2009 Titans Preview: Missing Man In The Middle

AFC SOUTH
2. Tennessee Titans
Projected Record: 9-7

Offense: B-
Defense: B-
Coaching: A

What’s new: Some weapons for AARP member Kerry Collins. The Titans grabbed wideouts Nate Washington from the Steelers and Kenny Britt from the draft. They also added some much needed depth on the offensive line.

What’s good: The running attack. The Chris Johnson-LenDale White combination wears out opposing defenses, and was one of two main reasons for the Titans surprising 13-3 season. The right side of the offensive line is strong. The linebackers are in the top half of the NFL. The secondary is one of the league’s best. The kicking game with Rob Bironas and Craig Hentrich is one of the most reliable. Jeff Fisher is also a top five NFL coach.

What’s bad: Vince Young is still on the roster. I just have a feeling that at some point this season ‘Ol Vince will do something stupid and it will be a major distraction. And, if the 53-year-old Collins gets hurt, then that psychopath will be under center. Speaking of crazy, White may be a talented runner, but his mouth tends to run much better than his legs sometimes. Nate Washington may be a talented 3rd receiver, but he will be the #1 on Tennessee’s roster. Not sure if he can handle that. Finally, Albert Haynesworth defected to Washington. Other than the running game, Haynesworth was the other main reason that the Titans reached 13-3.


Could this man help sink the Titans in 2009?

What to expect: The Titans will be good, and another playoff run wouldn’t surprise anyone this season. However, I don’t think Tennessee will only lose three games as they did a season ago. If they manage to go 3-3 in their first six games that would be impressive. Look around this conference. The Steelers are still as good as they were last season. The Patriots get Brady back. The Colts, who were injured seemingly all of last season, get healthy themselves. The Chargers aren’t going to go only 8-8 again. The premier teams in the conference are better than Tennessee, or got better in the off-season, while the Titans didn’t do a whole lot. The AFC upgrade and the loss of Haynesworth should knock three or four wins from their 2008 total.