The Titans forgot to show up on both sides of the football and they were lucky to only lose by 20 points yesterday.  Rusty Smith was awful (as expected) in his first NFL start yesterday as he completed 17 of 31 passes for 138 yards with 0 TD passes and 3 INTs.  Javon Ringer led the way on the ground for the Titans in this game with 27 yards rushing on 4 carries (6.8 ypc).  Chris Johnson had one of the worst games of his NFL career as he carried the ball 7 times for only 5 yards (0.7 ypc) and he caught 2 passes for 2 yards (1.0 avg).  WR Justin Gage (4 rec, 50 yards), TE Jared Cook (4 rec, 40 yards) and WR Randy Moss (3 rec, 23 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Titans.  The Titans finished up with 24 yards rushing on 12 carries (2.0 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 31 passes for 138 yards as they only had possession of the ball for 20:19.

LB Stephen Tulloch (14 tackles), safety Michael Griffin (11 tackles and 1 QB hit) and safety Chris Hope (9 tackles) led the way for the Titans’ on D yesterday.  The Texans finished up with 188 yards rushing on 39 carries (4.8 ypc) and they also completed 25 of 35 passes for 158 yards.  The Titans are now 5-6 on the season as they should be counting down the days until Kerry Collins is ready to return to action.

This is a big game for both teams as the Colts/Jaguars are both 6-4 this year.  The Titans had a rough week due to Vince Young’s antics but it’s time to get back to work.  The Texans are only 2-3 at home this year so maybe the Titans will be able to spring a road win to get back on track.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Titans have the ball:  With rookie Rusty Smith at QB, I fully expect the Titans to rely on Chris Johnson and the running game this Sunday.  Johnson averaged 7.7 yards per carry and 174.0 yards rushing per game against the Texans last season and they are allowing 107.8 yards rushing per game and 4.0 yards per carry.  The Texans are giving up 301.0 yards passing per game so I expect the Titans to take at least a couple shots down the field likely to Randy Moss and Nate Washington.

When the Texans have the ball:  The Texans will likely want to stay balanced in this game so they can slow the Titans’ pass rush which has 30 sacks already this year.  That means that Arian Foster is going to challenge the front seven of the Titans.  The Titans are only allowing 3.9 yards per carry so far this year.  If Matt Schaub has time to throw the ball the Titans are going to be in some trouble because Andre Johnson is one of the best WRs in the NFL.  The Titans also must be aware of TE Joel Dreessen who has really stepped up for the Texans with Owen Daniels out of action.

PREDICTION:  TEXANS 27, TITANS 21

The Titans have signed 30-year old QB Chris Simms.  Simms played in 3 games for the Broncos last season and he completed 5 of 17 passes (29.4%) for 23 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT (15.1 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 3 times for -4 yards  (-1.3 ypc) last season.  Simms has now played in 23 games in his first five  years in the NFL and he has completed 297 of 511 passes (58.1%) for 3,117 yards with 12 TD passes and 18 INTs (69.1 QB Rating).  Simms has also carried the ball 33 times for 48 yards (1.5 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  The Titans better hope that Rusty Smith stays healthy because Simms is one of the worst QBs in the NFL, period.

The Titans have lost 27-year old QB Vince Young for the rest of the season due to a torn tendon in his right thumb which will require surgery to repair.  This makes Young look dumber than he did last Sunday.  After the game he abruptly left the field, throwing his jersey and shoulder pads into the stands.  He then was running his mouth when head coach Jeff Fisher was addressing the team in the locker room.  Young then started to walk away and Fisher told him not to quit on his team.  Young then responded by saying that he was quitting on Fisher…not the team.  Young then tried to apologize by texting Jeff Fisher.  Come on Vince, that’s what a little girl would do.  Be a man and apologize face to face so maybe you can put this behind you. 

Young played in 9 games this season for the Titans and he completed 93 of 156 passes for 1,255 yards with 10 TD passes and 3 INTs (98.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 25 times for 125 yards (5.0 ypc) this year.  While he was playing well this year he has been a sub par QB in his career so far and the numbers show that.  Young has played in 54 games in his first five years in the NFL and he has completed 689 of 1,190 passes (57.9%) for 8,098 yards with 42 TD passes and 42 INTs (75.7 QB Rating).  Young has also carried the ball 264 times for 1,380 yards (5.2 ypc) with 12 TD runs in his career.  Vince Young had better grow up soon or he’s never going to get back out of the Dog House.

The Titans just didn’t make big plays when they needed to yesterday.  Vince Young started this game and he was 12 of 16 passing for 165 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 20 yards (6.7 ypc) and he lost a fumble.  Young wanted to return to the lineup but he tore ligaments in his thumb and Coach Fisher decided to keep him on the bench for the rest of the game.  Rookie Rusty Smith finished up the game by completing 3 of 9 passes for 62 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  Chris  Johnson was solid as usual with 130 yards rushing on 21 carries (6.2 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 6 yards (3.0 avg).  Nate Washington (5 rec, 117 yards) and Bo Scaife (4 rec, 51 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Titans yesterday.  The Titans finished up with 151 yards rushing on 25 carries (6.0 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 25 passes for 222 yards as they only had possession of the ball for 26:34 in this game.

