Bleacher Report - Nashville

Con-Vince-ing Performance: Vince Young's Leadership of Titans Cannot Be Denied

Lloyd Vance — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:13:37 -0500

After Vince Young’s breakout career-high 387-yard passing performance in the Tennessee Titans' last-second 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals, including throwing the game-winner with no time left on the clock, everyone needs to a look back in time to a crucial moment earlier this season.

Let’s go back to Week Seven of the 2009 NFL season. The Titans were on their bye week after enduring probably the most humiliating loss in the NFL this season in Week Six, a 59-0 pummeling by the New England Patriots.

In the disastrous loss that took the former 2008 AFC South champs (13-3) to the depths of being called “The Most Disappointing Team in the NFL”—sixth straight loss to open the season—a possible light switch clicked in the head of Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.

After former Titans starting quarterback Kerry Collins had one of the worst performances of any starting quarterback in NFL history (finishing with passing numbers 2-of-12 for minus-seven yards, one INT, and a QB rating of 4.9—probably the lowest ever), late in the game, Fisher decided to insert the 2006 NFL Rookie of the Year, QB Vince Young, into the game.

Young had not played much before that game in the snow because he had lost his “swagger” in 2008 due to some well-documented problems during and after the Titans’ season opener and quickly became a footnote as the Titans rose to the playoffs under Collins. All during the 2008 season, Young had endured arrows that he was too sullen and selfish to be the leader of the Titans again.

But in the cold, ice, and snow of New England that day (Oct. 18), Young clearly started to heat up. He became a team-first player as he swallowed his ego and pride to enter a no-win situation in a blowout game gone awry. He finished with pedestrian numbers: 0-of-2 for zero yards and one INT plus two rushes for minus-one yard.

V.Y.’s numbers in New England that day didn’t even matter after he showed some long-awaited maturity. With questions swirling around the Titans’ sinking ship at the time and Collins underperforming, before the cameras in the locker room after the humiliating loss, Young basically said “I will do anything that the coaching staff and team asks of me.”

Those words sounded very cliché at the time, but Young was very serious that he just wanted the opportunity to show that he was still the same player who led the University of Texas to the 2005 National Championship. The third overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft just wanted a chance to show that he was still a playmaker in the NFL and not the perceived malcontent potential bust that many were painting him to be.

While many pointed to his 2008 struggles and poor performance against the Patriots as signs that Young would soon be on another team in 2010, a small contingent, including yours truly, said give the former college football legend a “legitimate” shot to prove he could still lead the Titans once again.

During the Titans' time away to heal during their Week Seven bye, many were wondering when Fisher would give V.Y. a chance to give the team a much-needed spark. To be honest with you, why not, considering that many NFL talking heads had predicted that the Titans’ 2009 campaign was already over.

However, Fisher continued to be coy and still talked about Collins (completed 54.8 percent of his passes with five TDs and eight INTs) as the Titans' man under center.

Then stepped in the one man whose opinion matters more than Fisher’s when it comes to the Tennessee Titans. Owner Bud Adams made it clear he wanted Young to replace Collins.

“I have been wanting (Fisher) to play Vince Young more because Collins has been having his problems out there,” Adams said. “I just think we need to find out how well (Young) can do.”

Fisher finally relented when he saw that the new and improved Young was looking like his former mentor and hero, the late Steve McNair, in practices and in the locker room. Young had his head in the playbook and his feet firmly on the ground as he embraced possibly his last chance to be the Titans' starting quarterback.

Some doubted Young, but I knew the player that I had interviewed way back during the 2005 Heisman presentation—competitive fire burning in his eyes —had the gumption to show the world that he was still a “winner.” Young had won at every level he had ever played in from high school to college to the NFL (18-11 in 29 starts at the time), and now it was time to remind everyone.

Even after the Houston, Texas native led the Titans to a 30-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week Eight for Tennessee’s first victory of the 2009 season, there were no “I told you so” moments from the now humble quarterback. Young stayed grounded and kept marching on from there, and it didn’t matter that he had just endured 22 games without starting.

Fast-forward to Week 12 in Tennessee. The Titans are down by a score of 17-13 late in the fourth quarter to the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals and have 99 yards to cover with only two minutes and 37 seconds left on the clock.

Sure, Young had led the Titans to four straight wins over the past four weeks, including a Monday night thriller over the Houston Texans in Week 11, but this was too much of a daunting task for V.Y....right.

In the final moments, Young answered his critics with not only his legs, but his arm and mind as well. Young (27-of-43, 387 YDS, one TD, and no INTs) capped off an 18-play, 99-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to leaping rookie receiver Kenny Britt in the back of the end zone as time expired.

The impressive part of the game-winning drive was the determination of the Titans’ starter. Young (23-11 as an NFL starter) completed 10 of 16 passes for 94 yards and ran for another five while converting three fourth downs on the drive, including the winning touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the Cardinals’ 10.

It must have been deja vu all over again for Cardinals starter Matt Leinart, who had lost the 2006 Rose Bowl to Young when they were both college hot shots for USC and Texas respectively, as No. 10 left the field with another comeback victory in his hands.

Young had just won his ninth consecutive start going back to 2007, and he is now a perfect 5-0 as the Titans' starter this season. But as the Titans’ new unquestioned leader pointed out after the game, it was a huge “team” win.

“As the Tennessee Titans, I feel we fought to the finish,” Young said. Indeed, it was a miraculous win for a franchise that has seem some great finishes.

An almost stunned Fisher said in his post-game press conference, “You guys don’t mind if I sit down and do this, do you? OK. WOW! What a great finish! We’ve had some finishes around here, but I can’t remember one like that. Just a tremendous finish.”

The Titans are now 5-6 and right in the middle of the AFC’s wild card hunt—remaining games @IND, STL, MIA, SD, and @SEA—after almost no one but themselves thought they were still in the race.

Young, RB Chris Johnson (his performance during the Titans’ five-game winning streak cannot also be forgotten—on a pace for over 2,000 yards rushing), and a rejuvenated defense have led the Titans back into contention, and it will be an interesting finish in Nashville.

However, you won’t hear Young pounding his chest over the last-second win over the Cardinals or any of the other Titans’ four wins during their current winning streak. I will for him...“Ha, ha, ha...told you so.” But you cannot deny the spark and energy that V.Y. has provided a team that was formerly on life support this season.

“I thought Vince played great,” Leinart said after the game. “He made plays in that last series, so hats off to him. I thought our defense played phenomenally; he just made some plays.”

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

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

Bryan Hollister — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:43:43 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

Then it happened.

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

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

The stadium erupted, as it should have.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Is Vince Young's Resurgence Enough To Keep Him in Tennessee?

Dave Stanley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:53:32 -0500

If anything, this is a good problem for the Tennessee Titans to have.

A few months ago, the burning question in Nashville was who the Titans would draft in the wake of what was sure to be a disastrous season.

The incumbent, Kerry Collins, was deemed washed up. He was essentially a graybeard that had used up all of his luck and opportunities.

And we all know the story of his then-backup, the much-maligned and embattled Vince Young. Most viewed him as a bust.

The best case scenario for his move to the starting lineup was for him to increase his value in a possible trade.

Now, however, the tide has turned, as Young's inspired play as of late has Tennessee on a four game winning streak. Whether or not he's directly or indirectly affected their reversal of fortune is debatable.

