he could be a top-end fullback in the NFL. He would still be remarkable at that position, but Tebow is a quarterback. He has the skill set that allows him to do this in the pros.

Tebow has been very accurate this season, completing 64.4 percent, placing him at 23rd in the NCAA and first in the SEC. He was also fourth in the nation in passer rating. Tebow's 30 passing touchdowns, placing him 13th nationally, is remarkably high due to his ability to run and the use of the running game in Florida.

Tebow has also shown an ability to carry the football. His 12 rushing touchdowns rank 32nd among all rushers (this includes running backs), and he also has accumulated 673 yards rushing, which is 101st in the NCAA. He took 176 carries and didn't fumble once.

These are all fairly strong numbers. His sophomore season was even better and was good enough to merit him the Heisman Trophy. Even this season he received the most first place votes for the Heisman but somehow didn't win.

Tebow has ultimately done the things on the football field that help his offense score. Who would not love somebody who would do that?

But the numbers are only half of Tebow's story; the Gator quarterback has an unbelievable hunger to win games. All he wants to do is win...and do a lot of it. He doesn't care if he won the Heisman in all three of his seasons in Florida so far. Tebow would take three title rings over three Heisman trophies.

This sense of his reminds me of, dare I say it, Michael Jordan. Tebow and Jordan absolutely hate losing, and that's why they climbed to the top and won championships.

If you think that this comparison is laughable, than I encourage you to listen to Tebow's words after the loss to Ole Miss, their only blemish of the season. The gist of what Tebow said was that he had fallen short of his goal of an undefeated season, but that so much good was to come from it.

He pledged that he would be the hardest working, best leader for the rest of the season.

He was right.

Statistics don't lie: Florida hit the 50-point mark four times after the Ole Miss game, something they did just once before it. Tebow had six passing touchdowns during the Ole Miss game and before, but had 24 in the 10 proceeding games.

Tebow's rushing touchdowns inflated from two to 10 after the Ole Miss. He had four games in which he completed over 70 percent of his passes, zero before.

Ole Miss and backwards, the offense

The best stat? Ole Miss and before: 3-1. After: 10-0.

Tebow not only said what he was going to do, he went out and did it, something few players can say they are capable of.

He pushes himself so hard everyday, and plays because he loves the game more than anyone, and wants to be the best he can be. Tebow's work ethic is unmatched by any college football player this season, and perhaps in the last few seasons.

When Dominique Franks, an Oklahoma cornerback, told reporters that if Tebow were in the Big 12, he would be the fourth best quarterback (obviously behind Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Graham Harrell) in the conference, Tebow went out with a chip on his shoulder in the BCS title game and didn't put on a great performance.

In fact, he had his worst passer rating of the season in that game.

But somehow, he found a way to win. And that is all he cares about. Tebow is a proven winner.

Because of his skill set and his work ethic, Tebow will be a success in the NFL. He is a piece most struggling teams could build their offense around. Tebow's potential is nearly limitless; even at quarterback.

Could Kentucky Football Be a Team on the Rise?

William Blake — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:35:36 -0500

The SEC is considered by most to be the best conference in the NCAA's. Since 2007 (including this season), Florida, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee have entered New Year's bowl games, or, even better, BCS bowls, including a representative in all three national championship games. South Carolina often does well in getting to good bowl games.

The other four teams, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky have been left in the basement. Ole Miss came out this season and took Auburn's spot. I believe Kentucky could rise to the level the other eight teams are on as soon as next season.

This may seem far-fetched, considering that in Kentucky's bowl game in 2007 we were seeing clips of teams backs in the 1970s and 1980s. You also might not believe because the Wildcats lost all of their offense before this season.

Andre Woodson, an NCAA record holder (not to mention Kentucky record holder, who has seen talent like Tim Couch), left along with Jacob Tamme, Steve Johnson, Keenan Burton, and Rafael Little, as well as one of the hardest working defensive players in UK history, Wesley Woodyard.

However, Kentucky has quietly put together a very respectable recruiting class. They have signed two of high school's greatest quarterbacks this season in Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski (who wouldn't love that name on the back of their jersey?), rated three and four stars by Rivals, respectively (however, some sources list Newton as a five star prospect).

Quarterback has been an issue all season long, beginning in the preseason when Curtis Pulley, the likely starter, was kicked off the team. Mike Hartline played a little too inconsistently, and settled for too many short throws, which he often threw too high.

Hartline wasn't a complete disappointment, but he wasn't great. He was eighth in the SEC in passing yards per game, and was 9th in passer efficiency, but threw only eight touchdown passes all season.

After Pulley and Hartline, it seemed as though Kentucky were out of options. A freshman, Randall Cobb, who was listed as an athlete, stepped in and played quarterback. He wasn't much better, unfortunately. His passer rating, completion percentage, and TD-INT ratio were all lower than Hartline. However, Cobb had big play ability that Hartline did not have. He was mobile, while Hartline was more of a pro-style quarterback.

Although Cobb wasn't extremely successful at quarterback, he did succeed in other areas. Cobb was also the second leading rusher from his quarterback spot, and was second in receiving yards before Hartline was swapped.

The rest of Kentucky's offense was raw as well. The receiving corps took a huge hit when Dicky Lyons Jr., one of the best wide receivers in the SEC, was injured and taken out for the rest of the season, thus ending his career. If anything else were more tragic, the simple fact that he only played five full games, and was still the leader in receptions, yardage, and touchdowns.

The running game wasn't all it was labeled to be. After having six rushers last season average five or more yards per rush last season, the Wildcats had three this season (but if you don't count Tim Masthay's 17 yard scramble, his only rush of the season, and A.J. Nance, who had three carries all season, one).

To make things worse, Derrick Locke, their second best offensive player behind Lyons, was injured and taken out for the rest of the season. Locke had averaged 4.8 yards per carry and had two touchdowns. Tony Dixon averaged 3.3 yards per rush, Alfonso Smith 4.1, Cobb 4.0, and Moncell Allen 5.3.

So with so much offensive failure, just how can I expect it to heal next season?

Simple.

The recruiting class is one of the strongest in Kentucky history. UK has two of the top rated quarterbacks coming in, Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski (who wouldn't want that on the back of their jersey?). Newton and Mossakowski are rated three and four stars by Rivals, respectively. Newton has also been rated five stars on other sources.

But besides the quarterbacks, Kentucky adds two top-rated wide receivers coming in. Chris Matthews and LaRod King, rated four and three stars respectively, are both deep threats that Kentucky has locked all season. Throw them in with Randall Cobb, who will most likely move to receiver all time, and Aaron Boyd, a four star prospect last season, who has been hurt for most of this year, and this could be a pretty good group of receivers.

Kentucky also has some good offensive linemen coming in to help. Sam Simpson and Larry Warford, both top-end three star prospects, come in to remedy the run blocking Kentucky needs. Anthony Kendrick, a three star tight end, joins Maurice Grinter and T.C. Drake at tight end. Kendrick should add some youth to this position; the other four are all seniors (Grinter, Drake, Tyler Sexton, and Ross Boque).

Sure, all these players will need time to mesh things together. However, Kentucky's defense should give the offense enough time to work, that is, if three key players return. Jeremy Jarmon, a Kentucky defensive end, Micah Johnson, a linebacker, and Trevard Lindley, a cornerback. Lindley is projected to be a first or second round pick this draft. Johnson is also expected to be a choice in the middle rounds.

If the three return, Kentucky's defensive unit is one to fear. Kentucky was fifth this season in sacks, and return two defensive line starters, Corey Peters and Jarmon. However, these positions will be filled by other great defensive players. Ricky Lumpkin is a defensive tackle who has suffered some injuries, but in his playing time, has been very successful. Mark Crawford, a four star defensive tackle, could also back up Lumpkin and Peters.

At defensive end, the candidates include Chandler Burden and Donte Rumph, again, an upperclassmen and a freshman. Rumph is rated three stars on Rivals, while Burden has been backing up Ventell Jenkins, a graduating defensive end, this season.

Kentucky also loses two starting linebackers, Braxton Kelly and Johnny Williams. However, there are some talented freshman as well as upperclassmen at this position. Qua Huzzie, a high three star, is quick, but uses more power than speed to bring down opponents. Sam Maxwell, a back-up this season, should also see a start, considering he had a successful 2008.