CB Cortland Finnegan (11 tackles) and LB Stephen Tulloch (9 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 pass defensed and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Titans on D.  DE Jacob Ford also had a big game with 8 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 sack and 2 QB hits.  LB Will Witherspoon pitched in with 6 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception.  The Redskins finished up with 107 yards rushing on 33 carries (3.2 ypc) and they also completed 30 of 50 passes for 358 yards.  The Titans did get solid play out of Marc Mariani on special teams in this game as he returned 3 kickoffs for 82 yards (27.3 avg) and 1 punt for an 87 yard TD.  The Titans are now 5-5 on the year.

The Titans need to get back on the right track and soon.  They have lost their last two games (both on the road) and they have been outscored 62-38.  The Redskins are reeling too as they have lost their last two games by a combined score of 96-53!  Something has to give this Sunday and here’s a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Titans have the ball:  The Titans are going to come out running the ball with Chris Johnson and Vince Young against a Redskins’ D that is allowing 128.8 yards rushing per game and 5.0 yards per carry.  Don’t think for a minute that the Titans aren’t going to throw the ball as Vince Young is likely going to take some deep shots to WRs Randy Moss & Nate Washington against a Redskins’ D that is allowing 286.6 yards passing per game!

When the Redskins have the ball:  The Redskins probably want to run the ball with Keiland Williams against the Titans in a attempt to control the clock a little bit.  The Titans are giving up 247.7 yards passing per game so far this year so McNabb might be able to make some plays down the field if he has time to throw the ball.  The Titans already have 27 sacks and 14 interceptions so far this year.

PREDICTION:  TITANS 30, REDSKINS 17

52-year old head coach Jeff Fisher always looks like the coolest head coach with his slick look.  Underneath that look is a very solid football coach who almost always seems to get the most out of his players.  He is now 141-114 (55.3%) in his 17 years with the Titans/Oilers as this is the only franchise he has ever been the head coach of.  He is #19 all-time in wins as a NFL head coach and he should pass Marv Levy (143 later this season) and Bill Cowher (149) next year.  The only blip on Fisher’s resume’ came last season when he was overruled by owner Bud Adams who wanted him to start Vince Young over Kerry Collins at QB.

The Titans will be without 37-year old QB Kerry Collins for several weeks due to a calf injury.  Collins has played in 5 games for the Titans this season and he has completed 62 of 107 passes (57.9%) for 638 yards with 5 TD passes and 3 INTs (79.1 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 3 times for -2 yards (-0.7 ypc) this year.  It will be up to Vince Young to lead the Titans to the playoffs if they are going to make it there.

The Titans were outplayed on both sides of the ball yesterday in Miami.  Kerry Collins started this game and he completed 9 of 20 passes for 51 yards with 0 TDs and 0 INTs before leaving the game due to injury.  Vince Young replaced him and he completed 9 of 18 passes for 92 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 14 yards (7.0 ypc) and he lost a fumble.  Chris Johnson was outstanding as he carried the ball 17 times for 117 yards (6.9 ypc) with 1 TD run.  TE Bo Scaife (7 rec, 51 yards) and WR Nate Washington (3 rec, 26 yards, TD) led the way for the Titans in the passing game yesterday.  Randy Moss made his debut with the Titans yesterday and he caught 1 pass for 26 yards.  The Titans finished up with 135 yards rushing on 25 carries (5.4 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 38 passes for 124 yards.  They only had possession for the football for 26:56 in this game.

The Titans knocked both Chad Pennington and Chad Henne not only out of the game but both of their seasons are over.  Yet, the Titans couldn’t stop the Dolphins’ air attack yesterday.  LB Stephen Tulloch (9 tackles), CB Alterraun Verner (8 tackles) and safety Michael Griffin (7 tackles, 1 pass defensed) led the way for the Titans on D in this game.  CB Cortland Finnegan pitched in with 5 tackles, 4 passes defensed and 1 interception in this game.  The Dolphins finished up with 88 yards rushing on 30 carries (2.9 ypc) and they also completed 24 of 37 passes for 316 yards.  The Titans are now 5-4 on the year.

This will be a battle of ancient QBs with Kerry Collins starting for the Titans and Chad Pennington for the Dolphins.  Both of these teams need this game badly.  The Titans are a good road team where they are 3-1, outscoring the opponents 118-73.  The Dolphins have been awful at home this year where they are 0-3 and have been outscored 95-59.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Titans have the football:  The Titans are going to be feeding the rock to Chris Johnson in this game against a Fins’ D that is allowing 107.1 yards rushing per game and 3.8 yards per carry.  The Dolphins are going to have to get after Kerry Collins because if he has time to throw the ball he could have a good game especially if Johnson gets off to a good start.  I can definitely see Collins having success off playaction passes down the field to Randy Moss & Nate Washington in this game.

When the Dolphins have the ball:  With Chad Pennington at QB the Titans can cheat up a little bit as he doesn’t have much arm strength.  But, he’s still very accurate on those short passes so Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess and Brian Hartline could give the Titans some problems.  The Dolphins will try to stay more balanced than they have been so they will be feeding the rock to Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.

PREDICTION:  TITANS 20, DOLPHINS 17