LINKS:

Titans’ top rookie is ready to dish it out

Iron man Bulluck keeps plugging away

Roydell Williams may pursue injury grievance against Titans

NFL Insiders: NFL News and Notes

While much has been made this off-season about how poorly Vince has played, offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger has been just as judgemental of the play of the receivers.

“I’m really not that worried,” Heimerdinger said of quarterback Vince Young. “If he was going in the wrong spot and not reading the coverages it would be one thing. If his feet were wrong and was off-balance it would be one thing. But I just don’t see those problems right now. What I’d really like to see is more consistency with the guys surrounding him. And I’d like to see somebody step up and make a play for us.’’

While I agree with much of the criticisms levied against VY (guilty as charged) I do agree with ‘Dinger on this point. And if you read the rest of the article, he doesn’t sound convinced that he’s got a group that is going to help take this team to the next level. Frankly, the wideouts have been every bit as awful as Vince has. They’ve run the wrong routes, dropped balls and simply given up on balls that could have been catchable. Really, the only bright spots on the O this off-season have been the running game and the play of the tight ends.

Since we know that Justin Gage and Justin McCareins will start the season as the top two wide receivers, it will be interesting to see how the coaches round out this group. What happens to guys like Biren Ealy and Paul Williams? Will Brandon Jones ever fulfill the promise that he flashes at times? Can Lavelle Hawkins become the kind of guy to move the chains like Derrick Mason used to do? All of these questions, and so little time before the start of the season. Hopefully tomorrow night can help us clear the air a little bit and end the preseason on a positive note. This team needs to have confidence going into the season, and if the receivers, and Young, can step up tomorrow night, it will go a long way in building that confidence.

LINKS:

Preview: Titans at Packers

Grant likely a go against Titans

Young offers advice to Packers QB

Texas sets Vince Young ceremony

Loper toils in important role for Titans

And last, but definitely not least…

A Vodka Movie (Part 3)

That speed the Titans were enamored with on draft day certainly showed it can translate into the NFL in the first two games of the preseason. When the games count, the Titans will use him much more creatively, putting him in the slot, splitting him wide and even pairing him in the backfield with LenDale White. He doesn’t get hit squarely very often, but the one question that won’t be answered for a while is how he will hold up over the long season.

• It appears that Jeff Fisher is getting a little impatient with the recovery of receiver Roydell Williams. Vince Young’s last few performances haven’t been the most impressive, but to be fair, his receivers haven’t been the most consistent targets.
• Here are some pretty interesting preseason quotes from the Titans, headlined by Courtland Finnegan calling out the some of the Falcon’s for being “bush-league.”

I’ve got four extra tickets for ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights at the Sommet Center here in Nashville tomorrow night. The main event will be a bout between Takalani Ndlovu and Fernando Beltran Jr. (I know, I have no idea who they are either) for the IBO featherweight world title. I’ve never seen boxing live, so I am pretty excited. Unfortunately, no one else seems to be. Let me know if you would like a pair. And yes, they are free.

Here is some more info about the fight.

Note: I almost traded up in the first round of the draft to Jody’s three spot. I wasn’t so sure that pick six was going to get the caliber of player that I could have gotten with the third, but after knowing who was picking before me, I thought I might still be able to get one of those guys that I would have targeted in the first three picks. We shall see…

1st round: Joseph Addai. He was one of my top four overall last night, and that didn’t change this evening. After Steven Jackson and Tom Brady went four and five, I got my guy at six without trading up. I was going to take Brian Westbrook with the third if I had traded (who Jody rightfully took) but I was thrilled to get Addai in the six hole.

2nd round: Reggie Wayne. I know it’s another Colt, but in my estimation, Wayne is the best WR in the draft outside of Moss and Owens. Fitzgerald was taken a few picks before mine (who is also up there), so I was thrilled when he made it to me three spots later.

3rd round: Drew Brees. So this wasn’t really my plan, but I couldn’t pass on Brees here. If he stays healthy, he’ll have a plethora of options to throw to (Colston, Shockey, Bush, Meachem, etc.) and a schedule that favors the pass. I may have taken a QB higher than I wanted to, but I really feel as though Brees is the last of the truly elite quarterbacks.

4th round: Santonio Holmes. Missed out on a few of the top-tier WR’s left (Plax, Welker, Colston) so I took a guy that I think will put up just a good of numbers, and with maybe more upside, in Holmes. He had a breakout year last season, and I think he is primed to jump into the elite class of receivers this year.

5th round: Jonathan Stewart. I don’t know what really came over me here, but I needed another RB, and his was the name I kept seeing the most. I’ll need to get DeAngelo Williams as a handcuff later on though if I can.

