TitansGiantsBears
08-24-2010, 04:33 AM
Once again a high-profile, big-game duel between Vince Young and Matt Leinart came down to the final play of the game. Like past battles between these two titans of college football lore Young emerged victorious, further cementing his growing legend.
Ok, so that's not exactly what happened last night but Young and Leinart squared off yet again. Sure, it was a meaningless preseason game decided long before the last play, but Young was indeed"victorious" even if the legend part is on hold for now. The Titans manhandled the listless Cardinals and won big, 24-10 in a game that wasn't as close as the final margin - a sad commentary on the game indeed. Perhaps they were dreading their upcoming stay in Nashville and pending trip to Chicago before returning home to the desert, but the Cardinals did little more than punch the time clock last night at LP Field.
Yes, it was a meaningless preseason game but "W" never stands for worthless when you win! :D
The Good
Take this game with a grain of salt. The Cardinals never seemed interested in this proceedings from the opening kickoff. If anything they seemed resigned to playing the game and eager to get it over with. Still there was much to like about this one if you're a Titans fan.
To begin with, I must praise Vince's play. He was sharp once again, going 9 of 13 for 128 yards. He didn't toss a TD, but avoided throwing an INT. More importantly, he looked poised in the pocket. Those who've read the GBU for a few years know I often harp on the yards per pass attempt stat. It is one of the more meaningful and overlooked QB stats you can measure. It reveals how much of the field the QB sees. If this number falls below the 6-7 yard range, the QB is usually dumping off short passes and playing with a short field for whatever reason. Last night was one of Vince's better games in this area. He posted a VERY hefty 9.8 yards per attempt and threw the ball well from the pocket. That excites me as a Titans fan. Even when he moved outside the pocket it was because of play design moreso than blind panic. He's starting to look comfortable, which is good news for Titans fans and bad news for opponents. Playing into the second quarter, he lead the team to two scoring drives after two three-and-out series. A younger Vince would have become frustrated after the first two series but he never lost his poise. The first scoring drive covered 85 yards in seven plays and resulted in a Chris Johnson TD run. The second drive ended with a Rob Bironas 29 yard field goal. Even the football gods seemed to smile on Vince last night when a fumble bounced right back into his waiting arms. When you're good, you're good but when you're lucky that's sometimes better.
Kerry Collins looked a little rusty on some throws, but I'm not overly worried about it. We know what we have in Kerry. Like Vince he directed a few three-and-out series before marching the team down the field on a 10 play, 72 yard drive that ended with a very impressive Samkon Gado TD run.
Speaking of Gado, he's just one of the Titans' running backs making it difficult for the team to cut any of them. Blount wasn't that impressive last week in his debut, but looked like a man on a mission against the Cardinals. He was everything we hoped he would be - a physical, downhill runner who punished tacklers. Gado certainly didn't hurt his chances of sticking on the roster with his two scores. His effectiveness went beyond the trips to the endzone. He too looked like he could fill that Lendale White role nicely. I don't see both sticking around however. So the question is whether Fisher and Co. will go with veteran experience or rookie potential? Gado at first seemed like a camp body, but if he continues to play this way it would be difficult to cut him. Ditto Blount. The backup job is squarely in Javon Ringer's hands though. He's a fiesty little guy who doesn't go down easily. I do question his vision at times, but experience should solve that issue. Overall, the Titans rolled up 142 yards rushing on 34 attempts and a solid 4.2 yards per carry.
What can I say about the Hawkins Hurdle that hasn't already been said? That display of raw athleticism likely sewed up his roster spot. More importantly, he's showing that he's finally "getting it" and could become a bigger part of the rotation at receiver.
On the subject of WR's, Nate Washington played well. I'm usually critical of him but have to give credit where it's due. He even turned one of Vince's few errant passes into a nice gain that set up a score. There was a miscommunication between him and Vince two plays before that catch though, but it's the preseason. I'm confident they'll get on the same page before opening day.
