The Tennessee Titans continue their march towards the regular season tonight as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at LP Field. After playing their preseason debut on the national primetime stage of Canton’s Hall of Fame Game, tonight will be the first opportunity for the local fans to witness the two-tone blue warriors up close and personal.
As for the Bucs, they are beginning a new regime as up-and-coming coach Raheem Morris has replaced the presence of Jon “Chucky” Gruden on Tampa’s sidelines.
Let’s take a look at a few things that I’ll be keeping my eyes on as the Titans square off against the Bucs.
VY vs. Ramsey: Part Deux?
With Kerry Collins’ status as the team’s numero uno signal caller secure, the battle for the team’s #2 spot could still be up for grabs. Despite Jeff Fisher’s recent words regarding Young’s continued status as the team’s #2 QB, there are still some whispers out there that suggest that Patrick Ramsey may have a chance to unseat Vince.
Young and Ramsey should both have their fair share of opportunities to shine tonight and it’s going to be interesting to see how these two perform against Tampa. Will Vince’s struggles linger or will Patrick continue to impress?
Stay tuned, folks.
The debut of the Kenny Britt Show
Like the rest of you, I’m anxiously awaiting Kenny Britt’s first appearance on the field. Hamstring problems have limited his opportunities in OTA’s and training camp, so now that he’s presumably healthy, it’s time to see what the team’s first-round wideout is capable of against opposing defenses.
The rest of the rooks
Unlike Britt, the rest of the Titan rookie hopefuls made their debuts last week against the Bills. Fellow draftees Javon Ringer, Sen’ Derrick Marks and Jason McCourty got off to solid starts by making their share of plays in their first action as pros.
Althought I’ll be paying close attention to the exploits of Britt, I’ll also be mindful of the other Titan rookies as they play in front of the home crowd for the very first time.
Step up, Cary Williams
By most accounts, Cary Williams is having himself a solid training camp. The second-year Washburn alum has an intriguing size/speed combination and with the departures of Chris Carr and Eric King via free agency, Cary has a chance to earn himself some playing time in 2009.
Last week, Williams was often a target of the Buffalo passing game as he was repeatedly tested. He had is ups, such as his breakup of a pass in the end zone. He also experienced some downs, as he was beat a time or two in coverage and had his ankles broken playground basketball style at the expense of the shifty Roscoe Parrish.
Hopefully, Williams can string together a more consistent performance tonight against the Bucs.
Will the real Jovan Haye please stand up?
While fellow defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson stole the show last week with a sparkling preseason debut, Jovan Haye was Mr. Invisible.
Signed as a free agent from the very same Tampa team that he’ll be facing tonight, Haye is expected to carry some of the load in the Titans’ attempt to replace Albert Haynesworth.
I’m hoping that Haye will be fired up to face his former team tonight and will begin to show us the positive things he brings to the table.
Question for the audience: Which Titans will you be paying close attention to as they face off against the Bucs tonight?
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