6th round: Roddy White. Again, don’t know what really came over me, but I actually like the pick. The more I looked at his numbers last year, and realized how steadily he got those numbers, I saw it as my only move. Most of the top RB’s were gone (see my 5th round pick), so I took a guy that I can play at WR or the flex position. I know he doesn’t have a QB to speak of throwing to him, but I still think he’ll get his. I mean, who was throwing to him last year? Oh that’s right, Mr. Champagne and Caviar himself, Joey Harrington. I thought I could wait and get some decent RB value later.

7th round: Jeremy Shockey. Ok, so I hate him as a person (not as a patriot), but if healthy, I think he’s a great fit for the Saints. I missed the run on top TE’s (Witten, Gates, Winslow, Clark) and actually saw a few others go before my pick, so Shockey sort of landed in my lap. I hate taking a TE this early, but with the run, and the Brees-Shockey connection (Drew loves his TE’s) on the table, Captain America was too hard to pass up.

8th round: DeAngelo Williams. I had seen him going a lot higher in mock drafts (before Stewart much of the time) so I went on and got my handcuff here. Glad I waited.

9th round: Kevin Smith. I take another RB because A) you can always use more RB’s, and B) he was the last starting RB left and the highest rated RB left on my board. Could have gotten great depth as RB, or a great trade piece if he is indeed the top back in Detroit.

10th round: DeSean Jackson. Value pick. With Kevin Curtis out indefinitely, he could do some damage returning kicks and running up the seam in Philadelphia. This is when it starts getting hairy in 12-team drafts.

11th round: Brett Favre. I could have waited and gotten another decent backup (John Kitna or Jason Campbell) but I didn’t see anyone else that I really liked. Plus, Favre has some nice weapons (Coles, Cotchery, Jones, Baker) to work with. I think he has one more great year in him.

12th round: Steve Slaton. Not really sure what I was doing here, but since I missed out on all of the top defenses that I wanted (another position that I had hoped wouldn’t go so high), I took another guy with tremendous upside. He’s still third in line in Houston, but I’d bet you a small fortune that Ahman Green and Chris Brown don’t stay healthy all year.

13th round: Baltimore’s defense. I hate them so, so much, but I didn’t really have a choice once the Colts and the Bucs D were taken out from under me. I really did want the Titans D, but they went way too high (what else did you expect?) and there isn’t that big of a difference between the middle-tier defenses. I’ll keep an eye on matchups to play for defenses throughout the year because honestly, that may be the way to do it.

14th round: Philadelphia’s defense. Another defense to play with. They play in a dreaded division for defenses, but they did get Asante Samuels, and they do have some other nice pieces there. Again, we’ll see how long either of these defenses stick.

15th round: Josh Brown. This was the last round, and I stuck to my word by waiting until then to take a kicker. You just never know who is going to be the next fantasy stud here (Neil Rackers in 05′, Robbie Gould in 06′ and our very own Rob Bironas in 07′) so I didn’t invest a whole lot in this pick. The Rams will be able to move the ball with Jackson and Holt, and Brown was an incredibly accurate kicker in Seattle last year, so kicking indoors at the Edward Jones Dome may only boost his value. It is what it is. I’ll take it.

Overall, I was pretty happy with this draft. I would have preferred a great second RB but I feel like I got some guys who may fill that spot rather well. I got a top three running back, wide receiver and quarterback (in my opinion), plus a TE that fit really well with my team and a great bench.

I’m hoping that some of the other guys that participated in this draft, and that read this blog (you do read this don’t you?) will post their teams as well so that you, the loyal readers, can help break this league down. Bring it on fools, let’s allow the public to speak!

Finally, I got a t-mail message from one of the kids I’m in a New Jersey draft with this weekend, doing a whole lot of s-talking, telling my how he thought the team that I mocked last night was complete garbage. I told him that it was just a warm-up, and that I would be much more prepared come time of the real/fantasy draft. Well, I am. I’ll talk to you on Sunday Jersey. And remember, practice makes you (me) perfect…

LINKS

Game-planning could make offense run smoother

Titans/Falcons Friday game preview

A Vodka Movie (Part 2)

1st round:  I hated to do it, but I took Brady with the 5th pick. There is a huge drop-off after the top four (LT, A. Pete, Westbrook and Addai).

2nd round: I was targeting Larry Fitzgerald, Braylon Edwards or Reggie Wayne here, and both Fitz and Edwards fell to me. I had another tough choice here. Edwards may have more upside, but this is a PPR league so I take Fitzgerald.

3rd round: Ok, so I gotta go RB or another top-flight receiver here. Housh was still available, but so were two RB’s that I had my eye after I picked Brady: Michael Turner and Brandon Jacobs. I know turner hasn’t been a featured back in this league yet, but if he stays healthy and Norwood doesn’t cut into his carries, he’ll rack up a ton of yards behind that line and a lot of those long runs will be for touchdowns. Jacobs is just a beast. Someone who can run flatten a linebacker and then turn on the jets for a long gain. He has been hurt though, and I think Coughlin will spell him now and then because they have so many solid backups. Turner and the upside win.