Damian Williams looked good at wideout as well, catching 4 of the 5 balls thrown his way. While he did nothing that made me go "wow", he certainly did nothing to hurt his chances of getting on the field. He moves well in traffic, which is good for a young receiver.
Marc Mariani also moves well in traffic, better than the more-heralded Williams in fact. The kid just seems to be a playmaker. This is no Biron Ealy or Dominique Edison though. He's not only going to play but is making it hard to justify Williams as the kickoff or punt returner. He had one catch tonight but found a seam and turned a short Rusty Smith pass into a first down on 3rd and 8. I realize he's playing against scrubs but that's how a young player makes coaches notice him - by outplaying the other scrubs on the field and showing you belong with the group ahead of you.
I'm not giving up on Scaife or Cook, but the more I see of Craig Stevens the more I'm conviced he should be the guy at TE. The perception has been that he's primarily a blocking tight end, but he's showing soft hands and is getting open. Given that he's a better blocker than the other two and the Titans' physical style he's just a better fit, in my opinion. He's making a case for being a full-time starter at a position where someone else was pencilled in by default. He has an uphill battle for playing time against the more-heralded Scaife and Cook but Stevens is looking more and more like the Second Coming of Wycheck.
It's hard to find much wrong with a starting defense that held the Cardinals to 9 plays for 24 yards before Cecil began mixing in other guys during the second quarter and the Cardinals starters gave way to second stringers. Overall the defense forced 4 three-and-outs before halftime and held Arizona to 12 first downs (most of those with scrubs in the game) and 3 of 15 on third down conversions. Those numbers will win alot of ball games. I won't read too much into it since it is the preseason and Arizona didn't seem to have planned for the possibility of Tennesse blitzing heavily, but it's encouraging to see and gives one hope the defense will get better pressure than last year. Shall I say I'm guardedly optimistic?
Jason Jones was particularly impressive. If he can stay healthy for a full season we should know whether he's the disruptive force we see from time to time or the guy who disappears at others. Jason Babin looked good as well. The Titans rotate their defensive linemen so much it's sometimes hard to get a handle on how well they're performing because none of them are staying in the game long enough to get a feel for them. Hopefully Morgan will get healthy soon and a starting rotation will solidify.
Nick Schommer snagged an INT but it was a gimme. Still, I'll take any turnover we can get. Verner made a great play on a ball thrown behind a receiver and was credited for a pass defensed, but in all actuality it would have probably been a TD had Anderson delivered the ball properly. Still, I have to give the young man credit for putting himself in a position to make a play.
The Bad
Once again, Chris Simms looked like the odd man out. There is no excuse for a seventh-year QB to be outplayed by a rookie from the Sun Belt conference. His QB rating was nearly 16 points below Rusty Smith and he was erratic once again. He missed on some passes. He rushed throws. He held onto the ball too long on other plays. He averaged only 3.4 yards per pass attempt. On the bright side, he directed a TD drive but it was more about the running game than anything special Simms did. I see no reason to keep him on the roster when Smith is younger, has a cannon for an arm, more upside potential, and comes at a cheaper price.
I'll admit I was a little underwhelmed by Damian Williams as a returner. It was only one game, but Mariani looks much more like a playmaker than Williams. And it goes beyond the raw numbers. Mariani just looks hungrier and operates better in the tightly confined, high speed world of the return game. Don't get me wrong. Williams didn't play poorly. Some may criticize his decision to not return one punt that left the Titans pinned at the 5 to begin a drive, but more than anything else it was a great kick by Arizona's punter, Ben Graham. He kicked a 51 yard beauty that forced Williams into No Man's Land as a returner. If he caught the ball inside the 5 he would have been criticized for a rookie mistake. The best he could hope for was the ball would roll into the endzone. I'm not sure which player kept the ball out of the endzone to avoid the touchback, but the long snapper, Mike Leach made an excellent play and downed the ball. Williams was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.
