According to preliminary media reports, Vince Young’s sprained MCL will force him to be sidelined for the next 2-4 weeks. An MRI will be conducted today to verify the results, but it’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that we’ll be seeing a lot of veteran Kerry Collins over the course of the next couple of games.
Let’s take a look at what Collins brings to the table for the Titan offense.
Collins is a capable veteran quarterback with a ton of experience in this league. Entering his 14th year, Collins has overcome substance abuse problems in a long career that’s consisted of many ups and downs. In 2000, Collins led the New York Giants to Super Bowl XXXV, where they served as the Ravens’ rag dolls in a 34-7 blow out.
Last year, Collins stepped in for an injured Vince Young on a few occasions and performed adequately. His 25-42 performance against the Texans included a clutch throw to Roydell Williams that set up the eighth and final Rod Bironas field goal in an exhausting 38-36 victory.
Collins also grabbed the reigns in the season-ender against the Colts, completing 10 of his 13 passes as the Titans clinched the AFC’s final playoff berth in a 16-10 victory.
As evidenced by yesterday’s performance, the foundation of the Titans’ success is the combination of their defense and running game. As the quarterback of a team such as this one, the main goal is to manage the game and protect the football.
Stemming back from last year, I’ve been content with what Collins has done when given the opportunity to perform. Not to knock Vince, but at this point in their careers, Collins is by far the better pocket passer and his presence may open things up for a struggling Titan WR group.
During my visit to training camp, I was impressed with Kerry’s grasp of Mike Heimerdinger’s new offense. Whereas Vince was mostly focused upon getting his reads correct while often checking down, Collins appeared to be much more comfortable while constantly taking shots down the field.
I’m not expecting any miracles, but I’m anything but horrified at the prospect of Collins at the helm for the next few weeks.
What are your thoughts on Collins filling in for an injured Vince Young?
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