Other than seeing the Titans get back in the saddle after Sunday's loss, I'm excited about because Thursday's game will give us a long look at the WR I'd hope we break the bank for when he gets sick of the Ford family: Calvin Johnson.

 Teresa Walker knows what's up:  we need to get back to pounding the ball, and making them pay with the play action pass when they get 9 guys in the box.

 Nick Harper and Jason Jones returned to full practice yesterday!!! Harper's value is obvious, but Jones has been pretty productive as one of the first D-lineman to come off the bench.  He could be a beast due to match-ups over the next few games if he's really healthy

 If the Titans win and Indy losses this week, we'll clinch a playoff spot.

 A Nashville sized hat tip to LenDale for being a man and apologizing for those stupid comments after the game Sunday.  It was also good to hear from several people who were at the game that Vince was the first one there to cool LenDale off on the sideline as the big man bickered with RB coach Ernest Byner over playing time.

 Paul Kuharsky updates us on the Pro Bowl voting (vote or die, as Puffy once said); if you'd have told me in June that Crazy Legs would be getting more votes than LaDainian Tomlinson at this point, I would have said 'That's awesome, future man!' and posted it in the links.

 Peter King doesn't like a few ticky-tack things about the Pro Bowl voting, while I'm more than a little hacked about a few trends with it as well: Like how Bret Favre is leading the QB spot in the AFC?  I thought only lineman got in on reputation even if others *cough*Philip Rivers*cough* are playing light years ahead of them.

 We've slipped to a season-low 4th place in the Football Outsiders' DVOA stat for defensive efficiency.

 Your weekly Benadibilty Index report: still crushin' it.

 Jim Wyatt delivers 5 things we should know about the Titans - Lions match-up, including these ugly numbers for the opposition:

The Lions play every Thanksgiving, and some believe they save their best performances for the special occasion. That’s an outdated belief, however. The Lions have lost four straight — by 11, 17, 20 and 32 points — and six of their last seven on Thanksgiving. The Lions are 33-33-2 overall on Thanksgiving. The Titans/Oilers, meanwhile, are 4-2 on Thanksgiving (1-0 at Detroit, 1992). Their last Thanksgiving game was 1997, a 27-14 loss at Dallas.

There's a whole lot of internet out there, so if you have a link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links, email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com!  (Be sure to include your commenting handle so I can give you semi-anonymous credit.)

More details have come out on the LenDale White situation on Monday, and it sounds like whatever beef the big man had has been effectively squashed.

 Here's Terry McCormick's take on the same situation.

 The Titans had to submit a projected injury list yesterday due to the short week, and there are some key names on it that we're going to need down the stretch.  So, the question is, so we sit them against a hapless 0-11 Lions squad?

 Easily the worst researched, most poorly thought-out piece of newspaper opinion I've seen in years, and it's from someone who certainly didn't watch Sunday's game.  Last time I checked Kerry Collins wasn't dropping easy passes on 3rd down or playing line backer as guys ran past him.

 The Yahoo! Team Report for this week reveals the that newest Titan, CB Tyrone Poole, will gladly tell you all about his fountain of youth.

 Mike Freeman wrote an article on Vince Young that is largely stock, but contains one rather disturbing paragraph:

Then there was the craziness of Fisher calling the Nashville police after a therapist informed Fisher that Young had thoughts of suicide (Young has denied this). The police have since made an addendum to their original filings, the New York Times reported, and it's somewhat worrisome. "I asked him, ‘What made her worry about him?' " Lt. Andrea Swisher wrote, speaking about the therapist. "He stated, 'His mood, his emotions, he wants to quit, and he mentioned suicide several times.' He went on to state that he left the house with a gun."

 NFL.com's Gil Brandt pulls this interesting stat that somehow went unnoticed last week:

Interesting note: This was just the third game in NFL history featuring two starting QBs with a combined 100,000 career passing yards. One of them, Favre, broke yet another record as he became the first QB to win in 32 different stadiums, passing Dan Marino.

 Afraid that a dedicated TV network, games broadcast by the largest sports-broadcast machine in the world, year-round coverage by every reputable media outlet and an army of bloggers/fantasy football addicts aren't enough, the NFL will go 3-D soon.

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This is going to be short and not so sweet.  That was just an all around terrible effort.  There is plenty of blame to go around, but you can see the reasons for the loss in the numbers:

1. 60% (6 of 10)- of the Titans offensive drives 4 plays or less
2. 19:30- Titans time of possession
3. 11- number of runs the Titans attempted
4. 192- the number of yards the Jets rushed for

A Jeff Fisher team isn't going to win very many games with those numbers.  The offense just never got into a rhythm yesterday.  There are a whole host of things you can blame.  The Titans' receivers started dropping passes again.  Chris Johnson fumbled for the first time this season.  The defense couldn't stop the short passing game, and the list goes on and on..

