Titans aren't pretty but have Super elements
Sunday, October 5, 2008, 6:49 p.m. ET
BALTIMORE -- Five things we learned watching the Tennessee Titans remain unbeaten, defeating the Baltimore Ravens 13-10:
1. Collins solidifies QB spot
This was not a pretty performance for Titans QB Kerry Collins (17-for-32, 163 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions). But with just over six minutes to play, Collins engineered an 80-yard, game-winning drive, hitting Alge Crumpler with an 11-yard touchdown pass with just under two minutes to play.
"I like quarterbacking this team," said Collins. "It's nice to be on a team that has a chance to win every week. I hope my teammates realize that I am gonna keep playing no matter what happens.
"I hope they are building a trust in me."
2. Penalties killing Ravens
A controversial roughing the passer penalty against linebacker Terrell Suggs kept the Titans' game-winning drive alive. Television replays showed Suggs, at worst, barely grazed Collins in the helmet. Suggs insists he did not touch Collins at all.
"Go look at it," Suggs said. "It didn't come close to his helmet. I never in my six years in the NFL have been a dirty player or hit a quarterback in the head.
"If anybody can go back and show me something I did illegal, then I would be happy to oblige and say, 'I messed up.' But when you are nowhere near his head? We hit arms."
In the Ravens' Week 4 loss to the Steelers, a personal foul called against the Ravens also helped change the game's momentum.
"It just goes to show the referee has too much power in the game," said Suggs.
Referee Bill Carollo defended the call to a pool reporter.
"He got him on the side of the helmet," said Carollo.
3. Flacco tends to lock on targets
Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco was intercepted twice Sunday, and neither pass should have been thrown. Both interceptions were thrown directly into the hands of Titans defenders.
"I just didn't use good judgment on those plays," said Flacco.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Flacco must learn to see more of field.
"Sometimes with young quarterbacks, their vision isn't quite was wide as you want it to be," said Harbaugh. "He didn't see some of those coverages. Those are two throws that clearly shouldn't have been made he'd like to have back."
4. Titans have championship 'D'
Nobody has scored more than 17 points against the Titans all season. Their front seven is so dominant and physical, it is difficult to sustain long drives against them.
"All week, it was a challenge of who had the best defense," Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. "No matter what's going on, we're playing lights out defense. This defense is good. We know we are good."
5. Titans have critical veteran leadership
When Titans cornerback Courtland Finnegan was called for a personal foul in the second half, linebacker Keith Bulluck shoved Finnegan in the chest and screamed at him.
"He's an intense guy, I'm an intense guy," Bullock said of Finnegan. "He's somebody who I think is going to be a great player in this league. I'm here to kind of help him develop into the player he wants to be.
"Let's just clear the air. This is our defense. We're like brothers. Brothers get into different things. Everything is cool. We leave everything on the field."
It speaks volumes about the Titans' locker room that all the controversy surrounding quarterback Vince Young earlier did not result in the team losing focus or momentum. Collins stepped in at quarterback, and the Titans kept on winning.
"It doesn't take the coach on this team to get each other straight," said Crumpler. "We hold each other accountable."
Senior writer Clifton Brown covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
4 
At NFL quarter pole, 10 players on the spot
Saturday, October 4, 2008, 2:48 p.m. ET
We are one quarter through the season, and some players need a wakeup call. Here are 10 offensive players who need to step it up:
Chad Johnson, WR, Bengals. Johnson is a superstar. Just ask him. But whether you call him Johnson or Ocho Cinco, you can't call him the best receiver on the Bengals anymore — that's T.J. Houshmandzadeh. QB Carson Palmer has not been healthy, and Johnson has been playing with a shoulder injury. Still, you expect more from Johnson than 11 catches and one touchdown through four games. If he keeps playing this way, maybe the Bengals finally will trade him.
Matt Schaub, QB, Texans. He played his best game last week, so his early-season funk might be over. But the Texans are 0-3, which is the bottom line for a team that entered the season with playoff hopes. If the Texans are to escape the AFC South basement, Schaub must lead the way.
Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers. Mike Martz's offense was expected to unleash Davis' downfield pass-catching skills. We're still waiting. Davis has just five catches in four games. Last week after making his only catch against the Saints, Davis celebrated like he had just won the lottery, then he thumped his chest to indicate he wanted more throws coming his way. Coach Mike Nolan responded by benching Davis for the final six minutes. If the 49ers are to be a factor in the NFC West, Davis must become more consistent.