In the secondary, safeties Matt Lentz and Ashton Cobb, both of who have started at different points in the season, return. Lindley may return at cornerback, and Winston Guy will likely be his partner. However, Kentucky lacks depth, as only one other upperclassmen cornerback returns. Look for Kentucky to go after some more cornerbacks and safeties this offseason, seeing that they have no freshman at either position.

Indeed, Kentucky is going to have enough talent next season in terms of stars. But whether this translates into field success remains to be seen.

How Dangerous Are the Kentucky Wildcats?

William Blake — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:25:44 -0500

When you think of Kentucky basketball lately, you think of an unranked team (heck, an unranked team that can't even garner any votes) that is going to have to fight to be in the NCAAs. You may also think of a once historic team that is on the decline.

Both assumptions are wrong.

The Kentucky Wildcats have two of the best offensive catalysts in the nation: Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson (pictured above). Meeks ranks eighth nationally in points per game, and Patterson is 49th.

What are the two big names in college basketball now? Stephen Curry of Davidson and Blake Griffin of Oklahoma, right? Patterson is on the same level as Griffin, and Meeks has Curry-like performances (for example, putting up 46 on Appalachian State, incredibly close to breaking Dan Issel's record of 53 for a Wildcat).

Patterson also averages 9.4 rebounds per game, 33rd in the country. His field goal shooting percentage is 72.2 percent. When Kentucky's guards get him the basketball, he has such a nice touch and can put the ball through the net almost at will. When Patterson can take at least 14 or 15 shots a game, Kentucky has put themselves at a huge advantage.

As for Meeks, the shooting guard, he has a stroke that allows him to nail three-pointers. When Meeks is hot, there isn't much stopping him. He also can occasionally make powerful drives to the bucket that allow him to be fouled, which lets him take advantage of another one of his strengths, free throw shooting. For example, Meeks was a perfect 12-12 from the line in a tough victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers.

But Patterson and Meeks aren't the only threats on the Wildcats roster. They have been searching for a third scorer, but a different one shows up every game. One candidate for third scorer is Perry Stevenson.

Stevenson averages 6.9 points per game, fourth on the team, but has games that even beat out Patterson. For example, in the first game of the season, Stevenson had a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Patterson failed to get even 10 points. He is second on the team in rebounds, behind Patterson.

However, he and Patterson are two of the best shot blockers in the nation. Combined, they average 4.5 blocks per game.

Josh Harrellson, Ramon Harris, and DeAndre Liggins are all scorers as well. One of the four steps up and scores. But which one?

This is just one of Kentucky's problems. There are two more that if Kentucky can fix, they could be a force in not just the SEC, but the country.

Their second ailment is turnovers. They have been getting better, but there are still too many a game. 18.3 turnovers a game is too many. North Carolina, for example, only has 12.3. Pittsburgh has 12.1. If Kentucky can cut down to the 13-14 range, they could really improve their chances.

Finally, Kentucky seems to have a hard time playing 40 minutes of basketball. Take the Miami game. Kentucky put themselves in a 20-point hole at the end of the first half by just playing terrible defense and having so little motion on offense. In the second half, however, the Wildcats dominated and won it by 14 because their play improved. Miami's was about the same, but Kentucky just beat them by 14. They wound up losing by six.

If they didn't fall asleep in the first half, that was a W.

But if you'll remember, this time last season, Kentucky had these problems and more (such as injuries, bad attitudes, and cockiness among the few) and were 6-7. They finished the season 18-13. If Kentucky makes another remarkable turnaround, they could win the SEC Tournament, considering the weakness of the SEC this season.

Despite a loss to VMI, a blowout in North Carolina, and a home loss against an equal opponent, Kentucky is still a force. Most of us may know that after the Louisville game.

Top 5 Positional Needs for Tennessee Titans

William Blake — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:29:14 -0500

Football fans are going through a shortage of football; half of it is now gone, as the college football season ended last week. The NFL is also in its closing weeks. What happens after these events for fans? The NFL draft, where college football fans and NFL fans unite. The Titans may be the best team in the NFL, but they could always fill a few holes. In my first slideshow, I will present the five most pressing needs of the Titans this offseason, and which rookie may be able to help out.

Begin Slideshow

The Tennessee Titans Feast On The Detroit Lions, 47-10

William Blake — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:39:26 -0500

In the first of the trio of Thanksgiving day games, the Tennessee Titans came into Detroit and won a blowout. Why did Tennessee completely dismantle the Lions?

Detroit is horrible. That's one reason.

Tennessee continued Detroit's miserable season by playing their style of football. They attempted just 19 passes as opposed to their 46 runs. The Lions ran for 292 yards as a team.

Chris Johnson and LenDale White proved their dominance, as both rushers gained over 100 yards. This isn't the first time this has happened; against the Kansas City Chiefs, both halfbacks recorded 100 yards rushing. The fact that they have done it twice, despite it being against two bad defenses, is remarkable.

They also combined to run for four touchdowns, with two a piece. On two of his first three carries, Johnson scored, including a 58-yard sprint in which Johnson elusively knifed through the Detroit secondary. Johnson finished the day with 16 carries and 125 yards.

White did not play much in the first half. However, he was the main rusher in the second half. He took more carries than Johnson, 23, and ran for 105 yards. The bruiser's longest run on the day was 25 yards.

As far as the rest of the team, Tennessee saw four players run for over 20 yards, and five players exceed 10 yards. On the very first play from scrimmage, Brandon Jones took a 28 yarder. Quinton Ganther also busted out for 22 yards in limited playing time. The other ten-yard run I was talking about? Kerry Collins, who some consider to be a slow, old man, ran for 12 yards down the right sideline, needing only two yards for a score.

On the passing end, there were two quarterbacks for the Titans. In addition to Collins, we got to see Vince Young play as well. Collins finished going 11-18 with 127 yards. While it wasn't a remarkable day for the quarterback, who needs one when your runners can go for 292 yards?

Young's lone pass in the game was complete, and was the longest of the game. His pass went 54 yards to fullback Ahmard Hall. Besides that, Young took two knees (and lost two yards) and handed the ball off to White and Ganther.

Hall led all receivers in total yards on the day. He caught one other pass for a loss of one, but the 54 yard strike pushed him into the receiving lead. Justin McCariens, Justin Gage, Alge Crumpler, and Johnson each had two receptions. McCariens finished with 43 yards, Gage 40, Crumpler caught for 22, and Johnson had nine.

Bo Scaife and Jones, generally the two leading receivers, were both limited to one catch, Scaife received for eight yards, while Jones caught for six yards. No receiver on the Titans received for a score. The offense only committed one turnover, a fumble by Collins. This was his first fumble all season, and just his fifth turnover all year.

Tennessee's defense was absolutely terrific. The team saw Kyle Vanden Bosch and Nick Harper return to full strength and start. Both had rather surprising comebacks. Harper lead the team in tackles with four, and Vanden Bosch had two tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery.

The defensive line was huge, and their outstanding play wasn't even from their starters. Kevin Vickerson, Dave Ball, and Jacob Ford, all second stringers, recorded one sack. Vickerson also forced a fumble, and Ball intercepted Daunte Culpepper, and brought it back 15 yards for a score.

Tony Brown had four tackles, leading the line. Jevon Kearse had two, and Albert Haynesworth only had one. It didn't matter though; all four of the defensive line members were putting pressure on Culpepper.

As far as linebackers went, Stephen Tulloch, the young middle linebacker, had four tackles, leading the others at his position again. I needed to see a big game from him, and that's exactly what I saw. Keith Bulluck also had three hits, and David Thornton two.

The secondary was definitely enhanced with the Harper-Chris Carr swap. Cortland Finnegan, who drew the tough task of playing Calvin Johnson, didn't give him much. Johnson had five receptions for 66 yards, which was by far the only threat to the Titans. Finnegan ended the day with three tackles.

Safeties Chris Hope and Michael Griffin each had just one tackle. Shaun McDonald had four receptions for 44 yards with Harper playing tight coverage on him.

