If Jeff Fisher has anything left below the knees it's a medical miracle, because Bud Adams undercut him in an epic way yesterday afternoon. Vince Young cursed out Jeff Fisher and the rest of the team, blew-off his own teammate who tried to stop him from leaving and ran away, but Bud Adams still has Vince's back over Fisher's. Once that pile of occasionally nonsensical rubbish that passed for Adams' statement (did he really just compare this to a Sunday drive?) came out, any idiot could tell that Vince Young was headed to the IR as soon as that MRI came back, even if the MRI was doctored with crayon and duct tape. Expect Young to be persona non grata for the rest of the season. What happens after the season ends? Who the hell knows. There is literally no possible outcome that would surprise me at this point:
• The team cuts Young and makes the best out of the QB situation? Everyone in Baptist Sports Park wanted to do that yesterday.
• Bud decides to fire Fisher and the entire coaching staff and keep Young? Saw it coming.
• Vince Young retires to focus on his empire of steakhouses and sausages? Why not.
• Bud Adams gets it included in the new CBA that Vince Young automatically gets a bust in the Hall of Fame? Wouldn't be shocked.
• Rusty Smith lives in the facility and makes himself a legit starter by the end of the season? I'd be all for it if he can earn it...
Either way, if you're on this active roster, I'm rooting harder for you than ever; even you, Donnie Nickey.
Terry McCormick delivers the first of what will be many post-mortems of Vince Young's tenure in Nashville. It goes all the way back to draft day, when Fisher and OC Norm Chow wanted Chow's USC protege Matt Leinart, GM Floyd Reese wanted local star Jay Cutler, but it was Bud Adams who ended their debate by saying 'VY's my guy'. It ends with a damning indictment of the mental/emotional/maturity short-comings of Vince Young and the Titans' ill-advised (in retrospect) coddling of Young over the years.
Rusty Smith is taking this opportunity refreshingly serious. Smith has a long way to go and a short time to the level of a serious NFL starter, but if he's going to get it done you really couldn't pick a better spot for him to start than this Sunday: Houston has the worst pass defense in maybe the history of the league, and we're a better road team this year than we are a home team. Every team on Houston's
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Fisher reiterated that Vince Young was the reason Randy Moss didn't get the ball early yesterday, not coverages or the gameplan.
Jason Babin had perhaps the most bone-headed penalty of the year in overtime, even more ridiculous than Witherspoon's. It was bad enough for Fisher to call Babin out for it in the press conference yesterday, but then again yesterday was a terrible day to already be on Fisher's poop-list.
The coaching staff is hoping to get Craig Stevens back for Sunday's game in Houston. I can't tell you how disappointed I was to see the freed-up playing time at the TE spot go to reserve tackle Mike Otto over Jared Cook. I'm pretty sure Cook spent more time lined-up at the flanker position than at TE.
WR Yamon Figurs will work out for the Titans today, but it's mostly to update the emergency list. the more interesting thing to keep an eye on is that the Titans have to make a decision on David Thornton today. In all honesty, I bring back Thronton now because he's a veteran leader and there's at least a glimmer of hope he could get the LB corps back on track in terms of pass coverage.
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