I noticed the Cardinals were targeting McCourty tonight. He played reasonably well but gave up 67 yards on 5 completions. He made a solid stop at the line of scrimmage on one of those for no gain, but I'm worried about the idea of this kid starting opposite Finnegan. He's shown nothing but a knack for getting burned. I don't see that he's any better than he was last year. I'll be honest. I will be scared going into the season with Mouton or McCourty at corner. With Finnegan on the other side, we know where opposing QBs will go with the ball. Whoever is on that side has to be up to the task. How do you wish your toast served, lightly-browned a la Denard Walker or blackened to a charcoaled Rey Hill crisp?
Once again, the Titans proved unable to tackle on special teams. For all the talk through the years about firing Fisher, Schwartz, Cecil or any other coach earning contempt du-jour through the years, I'm surprised there hasnt been more of a din for Alan Lowry's head. Each year the Titans are one of the worst-tackling coverage teams. It's difficult to go back through box scores the last few years and find games without at least one 30 plus yard return. There have been many with multiple returns of 30 yards and several where the opponent averages 30 plus yards. The Cardinals had only two kickoff returns - a 42 yard return and a 34 yarder. The punt return coverage did a good job but I'm not sure how this guy holds onto his job year after year when the special teams coverage sucks so badly. Maybe he has pictures of Fisher crossdressing or something. Can you say porn 'stache and high heels? :D
The Ugly
It's time for Paul Williams to go. He played poorly against the Seahawks and followed that up with an even worse performance against the Cardinals. The best thing that can be said of his performance in the game was that his 1 catch for 9 yards eclipsed his career total of 1 catch for 7 yards since his 2007. The Titans wasted a 3rd rounder on a guy who simply cannot catch and is often out of position because he simply doesn't get it. Remember the Titans assuring everyone the finally drafted playmakers at the WR position back in 2007 when they secured Williams, Chris Davis, and Joel Filani? The group has thus far yielded 8 catches for 76 yards. Davis is out of football and Filani never made the team. I will be greatly disappointed if Williams doesn't join them after the first round of cuts.
Ok, so that's not exactly what happened last night but Young and Leinart squared off yet again. Sure, it was a meaningless preseason game decided long before the last play, but Young was indeed"victorious" even if the legend part is on hold for now. The Titans manhandled the listless Cardinals and won big, 24-10 in a game that wasn't as close as the final margin - a sad commentary on the game indeed. Perhaps they were dreading their upcoming stay in Nashville and pending trip to Chicago before returning home to the desert, but the Cardinals did little more than punch the time clock last night at LP Field.
Yes, it was a meaningless preseason game but "W" never stands for worthless when you win! :D
The Good
Take this game with a grain of salt. The Cardinals never seemed interested in this proceedings from the opening kickoff. If anything they seemed resigned to playing the game and eager to get it over with. Still there was much to like about this one if you're a Titans fan.
To begin with, I must praise Vince's play. He was sharp once again, going 9 of 13 for 128 yards. He didn't toss a TD, but avoided throwing an INT. More importantly, he looked poised in the pocket. Those who've read the GBU for a few years know I often harp on the yards per pass attempt stat. It is one of the more meaningful and overlooked QB stats you can measure. It reveals how much of the field the QB sees. If this number falls below the 6-7 yard range, the QB is usually dumping off short passes and playing with a short field for whatever reason. Last night was one of Vince's better games in this area. He posted a VERY hefty 9.8 yards per attempt and threw the ball well from the pocket. That excites me as a Titans fan. Even when he moved outside the pocket it was because of play design moreso than blind panic. He's starting to look comfortable, which is good news for Titans fans and bad news for opponents. Playing into the second quarter, he lead the team to two scoring drives after two three-and-out series. A younger Vince would have become frustrated after the first two series but he never lost his poise. The first scoring drive covered 85 yards in seven plays and resulted in a Chris Johnson TD run. The second drive ended with a Rob Bironas 29 yard field goal. Even the football gods seemed to smile on Vince last night when a fumble bounced right back into his waiting arms. When you're good, you're good but when you're lucky that's sometimes better.