Detroit's offense was hopeless. They racked up 154 yards, with only 23 on the ground. Kevin Smith, the rookie starter for the Lions, only had 22 yards on 12 carries. Aveion Cason contributed just one yard off of two carries.

In Detroit's passing game, Culpepper did all he could. He completed 13 out of 26 passes, and threw for 134 yards. He also scored on a two-yard touchdown toss to Michael Gaines, and completed an interception to Ball. He was benched for the Lions' last possession to see what back-up Drew Henson could do, which wasn't a whole lot. Henson fumbled twice, and completed one of two passes (both of which were rather high).

Besides Johnson and McDonald, no one else on offense did anything. Casey FitzSimmons, John Owens, John Standeford, Smith, and Gaines each had one catch. Detroit's offense had three total turnovers and nine punts.

If there was ANYTHING good for Detroit this Thanksgiving, it was that Jason Hanson, their starting kicker, hit his 40th career 50+ yard field goal, tying Mortan Anderson for the all-time lead. He also improved to seven for seven on field goals of 50 yards or more this season. He is looking like a Pro-Bowler, but will be the only representative from the Lions.

Stat of the Game

33. This is the number of tackles Tennessee's defense made.

MVP's

Tennessee: Chris Johnson, 16 carries, 125 yards, two touchdowns

Detroit: Calvin Johnson, 5 receptions, 66 yards

Offensive Players

Tennessee: LenDale White, 23 carries, 106 yards, two touchdowns

Detroit: Daunte Culpepper, 13-26 passing, 134 yards, one touchdown, one interception

Defensive Players

Tennessee: Kyle Vanden Bosch, two tackles, one sack, one recovered fumble

Detroit: Cliff Avril, three tackles, one sack, one recovered fumble

Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions: Thanksgiving Preview

William Blake — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:34:30 -0500

The Week 13 match-up for the Tennessee Titans is a Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions in Michigan.

And a feast it will be!

No, seriously; the chance that Tennessee loses is next to none. Although the secondary will need to have their guard up, as they face one of the NFL's most explosive wide receivers in Calvin Johnson.

He is one of the league's best combinations of speed, size, and hands. He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at the 2007 NFL Combine. The Lions have him listed at 6'5" and 239 pounds. He has also caught 48 passes from quarterbacks such as Daunte Culpepper, Jon Kitna, and Dan Orlovsky.

Indeed, Cortland Finnegan will be busy with Johnson. The rest of the Lions receivers are also capable of making plays. No. 2 option Shaun McDonald has 31 receptions, and third string Mike Furrey has 18. Tight end Michael Gaines is also capable of having a big day.

Nick Harper is looking likely to play Thursday, as he had to sit out against the New York Jets in Week 12. His ankle had healed, and he will greatly help the secondary. Safeties Michael Griffin and Chris Hope are also capable of playing good coverage, as they each have four interceptions on the season. I would expect any of the four members of the secondary to pick off Culpepper.

That is, if Culpepper isn't on his back all day. I project Albert Haynesworth, who ripped open the Jets offensive line, to get two or three sacks. He got back on track, recording 1.5 sacks against New York. Tony Brown, the team's other defensive tackle, should use his quicker build to give the line a strong variety.

Defensive ends Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse should also be able to get some pressure. Vanden Bosch is coming off of the groin injury, and returned to play the Jets last week. He did very well, getting engaged in many gang tackles. He had six total, but just two solo hits. He also had half of a sack with Haynesworth.

Expectations for Vanden Bosch should be modest, but knowing how tough he is, he could just as well go off. Kearse, or "The Freak", has done everything needed. Obviously, at age 32, he's a little slower than the rest of the line, but continues to make hits and bust through lines. A game against the Lions weak offensive line could be his biggest of the year.

As far as the linebackers go, I expect Keith Bulluck to get involved early and often in many blitz schemes. That way, you get even more pressure on the mobile Culpepper. David Thornton will probably stay back and watch Gaines, but I expect him to get his share of tackles. Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch has really stepped up this season, and has assumed the starting role from Ryan Fowler. I want to see another good game from the young linebacker.

However, on offense, I need to see a little bit more than what they might be capable of. I don't want to see Kerry Collins throw 30 or 40 passes. I think the Titans should stick to their guns, which is riding on the back of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Tennessee needs to use White early to slow Cory Redding on the Lions defensive line, then use Johnson on sweeps and off tackle plays to rack up yardage, then go back to White and punch in some touchdowns.

Johnson and White could both have 100-yard days, just as they did against the Kansas City Chiefs. Honestly, I don't think the running game has been the same since the Chiefs game. They need to get back on track against a weaker defense, and progressively work their way up until playing the defensive juggernaut of Pittsburgh in Week 16.

As for Collins, I don't want to see anything other than what he's been doing, except maybe 15 fewer passing attempts. This could also be the game where Collins develops rhythm with a wide receiver. Brandon Jones and Justin Gage seem to be the top candidates.

Gage is coming off of an injury, and has played inconsistently since. Jones has played consistently all season, but seems to always hide behind either Gage or tight end Bo Scaife as the second receiver in every game. He also has only caught one of Collins' nine touchdowns. I need to see one of these guys step up and make six catches or so.

I'm also interested in maybe seeing Vince Young a series or two. No one has mentioned this or talked about it all, but I wonder if the Titans get up big, whether they might insert Young for an offensive series or two. I'd be interested to see if offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger has really worked with him at all over the 12 week span since his last start.

As for the actual course of the game, I expect Tennessee's defense to shut down any running Kevin Jones or Rudi Johnson might do. Culpepper is also doomed for a bad outing. Tennessee will get up by about 10 in the first quarter and will go full throttle and lead by around 17 at halftime. I expect Detroit to be lucky to score three points all day, and Tennessee to be disappointing if they don't get close to 30.

Final Score

Titans - 34 | Lions - 3

MVP

Chris Johnson, Titans. From 18-23 carries and from 110-160 yards rushing. About 40 yards receiving as well.

Fantasy Top 5

1. Chris Johnson: 24 points

2. LenDale White: 19 points

3. Titans D/ST: 17 points

4. Kerry Collins: 14 points

5. Bo Scaife: 13 points

Does LenDale White Have a Reasonable Beef with Titans?

William Blake — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:12:29 -0500

After the loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, Tennessee Titans halfback LenDale White expressed his discontent with his playing time.

"I only played three plays, so I couldn't really tell you what happened. I have no idea. I wasn't paying attention, and I don't really care."

He wasn't criticizing teammate Chris Johnson or the rookie running back's performance running the football.

"I don't know if I had gotten the ball 30 times or not if we'd have won the game or not," he went on to say. "I would like to be involved more, or if I'm not involved, I'd like somebody to tell me what's going on. Coming into these games, you expect to get certain carries or certain things going on, or at least that's what they tell you. Then you get in these games and just randomly play three plays."

So, does White have a reasonable beef?

He got the ball once and lost a yard on that carry. However, White has a reputation of being more of a bruiser back than elusive, like the other halfback Johnson. As a team, the Titans ran the ball just 11 times, and the fact that White got one of those, nine percent, is astounding. Tony Richardson, the Jets' third string halfback, even got more carries than White.

White hasn't been involved in any trouble, or at least that we know of. This couldn't have affected his playing time.

White mentions the word random; that's the best term to use. Last week against Jacksonville, he had 14 carries. He turns around and gets one this week. His range of carries is 17 (he had 18 against Cincinnati, one against New York).

Other No. 2 backs in two back systems haven't had quite the randomness of White. Chester Taylor, for example, is backing up a better halfback in Adrian Peterson than Johnson, but has been involved in more consistent carries situation. Erase the game against the Titans, where he was shut down, and Taylor has a stable number of carries and catches per game.

White offers skills that Johnson hasn't quite developed, such as pounding in yardage. White runs over people and gets yardage that way. Early in the game, he could be used to wear out the defense, so Johnson can break out a long one to the outside.

White is also a touchdown machine. Or, well, he was.

In the first eight weeks of the season (including a bye week, so basically seven games) White had 10 rushing touchdowns. In the four games since, he has a grand total of one. Look at Kerry Collins' touchdowns; in the first seven games, he has three. In the four since, six. You can't tell me that you trust Justin Gage and Brandon Jones catching touchdowns over White pounding them in.

