In their next-to-last preseason game, the Tennessee Titans will face off against the Cleveland Browns at the “Dawg Pound” tomorrow night.
The last time these two teams played against one another was in December 2008, as the Titans clinched the AFC South division title with a convincing 28-9 victory over a helpless Browns’ squad.
Let’s take a peek at a few things that I’ll be keeping my eyes on during tomorrow’s matchup.
The return of smashmouth?
As I mentioned in a recent article, the Tennessee Titans have struggled with their usually-potent running game this preseason. Whether it can be attributed to a lack of game-planning, the failure of the offensive line to get a constant push or a combination of both factors, the bottom line is that the Titans’ rushing attack has a long ways to go before the opener against the Steelers.
With Jeff Fisher suggesting that the team will treat this game as a de facto regular season contest, all eyes will be on the performance of the running game tomorrow night.
Introducing Mark Jones
Signed to serve as Chris Carr’s replacement on returns, Jones’ debut has had to wait as a result of a bum hamstring. Now healthy, I’m eager to see what the former Panther is capable of while returning punts/kicks.
Vince Young’s rollercoaster ride
VY’s preseason got off to a slow start with a less-than-stellar performance against the Bills. However, he rebounded by putting on a show at LP Field in the Titans’ win over the Bucs. Alas, Vince’s struggles returned against the Cowboys on national television last week.
Judging by the pattern, I guess we should expect Vince to have a solid game against Cleveland tomorrow night. Whether that occurs or not, I’m just hoping for Vince to establish some level of consistency because the reality of the matter is that he’s a Kerry Collins-injury away from being the team’s starting QB.
More Kenny Britt, please!
Nate Washington’s unfortunate hamstring injury should provide rookie Kenny Britt with an opportunity to play an even bigger role in the passing game over the next several weeks.
Britt is a physical specimen with the athletic ability to make plays down the field and with Nate being sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Rutgers alum will have a chance to emerge as the rare rookie WR that makes an immediate impact in his first year.
Hopefully, we’ll see a glimpse of what’s to come in the form of a few spectacular Britt catches against the Browns.
Your turn, guys. What will you be watching for in the Titans’ Saturday night matchup with Cleveland?
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