But on thing is true: He's looking more and more like his Texas Longhorn self. Granted, his numbers will never be confused with Peyton Manning's.

But his patience, poise and, of course, speed, have given opposing defenses fits and the Titans new life.

So while one burning question has been answered, another one has been posed: Is all of it enough for Tennessee to go back to 2006's Plan A, and name him the indefinite starter for the future?

Or is he merely on a lucky streak? Most signs point to the former scenario, given his healthy new attitude. Remember, there was another scrambling quarterback for the franchise a few years ago who just so happened to develop into a MVP pocket passer.

His name? Steve McNair. Once his game developed, the "Dare McNair" defenses of the old AFC Central became obsolete.

True, the comparison isn't exactly parallel. McNair never pouted when booed, nor did his exhibit quasi-suicidal behavior in the aftermath. But Young's exhibited a maturity that's rarely been seen from him this season.

Most agree that his time on the bench behind Kerry Collins was good for his maturation, for both his football IQ and himself.

If the season ended today, the aforementioned question about Young's future would be a tough one. However, he is arguably in control of his own destiny. Because the more he wins and the better he plays, the more this becomes a no brainer for the Titans' front office.

Barring any meltdowns, he should be given the keys to the franchise; this is not the same old Vince.

Perhaps this time next year, we'll be discussing how big of a new contract he should be getting.

Time will tell.

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Nashville Predators: One of the Hottest Teams in the NHL

Mark Willoughby — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:06:36 -0500

A team that had once been written off, the Nashville Predators came back to defeat Colorado 4-3 in overtime in the Pepsi Center for their seventh consecutive victory and 12th win in their last 15 games. A team that was dead last in the NHL after a 3-6-1 start is now sixth in the Western Conference on the strength of this run and now are 7-2 in the month of November.

This streak has occurred because the team has bought in to the philosophy of Head Coach Barry Trotz. Being well-prepared to play is a trait that Trotz and his staff have executed well over the years and have emphasized this season. Not having marquee talent means that this team has to be well prepared each night to be competitive.

He has set this team up to play to its strengths—tough defense, solid goal tending, and opportunistic scoring. Shoot the puck, crash the net, create opportunities—nothing fancy, but when played as coached will lead to wins. And this team is winning because they are executing this strategy to perfection.

This team is winning because the power play is starting to click. The Predators are 12-0 when they score a PP goal. After a pathetic start, the power play is getting traffic in front of the net, good movement, and good shots. Last night, J. P. Dumont put the Predators on the board first after driving the net and taking a nice feed from Shea Weber to beat a defenseless Craig Anderson.

This team is winning because players that were counted on to produce are starting to consistently do so. Marcel Goc scored the Predators' second goal when Martin Erat drove the net and drew the defense to him. Anderson was forced to play Erat's drive to the net, and he slid a pass to Goc, who fired it in to an open net.

This team is winning because the big guns on the team are producing. Shea Weber tied the game at three in the third with another blast from the blue line that beat Anderson for his sixth goal of the season.

Weber has a booming shot, and when he puts it on net, he creates havoc for the opponent. Jason Arnott had two assists for the night for his fifth point in four games, and the Captain continues to be a force on the ice for the Predators.

The guys that were expected to produce offensively are producing—consistently—and this is leading to goals and wins.

This team is winning because of heart. David Legwand, he of the invisible start this season, has arrived with a vengeance and scored the game winner last night. Legwand has bounced back from a horrific start to the season and has played like he is capable.

It would have been easy for him to hang his head and call the season a bust, but he didn't. He fought through his slump and has been arguably the best player on the ice over the last five games. His defensive play has been stellar, and now his offensive play has caught up to the rest of his game.

This team is winning because they are resilient. Resiliency is a quality that Trotz and his coaching staff constantly preach. There will be times when what happens on the ice doesn't go your way, but it is imperative to believe in your system, believe in your team mates, and believe you can win the game.

The Predators fell behind the Avalanche 3-2 in the second period after beginning the period up 2-0. They never wavered in their effort and tied the game late in the third. They stormed the Avalanche net in overtime, and the effort resulted in a win. This team believes that whatever happens, they can win the game. That is a great attitude that has translated in to confident play on the ice.

This is not the most talented team in the NHL by any stretch. This is, however, a team that believes in itself as a whole; that believes in each man wearing the Predator sweater that takes the ice; and believes in the coaches that have prepared them for each game.

This team is now coming to the ice confident and ready to play every night, believing they can win against anyone. And that belief is translating in to wins.

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Four Down, Six to Go: Can the Tennessee Titans Run the Table?

Dave Stanley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:40:02 -0500

Initially, Chris Johnson's prediction that he and his Tennessee Titans would win the remainder of their games seemed like a pipe dream.

The prevailing sentiment from players and fans alike was that he was simply overexcited from his team grabbing their long-awaited first victory of the season.

But then the victory at San Francisco happened.

Next, they dispatched the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The following week, the Houston Texans followed suit.

Could Johnson be on to something?

Perhaps. But a good chunk of the Titans' remaining games are against solid opponents with winning records.

"One game at a time" is a tired cliché in the sports world, but it is essentially the best philosophy for Tennessee right now.

So far, it has served them well.

One piece of information that has repeatedly surfaced in the media as of late is that no team has won four straight games after losing their first six.

In fact, no team had won three.

Suddenly, all of those "if anybody can keep the team together, it's Jeff Fisher" quotes don't seem so foolishly quixotic anymore.

Heck, it proved this sportswriter wrong.

As long as the offense keeps clicking the way it does, their chances are good. Strange as it may be, the old college-style option offense that the Titans occasionally run seems to be giving opposing defenses fits.

Granted, in the NFL, a team can't run it all the time, but it's proven to be a nice twist in the gameplan—a perfect utilization of Chris Johnson and Vince Young's respective talents.

On the other side of the ball, Tennessee's "bend, don't break" style of defense seems to be working no matter who the opponent.

In a sense, this Sunday's game against the high-flying Arizona Cardinals offense should be a good test for their later rematch against the Indianapolis Colts.

However, the Titans can ill afford to find themselves in a shootout. They'll need to force more turnovers on defense in order to pull out a win.

As the last quarter of the season approaches, there is much that stands in the way of Tennessee's playoff hopes. (Gasp! The word "playoffs" used in a Titans article!)

They would presumably need help from the Jaguars and the Texans.

But if they take care of business in the same fun-loving yet efficient way that they have the past four games, they just might have a shot at their second 10-game winning streak in as many years.

The poetic truth would be stranger than fiction indeed.

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Tennessee-Kentucky Preview: Rich Brooks is Kentucky's Slump Buster

ACC SEC Blog — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:51:05 -0500

Tennessee Volunteers at Kentucky Wildcats
Saturday 7:00PM ET TV: ESPNU

Line: Tennessee -3

The nations longest winning streak is put on the line when the Tennessee Volunteers try to take down the Kentucky Wildcats for a 25th straight time. The Vols have also won 26 straight season finales coming into this game.

But if Kentucky wins, it will not be the first streak they have broken this season. Just last week the Wildcats won at Georgia for the first time since 1977 and earlier this season won for the first time in 43 years at Auburn.

Tennessee bounced back nicely from the debacle in Oxford with a win over Vanderbilt last week. Lane Kiffin's offense has improved as the season has gone on with QB Jonathan Crompton leading the way. But the defense has not been as dominant as it was early on.

