This is the second part of our Q & A exchange with Tim McClellan of Jaguars Journal. Following are Tim’s four questions about the Titans for the game this Sunday, along with my answers to them.
Jaguars Journal: With all of the additions and subtractions during the off-season, which loss and which acquisition will have the biggest impact on the Titans in 2008?
Total Titans: The biggest loss was on the offensive line. Both starting guards from last year are gone. Benji Olson retired and Jacob Bell went to the Rams in free agency. Former Colt Jake Scott could replace Olson adequately, but Eugene Amano, who’s been a backup for years, will have a hard time playing up to Bell’s level. The biggest additions are Pro Bowl tight end Alge Crumpler and rookie first-round draft choice running back Chris Johnson, the fastest player at the Indy combine.
JJ: The Titans had a top rated rushing attack in 2007. What will the identity of their offense be in 2008 under the tutelage of re-hired offensive coordinator, Mike Heimerdinger?
TT: Like Jack Del Rio, Jeff Fisher is a coach who believes in the running the ball. Heimerdinger believes in the passing game and in his earlier stint in Tennessee was able to persuade Fisher to open up the offense when the Titans had problems running the ball. Steve McNair went on from there to have his best years, including a MVP season. I believe Fisher will once again give the Dinger more latitude and we’ll see the ball in the air more often than in the last couple of years.
JJ: Vince Young is two years removed from being named the rookie of the year. In his sophomore season, he nearly doubled up his 9 touchdown passes with 17 interceptions. He ended the Titans 2007 season struggling in the playoffs. What is the buzz surrounding the quarterback coming into the 2008 season? Is it going to be a replay of 2007, or will he regain his footing as a playmaker?
TT: Tim, that’s the million-dollar question in Tennessee. A lot of Titans fans felt that Vince tried too hard to prove he could be a pocket passer and didn’t run it often enough last year. While it’s true that he sometimes threw into coverage when he had room to run, Vince was hampered for most of the season with a quadriceps injury. Some fans also complained that Vince needed to have more weapons around him. Now that Crumpler and Johnson have been added, as well as veteran receiver Justin McCareins, it will be up to Vince to take that next step which he should have taken a year ago. I’m keeping my fingers crossed on that one.
JJ: If the Jaguars stick to plan and contain Vince Young and the Titans running game, are there enough weapons in the passing game to contend with having to play away from their strength?
TT: Crumpler should add a red-zone threat to help the Titans resolve their woes there last year. He seems to be completely recovered from his knee problems in Atlanta and is a good target over the middle. I believe Dinger will try to get the ball in Johnson’s hands 12 to 15 times a game, not all of them on handoffs. Johnson has good hands and can catch the ball coming out of the backfield, as well as splitting outside or lining up in the slot. He’s one of those dangerous playmakers who’s a threat to score anytime. The two of them should complement veteran WRs McCareins, Justin Gage and Brandon Jones pretty well.
Thanks again to Tim for doing this. To read more from the Jaguars’ point of view, please check out Jaguars Journal here on MVN.
You can read my four questions for Tim, along with his answers, by clicking here.
For more info about the Jags, I wrote a season’s preview on the Jaguars last month which you can read here.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