The Jets came in with a perfect game plan to take advantage of the Titans' defense.  Rushing the passer is what this defense is built on.  Brett Favre didn't give them that chance yesterday by getting rid of the ball in under 2 seconds on a lot of plays.  Add that to the fact that the Titans had their #4 corner playing, and you can see why the passing game came easily for most of the game.

Speaking of Chris Carr, he didn't play that badly.  He did have 2 huge pass interference penalties called on him late in the game.  I know a lot of people were upset about the calls, but he made contact with the receiver early in both instances.  Do you get away with that stuff a lot of times?  Sure.  Did Laveranues Coles push off on the second one?  Absollutely, but those are the breaks sometimes.  The Titans have gotten their fair share of favorable calls and breaks this season, and those things almost always even out over the course of a 16 game schedule.

The Titans have got to get back to the smash mouth football team that they are built to be.  They won a few games throwing the ball, but we all know that passing is not what is going to win this team a Super Bowl.  I really wish LenDale White hadn't of said what he did because there is no room for that selfish attitude on a winning team, but they do need to get him more involved in the offense. 

That is all I have to say about the game.  At the end of the day it only counts as 1 loss, and any of us would have taken 10-1 to the bank if it was offered to us before the first Jacksonville game kicked off.  The Titans now have 3 very winnable games in a row.  Take care of business in those games and they will be 13-1 heading into the 2 tough games to end the season. 

You hear the coaches and players talk all the time about the 24 hour rule.  If anyone can get them re-focused it is Jeff Fisher.  This loss is the worst thing that could have happened for the Detroit Lions.  I look forward to a Thanksgiving Massacre in Detroit.

Be sure and check out the new SB Nation NFL hub by clicking on the button below for reaction to all of yesterday's games.

So we lost, big whoop; wanna fight about?

 I think Keith Bulluck and I are no the same page: It'll be a very different ending if the Jets stroll in here during the playoffs and our Titans healthy.  Very different...

 Congratulations to genuine American Hero Ahmard Hall for getting his first NFL touchdown on Sunday.

 Favre noticed the same thing I did about Boom King: he was very effective, but certainly not completely healthy.  Also, you can bet we'll se more one-man route plays like the Jets ran yesterday to get the ball out in under 2 seconds in an effort to offset our pass rush. 

 ESPN's Chris Mortensen says the Titans are hell-bent on resigning Kerry and Chris Simms during the offseason.  Just remember though, that as is always the case, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is Just Effing Guessing. 

 Good thing Peter King didn't overreact and do anything dumb like say the 3 loss Jets are better than us overall and put them in the Super Bowl or anything, because that would just further erode his credibility and make him look like a mouth-breathing Favreian-fanboy:

2. New York Jets (8-3). Biggest day in the history of New Jersey sports: The Jets vs. the Giants in Tampa ... WITH SPRINGSTEEN AT HALFTIME.

 Looking for a Titan to get mad at?  LenDale White is here to help you with that:

"I have been over it. It is a game, so what?’’ White said. "You would like to win it, but it is one game, so what? … I only played three plays so I really couldn't tell you what happened, I don't really know, I wasn't paying attention, I didn't care really.’’

 Looking for one Titan to man-up and keep this loss in perspective?  LenDale White can help you with that too:

"We lost one game, the world's not going to end," running back LenDale White said. "That's how I look at it. We can all be mad and have our faces down and pout about it and not live your life now. But it's one game. You lose one game, that does not mean you can't make it to the playoffs, that doesn't mean you're going to go on a six-game losing streak, that does not mean anything like that. It's one game. You regroup, you come back next week, you've got a short week this week, and you just get ready to fight."

 Jeff Fisher said he talked to LenDale after the dumb comment quoted above and everything is just peachy.  I'm guessing he reminded LenDale that we only had 11 carries all game and Crazy Legs is the far superior pass blocker, receiver and decoy of the duo.

 So what's my opinion on the Chris Carr PI flags on the last drive?  Yeah they were definitely pass interference by the letter of the rule, but refs let that light level of contact go all the time late in games.  It was very weak that they stuck their nose into our possible comeback, but the refs didn't give up 190+ yards on the ground or drop at least 5 passes.

There's a whole lot of internet out there, so if you have a link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links, email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com!  (Be sure to include your commenting handle so I can give you semi-anonymous credit.)