Kentucky is not really good or bad in any particular category, but they take care of the ball and don't beat themselves with penalties.

This one is a very close on to call. Tennessee has not played very well on the road this season, but you do have to consider their opponents were Florida, Alabama, and Ole Miss.

I am going to go with the hot hand and Kentucky in this one though. I think Randall Cobb makes enough Dexter McCluster type plays to keep the Wildcats around and they capitalize on a late Vol mistake.

All streaks must come to an end.

Kentucky Wins
Kentucky Covers +3

You can check out this and other articles about the SEC at The ACC & SEC Blog .

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In(Vince)able: Vince Young has Turned Around his Career and the Titans Season

Bowe Fertig — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:41:47 -0500

Vince Young has had a rocky start to his NFL career. However, now that he is back starting at quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, Young hopes to put his rocky past behind him and start over.

Vince Young’s past problems have affected his image; no one would argue that. Because of his troubles the past couple of years, many people wrote him off as a shoulda-woulda-coulda guy.

Despite his issues, Vince Young has always had one thing going for him—his ability to win. When Texas head coach Mack Brown was asked about what Vince Young does best, Brown replied, “What he does is win.”

In high school, Young never lost a game, and in his collegiate career with Texas he went 30-2. The numbers speak for themselves—Vince Young has a knack for winning games.

Now that Young is back in the spotlight and performing at his best, everything is going as planned.

It’s not hard to figure out why Vince so good when he is on the field. However, when he stopped playing, his emotions got the best of him. All the man knew how to do was win, and when he was benched, he wasn't able to be the winner that he once was.

The best thing to happen to Young was that he got older. Maturity can do a lot for an athlete. When Young couldn’t win on the field, he had to find a way to win off of the field.

In an interview Tuesday, Mack Brown also alluded to Young’s emotions, but he made it apparent that it was those same emotions that made Young so good in college.

If you look past all of the drama, you find a pretty good NFL quarterback. During Young’s rookie year, he made the Pro Bowl, took his team to the playoffs, won the Rookie of the Year award, and broke several rookie quarterback records.

Vince Young is also the third winningest starting quarterback this season, behind Peyton Manning (12) and Drew Brees (10).

Young has now taken over a team that couldn't buy a win and has lead them to four straight victories, making the Tennessee Titans the first team ever to lose its first six games and then win its next four.

The team is playing harder than before and is much more versatile with No. 10 behind center.

The Titans quarterback makes it tough on defenses because of his ability to both run and throw. When Young is teamed with Chris Johnson, the league's leading rusher, they are like peanut butter and jelly—good when they're alone, but even better when together.

Offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, who did a good job of play calling Monday night, has his hands full with the speed of both Johnson and Young. The combo is giving defenses fits, as they have rushed for 853 yards since the Titans' bye in week seven.

In his most recent victory over the Texans on Monday Night Football, Young looked cool and collected. He made his check downs, moved well in the pocket, and ran for big first downs. Despite his recent success, his game is far from perfect. Young must cut down turnovers and raise his completion percentage.

Young has clearly improved recently. In his past four games he has averaged a 62.8 completion percentage and has only thrown one interception compared to four touchdowns.

Yes, Young has a few kinks to work out, but what you look for in a 26-year old athlete with a lot of talent is how he has progressed over the years.

It seems as though Young has found himself off of the field as well. Earlier this year, he took the son of the late Titan quarterback Steve McNair to school on Father’s Day.

On the field, he has lead a young and once struggling team to victory after victory. It seems that Young has progressed well and has a bright future ahead of him in the NFL.

Down the stretch, Vince Young plays four out of his last six games at home. With a mix of good teams—Chargers, Colts, Cardinals, and Dolphins—and bad teams—Rams and Seahawks. The Titan quarterback looks like he will solidify a starting spot for next year's campaign.

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Titans and Broncos: A Study of Contrasting Seasons

Donna Cavanagh — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:12:29 -0500

When the NFL schedule came out last spring, a quick glance at the bye weeks showed that two of the teams off in Week Seven were the Titans and Broncos.

If we told you in the summer that one of these two teams would be 6-0 and the other would be 0-6, and then asked you to tell us who would have the winning record, we are confident that you and any other football fan would have replied, “That’s easy—the Titans will be 6-0 and the Broncos will be 0-6.”

We are sure you all know now that it was the Broncos who were 6-0 at Week Seven and the Titans who languished at 0-6.

Teams often use their bye weeks to try to make big changes, get healthy, and right a ship going in the wrong direction. Teams never want their bye to “break their momentum” when things are going right, but sometimes the bye week turns out to be a curse instead of a welcome respite.

When Week Seven arrived, it is as if someone stole all of the Broncos’ momentum and transferred it to Tennessee as a cruel joke.

So, we decided to take a look at the two teams’ seasons to date to see what the PossessionPoints stat could tell us about it. For those of you not familiar with the stat, we will give you a very brief rundown. The stat is based on, among other things, “time of possession” and points scored on a scoring drive.

We have determined significant values where we turn our indicators Green, Red, and Yellow. In a game, a team with a “Green” offense wins better than 75 percent of the time and a team with a “Green” defense wins over 80 percent of the time. We find these color indicators very useful in evaluating team defense and offense.

If you look at the Broncos’ and Titans’ charts below, you can see that they reveal some interesting things. The first six games the Broncos were pretty balanced, mostly led by their defense with four green performances, but their offense did have three green performances.

The Titans had no green performances. In fact, they had three red offensive and three red defensive performances.

Since the bye, the Broncos have been almost completely red, and their best performance was a yellow performance against the Steelers. However, the Titans seem to have found their offense with Vince Young. Their defense had its lone green performance of the year right after the bye, but it is the offense that proved to be the main factor in their recent success.

It is hard to ever say one player is responsible for winning or losing, but the Titans made a switch at QB in the bye week, and it is hard to argue with results.

We’ve been doing a lot of schedule analysis this season, and we have found that frequently in the NFL teams beat the teams they should, and their losses come at the hands of better teams. When teams go on winning or losing streaks, a look at their schedule often provides the answer as to why they are on a winning or losing run.

However, this schedule is not the case with either the Broncos or Titans.

One of the ways we have been looking at this is by looking at “Quality Wins” and “Bad Losses.” By our definition a Quality Win is a win against a team with a .500 or better record, while a Bad Loss is a loss to a team with a sub-.500 record.

When we look at the Broncos and Titans, we see that four of the Broncos' six wins were Quality Wins and two of the Titans' four wins were Quality Wins. In games where both the Titans and Broncos lost, both teams had a Bad Loss.

So we don’t think we can blame or credit the schedule maker with the success and failure of these two teams this season. You just have to blame it on some good old-fashioned fundamental football for the Broncos’ downturn and the Titans’ ascent.

With the Titans, you can certainly make the case like we did earlier that the QB switch changed their fortunes. For the Broncos, we don’t have as pat an answer. Were the Broncos just playing over their heads early in the season and now their weaknesses have caught up to them, or are they not playing to their potential now?

What would a study of these two teams be without at least a glimpse into the future? Here again there are some similarities. Both teams have to face some tough competition. The Broncos have to face the Colts, Eagles, and Giants. The Titans have to face three division leaders in the Cardinals, Colts, and Chargers (we know Broncos fans will be rooting for the Titans in this one).

The Titans' only slim hope for the playoffs is to grab a wild card, and to do this they may have to run the table. Just last year the Titans started the season 10-0; could they finish the remainder of this campaign 10-0? Nothing in the NFL is impossible, but that is a very tall order.