The total offensive production has dropped when White doesn't score a touchdown. In games where White scores a touchdown, the Titans are winning by an average of 13.8 points.

In the four where White hasn't scored, the Titans are losing by an average of 1.3 points. Those four where White hasn't scored include an overtime escape from the Green Bay Packers, a blowout loss to the Jets, and a last-minute scoring drive against the Baltimore Ravens. These three games are also the only three all season in which White hasn't had double-digit carries.

White can be trusted to carry the ball more. Look at what he did last year. He had over 1,000 yards and stepped up with an injured Chris Brown and young Chris Henry and carried the load. This season, he has yet to fumble the ball on his 123 touches.

Just because the pass worked against the Chicago Bears, Mike Heimerdinger has really relied on Collins. He is a good player, but not one that carries a team to victory.

Halfbacks like Johnson and White run teams to victories and the defense doesn't let opponents score. That was the formula in the beginning. Lately, however, passing has been added to the equation, and the formula just hasn't equaled out.

New York Jets Soar Over Perfect Tennessee Titans 34-13

William Blake — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:58:23 -0500

Kyle Vanden Bosch was right. The Tennessee Titans were going to lose this season.

Although no one thought this badly. Mike Heimerdinger decided to throw the ball constantly. Tennessee ran the ball a grand total of 11 times. I thought running was Tennessee's game.

Don't get me wrong. Kerry Collins didn't perform badly, but when he throws constantly, it's difficult to get possession. Time of possession was the downfall of Tennessee. They had the ball for 19 minutes and 30 seconds, not even a third of the total game time.

But come on, RUN THE FOOTBALL! That was what you were supposed to do. The Jets weren't shutting you down like Chicago did. Chris Johnson, on his spectacular 10 carries, had 46 yards. LenDale White had one, that's ONE carry, in which he lost a yard. Leon Washington and Tony Richardson, the 2-3 combo for the Jets, combined for 10 carries, one fewer than the Titans 1-2. Add Thomas Jones and his 27 carries, and the Jets out-rushed Tennessee severely.

The Titans defense didn't perform badly. They allowed so many points because they were worn out from the three and outs from the offense.

Tennessee lost this football game because they were outcoached. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz played Chris Carr, a cornerback for Tennessee. Chris Carr couldn't even start or play for the Oakland Raiders! Carr is a kick and punt returner, not a defensive back who should play significant time. I realize Nick Harper was inactive, but how about giving Reynaldo Hill a shot? Maybe even Vincent Fuller? NOT Carr. Tyrone Poole, whoever that is, even recorded a tackle.

Even more confusing? Carr played Laveranues Coles, and gave Cortland Finnegan Jerricho Cotchery. Coles is obviously the number one, and Cotchery is obviously the number two. Ultimately, both had good days, but Coles had seven receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Cotchery caught six passes for 55 yards, but Finnegan didn't allow him anything better than a 16-yard catch.

Carr had two pass interference calls on one series, the last of the Jets. Coles had beaten him on both. Carr played a bad game.

The offense didn't fare any better with their pass-o-plenty strategy. Collins struggled to complete 50 percent of his passes, and it took him the last series to get above the mark. He hooked up with Bo Scaife just three times, Brandon Jones four times, and even former Jet Justin McCariens four times. McCariens, shockingly, had the best day, with 43 yards. Jones and Scaife each had 40 a piece. Justin Gage had one long pass for 37 yards. Quinton Ganther got three dump-off passes for 40 yards in the final series. Johnson had three catches for 15 yards. Lavelle Hawkins, Alge Crumpler, and Ahmard Hall each caught one pass, with Hall taking one in for a score.

Collins and Johnson each fumbled, with Johnson losing his to Bryan Thomas of the Jets. Other than this, Tennessee had no turnovers. They also had their most penalized game in recent memory, eight times for 60 yards.

On defense, Albert Haynesworth still looked strong, recording four tackles and 1.5 sacks, his most in one game since Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings. Vanden Bosch also returned to the game for full action, and had six tackles and .5 of a sack with Haynesworth. He engaged in several gang tackles, only having two to himself. Still, Vanden Bosch had a very strong day.

Tony Brown, Haynesworth's partner in crime, lead the defensive line in tackles with eight, good for third overall. This was a season high for Brown, as well as one of the best games of his career. Jevon Kearse, the fourth man on the line, had four tackles.

Keith Bulluck and Stephen Tulloch did most of the tackling for the Titans, since both linebackers had 10 tackles a piece. David Thornton also had seven from the other outside linebacker spot. The three of them were responsible for most of the defense, as they had 30 percent of the tackles. Tulloch was impressive. He probably had the starting job at middle linebacker locked up over Ryan Fowler, considering Fowler failed to make one hit.

In the secondary, Chris Hope had eight tackles. Finnegan had five, as well as an interception of Brett Favre. Michael Griffin had seven tackles. Carr had six. The four had a disappointing afternoon, although they combined for 26 tackles.

The top man off the bench for the Titans was Kevin Vickerson, a backup for the Titans defensive line. He had five tackles as well as a fumble recovery.

Stat of the Game

One. That is the number of punts the Jets had. One.

MVP's

Jets: Brett Favre, QB

Titans: Keith Bulluck, OLB

Offensive Players

Jets: Leon Washington, HB

Titans: Kerry Collins, QB

Defensive Players

Jets: Abram Elam, S

Titans: Albert Haynesworth, DT

Brandon Jones: The Future of the Tennessee Titans Receiving Corps

William Blake — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:00:45 -0500

When you think of the Tennessee Titans, you think of this: a strong defense, a powerful running game, and a passing game that you would like to, well, pass on.

The passing game is not bad because of the quarterback position; Vince Young has been improving and Kerry Collins has been playing mistake-free football. The reason the NFL community doesn't like the passing game of Tennessee is the receivers.

The team's leader coming into the season? A fourth- or fifth-string receiver who played for the sub-par receiving corps of the Chicago Bears, Justin Gage.

Tennessee released its second option, Roydell Williams. Its third option was Justin McCareins, a player the New York Jets dropped. Ahead of these receivers were tight ends Bo Scaife and Alge Crumpler.

So, had Williams stayed with the team, the Titans' sixth option would have been Brandon Jones. Jones, however, is now looking like the No. 2. And he is.

So who is Brandon Jones? Jones was drafted by Tennessee in the third round with the 97th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was a former Oklahoma Sooner from Texarkana, Texas. He was a member of the "Big Three" receivers for the Sooner, consisting of himself, Mark Clayton, and Mark Bradley.

Jones has missed 13 games over his first three seasons, all due to injuries. This season, however, he has yet to miss a game.

Jones' season-high in receptions is 27. He already has that many through nine games this season. Jones has also received 298 yards. He is second on the team in both catches and yards, behind Scaife.

However, the reason I love Jones right now is because he has improved nearly every game. That is not just an opinion; the stats render it true. Look at this:

Week One: JACKSONVILLE

Jones: 1 reception, 5 yards

Week Two: at Cincinnati

Jones: 2 receptions, 26 yards

Week Three: HOUSTON

Jones: 2 receptions, 21 yards

Week Four: MINNESOTA

Jones: 3 receptions, 34 yards

Week Five: at Baltimore

Jones: 3 receptions, 54 yards

Week Seven: at Kansas City

Jones: no stats

Week Eight: INDIANAPOLIS

Jones: 4 receptions, 40 yards

Week Nine: GREEN BAY

Jones: 4 receptions, 36 yards

Week 10: at Chicago

Jones: 8 receptions, 82 yards

Do you notice anything about these statistics? The number of receptions has gone up in all weeks except from Week Five to Week Seven. Otherwise, the catches have only gone up. So yes, he has improved nearly every game.

Jones has yet to catch a touchdown, though Collins are making it difficult to catch touchdowns, since he has thrown just five all season. Jones has also set his career highs in receptions and yards with the Chicago game. Jones played by far the best game a Tennessee wide receiver has played all season.

This game contends with the game Gage played last season against Jacksonville last season, in which he caught seven passes for 90 yards and a touchdown, as far as the best in the last two seasons.