The pressure on defense is the key to this game.  If the defensive line can get after Brett Favre, and I like their chances a lot better with Kyle Vanden Bosh playing, he will throw some balls up for grabs.  We all know what happens when quarterbacks throw the ball up for grabs against this secondary, but if they can't get after him it could be a long day for the Titans' secondary.  I think they will force at least 2 interceptions.

On offense running the ball will not be easy again this week.  Dinger is going to have to find different ways to get the ball to Chris Johnson.  The Jets D is really good against the run (4th in the NFL) but not so good against the pass (28th).  Since we have seen Kerry Collins win multiple games this season, I am not nearly as worried about those numbers as I was early in the season.

The scariest part about the Jets might be Leon Washington returning kicks.  Washington ranks second in the NFL in kickoff return average at just under 30 yards per return.  The Titans kick coverage team has been bad at times this season, but they did a great job against Devin Hester.  Hopefully they have figured out where they were getting gashed earlier in the season.

The Jets are a very good football team.  This game will be close until the 4th quarter, but I see the Titans pulling away to a 31-17 win.  Cortland Finnegan will get a pick 6 to put it on ice.

Leave your thoughts below.. 

This is the funniest thing I've seen all year: Mapquest directions to Mercury Morris' famed 'neighborhood'!  (Note: go here first if that didn't make sense.)

 Boom King is a go against the Jets!  Now we just have to make sure Peter King doesn't go Tanya Harding on him around the facility this week to protect Favre... 

 When we start out slow against the Jets, just remember that the Titans have been tied or behind at halftime in 4 of the last 6 games.

 Highest ranking MCM power ranker BigW and I heart KSK so, so much.

 USA Today has a list of all the previous teams to start at least 9-0 and what happened to them.

 I don't like any video on 'Who Could Beat the Titans'  that starts with an ad featuring Brian Billick.

Special Programing Note:  We now follow the ESPN Man-Crushes for Kerry Collins that have sprung-up from the middle of nowhere today:

 Listing the biggest games of Collins' career in college and the pros.

 One of the back page writers in the game, Rick Reilly, explains why he loves Kerry Collins:

This is why I like Kerry Collins. Whether he plays like Fran Tarkenton or Fran Drescher, he never makes excuses.

 Paul Kuharsky gives the world a heavy dose of Kerry Collins:  Debating the battle of the graybeards, Favre and Collins have combined for 57 miles passing over their careers and the QB spot is just the beginning of proving how free agency has been a boon for both the Titans and Jets.

There's a whole lot of internet out there, so if you have a link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links, email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com!  (Be sure to include your commenting handle so I can give you semi-anonymous credit.)

This is looking like it is going to be the best game of the season so far.  The Jets are very tough against the run so we could be looking at another game that is going to be won or loss by Kerry Collins.  I don't know about you, but I feel a lot better about the odds of the Titans winning that type of game than I did 3 weeks ago.

The key for the defense will be to pressure Brett Favre.  We all know that he is capable of making big plays for either team, and the way to get him to get him to be the bad "Gunslinger" is to get guys in his face.  I really hope Kyle Vanden Bosch can get back on the field for this game. 

Oh how the times have changed: a few years ago the Titans made the playoffs without a single starter making the Pro Bowl.  Now Haynesworth, Bironas, Hentrich, Crazy Legs, Mawae, Amano, Scott, Bulluck, Finnegan, Griffin, Hope, Boom King and Kearse all have a good to very good chance of making the Pro Bowl this year.  How Amano and Scott are doing better than Roos and Stewart I have no idea, but that's a very impressive tally none the less. ****UPDATE: Paul Kuharsky has a breakdown of where the AFC South players rank in the voting, and their tallies as of yesterday.

 I wrote a lot of mean jokes about PK while trying to figure out why I was so annoyed about this armchair diagnosis of VY, but in the end I had to say I kind of agree.  If VY makes it back and is successful as the Titans' starter, it'll be a sign of tremendous character and perseverance... on a level that most young, rich and top 5 picks don't show historically.  I could definitely happen, but it would be the exception to the anecdotal-rule.

 Jim Wyatt lays out the ways the Titans could clinch a playoff spot this weekend with a victory over the Jets.

 LenDale White got probation for his mighty lame sounding off-season disturbing the peace incident.

 Gary Estwick reports from Boom King's charity Wrestling event on Monday night at the Wild Horse, and there are some odd pics as well...

 Not familiar with the career and stories about Kerry Collins pre-Titans?  Check out ESPN's Clip Reel on him.