For the Broncos to get to that same 10-win mark, they would need to win four of their remaining six games. To PossessionPoints.com that means that the Broncos must win the three games against the Chiefs (two) and Raiders. They then must find a way to come up with one more Quality Win against the Colts, Giants, or Eagles.

There are a lot of “ifs” out there for these two teams. Both have the opportunity to make a run for the playoffs, but the Titans have a long road up and the Broncos seem to be falling downhill fast.

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No, Not Yet: Janzen Jackson's Return Too Soon To Vols

john white — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:42:15 -0500

I was about to say that Lane Kiffin was setting a decent example for diciplinary measures and now Janzen Jackson may very well take the field against Kentucky.

The District Attorney has dropped the charges against Jackson due to insufficient evidence and Kiffin has allowed him to return to participating in team activities saying he felt bad for what Jackson had been through.

The Vols can use him, he was missed in the Ole Miss game that's for sure however I don't think the outcome would have been any different but the scoreboard deficit might have been a few points less.

I think Jackson has superb abilities that could manifest into All-American status and you can visibly see where his contributions are missed each game but by allowing him to play against Kentucky would send the wrong message to future players.

I am not the judge or the jury but there is guilt by association and I have to question whether or not three games of suspension is enough punishment. After all, two players were sent packing for their part in that evening's activities. What about the pot they found?

Yeah, I'm sure it was oregano and it all belonged to the girl; nobody inhaled either. Come on. The pot in itself would have warranted a huge suspension. You can only deny this stuff so many times and I wonder what will happen in the future by setting the bar so low.

That's really the issue here, Tennessee should set the bar a lot higher for the citizenship expectations. I would say the same thing if it was a senior that was one vote from the Heisman, the Vols can't set standards that allow room for error when the University and an entire team and faculty are so publicly scrutinized.

Should Jackson be allowed to return to team activities? Sure, next year when he really regrets being involved with those knuckleheads but not now not while the ink on the arrest report is still wet.

I do feel sorry that Jackson was in the wrong place but he isn't free from wrongdoing, he did climb in the car with those folks and I have to believe he had some idea about the personalities of each person. If he knew there was any chance that there might be a little a smoking he should have never buckled up much less take a ride.

You might say that three games would be enough punishment for what occurred but don't turn a blind eye to the lesser offenses just because the cops let them slide. Lane I really hope you read this because the eyes of Tennessee are upon you.

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Breaking Down the AFC Wild Card Race: Tennessee Titans Style

Richard Langford — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:23:28 -0500

The Tennessee Titans are in the midst of a turnaround that, in NFL terms, is unprecedented—they are the first team in league history to win four straight games following consecutive losses in the first six.

The streak has revived playoff hopes in Nashville. Hopes that approached terminal levels after the third week and were pronounced dead after the fifth.

Let’s take a look exactly how realistic these playoff hopes are.

I think it is safe to assume that trailing the Colts by six games with six to go rules out a division title. This leaves the Titans' playoff hopes riding in their ability to secure one of the two AFC Wild Card berths amongst some heavy competition within the conference.

We are going to concede division championships to the Patriots and the aforementioned Colts.

The Chargers currently have a one-game lead in the AFC West over the Broncos, but with the Broncos imploding at a magnificent rate and suffering a sweep to San Diego, I am going to concede this division to the Chargers.

The AFC North is another story—the Bengals are in the driver’s seat, thanks in large part to a season sweep of the Steelers and Ravens. The Bengals also have a favorable remaining schedule. Four of their six games are against teams with losing records. Chalk up the AFC North to the Bengals (I can’t believe I just typed that).

This leaves the Titans looking up at six teams to get one of the two spots. Let’s take a look at how the rest of the season is going to play out for these teams.

Author’s note: If you wish to be surprised at the final season outcome of any of the following teams—the Broncos, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Jaguars, Dolphins, or Titans—please discontinue reading.

Denver Broncos 6-4

As was mentioned, the Broncos are falling apart and are doing it exactly as fast as the Titans are coming together. After winning their first six games, they have lost their last four and have looked bad doing so.

The Broncos have three games left against teams with a losing record: two with Kansas City and one at home against Oakland. Two wins out of these three seems reasonable.

They will play host to the Colts and the Eagles while traveling to New York to play the Giants. All of which are looking like losses. Cross the Broncos off the list.

Broncos: 8-8

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are lucky to be 6-4. They are an up-and-down team that plays better at home but seems to be living in a house of cards.

They play two of the division leaders—on the road against the Patriots and at home vs. the Colts. There is no reason to think the Jaguars will win either of these. Let’s mark those down as losses.

Their other four games find them hosting two other AFC wild card hopefuls—the Dolphins and Texans—while they will also travel to play the 49ers and Browns.

They are looking at a split in these four. I say they win one of the home games and manage to lose one of the road games, likely to the 49ers.

Jaguars: 8-8

Miami Dolphins 5-5

The Dolphins are an interesting team. They have a below-average quarterback and wide receivers. They lost the player many believed to be their best, Ronnie Brown, and it didn’t seem to matter. Give a team a good offensive line and a solid defense and that team has a shot.

The Dolphins have one game remaining against the division leaders, when they host the Patriots. This is a loss.

The Dolphins also travel to Tennessee in a game that the Titans must win, and, since this entire article would be an exercise in futility if the Titans lose it, mark up another loss for the Dolphins.

This leaves four games for the Dolphins. They will host the Steelers and the Texans while traveling to take on the Bills and the Jaguars. To get to nine wins, the Dolphins would have to win all of these—a scenario that is hard to envision, but a 2-2 split is not.

Dolphins 7-9

Houston Texans 5-5

Houston has two games remaining against the division leaders. They host the Colts and the Patriots. Expectations of a Texan sweep in these two games would be foolhardy—while a split is possible, getting swept is more likely.

They travel to the play the Jaguars, Rams, and Dolphins and will host the Seahawks. A split here is the likely scenario, but it is not too big of a stretch to think they will win three of these. Balance out this possibility with them pulling an upset against the Patriots or Colts, and you get...

Texans: 9-7

This leaves us with the defending AFC championship game participants: the Ravens and the Steelers. Two teams whose fates will largely be determined by their two remaining head-to-head matchups. Only not really—since they will split them.

Pittsburgh Steelers 6-4

The Steelers split with the Ravens.

The remaining four games find the Steelers hosting the Raiders and the Packers while traveling to battle the Dolphins and the Browns. They will likely be favored in all four of these games—I say they win three of the four.

Steelers: 10-6

Baltimore Ravens 5-5

The Ravens split with the Steelers.

The remaining schedule has the Ravens hosting the Lions and the Bears and traveling to take on the Packers and Raiders.

It is not too big of stretch to say they will win all four of theses (they really don’t have a bad loss this season); however, I say the Ravens win three of four. After all, isn’t every AFC North team required to have at least one bad loss to an AFC West team?

Ravens: 9-7

So where does this leave the Titans? Well, they will have to get to nine wins in order to have a shot at the playoffs and then hope the tiebreakers go their way against the Ravens and Texans.

For those of you who do not like math, let me do it for you. This means the Titans can only afford three more losses. (Wait...that’s not right—damn, I hate math. Why did I volunteer to do this?) Upon further review, the Titans can only afford to lose one more game.