4th round: I add a little veteran presence to the ball club and take Marvin Harrison. Last year was a fluke, right Marv? Please stay healthy and out of prison Mr. Harrison. Unless you’re playing the Titans…

5th round: I get auto-drafted Selvin Young because my Internet connection sucks. I had Witten queued up, but he was snagged the pick before me. Young seems to be Shannahan’s guy though, for now, so he will do.

6th round: Dallas Clark is the pick. Even though I didn’t get Witten, I’m pretty happy with it.

7th round: Not really sure what to do here, so I take value in RB Chester Taylor. Blah…

8th round: Didn’t need him, but I take Felix Jones. Too busy typing to really see what was going on so I just picked the guy that I saw first with the most upside. It’s all about value and upside now… Titans D next?

9th round: Titans defense. There was a huge run on defense, and they were the best available, so my hand was sort of forced. I do like the pick though; I just wish D’s didn’t go so early.

10th round: I need another WR or two so I take Patrick Crayton. Not crazy about him, but he is a decent plug-in for bye weeks.

11th round: So Dante’ Stallworth is who I take in the 11th. At least I’ve got some depth there, right?

12th round: Bironas is gone, so I’ll wait until the last round for a kicker. Don’t take one before then, but if you read our team preview on Yardbarker, you’d know that him and the defense are the most ownable fantasy assets for the Titans this year. Don’t sleep on Crumpler or either of the RB’s either. The draft is winding down, so again I go value and take QB John Kitna. If (oh please if) Brady misses time, Kitna will be a solid guy to fill in. He’s got tons of options at receiver, a big mouth and the Lord on his side. I’ll take it.

13th round: Deuce McAllister. It’s a 14 round draft in a 12 team league man. What do you want me to do?

14th round: Any old kicker will do. I’ll probably spot start here during the season anyways. David Akers it is.

Here’s a recap of my draft:

LINKS

QB reminds fans Titans not showing all offense yet

Titans still have logjam at receiver

A Vodka Movie (Part 1)

Parts 2 & 3 to come…

I figured it was a more intriguing headline than “Titans vs. Raiders pre-season game notes”. It’s been awesome following Phelps for the last week. I have never watched this much swimming in my entire life. I haven’t gone swimming as much as I’ve watched it this Olympics. So really, congrats to that dude. He just had me standing in front of my television yelling “Go baby! USA!” in an empty house. Pathetic maybe, but also patriotic. Plus, he listens to Wayne to get pumped up before races. How cool is that? Um, music video cameo please? The only thing about that guy I don’t like is that he’s a Ravens fan. That just makes me sick…

If you can’t already tell, I don’t have a whole lot to say about last night’s game, other than that it was ugly. Coming off of the rushing clinic the Titans put on the Rams last week, it was clear that Heimerdinger wanted to establish the passing game straight out of the gate against a good Raiders secondary. Unfortunately, Vince Young couldn’t get on the same page with his receivers, as he overthrew, underthrew and flat out missed them for most of his time on the field. It was just a small sampling, but his performance last night was a clear example of why so many have been skeptical about Young’s ability to succeed in the NFL. Since it was a nationally televised game on Fox, there was a lot of talk about what we have heard around here for quite some time: “Vince has worked on his footwork all off-season” and “Heimerdinger has Young stepping up in the pocket more to throw off of his front foot”, but it sure didn’t seem like it. Time and time again replays showed Young throwing off his back foot and with his hips open wide. To be perfectly honest, I thought he looked terrible and yes, I am a bit worried. Listen, the guy has tons of potential. He is a winner, and he always has been. What he lacks as a more prototypical quarterback, he makes up for with his feet and his ability to stretch out plays. What worries me though is that these bad habits he has adopted throughout college and the NFL (i.e. bad passing form, inability to lead the receiver, knowing that he is the best athlete on the field and taking that for granted) are now catching up with him and hindering his progress as an NFL quarterback.

I did think that our receivers played well when there was a catchable ball thrown their way. Bo Scaife (3-40) played a really solid game, and I think Crumpler’s presence will actually open up the field a lot for him. He catches well, blocks well and has a nice rapport with VY from their days at Texas. Justin Gage was solid as usual. He knows how much is expected of him this year and to this point, he has given Titans fans every reason to believe that he can lead this group. Lavelle Hawkins continues to impress, hauling in two passes for 70 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown catch that he went up and got and broke away from two defenders on his way to the end zone. He also returned two punts for 16 yards and two kickoffs 48 yards. I think Heimerdinger is going to do all he can to find a way to get the rookie onto the field. Chris Davis and Biren Ealy (3-70) came up in the clutch as they both made nice grabs on balls thrown by Ingle Martin on the final drive that led to the game-winning John Vaughn field goal. Ealy and Martin are playing for spots on this team, so it was nice to see them step up. The staff is going to have a hard time cutting this roster down.

