Titans Turn the Tables

Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin (33) runs back an intercepted pass that was intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (18) in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn.

By Chris Lambos

"Whosoever thou art that dost another wrong, do but turn the tables ...”
- Robert Sanderson, The XII Sermons, 1634

“What goes up must come down…”
- Blood, Sweat & Tears, Spinning Wheel, 1969

“Tennessee comes from behind to beat Philadelphia…”
- Chris Lambos, Titans Week 7 Recap, 2010

Alright, humanity will most likely forget this article through the ages, but this game will prove to be as relevant as the season unwinds. How relevant? Well, let’s just say that the following words are as profound as any you will come across in 2010:

The Titans just beat the NFC Champions of the 2010 season and will meet them again in the Super Bowl.

Tall order? Maybe not! But hey, that’s February - let’s get back to October:

At home against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Titans got off to a slow start against the league’s #4 offense and #11 defense (now #5 and #10 respectively after Week 7), but like an automobile transmission, the Titans had to ‘downshift’ to get up the hill. They switched to the passing lane just over the top and hit ‘overdrive’ on the way to a 37-19 come-from-behind victory.

Backup QB Kerry Collins got the starting job this week as Vince Young is still bothered with a sprained knee injury he sustained in last week’s game. As mentioned, there are really not a lot of first half stats to talk about other than he hit Kenny Britt on a 26-yard touchdown strike at the 6:35 mark of the second quarter. Britt, who did not start this week as punishment from Coach Jeff Fisher for being involved in some bar room altercation, scored his first of three touchdowns on his very first play upon entering the game. It turned out to be a career day for our 2009 first-round draft pick out of Rutgers. He’s the first WR to top 150 or more yards since Drew Bennett did so in 2003. Britt finished the day with 225 yards. Collins churned out respectable numbers going 17 of 31 for 276 yards, 3TDs and 2 Ints.

RB Chris Johnson was shut down this afternoon, gaining only 66 yards on 24 carries.

For the Eagles, it was just another day of football in the first half. QB Kevin Kolb was making some plays through the air – spreading the ball around among WRs Jason Avant, Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper as well as RB LeSean McCoy out of the backfield (WR standout DeSean Jackson was placed on IR with a concussion from last week’s jarring helmet-to helmet hit from Atlanta Falcons Cornerback Dunta Robinson).

The Eagle Defense was causing problems for the Titans other than shutting down the running game. They logged two sacks, two interceptions and recovered a forced fumble.

At the 5:58 mark of the third quarter, many of Titans fans were thinking about changing the TV channel. The Eagles had just picked up a first down at the Titans 3-yard line. Leading 16-7, the Eagles go to the run but the play was disrupted on the handoff by DT Jason Jones, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Titans Rookie CB Alterraun Verner.
This was the turning point of the game. The Titans took over at their own 4-yard line and marched down the field far enough for Rob Bironas to kick a 41-yard FG to close the gap to six points.

By the end of the third quarter, the Titans had compiled 144 yards of total offense. They put on an unbelievable offensive display in the fourth quarter. They scored on 4 of their 5 possessions, setting a franchise record for 27 unanswered points in a quarter of play. The quarter’s highlight came on a 1st and 10 when Collins connected with Kenny Britt for 80 yards – Britt’s second score of the afternoon (he later logged an 18-yard TD for his third and final score).

When the final second ticked off the clock, the Titans had generated 184 yards of fourth quarter offense and finished with a game total of 328.

The Titans (5-2) go on the road next week to face QB Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers. We know Dallas in the best 1-4 team in the NFL, right? Well, the Chargers are the best 2-5 team as they have lost their past 3 games to above average competition by a combined total of 14 points. Look for another tough test as the Titans try to extend their undefeated road record to 4-0

What did we learn from this game?At 5-2 and with Indy limping, there isn’t a table that can’t be turned by determined Titans in 2010!

VY Out Early-CJ In Late As Titans Top Jags

By Chris Lambos

What was believed to be a running back shootout soon turned into a ‘battle of backups’. With both starting quarterbacks from the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars going down early in the game, veteran Kerry Collins and fourth-year Stanford product Trent Edwards were both called to duty. But once both sides disarmed, the Titans marched away with a 30-3 victory, extending their overall record to 4-2 and stretching their undefeated road record to 3-0.

The Titans attacked early and quickly. On their first possession of the game, Vince Young engineered a 6-play 79 yard touchdown drive, hooking up with second-year WR Kenny Britt on a short pass left for 23 yards. Britt is slowly turning the corner, demonstrating to both supporters and naysayers why the Titans made him their #1 draft pick in 2009. Keep it up, Kenny!

Young went down on the fifth play of the Titans second possession. He fumbled a bad snap from Center and before he could improvise on the busted play, he was swarmed by a host of Jaguar defenders from different angles, twisting his left leg in multiple directions – ultimately spraining his knee. Young finished the outing completing 3 of 5 for 61 yards and 1 TD.

Jacksonville’s quarterback David Garrard went down at the 7:00 mark of the 2nd Qtr sustaining a concussion from a devastating blow delivered by Titans LB Will Witherspoon. His numbers totaled 7 of 12 for 49 yards 0 TDs and 1 Int. Trent Edwards was ineffective as a backup going 14 of 24 for 140 yards 0 TDs and 2 Ints.

Kerry Collins posted good numbers and overall had a good game as he directed 5 consecutive scoring drives. Most of Collins’ passes flew in the direction of USC rookie WR Damian Williams and TE Bo Scaife. Scaife led all Titans receivers with 4 catches for 53 yards and 1 TD. Collins’ final stats were 11 of 16 for 110 yards, 1 TD and 0 Int.

Chris Johnson was shut down for almost three quarters of football. Though he rushed for over 100 yards, most of his production took place in the fourth quarter. After losing some carries to Javon Ringer in the second and third quarters. Ringer rushed the ball ten times effectively - averaging 4.2 yards per carry. CJ scampered 35 yards for a TD with 1:37 left in the game, putting him over the century mark and drastically increasing his yards per carry average (which was a dismal 1.7 after his first 17 carries).

I rarely question Jeff Fisher, but leading 23-3 with less than two minutes remaining in the game, was it more important to keep CJ on the field to get his 100 yards rushing than safeguarding the team’s most valuable offensive asset from an unnecessary injury – all while your ‘second’ most valuable offensive asset is limping around on the sidelines???? C'Mon, Coach! I think you want Javon Ringer on the field in that situation. But hey, what do I know - I sell real estate!

Chuck Cecil’s ‘No-Name’ defensive unit continues to deliver solid performances. This is the best 23rd ranked NFL defense that I have ever seen. They kept pressure on the QB, garnering a pair of sacks (both on Edwards) and forcing four turnovers. Most importantly, they held Jacksonville's explosive RB Maurice Jones-Drew to 57 yards on 17 carries.

The Titans 'D' leads the NFL with 22 sacks – an amazing turnaround from last season. Congrats, Coach Cecil!

As mentioned, the Titans are now 4-2 and are in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC South with Indianapolis and Houston. The Jaguars dropped to 3-3.

Sunday, the Titans host the Philadelphia Eagles at LP Field. The Eagles rank 4th in Total Offense and 11th in Total Defense. Good luck, Titans!

What Did We Learn From This Game?
'Titans' is spelled with a 'D'.


By Chris Lambos

What was believed to be a running back shootout soon turned into a ‘battle of backups’. With both starting quarterbacks from the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars going down early in the game, veteran Kerry Collins and fourth-year Stanford product Trent Edwards were both called to duty. But once both sides disarmed, the Titans marched away with a 30-3 victory, extending their overall record to 4-2 and stretching their undefeated road record to 3-0.

The Titans attacked early and quickly. On their first possession of the game, Vince Young engineered a 6-play 79 yard touchdown drive, hooking up with second-year WR Kenny Britt on a short pass left for 23 yards. Britt is slowly turning the corner, demonstrating to both supporters and naysayers why the Titans made him their #1 draft pick in 2009. Keep it up, Kenny!

Young went down on the fifth play of the Titans second possession. He fumbled a bad snap from Center and before he could improvise on the busted play, he was swarmed by a host of Jaguar defenders from different angles, twisting his left leg in multiple directions – ultimately spraining his knee. Young finished the outing completing 3 of 5 for 61 yards and 1 TD.

Jacksonville’s quarterback David Garrard went down at the 7:00 mark of the 2nd Qtr sustaining a concussion from a devastating blow delivered by Titans LB Will Witherspoon. His numbers totaled 7 of 12 for 49 yards 0 TDs and 1 Int. Trent Edwards was ineffective as a backup going 14 of 24 for 140 yards 0 TDs and 2 Ints.

Kerry Collins posted good numbers and overall had a good game as he directed 5 consecutive scoring drives. Most of Collins’ passes flew in the direction of USC rookie WR Damian Williams and TE Bo Scaife. Scaife led all Titans receivers with 4 catches for 53 yards and 1 TD. Collins’ final stats were 11 of 16 for 110 yards, 1 TD and 0 Int.

Chris Johnson was shut down for almost three quarters of football. Though he rushed for over 100 yards, most of his production took place in the fourth quarter. After losing some carries to Javon Ringer in the second and third quarters. Ringer rushed the ball ten times effectively - averaging 4.2 yards per carry. CJ scampered 35 yards for a TD with 1:37 left in the game, putting him over the century mark and drastically increasing his yards per carry average (which was a dismal 1.7 after his first 17 carries).

I rarely question Jeff Fisher, but leading 23-3 with less than two minutes remaining in the game, was it more important to keep CJ on the field to get his 100 yards rushing than safeguarding the team’s most valuable offensive asset from an unnecessary injury – all while your ‘second’ most valuable offensive asset is limping around on the sidelines???? C'Mon, Coach! I think you want Javon Ringer on the field in that situation. But hey, what do I know - I sell real estate!

Chuck Cecil’s ‘No-Name’ defensive unit continues to deliver solid performances. This is the best 23rd ranked NFL defense that I have ever seen. They kept pressure on the QB, garnering a pair of sacks (both on Edwards) and forcing four turnovers. Most importantly, they held Jacksonville's explosive RB Maurice Jones-Drew to 57 yards on 17 carries.

The Titans 'D' leads the NFL with 22 sacks – an amazing turnaround from last season. Congrats, Coach Cecil!

As mentioned, the Titans are now 4-2 and are in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC South with Indianapolis and Houston. The Jaguars dropped to 3-3.

Sunday, the Titans host the Philadelphia Eagles at LP Field. The Eagles rank 4th in Total Offense and 11th in Total Defense. Good luck, Titans!

What Did We Learn From This Game?
'Titans' is spelled with a 'D'.

Celebrating John Lennon's 70th Birthday, Centennial Park, Nashville, October 9, 2010

Yesterday was a busy and fun day here in Nashville.



Video Courtsey Chip Curley

Hiroshi Motomura--Southern Festival Of Books

Following his presentation inside the Sentate Chambers author Hiroshi Motomura signed copies of book,"Americans in Waiting: The Lost Story of Immigration and Citizenship in the United States" at the Southern Festival of Books, in Nashville, October 9, 2010


With the controversy surrounding the question of immigration, and the appropriate directions U.S. and state policies should follow, a hot political topic, today's presentation by author Hiroshi Motomura was both timely and significant. Speaking inside the Tennessee State Senate Chamber, Motomoru discussed recent developments affecting immigration law as he expounded on excerpts from his book, "Americans in Waiting: The Lost Story of Immigration and Citizenship in the United States." As a guest speaker at the 16th annual Southern Festival Of Books, Motomura shed valuable light and insight on this divisive and confusing subject.

Hiroshi Motomura is a professor at UCLA. He is an influential scholar and teacher of immigration and citizenship law. His work is known and respected by law makers across the country and in the nation's capitol. Following the 2006 publication of "Americans in Waiting" Senator Edward Kennedy stated "Hiroshi Motormura's portrait of immigration history in the United States is as poignant as it is precise." Senator Kennedy went on to say that Motomura's book "emphasizes the need to treat lawful immigrants more inclusively, and welcome them as future citizens who will help revitalize the American Dream for future generations, as they have done throughout history.

"Americans in Waiting" by Hiroshi Motomura is available here for online purchase and review.

Team Shoots Foot - Coach Shoots Finger

By Chris Lambos

This week, the game plan was pretty simple - simple enough to condense the entire strategy into three words: 'Pressure Kyle Orton'. And that they did from the get-go as the Tennessee Titans took on the 'mile high'-flying Denver Broncos at LP Field this afternoon.

In what might have been their finest quarter of defense in recent memory, the Titans applied enough pressure on the NFL-leading signal caller to literally disrupt most passing plays called by Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels. The entire offense found themselves in a hostile, chaotic environment. How successful were the Titans in 'busting' the Broncos 'O'? Here are just a few 'first quarter' stats that stand out:

1. Out of the first twelve plays Denver ran, seven of them were for zero or negative yards.
2. Though Denver had only allowed five sacks in the first three games of 2010, Tennessee had registered three

The Titans ended up with six sacks and one interception in the game.

But as the afternoon progressed, it was apparent that Denver was not going to rollover and play dead - with the exception of their running game which compiled a whopping 19 yards in four quarters of play. Orton, who completed 35 of 50 passes for 341 yards, 2 TDs and the lone interception, got things going at the 13:47 mark of the second quarter with a pass over the middle to Brandon Lloyd for 23 yards. Lloyd finished with a team high 115 yards in 11 catches. With a little help from a Titans neutral zone infraction and a roughing the passer call against Sen'Derrick Marks, Orton found Eddie Royal on the same drive for a 2 yard TD strike to put the Broncos on the scoreboard.

The Titans quickly answered back on 1st and 10 with Javon Ringer running left for 54 yards to the Denver 17. Three plays later, Vince Young threw an 8 yard touchdown strike to Kenny Britt to tie the ball game at 7-7. Young on the day was 17 of 28 for 173 yards and 1 TD. After exchanging field goals during the closing minute of the second quarter, both teams found themselves in a 10-10 tie at halftime.

The second half highlight for the home team came from their special teams. After Matt Prater put the Broncos up 13-10 on a 36-yard FG at the 10:36 mark of the third quarter, Marc Mariani went 98 yards untouched on the following kickoff return. Moments later, I was thinking about all those great Italian names enshrined at the Hall of Fame in Canton: "Marchetti, Montana, Marino.....MARIANI???". It sounded good to me!

I now see why Jeff Fisher stuck with this kid.

But when I say that was the second half highlight for the home team , I meant it. THAT WAS IT! The penalty-plagued Titans (10 flags for 111 yards) seemed to shoot themselves in the cleats at every turn and had multiple opportunities to 'close the deal'. Chris Johnson was ineffective with 53 yards on 19 carries. I guess the Broncos had a similar three-word strategy: 'Stop Chris Johnson'.

After the 2:00 warning, the Titans Chris Hope got flagged for an interference call on a deep Kyle Orton pass to Jabar Gaffney. This proved to be the game changer as the penalty advanced the ball to the Tennessee 1 yard line. After an illegal formation call backed the Broncos to the 6 yard line, Kyle Orton found RB Correll Buckhalter 2 plays later for a 6-yard TD pass, putting the Broncos up 23-20.

Time was of the essence with only 1:38 left on the game clock, and even though Tennessee trailed by 3 points, there was a safe feeling amongst the Titans faithful as our future Hall of Famer Marc Mariani was back to field the kickoff. But the kick was high and short...it took a bounce. On a kick that Mariani should have let bounce again, he jumped in the air to field it and was hit simultaneously as he grabbed for the ball. Mariani muffs the catch and Denver recovers all but sealing their victory.

Did Mariani go from special teams 'hero' to special teams 'zero' all in one half of play? Is the word 'Mariani' the Italian definition of 'Ying Yang'? Is this just a remake of the classic spaghetti-horror flick "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mariani"? OK, I'm just blowing off a little frustration with a little humor (as I did with mathematical jokes after Vols loss). Marc Mariani is young and makes very few mistakes. I'm sure he will entertain us with more spectacular returns in the not too distant future.

The Titans did have a few seconds for VY to throw a couple of long balls, one being a perfect pass to Kenny Britt, but the ball fell right through Britt's hands.

The final score: Denver 26 Tennessee 20.

Next week, the Titans play a hungry (1-2) Dallas Cowboys team. Kickoff is at 3:15 PM CDT

What Did We Learn From This Game?

Chris Johnson won't surpass 2500 yards but Chuck Cecil will surpass 2500 dollars (You can't point at refs with that finger, Coach C!)