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Monday, October 5, 2009

No secondary, no quarterback, no coaching, and most importantly, no heart.

"No secondary, no quarterback, no coaching, and most importantly, no heart. This team is absolutely awful and major changes are needed." This was my Facebook status after Tennessee's implosion against division rival Jacksonville. I thought this team would put it all together this game. I thought David Garrard couldn't possibly tear us up through the air. Well I thought wrong.

No secondary. Last year we were ranked 9th in the league in passing yards allowed. This year we have fallen to 29th. What's the problem? I've already mentioned Nick Harper in my last post, but it's time to add another player into the ring. I loved the pick of third-rounder Ryan Mouton out of Hawaii. He had a similar build to Cortland Finnegan and I figured they found the same player. Well today, Mike Sims-Walker made him look worse than Harper, which is really saying something. He didn't have 100 yards receiving - a first this year - but he continuously got open and made two fine touchdown catches. Add on his fumbling problems on kickoffs and punts, and we might be looking at someone who could be cut at the end of the year. He might possibly be up there with 2007 second-rounder Chris Henry, who was drafted based on his combine workout and not his production on the field. Henry was awful and couldn't get going for the Titans and finally he was deservingly cut last week.

No quarterback. The last point and this point will provide a lead into the next point. I hate to say it but...it might be time to put in Vince. With the additions of Kenny Britt and Nate Washington to pair up with holdover Justin Gage, Kerry Collins has better receivers than last year's group of Brandon Jones and Justin McCareins. There shouldn't be excuse to have a worse year, but that is what's happening. He's thrown six picks to his five touchdowns and the touchdown he threw today was by the time the game was decided. The receivers have dropped some passes, but Collins has thrown bad passes at the worst times. At 0-4, the push for the playoffs is just about over, and putting in Vince might spark some life into this team. Either that or they'll go 0-16 with him - hopefully it's not the latter. However, I don't see him going in unless Kerry gets injured - mainly cause of the way Vince quit on his team against the Jaguars last year in the opener.

No coaching. We know my thoughts about new defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil and how I wish Jim Schwartz was still calling plays. However, I'm going to bash Mike Heimerdinger here. First of all, why the hell is Kerry Collins throwing the ball 30+ times a game. Is that a new approach to win ball games? 35 attempts in week one, 33 in week two, 37 in week three, and 48 in week four - I'm surprised Kerry's arm hasn't fallen off after all those throws. I don't care if we're winning or losing at the time; you don't abandon what you're known for. These throws are eating at Chris Johnson's carries and someone else's. You might love LenDale White, most of you hate him, but this stat I'm about to provide you shows his importance to the team. Last year when White got 10 or more carries, the Titans record was 11-0. Whenever he got nine carries or less, the Titans record was 2-4 (including playoffs). What does that bring up? Eight carries in week one, six carries in week two, seven carries in week three and two carries last week = an 0-4 record. He's not the most explosive back by any means, but the more carries he gets, the more he wears down defenses and it opens up holes in the secondary for Kerry to exploit.

No heart. The first three weeks weren't bad for the most part - the team seems fired up and wanting to win. I did not see that at all against the Jaguars. As soon as the Jags jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, mostly everyone dropped their heads and gave up. I honestly saw four guys - Chris Johnson, Kenny Britt, Keith Bulluck, and newly acquired Mark Jones - that were giving it all out there and never quit.

Defensive captain Keith Bulluck needs to light a fire under his corps at practice this week. Chris Johnson should become a leader and get in his teammate's faces at practice. Both of them need to tell the team to cut the bullshit and just play football. Keith needs to remind them of 2006. We started off 0-5, but rallied the troops and ended up finishing 8-8; salvaging our season. Divisional rival Indianapolis comes in Sunday night and this team should want nothing more than to knock them off.

It's going to take heart to do it.

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