2010 Tennessee Titans Position Group Review: Defensive Backs

by Jimmy on Jan 27, 2011 3:57 PM CST in Tennessee Titans Commentary

Stop me if you have heard this before: The defensive backs for the 2010 Titans were inconsistent. There were games where they made a lot of plays, and there were games where they let Dwayne Bowe run through arm tackles for a 75-yard TD.

Cortland Finnegan: Finny is supposed to be a shut down corner, but he didn't play like one in 2010. Like the rest of the defense, he was playing well early in the season, but after he got the alleged letter from the NFL Office saying that he would be suspended if he was involved in any more incidents he lost his edge. He played timid for the rest of the season, and he just wasn't as good. I still believe he can be a #1 corner, but he has to find some middle ground between playing the way he did early in the year and getting a million penalties and playing the way he did at the end of the year where he wasn't very good.

Alterraun Verner: ATV was probably the biggest surprise of the 2010 season. Of course we loved him from the start because he blogged for the site, but he turned out to be one of the biggest steals of the 2010 draft. He started turning heads in training camp when he was making plays every day, and he kept it up when he got his shot to start after Jason McCourty went down with an injury. Verner will only get better with more experience in the league.

Michael Griffin: Griffin was still inconsistent at times, but overall he bounced back from his rough 2009 campaign. For that he was rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro vote that landed him on the second team (even if it was with 45 other safeties). It is obvious that Griffin is one of the most talented safeties in the NFL, but he won't ever be mentioned with the best in the league if he doesn't cut out the mental lapses that can last as long as one play or a whole season.

Chris Hope: A.K.A the 2010 whipping boy of MCM. Hope had a tough year in 2010. He looked a step slow in pass coverage all season long, but he did still tackle well. You have to give him that. I don't think it is any secret that the Titans will be looking for a safety to replace Hope in 2011.

Jason McCourty: It is safe to say that McCourty gets the most improved player award for the 2010 Titans. He was playing really well before he was sidelined with the broken forearm, and the coaching staff had enough confidence in him to bump Vincent Fuller to the bench when he returned from his injury.

Vincent Fuller: He was one of the mysteries of 2010. Fuller always played well in his role as the nickel back but was moved to the bench as mentioned above. That wouldn't be that strange in most NFL cities, you know to put the best guys on the field, but Jeff Fisher doesn't usually bench players.

The rest of the cast- Ryan Mouton, Robert Johnson and Nick Schommer didn't make any contributions in 2010, but the Titans will need Johnson or Schommer to step forward in 2011 and take Hope's spot.

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Ryan Mouton did make a contribution!

He tackled Michael Griffin in mid air

Patrick Peterson= Next Deion Sanders. Julio Jones sucks.

by trevor2013 on Jan 27, 2011 4:12 PM CST reply actions

Cortland is one of the most overrated players in the league...

by CBake on Jan 27, 2011 4:15 PM CST reply actions

I love Cortland.

But I don’t think ATV is too far away from being the best corner on the team, if he doesn’t turn it around.

He did play FS in college. Let’s move him to SS and start McCourty. :P

"Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson. 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"

by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 27, 2011 4:23 PM CST reply actions

I would really be ok with this.

Finnegan could be feisty back there at S and become a leader like Blaine Bishop. Plus, he loves to hit and be physical, can do that even more as a S. McCourty showed real improvement this year, I’d be all for putting him and Verner at CB and Finnegan to S. Of course, this means another mid-round pick is probably needed for CB depth…but I’d be ok with that.

Future ghostwriter of Jeff Fisher's autobiography, "Moustache Ride: A True Story of Love, Lies and Betrayal".

We've had five-game losing streaks for twelve years now...and in no way is that depressing.

by ronburgundy7427 on Jan 27, 2011 4:27 PM CST up reply actions

& only if

1. McCourty can still play as our #2 CB since some suggest he has “Vastly Improved”
2. Fuller is some depth, Ryan Mouton angers me.
3. We must grab CB by in the draft by round 2

Back to reality on our first two picks will be DE or OLB or LG. So I’m not getting my hopes up again of improving our secondary. :(

by titanwarrior1 on Jan 27, 2011 4:33 PM CST up reply actions

I have no issue with this idea, but we STILL

need another slot CB. Did anyone see how Malcom Jenkings helped the Saints as he has played 2 differ positions for them.

Cort is still our model of how a model CB should play for the Titans. He has trouble against the deep ball & in the air due to his size. Still, try finding a tougher CB who can hit like Cort & still cover Andre for 3 QTRs…….if anyone here thinks they can cover Andre, please stand up

by titanwarrior1 on Jan 27, 2011 4:28 PM CST up reply actions

Cortland is still our top corner despite his off year.

Like Jimmy said in this post, he was playing great minus penalties till he got the letter from NFL Office. Maybe he was just having trouble finding the middle ground to play on this year.
Regardless, why would we move him to SS? He’s 20 pounds too small, we have other people waiting to play the position(i’d like to see what Robert Johnson can do), and he’s still good enough to be at least the 2nd best CB on the team.

Un-VINCEable

by StPrattrick on Jan 27, 2011 4:35 PM CST up reply actions

I mean the whole knock on Verner coming out of college was his speed

but he nearly chased down Dwayne Bowe in that Chiefs game IIRC. if that’s all that was keeping him from being a 1st/2nd round talent then we have a huge steal on our hands.

Get 'em.
"it ain't no sin in goin to da scrip club."
Music City Miracles Hall Of Fame, Class of 2010

by danielreese05 on Jan 27, 2011 5:47 PM CST up reply actions