Titan Thoughts

Here are my thoughts on the first NFL game of the year.

It’s preseason, people. Don’t get carried away.

If you could bet on things like “A.J. Trapasso will be the leading rusher,” what would the odds have been? One billion to one? Plays like this have to make coaches around the league think about having an ‘athletic’ punter on the squad. Then again, the reason why the entire right side of Buffalo’s punt coverage team paid no attention to Trapasso is that he is an unathletic punter. Later in the game, without a hint of irony, we saw the special teams coach of the Bills, called one of the best in the business.

The Titans couldn’t run. It was like watching the Bears game again. Collins made a few nice throws. Washington looks fast. Crumpler was not, but he made a few catches. Note that on one catch he cradled the ball with both arms and I said too loudly “that would have come in handy last January!” The wounds take time to heal.
And then there was Vince. I said that I was looking forward to his first interception and I wasn’t disappointed. He had trouble with his headset, got a call from Heimerdinger and threw a pass to a receiver who wasn’t there. The TE got held up at the line and might not have made the play had he been unblocked. Later, thanks to a fumbled punt, Young got another chance and threw a nice touch pass to Paul Williams in the back of the end zone. It’s probably the last good play we’ll see from Williams, and perhaps Young as well.

Why again did the Titans sign Alex Mortensen as their camp QB when there are at least a dozen more qualified guys? I don’t think he even started at Samford last year.

Ramsey’s nothing special. He’s just not. Thoughts of Chris Davis as the slot receiver are not comforting either.

I really wanted to see Jared Cook and he didn’t disappoint.

Chris Henry got in the game before Ringer, which was interesting. Henry’s not terrible but it’s unlikely that he’s going to make the team.

Tony Dungy entered the booth later in the game. Is every former NFL coach now on the Sunday Night NBC payroll? They already have at least 12 people there. If Vick gets an NFL job this fall, he will owe a lot to Dungy.

I have one small nit about the Dungy conversation. When they brought up Jim Caldwell, Michaels mentioned how he was smart and well-spoken. Isn’t well spoken something you say about the neighbor’s kid who’s about to enter the fifth grade? While Caldwell has been with the Colts for seven years, he hasn’t been a head coach. Everyone giving the AFC South to the Colts isn’t thinking things through.

If I made the Hall of Fame (a stretch, I know), I’d hate to get my bust done right after a really bad hair cut. At least the baseball guys get a cap to cover things up.

Did I learn anything?

I’m concerned about the depth in the offensive line and the secondary. Nothing changed on that front due to the game, although the rookie corners made a few plays.

Is Chris Davis an NFL-caliber slot receiver?

Javon Ringer looks like a good backup for Chris Johnson. If Chris Henry is cut, someone else will pick him up.

Those throwbacks are really nice. I have never been a fan of the Titans’ look. Sure, the oil derrick doesn’t make sense but it’s classic. I will have to use all of my willpower to not overpay for a replica jersey.

A.J. Trapasso hopefully kept the ball from his touchdown run. It’s a good memory even if he never makes an NFL club.