Derek Anderson, QB, Browns. He has the lowest passer rating (49.9) of any starting quarterback. He some time to think about it, with the Browns being on their bye week. If Anderson does not improve quickly, he will lose his job to Brady Quinn.
Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns. The chemistry Anderson and Edwards enjoyed last season has vanished. Edwards has dropped passes and has scored just one touchdown, adding to the Browns' woes. Edwards has the size and talent to be one of the NFL's elite receivers. But unless he steps up his game, the Browns can forget about the playoffs.
David Akers, K, Eagles. Once one of the league's elite kickers, Akers has missed his last eight field-goal attempts from 45 yards or longer. His misses from 50 yards and 47 yards against the Bears might have cost the Eagles a victory. In the tough NFC East, a playoff berth could hinge on a field goal. Akers must regain his long-range accuracy.
Javon Walker, WR, Raiders. Hard to believe Raiders owner/GM Al Davis gave him a six-year, $55 million contract. That is not what you call money well spent. Walker once was a 1,000-yard receiver. He might no longer be healthy enough, or interested enough, to play at that level.
Ernest Wilford, WR, Dolphins. Another free-agent bust. The economy is terrible, but a $16-million investment should get you more than one catch in return.
Chris Perry, RB, Bengals. Do not give Perry anything fragile to hold. He has fumbled four times in four games. No wonder the Bengals signed Cedric Benson. Perry could be squandering his chance to become the Bengals' featured back, and his inability to produce consistently has put even more pressure on the passing game.
Marc Bulger, QB, Rams. Former coach Scott Linehan should not have benched Bulger, but it's not like Bulger was tearing up the league. Bulger's play has been steadily declining. Since the start of the '07 season, he has 13 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. Playing behind a porous offensive line has not helped, but Bulger must take his share of the blame. New coach Jim Haslett has given the starting job back to Bulger. The Rams are on their bye week, and starting next week it's on Bulger to make Haslett look smart.
Senior writer Clifton Brown covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
5
Harbaugh has Ravens flying in right direction
Thursday, October 2, 2008, 12:30 p.m. ET
A rookie head coach plus a rookie quarterback usually equals a long season.
Not so with the Ravens, at least not so far. Only a tough overtime loss to the Steelers stands between the Ravens (2-1) and an unblemished record. It is still early, but one thing seems pretty clear. It is easy to see why general manager Ozzie Newsome was impressed with head coach John Harbaugh.
Second-guessing Newsome's decision to hire Harbaugh was easy. He had never been a head coach or a coordinator. And Harbaugh's job became even more difficult after he accepted it. During the summer, legendary tackle Jonathan Ogden and quarterback Steve McNair both retired. Then during the preseason, veteran quarterback Kyle Boller suffered a season-ending injury, and backup quarterback Troy Smith became seriously ill with tonsillitis, losing 20 pounds in the process.
That forced Harbaugh to start rookie quarterback Joe Flacco from Week 1. And all the stars seemed aligned for the Ravens to struggle.
That has not happened. Give most of the credit to the Ravens' defense, ranked No. 1 in the NFL so far. Defensively, the Ravens have their swagger back. Ray Lewis remains one of the best linebackers in football, setting a level of intensity that is infectious. But give Harbaugh some credit as well, for setting a tough-minded tone during the offseason that has carried over into the regular season.
Harbaugh held a demanding training camp that featured more hitting than recent camps held by his predecessor, Brian Billick. That camp did more than establish the presence of a new sheriff in town. It reestablished that the Ravens would return to the rugged style that defined them during their glory days.
Watching the hitting during Monday night's Steelers-Ravens game was reminiscent of watching the Ravens when they were a playoff team. They are not back to that level, at least not yet. But the rebuilding process may not be as long, or painful, as many people anticipated.
The defense will have to remain stellar for the Ravens to win, because they lack a big-play, big-strike offense. Flacco has a great arm, poise, and potential, but he is raw. The more the Ravens open up offensively, the more mistakes Flacco is likely to make. Meanwhile, their best running back, Willis McGahee, is already banged up with bruised ribs and an injured eye.
Harbaugh will surely make some mistakes learning on the job. Against the Steelers, Harbaugh decided not to challenge the call when Derrick Mason was ruled out of bounds on a potential touchdown catch. Television replays indicated Mason had both feet in bounds, with control of the ball. On Tuesday, Harbaugh drew criticism for not throwing the red flag.
"We think he was in," Harbaugh admitted Tuesday, after seeing several replays. "We didn't have a look at it before they hustled out there and got a play run. If we had any kind of picture that we thought was close, we would have challenged it for sure. But me looking at it from across the field, it looked to the naked eye like he was out. It was too late."
