First off, I need to apologize again to Alge for what I said about him in the game thread about looking like the high school kid that didn't belong on the football team.  He came up big when it mattered the most yesterday.  

Also, I love the fact that Kerry Collins faked Ray Lewis out of his jock on the game winning touchdown pass.

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There's only one 5-0 team in the NFL, and they call the banks of the Cumberland their home! 

 In this quality recap by Terry McCormick, Kerry Collins sounds like a man who does not want to give up his starting spot.

"Guys will see that regardless of the circumstances, I’m going to keep playing and that to me is how you build that trust and rapport with your teammates," said Collins, who had just 33 yards passing and was picked off twice in the first half. "I’m not going to say it’s always going to be great, because for three-and-a-half quarters, it wasn’t great. Slowly, I think we’re building an identity and building something here."

 Here's a nice highlight package from NFL.com.  Does anyone know why in the world was Dave Ball in that game so much?!

 Paul Kuharsky passes along some stats on the crazy difference between the first 3.5 quarters and the final 3 drives for Kerry Collins.  It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see a few more no. 5 jerseys around LP Field for that Monday Night game against the Colts...

 Sure, Cortland Finnegan lost it a little on Sunday, but it sure wasn't because Mason (5 catches for 38 yards) was doing anything impressive on him... leave it to Big Albert to put things in to perspective for us:

"D-Mase is like that little Chihuahua that's always barking," Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. "I guess you had two little Chihuahuas barking with Cortland and D-Mase. We know that's how D-Mase plays and that's how Cortland plays. It's going to be a battle. They just got a little mad at each other.''

 Despite getting away with murder (Ray Ray style) all day while the refs weren't looking, Terrell Suggs and Benedict Mason were whining in full force yesterday.  MCM could not yet confirm rumors that Mason and Suggs continued to complain later that evening while enjoying a gallon of Häagen-Dazs and an Lifetime original movie.

 In news that surprises nobody, Vince isn't on the sideline because of his knee (see quote below).  Too his credit, VY spoke to the media after the game and, though he sounds frustrated, he is keeping the focus no the team rather than his situation. 

Asked if he is 100 percent healed, Young said, "I’m getting there. I don’t know about 100 percent, but I’d be out there playing."

 Sporting News' Clifton Brown says our boys aren't pretty, but have the makings of a Super Bowl team... I wonder what gave it away?  Perhaps the 5-0 start?

 I'm no Peter King fan (these days) either, but he reprinted in his column this morning what he reported/theorized on Football Night in America:

Collins will be a free-agent after the year. Vince Young, the troubled one, has three years left on his contract. Next year, Young makes $2.16 million. In 2010 and 2011, Young will make a combined $24.5 million, if the Titans choose to keep him. They can cut him after 2009 and owe him nothing. Interesting dilemma. Collins has lost 20 pounds and is now a relatively lithe 229. He's sober. He's a little more athletic than he looked playing for the Giants near the beginning of the decade. Even though he'll be 36 at the end of the year, if he continues to play this efficiently, it'll be extremely hard for the Titans to let him go.

I figure the Titans will try to re-sign Collins, bring him to camp next year and let the best man win the job. 

There's a whole lot of internet out there, so if you have a great link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com!

Over the next few weeks I am going to take some time to look back at the drafts this franchise has completed since the move to Tennessee following the 1996 season.  There will be a poll with each draft that will allow you to assign the grade that you find appropriate.

Round 1 Pick #18- Kenny Holmes, DE, Miami

Holmes was a decent player for the Oilers/Titans for 5 years.  He signed an overpriced contract with the New York Giants after the 2000 season.  Holmes hasn't played in the league since 2003, and finished his career with 250 tackles and 38.5 sacks.

Grade: C

Round 2 Pick #46- Joey Kent, WR, Tennessee

This has to be one of the worst picks in franchise history.  Kent barely even made it to the Titans era.  He appeared in 30 games in 3 years and had 1 career TD reception.

Grade: F-

Round 3 Pick #75- Denard Walker, CB, LSU

Despite the fact that Walker is most known for his non-pass defense/fall down in the Super Bowl, Walker wasn't terrible.  He was pretty bad, but he wasn't terrible.  He played 9 seasons in the league and picked off 13 passes.

Grade: C

Round 3 Pick #81- Scott Sanderson, OT, Washington State

This was another bad pick.  Sanderson never amounted to much as an NFL tackle.  He was in the league for 7 years and started 6 games.  More years in the league than games started is never a good stat.

Grade: F

Round 4 Pick #98- Derrick Mason, WR, Michigan State

Mason is obviously the saving grace of this draft.  Mason took a few years to develop, but he busted on the scene in 1999 when he set the NFL record for all-purpose yards in a season.  D Mase is still putting up solid numbers (1,087 yards and 5 TDs in 2007).  It would be nice if he was still a member of the Titans.

Grade: A+

Round 4 Pick #107- Pratt Lyons, DE, Troy State

Raise your hand if you remember anything about Lyons.  No one...OK.  Lyons did record 4.5 sacks in his 3 years with the franchise.  He was waived before the 2000 season after missing the entire 1999 season after being injured in a car wreck.  The grade is a little softer on him since the wreck ended his career.

Grade: D

Round 5 Pick #143- George McCullough, DB, Baylor

This was another pick that was pretty much wasted.  McCullough was in the league for just 5 years and never started a game.

Grade: F

Round 6 Pick #181- Dennis Stallings, LB, Illinois

Here is another guy that didn't contribute much, if any.  Stallings didn't make 28 appearances in his first 2 season, but I would suspect it was just on special teams.  6th rounders aren't expected to do great things, but they need to be in the league more than 2-3 years.

Grade: F

Round 7 Pick #217- Armon Williams, DB, Arizona

Williams appeared in 6 games in 1997 and was never heard from again.

Grade: F

This was not Floyd Reese's best effort.  Out of 9 picks there were only 3 that made any kind of contribution to the franchise. 

Overall grade: D