 Sports Journalism's Golden Calf, Mike Lupica, says the Giants are the new Yankees, but he also uses this profound logic and expert syntax:

[The Giants] are the class of the sport right now, both sides of the ball, just about everywhere except with personal seat licenses. And that stands whether the Titans are 10-0 or not.

 Here's an update on the race for the yearly league awards as measured by the awesomely named Bucky Brooks:

Coach of the Year

1. Jeff Fisher, Titans (1): When your team rolls out to a 10-0 start, you have to be considered the front runner for this award.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

2. Chris Johnson, RB, Titans (2): The electrifying runner has been held to fewer than 100 yards in his past four starts, but continues to make contributions as an all-purpose threat. After tallying 88 total yards against the Jags, Johnson ranks second among rookies with 990 yards from scrimmage.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Albert Haynesworth, DT, Titans (1): The one-man wrecking crew put on an outstanding show against the Jags (seven tackles, one sack and a forced fumble). Haynesworth's seven sacks push him into a tie for the league lead among defensive tackles with the Vikings' Kevin Williams.

 Veteran commenter and patriot Rustmeister weighs in on the Titans, with a little special hope that Mr. Favre leaves a few divots in the turf at LP Field courtesy of our defensive line.

There's a whole lot of internet out there, so if you have a link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links, email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com!  (Be sure to include your commenting handle so I can give you semi-anonymous credit.)

The Tennessean points out the preponderance of starting QBs right now who are well into their 30's: Kerry Collins, Gus Frerotte, Brett Favre, Trent Green, Kurt Warner, Jon Kitna and Damon Huard are all 35 or older.  Of course, the Jets are probably the only team that's ecstatic to be in this situation.

 Ryan fowler was blind-sided by his demotion in favor of Stephen Tulloch, and Fowler believes the move is permanent.  Jim Wyatt says Fowler handled the demotion with great class and aplomb, despite being obviously disappointed.

 Yahoo! Sports wins my award this week for best MSM game preview of Sunday's match-up.

 Gary Estwick gives us ammo to expect a payback by the Titans this Sunday:

Minnesota has won the last four games against Houston/Tennessee, outscoring its AFC foe 111-60.

 The Titans offensive line has played very well so far this year, and they'll need to keep it up this weekend against a ferocious Vikings defensive line.  This SUnday is going to be the best test against a 4-3 defense we see all season, IMO... time for Roos, Stewart and Scott to earn those big contracts they got in the off-season.

 Terry McCormick reports that VY has been throwing with a knee brace on, but Fisher has been dodging giving a time-line for the QB's return.

 Scout.com offers up a free report on how rookie running backs are faring and list Crazy Legs as the 2nd most productive RB so far (behind Matt Forte who doesn't split time and doesn't compete with a passing game):

2.  Chris Johnson: Like Forte, he's quickly gotten involved in both the running and passing game. And he's also brought a quiet maturity to a team that has been unsteady at the running back position. A powerful and fast runner, Johnson has been asked to carry the ball at least 15 times in each of his three games, and he has posted no less than 74 yards per game. That's a nice start for a rookie who is sharing reps.

 ESPN scribe Elizabeth Merrill talked to several members of VY's inner-circle and people important to his past, such former Titans GM Floyd Reese and VY's long-time spiritual adviser, to get a read on what they think VY is going thorough.  The results aren't mind blowing, but definitely worth a read.

 Matt Williamson from ESPN Scouts Inc. breaks-down what VY has to improve on the field... sounds a lot like what 'Dinger talked about improving all off-season.

If you have anything you'd like to pass along for the next day's links, email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com

*All stats are 2007 regular season

I am going to get through the schedule before Sunday, so I am going into hyper-breakdown mode.

The Jets are the only non-divison team that it seems like the Titans play every season.  Last season they played one of the ugliest games in the history of football with the Titans coming out on top 10-6.

As I said when I previewed the Packers game, the stats here can basically be thrown out the window because of the Brett Favre factor.  It is really hard to say what will happen in this game because we really don't have any idea how Favre is going to come along in this offense.  He does have two really good receivers, Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery, and a pretty good running back in Thomas Jones, so you have to figure the offense will at least be pretty good.  The thing with Favre is that you can make him be his own worst enemy.  The Titans should be able to pick him off a couple of times.

The Jets were bad against the run last season.  The Titans were able to gain 127 yards in the game here last season.  They will try and grind it out to keep Favre and company off the field.  No reason to think they won't be successful doing that.

A successful running game + a couple of forced turnovers = Titans 9-2.

Ridicule away..