Kerry Collins looked a little rusty on some throws, but I'm not overly worried about it. We know what we have in Kerry. Like Vince he directed a few three-and-out series before marching the team down the field on a 10 play, 72 yard drive that ended with a very impressive Samkon Gado TD run.
Speaking of Gado, he's just one of the Titans' running backs making it difficult for the team to cut any of them. Blount wasn't that impressive last week in his debut, but looked like a man on a mission against the Cardinals. He was everything we hoped he would be - a physical, downhill runner who punished tacklers. Gado certainly didn't hurt his chances of sticking on the roster with his two scores. His effectiveness went beyond the trips to the endzone. He too looked like he could fill that Lendale White role nicely. I don't see both sticking around however. So the question is whether Fisher and Co. will go with veteran experience or rookie potential? Gado at first seemed like a camp body, but if he continues to play this way it would be difficult to cut him. Ditto Blount. The backup job is squarely in Javon Ringer's hands though. He's a fiesty little guy who doesn't go down easily. I do question his vision at times, but experience should solve that issue. Overall, the Titans rolled up 142 yards rushing on 34 attempts and a solid 4.2 yards per carry.
What can I say about the Hawkins Hurdle that hasn't already been said? That display of raw athleticism likely sewed up his roster spot. More importantly, he's showing that he's finally "getting it" and could become a bigger part of the rotation at receiver.
On the subject of WR's, Nate Washington played well. I'm usually critical of him but have to give credit where it's due. He even turned one of Vince's few errant passes into a nice gain that set up a score. There was a miscommunication between him and Vince two plays before that catch though, but it's the preseason. I'm confident they'll get on the same page before opening day.
Damian Williams looked good at wideout as well, catching 4 of the 5 balls thrown his way. While he did nothing that made me go "wow", he certainly did nothing to hurt his chances of getting on the field. He moves well in traffic, which is good for a young receiver.
Marc Mariani also moves well in traffic, better than the more-heralded Williams in fact. The kid just seems to be a playmaker. This is no Biron Ealy or Dominique Edison though. He's not only going to play but is making it hard to justify Williams as the kickoff or punt returner. He had one catch tonight but found a seam and turned a short Rusty Smith pass into a first down on 3rd and 8. I realize he's playing against scrubs but that's how a young player makes coaches notice him - by outplaying the other scrubs on the field and showing you belong with the group ahead of you.
I'm not giving up on Scaife or Cook, but the more I see of Craig Stevens the more I'm conviced he should be the guy at TE. The perception has been that he's primarily a blocking tight end, but he's showing soft hands and is getting open. Given that he's a better blocker than the other two and the Titans' physical style he's just a better fit, in my opinion. He's making a case for being a full-time starter at a position where someone else was pencilled in by default. He has an uphill battle for playing time against the more-heralded Scaife and Cook but Stevens is looking more and more like the Second Coming of Wycheck.
It's hard to find much wrong with a starting defense that held the Cardinals to 9 plays for 24 yards before Cecil began mixing in other guys during the second quarter and the Cardinals starters gave way to second stringers. Overall the defense forced 4 three-and-outs before halftime and held Arizona to 12 first downs (most of those with scrubs in the game) and 3 of 15 on third down conversions. Those numbers will win alot of ball games. I won't read too much into it since it is the preseason and Arizona didn't seem to have planned for the possibility of Tennesse blitzing heavily, but it's encouraging to see and gives one hope the defense will get better pressure than last year. Shall I say I'm guardedly optimistic?
Jason Jones was particularly impressive. If he can stay healthy for a full season we should know whether he's the disruptive force we see from time to time or the guy who disappears at others. Jason Babin looked good as well. The Titans rotate their defensive linemen so much it's sometimes hard to get a handle on how well they're performing because none of them are staying in the game long enough to get a feel for them. Hopefully Morgan will get healthy soon and a starting rotation will solidify.