Chris Johnson was probably the highlight of the night again (outside of the Hawkins TD), rushing for 46-yards on eight carries. He looked sharp in waiting for his blockers and getting up field. Johnson has made no secret of the fact that he wants to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year, and so far, I haven’t been more impressed with any of the other rookies from this draft class. It has become quite apparent that Johnson will play a huge role in this offense, and the more he plays, and plays well this preseason, the better off he will be when it’s time to play on Sundays. I’m looking forward to seeing him then.

On a side note, Darren McFadden did look rather good last night (6-44), and if there is anyone that can give Johnson competition for the award, I imagine it will be McFadden.

Other than that, it was a pretty slow game. The team had more penalties than Fisher would like (10-72), but they didn’t turn the ball over and had two takeaways to boot. I don’t know if we learned a whole lot last night, but that is why they play these preseason games. There are a lot of kinks to work out during this time, so to see some of those as “works-in-progress”, and still come out with a win is a plus. The next preseason game is Friday at Atlanta. We’ll see if the Titans have learned from any of their mistakes then. See you at the Georgia Dome…

LINKS

If you really want to watch

Titans aren’t worried about offense

Titans solidify big piece of secondary

Whatever you say Fish…

Hawkins makes nice catch / Ingle hopes to catch on

Guess who just got a box of autographed David Price baseballs? This guy!

Holy crap, thanks sis! I couldn’t have imagined a more awesome birthday present.

If you don’t know who David Price is, look him up and remember his name, because he is one of the rising starts in Major League Baseball. He is a local guy, born and raised in Middle Tennessee, who eventually went on to attend Vanderbilt University here in Nashville. As his legend grew during his college years, both locally and nationally, those who followed his career realized that there was a very good chance that he was going to be a dominant Major League pitcher some day. From there, Price would go on to become the 1st overall pick of the 2007 amateur MLB draft (Tampa Bay Rays). Since then, he has begun his minor league career by going 11-0 with a 1.87 ERA in 14 starts at Single A Vero Beach and Double A Montgomery. Just last week he was promoted to Triple A Durham (where he is making his debut as we speak) and there is a very good chance that he could get the big league call-up within the month. I’m telling you, if this guy stays healthy, he could very well be one of the greatest pitchers to ever play the game. He possesses three plus pitches and can blow a ball by a batter with a 98 mph fastball and break a his knee with a wicked slurve (slider/curve) all in the same at bat. And the best part, he’s a good dude. Everything I’ve ever read or heard has said just that, and my sister says he couldn’t be a nicer guy. Marry him then Erin! So, that was my birthday present story. Sorry it had nothing to do with the Titans. I was just really excited. Check out the links below because he may be your next favorite baseball player. I know he’s mine, now all we have to do is get him in a Braves uniform!

PRICE LINKS

Vandy highlight video

Rays’ lefty prospect off to fast start

Nice interview with Price before he decided to turn pro

Quinton Ganther, a seventh round pick out of Utah in 2007, also looked really good. We mentioned him in our notes from training camp a few weeks back, and after seeing him again I was just as impressed. He finished the night with eight carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns, including a nice 45-yard run in the third for his first score. The Titans found a roster spot for him last year, so hopefully he can hang around again this year for special teams and RB depth purposes. And if Chris Henry continues to be unimpressive, he could very easily be the teams’ third running back at some point.

Guess that may happen sooner than I thought. This little tidbit appeared in the morning edition of Nashville’s City Paper:

For the second consecutive day of practice Quinton Ganther ran as the third-team running back, dropping Chris Henry to the fourth unit in most drills. Ganther enjoyed a standout game with 115 yards on eight rushes with two touchdowns against the Rams…

Could Henry, a second round pick in 2007, already be on his way out the door? I still seriously doubt it given his relative inexperience, the fact that the team used such a high draft pick on him and apparently front office personnel in professional sports are pretty stubborn. Who’d have thought? But if they really can’t find a spot for him then maybe they’ll go ahead and cut ties with what was a questionable experiment to begin with. Stay tuned…

LINKS

Weezy the newest member of the Titans?

LINKS

Apparently former Seattle Mariner 2B Harold Reynolds writes postcards and is a big fan of the AFC South. Who knew?

Nice VY article by ESPN’s tiny H.O.F. writer, John Clayton

Ex-Cal star Hawkins tries to impact Titans (P.S.-he’s also a blogger for Yardbarker. Check it here)

Titans can’t wait to attack defenses with rookie