Tennessee Titans Morning Links: We Miss August Edition

by Jimmy on Mar 19, 2009 8:14 AM CDT in Tennessee Titans Links

August is getting a much deserved day off from the links today. Here are two links I found that could start some discussion (In other words, when all else fails link to a Vince Young story).

Jason Cole took a look back at the QB class of 2006. The "current offensive coordinator with an NFL team who didn’t want to be identified" absolutely killed Vince Young. Here is just a portion:

"The kid can’t throw. He just can’t. Worse, he still can’t read coverages. The Tennessee passing game with him is either throw it underneath or throw it deep because he’s scary on the mid-range stuff. He has no touch on half his throws and no idea where the defenders are on the other half … I’m being brutally honest and this is hard because he’s not a bad guy, but he’s soft and he doesn’t understand how much work he has to do to get better."

Ouch.

LenDale White reported to the offseason program 20 pounds lighter than he did last season. Here is an equation: Contract year=More dedication in the offseason. I can already see how this plays out, LenDale has a great season and makes a lot of money from someone other than the Titans when free agency 2010 rolls around.

Personally, I am excited to see what Rafael Little can do. He is a more similar back to CJ than LenDale, but that might be exactly what this team needs.

There are a couple of things to get you talking. August will be back in his usual time slot tomorrow.

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Comments

Do ya'll ever wonder

if there really is an “anonymous scout” or and “offensive coordinator who doesn’t want to be named” or is it just the writer using that as an excuse to say what he really feels without getting thrashed?

I think it’s the latter and he is just too much of a douchecanoe to admit it. Ass.

Official MCM Hater!

by gramsey712 on Mar 19, 2009 8:58 AM CDT reply actions

i don't know why the writer would get thrashed, other than for being redundant

can’t read defenses
poor touch/lack of accuracy
mentally soft
doesn’t work hard enough

not exactly the first time we have heard these same criticisms…

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Mar 19, 2009 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions

It's not?

WHO IS BETTER??? VINCE OR KERRY??//////???//////

Official MCM Hater!

by gramsey712 on Mar 19, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions

i don't know

i wish someone would tell us their opinion

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Mar 19, 2009 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions

The answer is Kurt Warner, obviously.

by SuperHorn on Mar 19, 2009 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Obviously

Official MCM Hater!

by gramsey712 on Mar 19, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions

!!11!!!11!1!!!!

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Mar 19, 2009 5:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Those are the critisisms they say for every running QB in league history

Vince may not have the best accuracy or be able to read defenses the best by he can create plays with his legs. He is not a pocket QB and that’s what chow tried to turn him into. If he can get back to moving around the pocket like he did his rookie and forces a linebacker to shadow him all game in fear that he’s going to rip off a 20 yard run, he can be an effective QB for us.

Cortland Finnegan is a beast

by Titansfan_559 on Mar 19, 2009 10:18 AM CDT reply actions

*but and *rookie year. Too early in the morning lol

Cortland Finnegan is a beast

by Titansfan_559 on Mar 19, 2009 10:20 AM CDT reply actions

Alright "offensive coordinator"

He’s such a great athlete, he could get away with anything. Just run around until he made a play. In this league, you can’t do that. That stuff about how coaches should draw up a whole new offense for him is crap. The defenses are too good in this league.

That makes a lot of sense. Let’s just keep hammering away at that square peg. Telling the quarterback that he must completely adapt to your offense and that you are unwilling to adapt the offense to his strengths is not a recipe for success. Vince isn’t Peyton Manning or Tom Brady…obviously. But, everyone knew that going into the draft. His legs are what makes it difficult on the defense. If an OC is too stubborn to recognize that he doesn’t deserve to be a coach in the NFL. See Norm Chow.

by SuperHorn on Mar 19, 2009 10:28 AM CDT reply actions

yep

why the hell we drafted a guy only to minimize his gifts and magnify his weaknesses is beyond me. if we wanted a pocket passer, there were 2 of those available at the time we picked vince. stupid stupid stupid. this is why i think more and more that the vince pick was all about bud.

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Mar 19, 2009 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions

And another thing...

When he was at Texas, they just let him improvise all the time.

Sort of. I think a better way of putting it would be that the offense was built in such a way that when plays broke down it allowed Vince to improvise because he was in the Gun almost 100% of the time.

But, whatever it was they did, it was probably the most powerful offense in college football history. The offense was certainly built around Vince and his strengths. There is obviously more athleticism on the defensive side of the ball in the NFL. It’s important to recognize, though, that basically the entire USC defense AND some of the backups are now in the NFL. He made that defense look like a JV “B” squad.

by SuperHorn on Mar 19, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions

Without a doubt

Bud wanted Vince, and Vince is who we got. But I’m not sure we can call him the R.O.Y. bust just yet. Consider this: the team VY played on his rookier year doesn’t exist anymore. The defense was ranked at the bottom. The receivers weren’t there. CJ was still in school and Lendale wasn’t scaring anyone with his 3 yards a carry. Had VY played instead of KC last year, would he have played as well? His stats from the year before tend to say he would have. Will he perform better with a year on the sideline and a newfound commitment to regaining his job? We’ll find out.
I touched on this a little yesterday – each season, the team stands on it’s own and players improve or decline based on who is on the field with them and on the sideline coaching them. For example, even the football gods Peyton Manning or Tom Brady couldn’t have saved the Lions last year. Maybe with an improved offense, VY would shine. Won’t know until training camp and pre-season to see if he gets the chance.

by FaninEcuador on Mar 19, 2009 10:53 AM CDT reply actions

Agree

So much of the weight of the team was put on VY’s shoulders in 2007. It’s no coincidence that Norm Chow was fired. He ruined Vince. They put Vince in the shotgun and let him do his thing in 2006, and it worked. Why change that? Vince/Chow got so caught up in VY becoming a “pro style” quarterback that we are now missing the parts of him that made him great. He stopped using his legs, started forcing things with his arm, and lost his swagger in the process.

by SuperHorn on Mar 19, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions