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| Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans |
While Vince Young had some problems which ultimately caused the decision to part ways with him, he also led the Titans to some great moments in his five years in Tennessee. I wanted to remember some of the positive things Vince did for this team by looking back at his ten greatest games as a Titan.
Although this is of course objective, I believe we’ll all agree on Vince’s top games, though perhaps not their order. You may think some of Vince’s other games were better than the ones I selected for numbers 7 through 10 because at that point, there starts to be more similarity between games which are also more mediocre.
None of this nonsense with a bass-ackwards countdown. We’ll start with his best and go from there, after the jump.
1. Titans 20, Cardinals 17, 2009
Trailing by four points with only 2:13 remaining, Vince led the Titans on an 18-play, 99-yard drive and connected with Kenny Britt on the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired. Vince passed for 94 yards on the drive and rushed for five more, while converting three fourth-downs. Joe Montana couldn’t have done it any better. It was also a career best 387 passing yards for Vince.
Stat line: 27/43, 387 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 99.7 passer rating; 4 rushes, 8 yards
Trailing by four points with only 2:13 remaining, Vince led the Titans on an 18-play, 99-yard drive and connected with Kenny Britt on the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired. Vince passed for 94 yards on the drive and rushed for five more, while converting three fourth-downs. Joe Montana couldn’t have done it any better. It was also a career best 387 passing yards for Vince.
Stat line: 27/43, 387 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 99.7 passer rating; 4 rushes, 8 yards
2. Titans 24, Giants 21, 2006
The Titans were totally dominated for three quarters by the visiting G-men and trailed 21-0, setting the stage for Vince to set a record for the largest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history. Vince passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in the final period as the Titans scored 24 unanswered points to rally past the Giants 24-21.
The Titans were totally dominated for three quarters by the visiting G-men and trailed 21-0, setting the stage for Vince to set a record for the largest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history. Vince passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in the final period as the Titans scored 24 unanswered points to rally past the Giants 24-21.
Stat line: 24/35, 249 yards. 2 TD, 0 INT, 107.9 rating; 10 rushes, 69 yards, 1 TD
3. Titans 26, Texans 20, 2006
I rank this game this high because of the circumstances. VY received a hero’s welcome as the Titans visited Vince’s hometown in his rookie campaign. Watching the game on TV, it seemed that half the fans were wearing VY #10 jerseys, whether in two-tone blue or Longhorn burnt orange. Although Vince didn’t play particularly well in regulation, he won the game with an electrifying 40-yard touchdown run in overtime. This game, and its outcome, was exactly what Bud Adams had in mind when he drafted Vince. I’ll bet this game was one of Bud’s happiest moments as an owner.
Stat line: 19/29, 218 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 73.6 rating; 7 rushes, 86 yards, 1 TD
I rank this game this high because of the circumstances. VY received a hero’s welcome as the Titans visited Vince’s hometown in his rookie campaign. Watching the game on TV, it seemed that half the fans were wearing VY #10 jerseys, whether in two-tone blue or Longhorn burnt orange. Although Vince didn’t play particularly well in regulation, he won the game with an electrifying 40-yard touchdown run in overtime. This game, and its outcome, was exactly what Bud Adams had in mind when he drafted Vince. I’ll bet this game was one of Bud’s happiest moments as an owner.
Stat line: 19/29, 218 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 73.6 rating; 7 rushes, 86 yards, 1 TD
4. Titans 30, Bills 29, 2006
I remember this as a Week 16 must-win game for the Titans to remain in contention for a playoff berth. You don’t expect a rookie quarterback to deliver on the road in that situation, but Vince did.
Stat line: 13/20, 183 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 127.7 rating; 8 rushes, 61 yards, 1 TD
I remember this as a Week 16 must-win game for the Titans to remain in contention for a playoff berth. You don’t expect a rookie quarterback to deliver on the road in that situation, but Vince did.
Stat line: 13/20, 183 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 127.7 rating; 8 rushes, 61 yards, 1 TD
5. Titans 20, Colts 17, 2006
One week after leading the Titans to a come from behind victory over Eli Manning’s Giants, Vince slew another Manning-led team as the Titans came from behind to beat Peyton’s Colts. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard so much fourth-quarter noise at LP Field in back to back weeks.
Stat line: 15/25, 163 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 72.6 rating; 9 rushes, 78 yards
One week after leading the Titans to a come from behind victory over Eli Manning’s Giants, Vince slew another Manning-led team as the Titans came from behind to beat Peyton’s Colts. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard so much fourth-quarter noise at LP Field in back to back weeks.
Stat line: 15/25, 163 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 72.6 rating; 9 rushes, 78 yards
6. Titans 27, Dolphins 24, 2009
Vince threw for a career high three touchdown passes as the Titans held off the visiting Dolphins in overtime.
Stat line: 14/27, 236 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 103.3 rating; 2 rushes, 24 yards
Vince threw for a career high three touchdown passes as the Titans held off the visiting Dolphins in overtime.
Stat line: 14/27, 236 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 103.3 rating; 2 rushes, 24 yards
7. Titans 25, Redskins 22, 2006
Vince’s first career victory came on the road and propelled the Titans to an 8-3 streak to finish the season. Vince would go on to win seven more games that season and garner Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. This game belongs in Vince’s top ten because it was his first NFL win and gave us a glimpse of things to come.
Stat line: 13/25, 161 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 85.6 rating; 7 rushes, 9 yards
Vince’s first career victory came on the road and propelled the Titans to an 8-3 streak to finish the season. Vince would go on to win seven more games that season and garner Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. This game belongs in Vince’s top ten because it was his first NFL win and gave us a glimpse of things to come.
Stat line: 13/25, 161 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 85.6 rating; 7 rushes, 9 yards
8. Titans 47, Rams 7, 2009
Although he passed the ball only eight times, Vince was extremely efficient when he did, averaging a remarkable 16.5 yards per attempt and recording a near-perfect 156.2 passer rating as Tennessee romped over an outclassed Rams squad.
Stat line: 6/8, 132 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 156.2 rating; 1 rush, 44 yards
Although he passed the ball only eight times, Vince was extremely efficient when he did, averaging a remarkable 16.5 yards per attempt and recording a near-perfect 156.2 passer rating as Tennessee romped over an outclassed Rams squad.
Stat line: 6/8, 132 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 156.2 rating; 1 rush, 44 yards
9. Titans 38, Raiders 13, 2010
Vince got the 2010 season off to a great start with a very solid, workmanlike effort.
Stat line: 13/17, 154 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 142.8 rating; 7 rushes, 30 yards
Vince got the 2010 season off to a great start with a very solid, workmanlike effort.
Stat line: 13/17, 154 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 142.8 rating; 7 rushes, 30 yards
10. Titans 28, Texans 20, 2007
Sidelined by an injury for the first Texans’ game of the year, in Houston, Vince led the Titans past his hometown team when they visited Tennessee. Another good game for #10.
Stat line: 21/31, 248 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 99.9 rating; 5 rushes, 44 yards
Sidelined by an injury for the first Texans’ game of the year, in Houston, Vince led the Titans past his hometown team when they visited Tennessee. Another good game for #10.
Stat line: 21/31, 248 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 99.9 rating; 5 rushes, 44 yards
Half of Vince’s top ten games were all in his rookie season and were five of his top seven games in my estimation.
Something else that stood out to me were his rushing touchdowns in his top games, all in his rookie year. Vince didn’t rush for any touchdowns in top ten games after his rookie season.
Although he started 15 games in 2007, I thought only one of them was worthy of being a top ten selection, and that game barely made it at #10. That should give you some indication of how I felt Vince regressed from his rookie to his sophomore season.
What are your thoughts on Vince’s top ten games? Would you rank them the same as I did? Are any of those games not in your top ten? Which games that I left out would you include in #10’s top ten?
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