Jones played well because he caught everything thrown to him. He caught a key pass that Collins threw behind him in the fourth quarter. He didn't go deep; he ran 10-yard routes. Jones ran them to perfection; he confused the secondary once he caught a 25-yard pass that was different from his short routes.

Jones doesn't have much to compete with when it comes to leading the Titans, but he will do it. Jones will be the best receiver in Tennessee since the likes of Derrick Mason and Drew Bennett.

Last week, I wrote an article on the top rookies Tennessee has drafted since 2005. I now regret not including Jones on the list.

Tennessee Titans Fly Over Chicago 21-14, Advance to 9-0

William Blake — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:44:23 -0500

The picture may seem random, but if you watched Sunday's thriller between the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears, you'll get it.

Tennessee passed the football.

A lot.

Kerry Collins attempted 41 passes. For a Titans' fan, that number is staggering, not to mention frightening. However, Collins played his best game of the season, completing 73% of his passes for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Collins mastered both passes; he threw short passes for first downs to Bo Scaife, the tight end, and long balls to Brandon Jones. Scaife had a career game, bringing in 10 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Jones did as well, catching 8 passes for 82 yards, as well as being responsible for the second longest play of the game.

Tennessee's offensive line was the most inconsistent it has been all season. The line allowed one sack. This is their second straight game with allowing at least one, after allowing just one the previous seven games. Collins, otherwise, had all day to throw.

The running game of Tennessee has yet to see a worse day, maybe ever. The team combined for 20 yards rushing, 14 for LenDale White, eight for Chris Johnson, and Collins and Ahmard Hall both lost one yard. However, the offensive line's poor blocking was not the only problem. Chicago had eight players stacked in the box for the majority of the game, basically giving Collins the freedom to throw all he pleased.

Despite the poor rushing performance, White managed to find the end zone once. White played a decent game by his rushing standards, 10 carries for 14 yards. Johnson had a nightmare of a game, rushing 14 times for eight yards. Mike Heimerdinger was obviously forcing the stretch play that worked on all the other teams they had faced this year.

You cannot put enough emphasis on how well Collins took over the game, and how poorly the halfbacks performed.

On the other end of the ball, Tennessee played some of the best defense they had played all year. Chicago could not pass the ball and had minuscule success on the ground. Rookie Matt Forte ran for 72 yards on 20 runs, as well as being the Bears' leading receiver. Otherwise, Tennessee shut down Chicago.

Rex Grossman returned to starting action for the first time since the beginning of last season, and definitely showed his rust. He was, by no means, the reason they lost, since his worst mistake was throwing an interception to Chris Hope. Otherwise, Grossman was mistake-free. However, he was harassed all day long.

Tennessee's defensive line got two sacks on Grossman, one from Cortland Finnegan and one from Dave Ball. Keith Bulluck lead the team in tackles with 10, followed by David Thronton and Hope.

The game was very aggressive, as you would often see Devin Hester and Finnegan exchanging some words and pushes. David Stewart even got flagged for unnecessary roughness with a late hit on some Bears defenders.

The Titans faced some injuries this game, as Jacob Ford and Hall both went down with injuries and failed to return to the game. Kyle Vanden Bosch did not return to the Titans' line-up this week, as he was supplanted by Ford, and then later by Ball.

MVP's

Tennessee: Kerry Collins, QB

Chicago: Matt Forte, HB

Offensive Standouts

Tennessee: Brandon Jones, WR

Chicago: Greg Olsen, TE

Defensive Standouts

Tennessee: Cortland Finnegan, CB

Chicago: Lance Briggs

Other Notes

Tennessee's rookie wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins had his best game of his career, recording two receptions for 26 yards. Jones recorded his career high in receptions, shattering his old record of five. Scaife recorded his first 10-reception game. Hope's interception of Grossman gives him four in the last three weeks.

Counting Down The Titans Top 10 Draft Picks Since 2005

William Blake — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:37:54 -0500

The Tennessee Titans have been known for their creative draft strategies over the years. This year, several experts say they had one of the worst drafts of all teams. For example, they thought Tennessee missed out when they passed up talents like Devin Thomas and DeSean Jackson in the first round, when all the receivers were on the board.

Turns out Chris Johnson is better than any of them.

So, exactly which picks have been the best the Titans have made over the last couple of years? Starting in 2005, I will count them down.

10. Calvin Lowry, 2006, 4th Round, 102nd, Penn State

Calvin Lowry played safety for Tennessee over the course of the 2006 and 2007 seasons, before being traded to the Denver Broncos.

Lowry was limited his rookie year, only recording 12 tackles. However, he had two tackles for losses, only worse than Chris Hope among members of the secondary. He also had a pass deflection.

However, in 2007, Lowry stepped it up and got to compete with rookie Michael Griffin for minutes. Lowry wound up doing better than Griffin, recording 57 tackles, 10 pass deflections, and two interceptions. His two picks was tied for third on the team, only being beat by starters Keith Bulluck and Nick Harper. His 10 pass deflections was third on the team as well, being beat by Harper and Cortland Finnegan. He was sixth in tackles.

Overall, Lowry had a good career with the Titans for a few years, but was given to the Broncos in favor of the rookie Griffin. With Denver, Lowry has already recorded 13 tackles in his time, earning 12 of them against the New England Patriots.

9. Vincent Fuller, 2005, 4th Round, 108th, Virginia Tech

Vincent Fuller has played safety for Tennessee since 2005.

Fuller saw limited action as a rookie, having to battle the likes of Lamont Thompson, Tank Williams, and Andre Woolfolk for playing time. Fuller recorded no stats.

In 2006, Fuller's first season that involved playing time, he had mild success, recording 19 tackles and a pass deflection. He also forced a fumble.

In 2007, Fuller recorded his first sack, as well as a career high 30 tackles. He also managed to pick off two passes, both of which he brought back for touchdowns. Fuller's speed allowed him to make plays. Fuller also became a return specialist, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns.

This season, Fuller has recorded 34 tackles, good for seventh on the squad, and first among players who don't start. Fuller has also deflected two passes and forced a fumble. If Fuller were playing elsewhere, he probably could start. But he has no shame in being behind Chris Hope and Michael Griffin, who are his opponents for playing time.

8. Vince Young, 2006, 1st Round, 3rd, Texas

Vince Young has played quarterback for the Titans since his rookie season in 2006.

Young was a hard player to place on this list. Some might say he is two or three places higher, but yet some might think he shouldn't even be included on this list at all. I chose to be in the middle; Young has played well, but not at a starting level just yet.

In his rookie year, he didn't earn the starting job until veteran Kerry Collins practically handed the keys to him. Young couldn't be much worse, so Jeff Fisher chose to try him out. Young did very well running the football, taking it himself 83 times for 552 yards and seven scores. He looked like Michael Vick (minus the off field troubles) when he ran the football.

Passing, Young didn't perform badly. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns, but he was a rookie so he caught a break. He tossed 12 scores and 13 interceptions and completed 51 percent of his passes. His yardage was 2,199 yards, but was abused by the defense, getting sacked 25 times, several of which were his own fault.

Ultimately, Young performed well enough to get rookie of the year honors.

The next season, Young took a step back in some ways, yet a step forward in others. His interceptions went up (17) and touchdowns went down (nine), yet his completion percentage had one of the largest jumps ever, from 51 percent to 62 percent. He also passed for 2,546 yards. He took 25 more sacks.

On the ground, Young didn't perform too well. He rushed 93 times, but only came away with 395 yards and three touchdowns.

Young was benched after the first game of the 2008 season. He was injured, and Kerry Collins began playing better than Young.

However, Young's most important stat; when he has started football games for the Tennessee Titans, he is 18-10, and has played with a sub-par Tennessee offense the whole way.

7. Bo Scaife, 2005, 6th Round, 179th, Texas

Bo Scaife has played tight end for Tennessee since 2005.

Scaife has to be up there with LenDale White and Ryan Fowler as far as best players not being the No. 1 choice at each position. In his rookie season, Scaife played phenomenally well, especially considering he had great pass catching tight ends like Erron Kinney and Ben Troupe playing before him. He caught 37 passes for two touchdowns. He only received for 273 yards, so his yardage total needed help, but otherwise, Scaife had looked very good as a rookie.