Is it possible? You bet your sweet ass it is. Let’s take a look.

The Titans have two games against teams with losing records and one team we already decided they would beat. They go on the road to take on Seahawks while hosting the Rams and the Dolphins. Three wins.

The rest of the schedule finds them hosting the Cardinals and Chargers while traveling to take on the Colts.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at those matchups since this is where the Titans' playoffs hopes will live or die.

The Arizona Cardinals, Nov. 29 at LP Field

When looking at the numbers on the season, the Cardinals' team strengths are their passing offense and their rushing defense—a combination that would appear deadly for the Titans.

The Titans are ranked first in rushing yards gained per game and 31st in passing yards allowed per game.

Over the last four games, these numbers have switched drastically for both teams.

In that span the Cardinals have allowed 5.9 yards per rushing attempt, which would rank them last in the league by a mile. The Titans, meanwhile, are surrendering 5.7 yards per pass attempt, which would rank them second on the season.

Combine this with the fact that Kurt Warner’s playing status for next week’s game is up in the air and they have a comfortable division lead and you get:

A win for the Titans

The Indianapolis Cots, Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium

The Colts had their way with the Titans in their first matchup this season. The Colts held Chris Johnson to his fewest yards on his fewest carries of the season. He also equaled his lowest yards per attempt of the season.

Peyton Manning carved up the Titans pass defense, going 36-for-44 with 309 yards. This will be a good barometer for the improved Titan pass D.

This is undoubtedly the toughest test of their season. OK, that probably didn’t need to be said since they are playing an undefeated team on the road:

A tough loss for the Titans

The San Diego Chargers, Dec. 25 at LP Field

The Chargers are a team that seems to be playing better as the season goes on. They currently have a healthy offensive line and backfield, which is helping balance an offense that was pass heavy early in the season.

The Chargers are ranked 13th in the league in yards allowed per rush and 16th in yards per pass attempt. Numbers that suggest the Titans have a shot.

This game is on a Friday and short rest provides a greater advantage for the Titans, who are the home team. The Chargers have shown that they can be out-physicalled* in a game. The Titans will need to take the fight to the Chargers, and they will.

This game is going to mean more for the Titans than the Chargers. The Chargers will be playing for positioning and the Titans for their lives. The Titans are going to hit the Chargers in the mouth, which will help the Chargers decide that they can stand a late season loss in this one:

Titans’ victory.

*I know "physicalled" is officially not a word, but it should be.

This will leave the Titans at 9-7 and tied with the Texans and Ravens for the final AFC playoff spot.

Let’s look at the tiebreakers to see who will continue to play...On second thought, I will leave some mystery to unfold with the season...for now.

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

Bryan Hollister — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:44:21 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

The point is, the improbable happens all the time.

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

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

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

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

As for the Colts, they have Peyton Manning.

In Indianapolis.

In prime time.

On Christmas.

Sheesh.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What else? Oh yeah—that Vince Young guy.

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

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

That is, as long as they keep winning.

But who knows? Stranger things have happened.

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Vince Young Works To Silence Doubters As Titans Win Four Straight

Bryan Hollister — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:21:14 -0500

Sometimes people just plain misread things.

Such is likely the case when people insisted that Vince Young was not going to be the answer for the Titans in their previously abysmal season.

And yes, that includes yours truly. But you just can't argue with results.

With a performance that was patient, calculated, and electrifying, Young led the Titans to their fourth straight victory Sunday, after they began the season losing six straight.

Call it a fluke if you want; but from where I stand, he appears to be getting better every week.

Granted, he had help as Chris Johnson put on another clinic in his pursuit of NFL rushing glory, racking up better than 150 yards on the ground against a Houston defense that set out to shut him down and force Young to win the game with his arm.

Predictable, but apparently laughable.

What the Texans didn't, or more correctly couldn't, account for were the 73 yards that Young added on the ground, with two notable exceptions. Almost every time he took off he picked up, or nearly picked up, a first down.

If that's not sustaining drives, I don't know what is.

But the important thing is, he had plenty of other opportunities to run and didn't.

Instead, he stood calmly in the pocket, sometimes stepping up into it, and made throw after critical throw. When he did leave the pocket, he was just as likely to throw it as run it, as he did on his 13-yard strike to Kenny Britt for the Titans' first score of the game.

Problem was, the Texans had to respect his ability to gain yards on the ground, which opened up opportunities downfield.

Apparently the option is still, well, an option in the NFL.

Young knows he still has detractors. When asked about how he felt about all the people who said he couldn't do it, or the people who said that he doesn't have what it takes to make it as an NFL quarterback, he smiled, looked directly at the camera, and with a little laugh said, "I love y'all too!"

Then he jogged away, happy with his results.

Young hasn't lost yet this year. He hasn't had to face fickle fans demanding better performances for their dollar. But after seeing him handle the interview at the end of the game, it appears, on the surface at least, that he just might be better prepared for it whenever the Titans do lose again.

At least I hope that's what it looks like. I could be misreading that, too.

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NFL MVP Candidates: Manning, Brees, Favre and...

Ryan Liddell — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:23:34 -0500

...Brett Kern.

The leading candidates for NFL MVP are Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Brett Favre. Each has gaudy stats. Manning and Brees have lead their respective teams to 10-0. Favre has led the Vikings to a 9-1 mark.

Yawn.

It's easy to be MVP when you get to touch the ball on almost every offensive play.

How about an MVP who is better the fewer times he touches the ball? Now that's impressive.

Brett Kern—yes, the punter—is undefeated, too. On two different teams. Neither Manning or Brees can claim that. Usually we can only speculate how good or bad a team would be without their MVP. With Kern we have proof positive.

Kern was the Broncos punter for Denver's first six games. They went 6-0. After cutting Kern, the Broncos have gone 0-4. That's what happens when you punt Mr. Lucky out of town.

Tennessee claimed Kern off waivers. At the time, they were 0-6. With Kern, the Titans are 4-0. He may have trouble controlling the direction of his kicks, but he obviously has no trouble guiding his team to victory.

Can Tennessee end up 10-6 and win the Super Bowl? The real question is: with Brett Kern punting, how can they not?

What is it about Kern that makes his team(s) impossible to beat this season? Is it his mediocre punting? The largely unseen—and therefore awesome—job he does as a place-kick holder?

There is no reasonable explanation. His Wikipedia page is incredibly sparse. The only facts I really know about him is that he went undrafted out of the University of Toledo.

With Kern, we have to suspend our need to understand, and just believe.

If Tennessee runs the table and wins the Super Bowl, how can you not give Kern the MVP?

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Tennessee-Houston: Vince Young Does What He Does Against The Texans—WINS!

David Lynn — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:45:24 -0500

Let me first admit that I have been a Vince Young fan since the first time I saw him play at Texas. He is just the type of player that you never know when he will make an amazing play, so you don't want to take your eyes off of him.

What amazes me is how many people out there question his ability. Even when the Titans were 0-6, people were saying not to start Young. Kerry Collins had a good year last year and deserved a chance to start off the season, but the Titans never should have gone six games without putting Young in.

Plain and simple, the guy wins games.

I really don't understand why people don't recognize that. All of the so-called "experts" are so hung up on the young guy that got a little freaked out last year. I can't comment about that whole incident because I wasn't there and it is not my business, but he is by no means the first young quarterback to have a mental breakdown. His just didn't happen on the field, which makes it all the more unique. It is time for the media to give it a rest.

