Hasselbeck DOES NOT Lead the QB Competition [Opinion]

Every Titans beat writer seem to be under the impression that the so-called competition between veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck and young gun Jake Locker is a bit "overblown". I find that belief extremely stupid. This is a full blown competition and every member of the team is treating it as such. Before i go on my rant about why Hasselbeck is not a shoe in to win the job, lets look at the obvious thing here. Mike Munchak has been as straightforward as possible since he was hired to coach the Titans and we have no reason to treat his words as "fisher-speak".

As Hasselbeck says, Munchak is open and honest about everything and ensures there are no surprises. Which was appealing to the veteran once he left Seattle a year ago. He knew he was not brought it to lead the team for years to come. All he was asked was to be professional, and provide mentorship to a rookie Locker, something the he has done extremely well. So when the season ended and Munchak stated the startig job was open, Hasselbeck was fully prepared.

One of the larger points brought up to favor Hasselbeck is his experience and knowledge of the game. His football IQ is so high that the team would rather go with a sure veteran than an unproven rookie. On the surface, that sounds well and all, but realistically, knowledge can only take you so far. Hasselbeck, for all his football wisdom, is a seasoned player. There are years of wear and tear on his body and he always seem to be one big hit away from disaster. His throws no longer possess the zip and speed to consistently fit into tight windows, and his limited mobility offers no form of playmaking ability in the instances where the offensive line can breaks down.

Second-year pro Jake Locker is not necessarily the unquestioned answer either. Despite his intangibles and flashes of big play ability, he is still unproven. Even with his inexperience, he still has the drive and ability that so many young players possess to simply go out and make plays. Be it through the air, or the ground. That same ability is what enticed Tennessee to draft a free-falling locker in the 2011 draft and that ability is what has the team in no rush to choose a starter for this season.

The Titans have one of the better QB groups in the NFL as they possess two potential starting caliber QBs on the roster, with a future Hall of Famer in Rusty Smith at 3rd(LAWWWL). Locker and Hasselbeck both bring different skill sets to the team and can bring wins to the club in their own unique ways. This fact is why the starting position is open and why, contrary to popular belief, the battle between the two is not so overblown after all.