Scaife improved on his yardage (370) the next season, but caught fewer passes (29). Scaife caught two more scores and fumbled away one pass. Scaife lead tight ends in all statistical categories that season when Kinney left the team.

In 2007, Scaife found his balance; he caught 46 passes for 421 yards, career highs in each category. He caught just one score, and fumbled twice. Scaife had beat out Ben Troupe and Ben Hartsock for top tight end.

And then came Alge Crumpler.

However, Scaife is leading Crumpler in every statistic this season. As a matter of fact, he leads the team in receptions (32) and yardage (344), on pace to shatter his careers highs. He has also caught one of just four passing touchdowns thrown this season. Scaife is coming along nicely, and seventh on this list probably doesn't do him justice.

6. Michael Roos, 2005, 2nd Round, 41st, Eastern Washington

Michael Roos began play for the Titans in 2005.

Roos was drafted to play the highly esteemed left tackle position. The Estonian was up for the challenge, and to date has played at a high level.

Roos is the second heaviest linemen on the line, but does one of the best jobs blocking defensive ends. Whether they are finesse or run-you-over, Roos has the footwork to be able to deal with it. Jeff Fisher definitely made a great decision in picking a player from Eastern Washington, a pick that raised some eyebrows. However, Roos had played so well in college that he was definitely up to the challenge of playing in the pros.

5. Michael Griffin, 2007, 1st Round, 19th, Texas

Michael Griffin started playing free safety for Tennessee last season, and has since played all 24 games.

Griffin started in 2007 with some tough faces to beat out for starting job in the secondary. Lamont Thompson had played very well the last few seasons, and Vincent Fuller was emerging, so it looked like Griffin might see just limited action. Instead, the rookie started seeing action immediately, and recorded 54 tackles in his rookie season. He also picked off three passes and deflected six.

However, Griffin started picking up his defensive play this season. He has started all eight games, and recorded 41 tackles, good for fifth on the team. Griffin has also intercepted four passes, tying Cortland Finnegan for lead on the team. Griffin also got his first sack this season. Only Chris Hope, the other safety, has been able to record a sack out of the secondary.

Griffin plays with passion and strength, despite being a free safety, and not strong safety. He was definitely the piece the team needed to complete the secondary.

4. David Stewart, 2005, 4th Round, 113th, Mississippi State

David Stewart started playing offensive tackle for the Titans in 2005, and hasn't switched teams.

Stewart started getting lots of playing time in 2007, when the offensive line relied on him and Michael Roos to hold their own at the much-coveted offensive tackle position. Stewart, the right tackle, is the largest in height and weight of the linemen in Tennessee's offense.

If you noticed anything about Chris Johnson this season, its that he loves running to the right, and can do it effectively. That's because Stewart does such a good job blocking for him. At right tackle, Stewart was chosen after Roos, but has been just, if not more, productive on the line.

3. LenDale White, 2006, 2nd Round, 45th, USC

LenDale White started playing halfback in 2006 for the Tennessee Titans.

White's draft stock fell with most teams after he had failed to do well at the combine. White had always done well in college with Reggie Bush, but never got as much respect or love as Bush. White left his junior year, and fell to the second round. Not intimidated by White's weight management issues, Jeff Fisher rolled the dice and took him as a back-up to Chris Brown and Travis Henry.

Behind these two productive backs, it didn't look like White would see any action. He did, however, take 61 carries for 244 yards and 13 first downs. White looked good in his limited action, and when Henry left the team after 2007 and Brown went down with injuries, White took the rushing chores.

In his sophomore effort, White received 303 carries and rushed for 1,110 yards with them and seven touchdowns. White had become very productive with Tennessee. He beat out former teammate Bush in every rushing statistic.

In 2008, White has so far recorded season highs in touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest rushing gain. His 80-yard sprint to the endzone has to date been the longest rush this season, even longer than anything the speedy teammate Johnson could rip off. How's that for overweight!

2. Chris Johnson, 2008, 1st Round, 24th, East Carolina

Chris Johnson has played halfback for the Tennessee Titans and started all eight games so far.

Johnson, a combine standout, was drafted to the Titans squad in April to add some depth at halfback. LenDale White had been becoming more and more of a power runner as the season progressed and less and less of a flashy runner, so they needed a compliment. And Johnson was certainly the man for the job.

He had blinding speed: a 4.24 40-yard dash time is one of the most impressive at the NFL combine ever, and his speed is giving linebacker corps fits. Johnson has scored five rushing touchdowns, run for 715 yards (tops in the AFC) on 146 carries, a 4.9 yards per carry average.

Johnson's skills aren't just limited to running the football. He has caught 24 passes, just fewer than tight end Bo Scaife, and 164 yards with a touchdown. He is a threat from either point of view, making him the team's best offensive weapon.

And the strange thing is, he is still only a rookie.

1. Cortland Finnegan, 2006, 7th Round, 225th, Samford

The only recent draft pick better than Chris Johnson is Cortland Finnegan. Finnegan is already a great player, but a huge reason I chose Finnegan was because of his value. SEVENTH ROUNDER? No one has heard of a team's best cornerback coming from the seventh round of the draft. And even more perplexing is his college. Samford.

Not Stanford. SAMford.

Finnegan is the standout player in a talented secondary containing Michael Griffin, Chris Hope, and Nick Harper. The four have combined for the team's only 13 interceptions. Finnegan has four. He also is second in the secondary in tackles with 43, third on the team.

He also finds ways to get into the backfield, since he has three tackles for losses, beaten only by David Thornton, Albert Haynesworth, and Tony Brown. This puts him first in the secondary in that statistic.

Finnegan also leads the team in pass deflections with 12. He also has the only defensive touchdown of the year, a 99-yard interception returned for a touchdown.

If you watch Finnegan play football, you will be amazed. He never takes stupid gambles. He always plays great coverage, holding the likes of Greg Jennings to just three catches in the Green Bay game. T.J. Houshmandzadeh of the Cincinnati Bengals was held to season-lows in receptions and yardage against him. Indeed, the future is very bright for the likes of Cortland Finnegan.

Titans-Packers: Tennessee Rise to 8-0 in Overtime Thriller

William Blake — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:59:25 -0500

The Tennessee Titans, who were hoping to continue their campaign for a perfect season, took on the Green Bay Packers and came out alive, 16-19, in overtime.

Tennessee stuck with their main strategy: smash, smash, and smash with the football.

Chris Johnson showed his elusiveness, per usual, but while watching the game, I saw glimpses of LenDale White.

Johnson was running between the tackles more, taking a few hits rather than instinctively running out of bounds. He is becoming more well-rounded with each game he plays.

Along with Johnson, the defense was the only other positive.

The Titans didn't play badly; they didn't play well though, either.

They managed to blow a red-zone opportunity in the second half and got from it a 22-yard field goal. And that was it for the second half.

Green Bay didn't fair much better: Mason Crosby kicked two field goals for them, and that's what they settled for.

In the first half, Tennessee was moving the football, and we saw White run a 54 yarder that would set up Johnson's fifth rushing touchdown of the year. Both running backs combined for 166 yards.

However alarming were the number of carries each back had: Johnson got 24, while White received just eight. This is the first time Johnson has had over 20 carries in an NFL game. You can definitely tell that he is becoming the man in Tennessee.

As for the quarterbacking, it was rather forgettable, as usual. Kerry Collins completed under 50 percent of his passes for the first time this season and went 18-of-37, attempting an outrageous number of passes.

Mike Heimerdinger was just trying to mix up the plays, you could tell, but the running game was doing very well without Collins throwing.

Collins could have thrown a few interceptions in this game, most notably with Atari Bigby dropping a sure-fire interception in Green Bay's secondary, with Johnny Jolly, a Packer defensive tackle, also dropping one thrown right at him.

However, Collins' struggles weren't all his fault, as the Tennessee offensive line allowed Michael Montgomery and Ryan Pickett to sack Collins twice over the span of three plays.

Eugene Amano, who had hurt his knee on the touchdown run by Johnson, allowed Montgomery to get both sacks on Collins. After this, the offensive line stayed strong and didn't allow another sack the rest of the game, though Collins was under fire more than he usually has been.