What has he done since the owner wisely forced his coach's hand? Only won four straight games. For those of you who doubt it, look at his resume.

In college Young had a record of 30-2 in two-and-half years as a starter. I don't care to look it up, but how many other quarterbacks have done that well? Not many.

Everybody remembers how he single handedly beat the foreordained national champion USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl in 2005. There is no way Texas should have won that game, but Vince Young simply finds a way to win.

Now take a look at his professional career.

He was the offensive rookie of the year when he entered the league. Ben Roethlisberger is the only other quarterback to win that award.

He also made the Pro Bowl in his rookie year. The last quarterback to do that was Dan Marino, and he had a pretty successful career.

He set rookie records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, and had the fifth highest win total for a rookie quarterback since the merger in 1970.

Despite all of this, people continue to write him off because he is not a traditional passing quarterback. They want to compare him to Michael Vick, but he is totally different. He is a field general that controls the game and finds a way to win. He looks first to pass, and then runs when he needs to.

They also say that his success this year compared to Kerry Collins is a result of a change in offensive scheme. If that is the case, the Titans coaches are stupid because they waited six games to change their scheme.

More realistically, it is because they could change the scheme because of the type of player Young is. He will never be a prolific passer, but he has an uncanny ability to make the throws he needs to and to find a way to get first downs.

Perhaps the greatest play that showed his maturity and understanding of what it takes to win came in the fourth quarter last night. The Titans set up a screen that didn't materialize, so he threw it away.

A lesser quarterback may have tried to force a throw or continue to scramble, risking a fumble or a big loss. Instead, he calmly threw it away and looked to the next play.

Say what you want about him, but Vince Young always finds a way to win, and you can't argue that. It is highly unlikely that Tennessee will run the table this year and make it to the playoffs, but the truth is that Young wins games, and it is about time the Titans put him in so that they can win games.

Now the media just needs to pull their heads out.

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Wasn't Jeff Fisher On The Titans Hot Seat?

Josh Rutledge — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:04:01 -0500

Jeff Fisher is a coach. Simple. Nothing more. Nothing less.

He's not a genius. He's not an innovative mastermind. He's just a coach.

Four weeks ago, Fisher was mired in a disappointing mess, perhaps the lowest point in his career. After posting the best record in the NFL in 2008, the Tennessee Titans were staring at an 0-6 start in 2009. Preseason Super Bowl contenders, the Titans were in the running for the first draft choice in the 2010 NFL Draft.

On Oct. 10, the Titans walked off the field in New England after losing 59-0, one of the single worst performances in NFL history. It was the low of low for the Titans.

Fisher was on the chopping block. Fans were unhappy. The owner was unhappy. No one was happy.

Then, things got even worse when owner Bud Adams started making certain demands on the team. He wanted Vince Young to start over Kerry Collins.

Critics wondered how long Fisher could survive in an environment where the owner had started dictating decisions on the field.

But Fisher didn't complain. He did what he is paid to do. He kept coaching.

Two weeks later, the Titans knocked off the playoff-contending Jacksonville Jaguars 30-13. The next week, they beat San Francisco. The following week, they beat Buffalo.

On Monday night, the Titans beat the Houston Texans, bringing their season record to 4-6. No, the Titans didn't look like a great team. But they did look like a team.

Players were excited to be on the field. No one tried to be hero. Everyone just tried to the win the game.

That's a testimony to Jeff Fisher. It would have been easy to toss in the towel at 0-6. At that point, the season could have become a single-rush to get individual stats for players.

Now, players are starting to believe that the playoffs aren't out of the question. In the grand scheme of things, that is lunacy. Teams don't start 0-6 and then finish 10-0. That's not how it works.

But Fisher never stopped believing that was a possibility, and now the players believe it as well.

True, it probably won't happen. Games against Arizona, Indianapolis and San Diego still loom on the schedule.

In all likelihood, the Titans will probably finish the season 7-9 or 8-8. Four weeks ago, that possibility would have been a joke.

That's what sets Fisher apart from other coaches. He is at his best when things are most difficult. He pulls people together. He brings teams together.

Isn't that what a coach is supposed to do?

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Chris Johnson Stays Underrated Despite Another 150 Yard Performance

Joe Huber — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:01:30 -0500

In 1997, Barry Sanders, arguably the greatest running back of all time, rushed for 150-plus yards five times through 16 games.

Through 10 games in 2009, Adrian Peterson (of Minnesota), arguably the best running back of this era, has rushed for 150-plus yards once. Peterson did it three times in 2008.

Chris Johnson, of the Tennessee Titans, has rushed for 150-plus yards three times through 10 games so far in 2009, and only did it once in 2008.

Let me make this clear, Peterson is the better running back of the two. Johnson is unquestionably having the better season.

I won't make the mistake of saying that defenses don't know Johnson or that they aren't aware of his presence. The scheme of "eight men in the box" frequently proves that.

Johnson deserves to be talked about in the MVP conversation, but you really don't hear much about him on national radio. Granted, on ESPN radio this morning, Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg both talked about how good Johnson is, but that also had the prerequisite of a 151 yard performance on a Monday night game.

This isn't about whether or not Johnson is better than any other player in the league, in large part because he's played in a whopping 25 NFL games.

This is about a player being in the midst of a phenomenal season. Johnson's already rushed for more yards in 2009 than he had in 2008.

Johnson should be more than just discussed when it comes to the MVP talks as well.

Behind the bad offensive line that resides in Nashville, Johnson has rushed for 1,242 yards (that's more than 200 yards between him and second place), has scored eight rushing touchdowns so far, and played exceptionally well even when the defenses he was facing were focusing on him alone.

He has even helped play a vital role in the passing game, giving Kerry Collins an outlet when he was playing terrible, and allowing Vince Young a check-down option who just needs the ball to make something happen.

With 30 receptions so far this season, he has more catches than Laveranues Coles, Lee Evans, Braylon Edwards, and Roy Williams (of Dallas). He has 262 receiving yards, which isn't great, but averages at 8.7 yards per catch.

That's just higher than Peterson with 8.6. It's also higher than LaDanian Tomlinson (4.4).

Johnson has played his team out from the abyss of an 0-6 start, to the glimmer of hope that they have now. 4-6 is not a good record, but it's a step in the right direction.

I won't pretend like Vince Young isn't a big reason the Titans are clawing their way back into the playoff picture, but Johnson was the only thing the fans in Tennessee were smiling when they lost 59-0 to New England.

Think about this, in a 59-0 game Johnson rushed for 128 yards. In a game where the Titans were throwing for the large part, he rushed for 128 yards.

That was on 17 carries.

Johnson isn't going to win the MVP though, not this season. Not with a 4-6 record, not with the media darlings in Peyton Manning and Brett Favre playing better than good football (Manning actually deserving of the award).

So instead of dwelling on who should win a trophy for being awesome at the end of the season, I urge you to start watching Chris Johnson be awesome the rest of the season.

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Vince Young: Maybe That Hall of Fame Talk Wasn't So Crazy After All

PJ Ross — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:05:26 -0500

Remember when Vince Young knocked off USC in the 2005 Rose Bowl?

For the next few months leading up to the draft, the talk of the football nation was that of Young and his heroics.

How regardless of his out-of-the-pocket centered game, just knew how to win, whether it came via his powerful arm or explosive legs.

He was a flat out gamer.

