Tennessee Titans 2011 Preseason Schedule: Full Preview

For the Tennessee Titans, the 2011 preseason is the most important preseason in recent years. I know it is crazy to call the preseason important, but for this team, it absolutely is.

With all the players lost and gained through free agency, plus a new head coach, the Titans were really hurt by losing so much time due to the NFL lockout. Mike Munchak probably can't wait to see what his team can do during a "real" game.

Here is an August preview of what to focus on for the Tennessee Titans during the upcoming preseason.

Preseason Week 1 Overview

Who They Play: Minnesota Vikings

Date: August 13th

What to Watch For: Chris Johnson sighting, Jake Locker's play, new look defense

If Chris Johnson is signed by Saturday, which is unlikely, this game would feature two of the NFL's top running backs. Even without Johnson, it will be interesting to see how the Titans' defense fairs against Adrian Peterson.

Preseason Week 1: Will Chris Johnson Be Seen?

This is by far the most important story in Tennessee right now as Chris Johnson is the focal point of the Titans' offense. My gut tells me that Johnson probably won't be seen anywhere near LP Field for this game against the Minnesota Vikings.

The big question will be how long until the Titans and Johnson can agree on a contract to get him back onto the field. Hopefully it doesn't take all preseason and part of the regular season, but at this point, who knows what will happen.

Preseason Week 1: Our First Glimpse of Jake Locker

When the Titans drafted Jake Locker with the eighth pick in the first round of this year's draft, many people were surprised. Everything appeared to be headed towards Locker being the starting quarterback to start the season, but then Tennessee went out and signed Matt Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck will almost certainly start the season as first on the depth chart, but who knows how long that will last. It will be exciting to watch Locker step onto the field for the first time. If he plays extremely well, we might even see him get some snaps with the first-team offense.

Preseason Week 1: Is There Any Defense Left?

Of course there will still be a defense in Tennessee but how good they will be is an entirely separate matter.

Jason Babin was the teams best pas rusher and Stephen Tulloch was an underrated linebacker who could make plays all over the field. Both players bolted in free agency and now Tennessee has huge questions in their front seven.

One bright side is that the secondary should still be pretty good with Chris Hope, Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin.

Preseason Week 2 Overview

Who They Play: @ St. Louis Rams

Date: August 20th

What to Watch For: Preparing for no Chris Johnson

This game against St. Louis could actually be a pretty entertaining game as the Rams appear to be a team on the rise. Had Jake Locker been able to start, we would have been able to see two young quarterbacks gun it out for about a quarterback.

Instead, fans will have to settle for Matt Hasselbeck and Sam Bradford, but the biggest headline will be how Tennessee is preparing for life without Chris Johnson.

Preseason Week 2: Still No Chris Johnson

I still see Chris Johnson holding out for a better contract through the second week of preseason. The Titans need to start preparing for life without Johnson and who will carry the load.

It appears that the burden will fall mainly on Javon Ringer, but Stafon Johnson and rookie Jamie Harper will also get plenty of touches to see if they can make an impact. They might play well, but even their combined efforts won't be enough to have Tennessee forget about Chris Johnson.

Preseason Week 3 Overview

Who They Play: Chicago Bears

Date: August 27th

What to Watch For: Chris Johnson's return, Matt Hasselbeck's struggles, emergence of defensive rookies

With two games under their belts, the Titans will be starting to understand their new offense and defense a little better by this point. Unfortunately, they have to face the Chicago Bears who will send the Titans back a few steps in their development.

There will be good and bad news involved in this game. The bad news is that Matt Hasselbeck will continue to struggle. The good news is that Chris Johnson will be on the sidelines and some key defensive rookies will start to emerge.

Preseason Week 3: Chris Johnson Is Back

By this point in the preseason, the Titans and Chris Johnson will have worked out a new contract to keep Johnson in Tennessee.

He won't participate in this game, but he will be ready to practice the following week and should be ready to go by week one of the regular season.

Preseason Week 3: Matt Hasselbeck Is Struggling

Matt Hasselbeck will be a great mentor for Jake Locker, but with no proven receivers and struggling running game, he will have major struggles through the first three weeks of preseason football.

It isn't all his fault, but he will be having a difficult enough time to have Mike Munchak seriously considering letting Jake Locker take the reins at the start of the season. It ultimately won't happen, but the seed of doubt will be placed in Munchak's mind and it will only grow over time.

Preseason Week 3: Defensive Rookies Start to Emerge

Through the first two weeks, the Titans' defensive rookies haven't done much to impress. However, during this game against a potentially potent offense, they begin to shine.

The rookies making the biggest impact are Akeem Ayers and Jurrell Casey. All three players will basically lock up their starting positions for the regular season with impressive performances against Chicago.

Ayers will separate himself from the others and looks like the steal of the draft and is a dark horse candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Preseason Week 4 Overview

Who They Play: @ New Orleans Saints

Date: September 1st

What to Watch For: Major position battles

In the final preseason game, Munchak might decide to give his starting group a little more time on the field to work out any kinks before the start of the regular season. Chris Johnson should suit up, but will only play a limited amount as he works his way back into the starting lineup.

Major position battles will play a role in this final game as a few key positions will still need to be figured out before Tennessee takes the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars for the regular season opener.

Preseason Week 4: Major Position Battles

With only one game left in the preseason, competition for starting spots will be fierce.

On offense, both quarterback and wide receiver could still be up for grabs. Matt Hasselbeck will almost certainly be starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, but I don't expect that to last for too long. At wide receiver, the Titans have young and talented players looking to make an impact.

The biggest question mark will be the status of Kenny Britt and whether he will be suspended by the league or not. Nate Washington, Marc Mariani, Justin Gage and Damian Williams will all be fighting for key playing time.

On defense, the only area where real competition will be made will be on the defensive line. The loss of Jason Babin will open up the possibility of Derrick Morgan, a second-year player, to move into the starting lineup.