Overall, Tennessee struggled on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully, Heimerdinger remembers this and will fix the playbook so that his team will run more than pass next time.

On defense, however, as usual, there are no complaints. Stephen Tulloch really proved me wrong that he wasn't ready to start in the NFL, by tying a team high six tackles. He also recovered Jacob Ford's forced fumble. However, Chris Hope was the defensive star, recording five tackles, a sack, and an interception of Aaron Rodgers.

Kyle Vanden Bosch, who was battling a groin injury this week, received minimum playing time but was able to record a tackle. His replacements, Jason Jones, Dave Ball, and Ford, played very well, combining for 10 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Overall, the team had 59 tackles, four sacks, an interception, one forced, and one recovered fumble.

The Tennessee defense was facing its toughest receiving corps yet, and I already told you how well Hope played.

Cortland Finnegan also played well on the team's No. 2, Greg Jennings, allowing the explosive receiver to catch just three passes for 59 yards. Finnegan also deflected several passes and recorded six tackles.

However, Nick Harper was disappointing in his coverage of the struggling Donald Driver.

Driver caught seven passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Hope and Michael Griffin had to bail Harper out a few times with Driver, who also bailed out Harper by dropping two easy passes. Griffin and Harper each recorded six tackles, tying Finnegan and Tulloch for the team lead.

Overall, Tennessee just looked a little sloppy in today's game. Hopefully it was just the short week that hurt them, and they should come out bringing pain against the Chicago Bears.

Vince Young Can't Be Considered a Bust Yet

William Blake — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:31:48 -0400

The title says it all. Vince Young is not a bust.

Yet.

The "yet" doesn't exactly mean he will be one in time; because I don't believe he will. Everyone is giving him the label of bust, when he hasn't really even been able to play in his third season. And exactly how many seasons do we give most NFL players before meriting the "bust" title?

Three!

And since Young has played a season and a half, can you really call him a bust? He's played 31 games, and started fewer than that. The arguments everyone makes are easily counteracted; I'll cover the main ones in the next few headings.

He Throws Too Many Interceptions

Young throws interceptions; yes, he does. Does anyone want to guess how many games Young had with three interceptions in his first two seasons? Two. How many did Peyton Manning have? Three. Brett Favre? Six. (That's not counting the first season in Atlanta). Drew Brees? Three. (Not counting his first season, when he never played). How have these three gentlemen been doing in their careers? Just fine, from what I understand.

In Young's first two seasons, he's thrown 30 interceptions. Brees threw 32. Peyton Manning threw 43. His interception numbers are up there with other elite quarterbacks early in their careers. Young can still succeed.

He Doesn't Throw Enough Touchdowns

Tell me: Honestly, do you need a great passing offense when you've had a great runner like LenDale White in your backfield, as well as Chris Brown and Travis Henry (we're still talking Young's first two seasons)? He doesn't throw 25 touchdowns because he doesn't need to. His role in the Titans' offense doesn't require him to throw in the top 10 in the league in touchdowns. Look at what Kerry Collins is doing. In six starts, Collins has thrown three touchdowns.

At that rate, he will throw seven by the end of the year.

Young threw nine the year before that, and people believed it was the end of the world.

He Doesn't Run Enough

This is always a good point, but there is probably a reason behind it too. Norm Chow, his offensive coordinator his first two years, is used to developing drop-back passers like Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Steve Young, and Philip Rivers. Since he was so used to these types of players, how was he going to understand Young? His firing was probably for the reason that he couldn't make Young run and pass effectively.

The offensive line is definitely strong enough to allow Young to run, but he also always seemed to be committed to learning to throw the ball, rather than run with it. If he gets back to action in a year or two, I think we can definitely see a better mix.

There are a few other things I haven't mentioned so far. First of all, he doesn't exactly have a Reggie Wayne or Larry Fitzgerald or Randy Moss he can throw to.

He has Justin Gage.

Most of you probably didn't know who Gage was unless you were a Titans fan coming into the season. Gage is a good receiver, but is, at best, a low-end No. 2.

Bo Scaife has emerged into a pass-catching tight end, but that seemed to happen after Young got hurt. Alge Crumpler has yet to look comfortable in the offense, and Justin McCariens drops passes. Brandon Jones is easily the team's third-best pass catcher, but he gets hurt often. Lavelle Hawkins is just a rookie. Paul Williams and Chris Davis are not developed to a point where they can be productive.

Second, the Titans have succeeded without means of the forward pass. The defense rips up some offense, and the running game marches down the field.

Third, look at Young's completion percentage from Year One to Year Two. He completed 51 percent of his passes in 2006, but 62 percent were completed in 2007. This is a huge gain, especially considering Young's receivers in 2006 were better than the ones he had last season.

And finally, the most important stat of them all: Vince Young wins football games. That doesn't mean Kerry Collins doesn't; heck, he's undefeated this year. But Young is a big-play threat when his team needs six.

So please, give Young one more season before you completely rip him to shreds. He is a developing quarterback, and with Mike Heimerdinger, an offensive coordinator who has worked with John Elway, the future is looking bright for the Titan.

The Cowboys: The Disaster In Dallas

William Blake — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:04:14 -0400

I think Wade Phillips' expression in the picture above describes the Dallas Cowboys' situation.

Ouch.

But how can Dallas salvage their season? How can they overcome not a loss, but an epic failure against the lowly St. Louis Rams? Well, before I get into any solutions, let's recap the huge week and a half its been for the Cowboys.

October 8: Pacman in trouble... again

Pacman Jones, the troubled cornerback who Dallas traded for this offseason, has failed to stay out of trouble. Jones was involved in an altercation with his bodyguard, and was known to involve alcohol. Alcohol has been Jones' death, as it has seemed to been the reason for nearly all of his troubles.

As a result, Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Jones for at least four games, stating that the number could go up. The sad thing is that Jones was actually having a positive impact on the Cowboys when he was on the field. He's had 25 tackles, and was well on pace to get more tackles than his previous seasons in Tennessee.

October 12: Dallas loses in Arizona

The Cowboys, trying to forget the Pacman Jones incidents, flew west to Arizona to take on the Arizona Cardinals. It was a well fought match, but in the end, Dallas lost to the Cardinals in overtime. This dropped the Cowboys to 4-2, but still had very respectable composure.

If the Cowboys were to lose again, however, it would tie last year's loss total. But that wouldn't happen against the St. Louis Rams, right?

October 12: Felix Jones is down

The other Jones in Dallas, Felix Jones, went down with a left hamstring injury in the Cardinals game. He was expected to miss at least three weeks. Jones has been the homerun hitter for the Cowboys this year, with already 266 yards rushing, three touchdowns, and a 98 yard kickoff return for a score. The rookie's injury left the Cowboys in a state of shock.

October 13: Dallas, we have a problem

Tony Romo, the Cowboys proficient quarterback suffered a pinkie injury, which would keep him out for about four weeks. At this stage, someone actually older than Brett Favre, Jeff Garcia, and Kurt Warner would play; Brad Johnson. The 40-year old who had seen an up-and-down career, would see his first significant amount of playing time in Dallas.

It would take nearly a miracle for Johnson to play as well as the man he was replacing. Romo had a passer rating of 103.5, and already thrown 14 touchdown passes. Romo had definitely been impressive; now it was time for Johnson to earn his spot on the roster.

October 14: When Terrell met Roy

Roy E. Williams, one of the NFL's hothead wide receivers, was traded from the Detroit Lions to the Cowboys. His new contract kept him in Dallas until 2013. Dallas gave the Lions their 1st, 3rd, and 6th round draft picks for Williams.

Now, don't get me wrong; Williams is a better receiver than most give him credit. But this has to be one of the worst moves for the Cowboys. If the Tennessee Titans or Jacksonville Jaguars made this move, it would work wonders for their sub par receiving teams.

But COME ON. You already have Terrell Owens, a hot-head receiver, so do you really need another? Jason Witten and Owens are both better pass-catchers than Williams, and Patrick Crayton is starting to come along some this season.

October 18: Calm before the storm

Tony Romo had been inactive most of the week, but could have possibly started at quarterback. However, with much speculation going on the whole week that Romo might play, and might not play, Johnson was announced as the starter.