He didn't need to score well on the wonderlic, I mean, did you see him at the combine?

At 6'5", 230 lbs., the guy is an absolute genetic freak with breathtaking talent on the field.

Young went on to shine in his rookie season with the Tennessee Titans, going 8-5 as a starter and earning the offensive rookie of the year award along with a Pro Bowl appearance.

Come 2007, Young was able to improve his completion percentage from 51.5 to 62.3 percent and get the Titans into the playoffs, even with his 17 interceptions during the regular season.

Flash forward to the start of the 2008 season.

It was supposed to be a huge year for Young, the springboard for a storied career after two years of adjusting to pro football and learning the game.

But during a season-opening win against Jacksonville, Young was forced out of the game due to a leg injury.

Speculation erupted that he had refused to re-enter the game after throwing a fourth quarter interception, and he was booed by the home crowd before Kerry Collins came in to finish the game.

The next evening he famously went "missing" from his home in Nashville and rumors spread of his possible mental instability.

This, with good reason, turned suspicions of his future in the NFL turned sour and many wrote him off as not being able to handle the atmosphere of pro football.

In 2009, young made matters worse when he added the quality of being excessively cocky to his resume,

He was quoted in Esquire magazine back in August saying, "I don't know when I'll start again. But I will be the next black quarterback to win the Super Bowl. And I will be in the Hall of Fame."

The release of the quotes brought a total turnaround to the perception held on draft day, when he was the future dual-threat quarterback of the NFL.

Young's persona had morphed so drastically that the media viewed him as a crazy, arrogant, and a mentally fragile young quarterback.

But even before that incident, what is far too easily forgotten is the impact that Steve McNair's death had on the youngster.

McNair was a mentor to the developing quarterback, and his game was beginning to take shape and be modeled around that of Air McNair.

That's what stirred his comments in the postseason.

With the recent death of his good friend, Young was eager to prove that he had learned from McNair and wanted to prove it on the field.

His yearning to change his image was so great that he blurted out the hall of fame comments.

The thing is, Young wasn't exaggerating in his mind.

To me, there's no doubt that he fully expects to be in the hall of fame at the end of his career.

Young got the message, unfortunately disguised in the horrific tragedy of McNair's passing, that life is too short to be dramatic.

It's too short to worry about throwing an interception.

It's too short to worry about getting booed.

So on the heels of the Titans pitiful 0-6 start, capped off by a 59-0 drubbing during a blizzard in Foxboro, Young finally got his chance at redemption on the field.

He got the opportunity to use the tools given to him by McNair and turn them into on-field success by rallying the Titans to a four-game winning streak and catapulting them back into the wild card race.

With Arizona, St. Louis, and Miami at home, and Seattle on the road, Tennessee now has the opportunity to scratch their way back into the playoffs.

During the Titans' four-game winning streak, it's clear that Young sees the field much better than in the past and is playing with far more structure to his game.

Aided by the league's leading rusher, Chris Johnson, the Titans have far too much speed in the backfield for any team to contain on a regular basis.

It's absolutely flooring that they have been able to effectively run a college-style option play against NFL defenses and be successful, and that's a testament to the offensive weaponry Jeff Fishes possesses.

Last night's game-winning drive in the fourth quarter brought Young's career record as a starting quarterback to 22-11.

All of sudden, he's that winner again.

That unstoppable athlete with the size of a quarterback and speed of a running back.

That gamer that no matter what you throw at him, always bounces back stronger than ever.

And if the Titans keep up this run, Vince Young's preseason talk isn't going to be sounding so laughable after all.

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Who Is Vince Young?: Titans QB Puts Team in a Bind with Enigmatic Ways

Matt Keith — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:50:00 -0500

Ten games into the 2009 season, we are faced with a perplexing question: Who exactly is Vince Young?

Is he the one-man offensive machine that led Texas to a national championship? Or is he the struggling whiner who became increasingly arrogant when his on and off the field issues were compounding?

The truth probably lies somewhere in between, but how can we really know?

Young’s dominance at the collegiate level was well documented. He was a nice passer who made defenses pay if they left a receiver open, but his true threat to opponents originated in his legs, not his arm.

Young is certainly one of the greatest running quarterbacks in the history of college football. Just go back to the way he ended his career to see that. He single-handedly torched an excellent USC defense on Texas’s final drive of the Rose Bowl by creating plays when none were available.

Of course, it turns out that Young’s athletic skill set doesn’t transfer to the NFL quarterback position all that well—something that many people realized from the get-go.

The cold hard reality is that a scrambling quarterback will not last in the National Football League. The defenders are faster, stronger, and smarter. Do you really think that Young is going to burn Ray Lewis the same way he burned some freshman linebacker at Baylor? Not a chance.

Sure, it’s nice to have a quarterback who can make plays with his legs, but not necessary. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are probably the two slowest quarterbacks in the League—but they are the best. Move down the ranks of other good quarterbacks, and you will find that they all make a living by throwing the football, not by running it.

This leads us to Young’s second major problem. Watch him play and you can’t help but notice his extremely unconventional throwing motion. The awkward sidearm release is the last thing he needs to deal with in a division where Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney will be breathing down his neck twice a year.

Then there is the matter of Young’s attitude problems. He has had a problem coping with the booing of his own fans. He ran his mouth in the offseason, claiming that he would make the Hall of Fame, among other things. Despite doing nothing to help his team in 2008, Young still couldn’t help boasting his way into the headlines during the offseason. Not the qualities one hopes to see from a quarterback.

Needless to say, Young’s deficiencies haven’t led to the greatest production. He has thrown 25 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in 33 starts. His career completion percentage remains below 60.

All of his statistics are extremely underwhelming.

Except one: his record.

Vince Young is a winner, plain and simple. When he is on the field, his teams win.

What magical influence he has is beyond my understanding. He isn’t a leader, isn’t a great passer, and isn’t a great runner at the NFL level. His primary function seems to be turning around and handing the ball to Chris Johnson, one of the best running backs in football.

But when Kerry Collins did the same thing, Tennessee lost. Every time.

Yes, he has the benefit of a good defense, but didn't the 0-6 Collins? I know that the Titans were banged up early on, but Young’s first start in 2009 did not lead to the miraculous healing of every member of the defense.

Furthermore, Young won in 2006 and 2007 without Johnson to carry the workload on offense. While solid, the defense was nowhere near its 2008 level in either of those years. Definitely not so strong that one would expect the Titans to win regardless of the quarterback.

It is a strange case. Young is most definitely not an ideal quarterback. It is debatable if he is even a good one. He tends to make more mistakes than big plays.

This scenario must be leaving Tennessee management, coaches, and fans in quite a bind. Do you convince yourself that Young is the quarterback of the future, hoping that his mysterious winning ways will continue to thrive?

Do you look at his issues and decide that he cannot possibly keep winning playing the way he does?

It will be curious to see how these questions are answered by the Titans in the offseason. Maybe Young can dig down deep and remold himself into a more conventional and trustworthy passer. Maybe he will finally reshape his image into that of a leader. Maybe he will keep winning.

Or maybe none of the above will happen. Young’s future likely relies on his play and, more importantly, Tennessee’s record in the final six games of the regular season.

Hopefully we will better understand by then exactly who Vince Young is.