Nick Schommer snagged an INT but it was a gimme. Still, I'll take any turnover we can get. Verner made a great play on a ball thrown behind a receiver and was credited for a pass defensed, but in all actuality it would have probably been a TD had Anderson delivered the ball properly. Still, I have to give the young man credit for putting himself in a position to make a play.
The Bad
Once again, Chris Simms looked like the odd man out. There is no excuse for a seventh-year QB to be outplayed by a rookie from the Sun Belt conference. His QB rating was nearly 16 points below Rusty Smith and he was erratic once again. He missed on some passes. He rushed throws. He held onto the ball too long on other plays. He averaged only 3.4 yards per pass attempt. On the bright side, he directed a TD drive but it was more about the running game than anything special Simms did. I see no reason to keep him on the roster when Smith is younger, has a cannon for an arm, more upside potential, and comes at a cheaper price.
I'll admit I was a little underwhelmed by Damian Williams as a returner. It was only one game, but Mariani looks much more like a playmaker than Williams. And it goes beyond the raw numbers. Mariani just looks hungrier and operates better in the tightly confined, high speed world of the return game. Don't get me wrong. Williams didn't play poorly. Some may criticize his decision to not return one punt that left the Titans pinned at the 5 to begin a drive, but more than anything else it was a great kick by Arizona's punter, Ben Graham. He kicked a 51 yard beauty that forced Williams into No Man's Land as a returner. If he caught the ball inside the 5 he would have been criticized for a rookie mistake. The best he could hope for was the ball would roll into the endzone. I'm not sure which player kept the ball out of the endzone to avoid the touchback, but the long snapper, Mike Leach made an excellent play and downed the ball. Williams was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.
I noticed the Cardinals were targeting McCourty tonight. He played reasonably well but gave up 67 yards on 5 completions. He made a solid stop at the line of scrimmage on one of those for no gain, but I'm worried about the idea of this kid starting opposite Finnegan. He's shown nothing but a knack for getting burned. I don't see that he's any better than he was last year. I'll be honest. I will be scared going into the season with Mouton or McCourty at corner. With Finnegan on the other side, we know where opposing QBs will go with the ball. Whoever is on that side has to be up to the task. How do you wish your toast served, lightly-browned a la Denard Walker or blackened to a charcoaled Rey Hill crisp?
Once again, the Titans proved unable to tackle on special teams. For all the talk through the years about firing Fisher, Schwartz, Cecil or any other coach earning contempt du-jour through the years, I'm surprised there hasnt been more of a din for Alan Lowry's head. Each year the Titans are one of the worst-tackling coverage teams. It's difficult to go back through box scores the last few years and find games without at least one 30 plus yard return. There have been many with multiple returns of 30 yards and several where the opponent averages 30 plus yards. The Cardinals had only two kickoff returns - a 42 yard return and a 34 yarder. The punt return coverage did a good job but I'm not sure how this guy holds onto his job year after year when the special teams coverage sucks so badly. Maybe he has pictures of Fisher crossdressing or something. Can you say porn 'stache and high heels? :D
The Ugly
It's time for Paul Williams to go. He played poorly against the Seahawks and followed that up with an even worse performance against the Cardinals. The best thing that can be said of his performance in the game was that his 1 catch for 9 yards eclipsed his career total of 1 catch for 7 yards since his 2007. The Titans wasted a 3rd rounder on a guy who simply cannot catch and is often out of position because he simply doesn't get it. Remember the Titans assuring everyone the finally drafted playmakers at the WR position back in 2007 when they secured Williams, Chris Davis, and Joel Filani? The group has thus far yielded 8 catches for 76 yards. Davis is out of football and Filani never made the team. I will be greatly disappointed if Williams doesn't join them after the first round of cuts.