October 19: The storm

In the ugliest game the Dallas Cowboys have played in year, they lost to the St. Louis Rams. Yes, those 1-4 Rams. Johnson threw three interceptions. The defense gave up 34 points to a team lead by an interim head coach.

No one could have predicted this letdown of epic proportions. Sure, there were a few injuries, but with Marion Barber and Terrell Owens, you don't have ANY reason to lose to the Rams, by 20.

Johnson struggled, barely completing 50% of his passes, as well as the three interceptions I mentioned above. However, Johnson's mistakes weren't all his fault. Witten and Owens didn't get open. Williams was so bad he didn't even catch a pass.

What happened on Sunday afternoon was a nightmare for Cowboys fans.

But there's more.

October 19: Roy Williams is out

The first Roy Williams on the team, the Pro-Bowl safety, is out for the season. Done. Out. Never to return (well, in 2008).

This just adds to the problems of the Cowboys defense. Their pass defense was already below average. Who knows what will happen to it now.

What to do

The Cowboys are stuck in a horrible situation. You've lost two players from your secondary, and two players from your offense. You've added a receiver who could brew up controversy anytime now.

The Cowboys need to ride on Mario Barber's back. He's only gotten over 20 carries twice, and has only scored one touchdown in his last four games. Phillips needs to get Barber the ball more. Every game for the rest of the year, Felix Jones or no Felix Jones, this guy needs 20 carries.

At LEAST.

Next, you need to get the ball to Terrell Owens. Yeah, I hate it when receivers shoot off their mouths about things too, but let's face it: Owens can do stuff with a football that few others in the league can. That means he needs more than eight catches over his last three games. That means he needs a 100-yard receiving game.

And finally, Wade Phillips needs to get a grip. When he named head coach, I didn't know how long he would last. With Jason Garrett lurking, Phillips has a time bomb strapped to his back. He needs to make the playoffs and quit accepting trades for players like Roy Williams and Pacman Jones.

Its not all over for the Cowboys, but you have to wonder; how the heck are things going to get better. You have to get the ball to your playmakers in times like these. Phillips needs to figure that out fast.

Tennessee Titans' Success Is No Fluke

William Blake — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:43:55 -0400

There are two undefeated teams in the NFL right now; one is the New York Giants. A bit surprising, yes, but they are the defending Super Bowl Champions. And next are the Tennessee Titans.

Yes, those Titans, who have endured not having a wide receiver since Derrick Mason. Yes, those Titans, who have picked halfbacks like crazy in the NFL Draft recently. And yes, those Titans, who are playing without potential superstar quarterback Vince Young.

So how are they doing it? Simple. They play tough, smash-mouth football. Starting with the defense, their line is one of the best in the league. They have already recorded 15 sacks, a third of which came from superstar defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Haynesworth has been a huge cog in the Titans success. He has clogged up the middle and is shutting down plays. He has 20 tackles, a forced fumble, and two pass deflections.

Kyle Vanden Bosch is the neighboring right defensive end. Vanden Bosch made the Pro Bowl last season and already has three sacks this year. Tony Brown, Haynesworth's partnering defensive tackle, leads the defensive line in tackles with 21 and has 3.5 sacks.

Jevon Kearse, formerly known as "the Freak," has 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his second stint with the Titans.

Next, consider the linebackers. Keith Bulluck is potentially the best in the NFL at playing weakside linebacker. He has 29 tackles, good enough for third best on his team. Bulluck is 31 years old and still plays like he's 25.

He has been a leader of the Titans' defense since joining them in 2000. The strongside linebacker is David Thornton. Thornton led the defense in tackles last season and is sixth so far, with 22 tackles. Thornton has three deflected passes and three tackles for a loss. The middle linebacker is probably the weakest point on the defense. Ryan Fowler and Stephen Tulloch, two young prospects, are taking turns starting. Tulloch brings speed; Fowler brings power. Fowler has 20 tackles while Tulloch only has 16. However, their combined age isn't even 50 yet, so they still have plenty of football to play.

The secondary is probably the most improved area of the Titans' defense. The cornerbacks are Nick Harper and Cortland Finnegan. Harper has 28 tackles and six deflected passes, as well as two interceptions.

Finnegan is potentially the best player on the defense. He is second in tackles with 30, leads the team in pass deflections with seven, leads the team in interceptions with four, leads in defensive touchdowns, and leads in defensive yardage (100). Finnegan is 24 years old and is a seventh-round pick from Samford.

No, not Stanford. SAMFORD. And that is not a misprint; Finnegan was only good enough to be a seventh-round pick. The Titans are looking pretty smart now.

The strong safety, Chris Hope, leads the team with 32 tackles and two pass deflections. The free safety, Michael Griffin, has 20 tackles, one sack, five pass deflections, and four interceptions. Griffin is only in his second year out of Texas as a first-round pick for the Titans.

So enough stats about the defense, right? They have faced a tough slate of halfbacks this year. Adrian Peterson, Fred Taylor, Chester Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Willis McGahee. Nothing easy about that. They held these halfbacks as well as all the others they faced to 479 yards rushing, which is 96 yards rushing per game.

However, the schedule lightens up, as the Titans only have left to face Joseph Addai, Larry Johnson, Jamal Lewis, Willie Parker, and Ryan Grant, but all of them have injured offensive lines.

The pass defense shocked the world by intercepting David Garrard twice in the opener. Garrard threw just three interceptions all of last year. They also shut down quarterbacks like Carson Palmer, Matt Schaub, Gus Frerotte, and Joe Flacco. Sure, not that many impressive names, but with Finnegan and Harper, you're never going to get burnt too badly threw the air.

So enough about the defense. Time to talk about the offense, the biggest question mark of the offseason and even threw the regular season. At quarterback, Kerry Collins is the starter.

Vince Young has been nursing injury ever since the end of the Jacksonville game, in which he threw two interceptions, one touchdown, and completed just 55 percent of his passes. He has mental and emotional issues, though it is unclear as to what exactly has been going on. He could make a push for the starting job if Collins struggles.

Anyway, Collins is the 35-year-old veteran who has played for a number of teams and finally has a starting gig for more than just three or four games. Collins has completed 56 percent of his passes, thrown three touchdowns and three interceptions, and 740 yards.

The former Nittany Lion has found ways to have the subpar receiving team to catch balls. His favorite target appears to be Justin Gage, who has been battling injuries this season. In two games with Collins, Gage has caught a total of 10 passes for 151 yards and a score.

Next to Gage is Bo Scaife, the backup tight end. Scaife has been a huge surprise to everyone, considering the fact that he was second fiddle to a tight end like Alge Crumpler. Scaife has 20 catches for 226 yards and a score.

Brandon Jones has been another target Collins has found, hitting him with 11 balls, good for 140 yards. Crumpler and Justin McCariens have also been found, combining for 15 catches.

But the biggest part of the Titans offense is not the passing attack, but the running game. Halfbacks LenDale White and Chris Johnson complement each other so well. White is the power, and Johnson is the speed.

White has been a bruiser on each of his 63 carries, running for 165 yards and five touchdowns. His yards-per-carry figure is one of the worst in the NFL, but that is because he wears down the defense for Johnson and gets the goal-line carries. Now, the rookie halfback Johnson (pictured above in the article) out of East Carolina has been nothing short of fantastic.

He has used 85 carries to gain 381 yards and two scores. He has also caught 12 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. Johnson runs with so much speed it's unbelievable. You have to see it yourself.

So those are all the numbers. Every number you need to know about the Titans. On paper, they are one of the best. But the game isn't played on paper.

The reason the Titans are 5-0 is because of Jeff Fisher, the head coach. I give 100 percent of the credit to him. He has created a defense that has allowed 56 points in five games, with young stars at nearly each position.

He has created an offensive line that is seemingly impenetrable. He has created a halfback duo that is as scary as they come. He has found a veteran game-manager in Collins, and has formed a young, basic receiving corps. It could still use some work, but for now it is fine.

This Titans team can make the Super Bowl. The toughest foes still on their schedule are the inconsistent Chicago Bears, the half-dead Pittsburgh Steelers, and the underacheiving Indianapolis Colts. Other AFC powers, like San Diego and New England have fallen apart. Tennessee is in the driver's seat of what is sure to still be a great season.

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