Pre-game Thoughts

First, a word to the football gods: Please let the Titans show improvement and, most of all, let Kerry Collins be absolutely perfect so Titan fans can have a week free of "what the hell were they thinking" posts.

Now, about the game. I hope this is the week where we see the aggressive defense that was talked about during the pre-season. Culpepper has been very vulnerable to pressure and our front four won't get enough on him without a heavy dose of blitz help. Of course, that's going to put the DBs on an island, which is a scary thought, especially with Hill. Pacman could have problems, too, if he finds himself matched with Chambers who is big and strong and could work Pacman like a post man taking a guard under the basket. Welker is smaller and niftier and catches the ball well. I'm not expert, but it seems our best hope is pressuring the QB and not giving those guys a chance to work over our secondary.

All kidding aside, I do think Collins will be better, but I'm not sure the three-step drops will help much when you think about their defensive front against the Titans' porous offensive line. McNair had trouble generating offense with the three-steps last year, and I think Collins will too. No matter how the Titans play it, Collins won't have much time to throw, so the receivers and tight ends simply have to find a way to get open in a hurry, something they've not done very well so far. A lot of what made Collins look so bad last week were attempts to just get rid of the ball somewhere with little hope of a completion. (He also made some bad throws when guys did get open).

Henry and White have to be a big factor for the Titans to have any chance, and that brings us right back to the offensive line. Chrissy appears to be hurt so I don't know if he'll play. If he's not hurt, he soon will be.

The thing I'm most interested in, and the thing I'm most worried about, is the team's attitude. Are they defeated already? They're obviously not a confident bunch right now, but will they go into the game angry and determined to turn it around, or will they just accept their whooping, collect this week's check and spend another week talking about how they've got to do better? To me, this is the true drama going on with the Titans. It's not personnel decisions, it's not Collins vs. Young or firing the whole organization. It's whether these guys can find it in themselves to fight tooth and nail to regain some of the respect and pride they've lost the past couple of years. I'm hoping to see it today. If they can't find the cajones to put it all on the line today after last week's debacle, then I'm afraid they'll never do it.

 

Brown is not starting according to CBS. Henry gets the start.