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Tennesee Titans Beat Houston Texans 20-17: Vince Young Shows Potential

Lorraine Perla — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:06:30 -0500

Titans-go-for-four/20091123164247" title="Monday Night Football: Week 11">Week 11 Monday Night Football Game : The Tennessee Titans are the hands down winner of this year’s prize for "Most effective use of a bye week" reward. Houston (-4) will try to put an end to the Titans winning ways in the Week 11 Monday nighter between these two AFC South rivals.

QB Vince Young —winner of three-straight games since acquiring the starting job from Kerry Collins—leads his team into Houston on Monday to see if he can make it four against the Texans.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young (10) races upfield followed by Houston Texans' Connor Barwin (98) and DeMeco Ryans (59) during the third quarter of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 23, 2009, in Houston.

Tennessee (3-6) at Houston (5-4)
Line: Texans -4
Over/Under: 49

Turnovers, better play from the secondary and a run-game that ranks at the top of the NFL are the keys to the Titans success since the bye. Houston’s defense, which ranked near the bottom of the league for the first month, is now charged with bringing the Titans back down from their winning ways.

Houston came out on top when these teams met in Week 2, 34-31 in Tennessee, but is well aware of how much the Titans have improved. RB Chris Johnson leads the league in rushing yards and it’s taken a load off for Young. Enough some say, to make Young’s move into the No. 1 slot permanent.

Young won in his last start at Houston, 26-20 on December 10, 2006. Overall the Titans are 5-2 SU at Houston since the Texans became the NFL’s 32nd team.

Ryan Moats will be the No. 1 starter for the Texans but online sportsbooks are also taking into account that Houston RB Steve Slaton is likely to see a good number of carries as well. The Titans have given up more TD passes than any other team in the league and Slaton is a YAC-yard specialist—taking as many Yards after the Catch as the Titans are willing to give.

Protection for Young has been another big part of Tennessee’s success story and if Young has time he will be a threat against the Houston secondary. The Titans have only allowed their QB to be sacked seven times, which is least in the league and Tennessee remembers all too well what happens if they let the explosive Texans offense hang around too long.

With the Indianapolis Colts all but clinching the division in Sunday’s 17-15 win over Baltimore the Texans and Titans have been relegated to the role of wild card hopeful. Both will be 100-percent focused in this game and it should come down to who can play better in the fourth quarter.

The Texans host the Colts next week, the team that put an end to Houston’s three-game win streak before the bye, so Houston will look to regain momentum for the rematch. Tennessee will be home to Arizona.

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Remember These Titans: Tennessee Wins Fourth Straight

David Burnett — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:04:20 -0500

Remember this—the Tennessee Titans have now won four games in a row. The winning streak was extended Monday night with an impressive victory in the Titans’ original hometown of Houston.

The streak started just over a month ago after a humiliating loss to the New England Patriots, 59–0.

At that point, the Titans were winless on the season. Six straight losses. Nowhere to go, but up. At least that’s what they always say when it looks like there is no hope.

But apparently hope springs eternal for 86-year-old Titans owner Bud Adams, who called for Vince Young to return to the starting lineup after the Patriots loss.

Titans’ coach Jeff Fisher apparently agreed with the owner and benched veteran quarterback Kerry Collins. For tarnished star Vince Young, it was now or never.

But clearly it is Now, as the return of Young is propelling a once floundering team.

Monday night’s 20-17 win over the Houston Texans is actually making it possible for Tennessee fans to think about the playoffs…

Well okay, if not this year, most certainly it looks like there are big games ahead for the Titans in the near future, if they keep playing like this.

The resurgence of the Titans of course coincides with the return of Young, who is looking more and more like the guy who was simply unstoppable at the University of Texas, the guy who won the national championship over USC.

Against the Texans, Young passed efficiently and ran effectively when he had to. At times, Houston’s defense didn’t seem to know how to defend against him.

Young’s return to relevance seemed unlikely a year ago when there was good reason to think that he had just about lost his mind. After the opening game of last season, Young seemed to come apart emotionally when he was injured and benched in favor of Kerry Collins.

There were rumors of a suicide attempt after that game. Although Young has strongly denied trying to take his own life, his reputation was badly harmed. Making matters worse, the Titans went on to have the league’s best record last season with a troubled Young on the sidelines and many wondering if he was finished as a player. But that was then.

Of course, the new Vince Young is helped greatly by the spectacular running of blazing fast tailback, Chris Johnson, who has been timed at 4.24 in the 40 yard dash. Johnson is leading the NFL in rushing and looks like he might make a run at a two thousand yard season.

With Johnson, Young and an improving defense, Tennessee is keeping faint hope alive for the faithful in Nashville.

And right now, it looks like whether they actually make the playoffs or not, Vince Young and his re-energized teammates will make it hard to forget these Titans.

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Vince Young and the Circumstantial Nature of Winning in the NFL

Ryan Michael — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:48:08 -0500

He's a winner, plain and simple.

Have you ever heard someone say that "you can put up all the flashy numbers you want but at the end of the say, it is the W that is most important"?

Well if that is true, feast your eyes upon one of the league's most valuable players.

And if the small sample size we've had to work with is any indication of the future that is to come, feast your eyes upon a future Hall of Famer.

22-11, that's Vince Young's record as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

That's an astounding 0.666 winning percentage.

Higher than a number of active quarterbacks whom you might have heard of, Kurt Warner (0.577), Drew Brees (0.560), and Aaron Rodgers (0.462) just to name a few.

As a matter of fact, it isn't even close.

Do you think that Drew Brees is a good quarterback, one of the very best in the league perhaps?

Well it is Vince Young who wins more often.

Heck, so does Rex Grossman (0.613).

As a matter of fact, Vince Young has a greater winning percentage than most Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

For argument's sake, I'll name a few...

Steve Young (0.657), Johnny Unitas (0.645), John Elway (0.643), and Dan Marino (0.613).

Yes, the sample size we have to work with is MUCH smaller.

Understand that in no way am I trying to argue that Vince Young is better than these Hall of Famers, nor do I seek to imply that people would be foolish enough to agree.

My point rather is regarding the circumstantial nature of winning in the NFL.

As stated before, you've heard the people who have preached "results" over "big numbers" which really means "quarterback who wins more games" over the quarterback who is more productive on the field.

Productive and Vince Young don't fit in the same sentence.

Despite being one of the best scramblers in the game (the versatility that is said to be Young's "X-Factor") he has also been one of the least productive starting quarterbacks in the league.

Not compared to let's say, a Tarvaris Jackson.

But to put Vince Young in the same breath as the Mannings, Brees, and Bradys is an insult.

Not to say that people have jumped on his bandwagon that fast this season but there was a time when this man managed to secure a trip to Hawaii (as an alternate, mind you, but still).

Interceptions are much more a specialty of Vince Young's than touchdowns.

25 touchdowns to 34 interceptions.

Interceptions, low completion percentage and lack of production are all in a days work for Vince Young, but if you're someone the likes of Aaron Rodgers with all of your yards, touchdowns, and less-frequent interceptions, expect to walk off the field a loser far more often than Vince Young.

So if far more productive players are winning less often, why is it that Vince Young is running around with a HOF-caliber winning percentage while others struggle to make their teams relevant?

Could it be that their running game, defense, special teams, and coaching staffs also contribute to their chances of winning?

Could it be that different players of different calibers will achieve different results playing under different circumstances?

If the "W's" are the most telling aspect of a quarterbacks value, The Packers better offer to trade Aaron Rodgers for Vince Young right away.

I'm sure the Titans wouldn't mind.

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