If Vince Young doesn’t play, the Eagles won’t be upset by it. Young, who will probably be a game time decision, would present more problems for the Birds because of his ability to escape from pressure and beat you with either his legs or his arm.
He has grown as a quarterback and seems to have a much better understanding of coverages, than he had in the past. He knows his role on this football team and doesn’t make foolish, risky decisions with the football.
The Titans play an old-fashioned hard-nosed brand of football. They try to force you into making mistakes while they play ball control football.
Young is doing a great job of taking care of the football, taking what defenses give him and getting the ball to his receivers. The former Texas Longhorn is completing 61.4 percent of this throws and has thrown only three interception.
Teams make stopping Johnson their number one goal, so Young isn’t facing defenses that are designed to stop the pass.
He is very effective when it comes to keeping drives going. Young will get the first with his legs or his arm.
They can’t let Chris Johnson get going because that will open up things for Young on bootlegs and other play action passes.
This allows Tennessee to control the ball and keep the pressure on the opposing team’s defenses.
If Young doesn’t go then former Penn State great Kerry Collins will get the nod. He’s as big, tough, strong-armed and disciplined quarterback.
A couple of years ago, Collins led the Titans to a 13-3 record in the regular season. He knows how to take care of the football while giving his receivers chances to make plays.
Next to the Eagles, this might be the best starter and backup quarterback duo on the league. Like the Birds QB’s, these two have proven that they can win in this league.
Their receivers have great size and toughness. This group, to a man, knows how to catch the ball and take a big hit. They refuse to be intimidated.
The key to stopping both Young and Collins is keeping Johnson under wraps. They do a lot of their damage on play action fakes, which freezes defenders because they’re so focused on stopping Johnson.
I don’t expect Young or Collins to be able to put the Titans on their shoulders and carry them to victory. They need help from Johnson.
I want the Eagles to be alert for screens to Johnson. Letting Johnson out in the open field would be a nightmare for the Birds.
Somebody tell cornerback Ellis Hobbs that the Titans will take at least deep shots at him.
Watch got RB Javon Ringer, TE Jared Cook and WR Kenny Britt also..
This Titan team has more weapons other than RB Chris Johnson
Also a wild-card in this game is Return-man M Mariani (the white kid from Montana) who I believe is leading the leauge in Return yardage and has both a kickoff and punt return for a TD so far this year..
Special Teams will be huge this week.
G….I havent seen them run many screens. Think they would get some of them in the gameplan? They run the stretch play thats a nightmare for the d. Set the edge and make C.J beat you. Kenny Britt was in a bar fight Friday night and my face some discipline.
If I could dump Gold bricks I would have to work 2 jobs. I don’t fear VY that much this week. He’s going to hampered by a sore knee and ankle. Collins though is a game manager type QB and can really frustrate a D, very cerebral. The D will need it’s best game of the year this week otherwise…
PM – he’s 13th in return yardage, dangerous yes, but leading the league, not close…
The more I think on it, this game is a little bit like college teams playing against a squad that runs a triple option. Playing your assignment on defense is the key, if you try to freelance or anticipate (guess) you are going to be watching CJ run by you all day. You do not see GaTech or Navy airing the ball out all over the place if they can avoid it. They want to grind you down on the ground, get your edge people freelancing and when you are tired and frustrated, boom, they go right by. If they Birds can play their assignments, they have a good shot to make the Titans one dimensional. That’s winning football.
PM I think you were right about TITAN WEAPONS.