It is too late for Harbaugh to challenge that call. But it is very early in the AFC North race, and the Ravens could be a factor all season. The Steelers (3-1) are banged up, the Browns (1-3) have major issues on offense, and the Bengals (0-4) have to win a couple of games before you should take them seriously.
How the Ravens fare at home this Sunday against the Titans (4-0) will tell us more about Baltimore. But coming off a 5-11 season, the Ravens are not focused on rebuilding. They are focused on winning.
1
At 35, Brooks still stars for ballhawking Bucs
Sunday, September 28, 2008, 5:10 p.m. ET
TAMPA, Fla. -- Five things we learned watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) hand the Green Bay Packers their second consecutive defeat, 30-21, at Raymond James Stadium.
1. Derrick Brooks is still a stud
The Buccaneers' linebacker had an interception and caused a fumble that safety Jermaine Phillips scooped up for a touchdown. At 35, Brooks is far from washed up. His intelligence, leadership and knack for big plays are irreplaceable in Tampa's defensive scheme.
2. Bucs are ballhawks
Tampa Bay has scored at least one defensive touchdown in three of its first four games. Touchdowns by the defense are huge momentum changers, and they usually lead to wins.
Give coordinator Monte Kiffin credit for once again maximizing his personnel. Kiffin has been one of the NFL's best coordinators for years, and he is doing another masterful job of utilizing his personnel. Too bad he can't give more help to his son, Lane Kiffin, the embattled head coach of the Raiders.
3. Bucs' QB situation still to be watched
Brian Griese threw three interceptions in the second half. The final one was terrible, a late look to Warren Dunn that should have never been thrown. Charles Woodson stepped in front of Dunn, made the easy interception and raced 62 yards untouched into the end zone. Woodson's touchdown put the Packers ahead, 21-20, early in the fourth quarter.
The Bucs relied on their running game and defense to pull out the victory. But Griese's spotty play will continue the quarterback debate in Tampa Bay. Coach Jon Gruden was quick to yank Jeff Garcia as the starter, benching him after Week 1. Gruden pulled the trigger on Garcia too quickly.
Garcia led the Buccaneers to the playoffs last season, and he led the Eagles to the playoffs in 2006. He deserved more time to get his game together. Now, Garcia is angry and feels he has been disrespected by Gruden. Quite simply, Griese may not be good enough to get the Buccaneers back into the playoffs. He will need to play better for the Buccaneers to keep winning.
4. Packers need experienced backup QB
Two rookies are backing up Aaron Rodgers: Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm. That is a dangerous situation for a playoff contender, especially since Rodgers has been injury- prone during his brief career. After Rodgers suffered a third quarter shoulder injury, Flynn was forced to play a series in the fourth quarter, and he looked shaky.
What would you expect? The Packers need to go quarterback shopping. If they cannot pry Garcia from the Buccaneers, even somebody like Joey Harrington, believe it or not, might be better for the Packers in a pinch that Flynn or Brohm.
5. Matt Bryant is heroic
One can only imagine the heartbreak the Bucs' field goal kicker felt this week, dealing with the death of his 3-month-old son. Bryant's wife, Melissa, found their son, Matthew Tryson Bryant, unresponsive Wednesday morning.
The funeral was Saturday in Texas, but Bryant still elected to return to Tampa and play. And play he did, making all three of his field goal attempts, including a 24-yarder with 2:26 remaining that put the Buccaneers ahead for good. After each field goal, Bryant made a gesture skyward, and he appeared to be close to tears. Best wishes to Bryant and his family, as they deal with such a terrible tragedy.
Senior writer Clifton Brown covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
5
Broncos hit the draft jackpot with Cutler-Marshall combo
Friday, September 26, 2008, 9:07 p.m. ET
To say that the 2006 draft worked out for the Denver Broncos is an understatement. It's like saying Microsoft worked out for Bill Gates.
Both Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall were drafted in 2006, and they have become the backbone of one of the NFL's most prolific offenses.
You can make a strong case that Cutler has been the league's best quarterback this season -- eight touchdowns passes, two interceptions, 67.6 completion percentage, 110.6 passer rating. And nobody in the AFC has more receiving yards than Marshall, a gifted receiver with size, speed and sticky hands.
Watching Cutler and Marshall ignite the Broncos' potent attack is further proof of how the draft can make or break teams. Two quarterbacks were drafted ahead of Cutler in 2006 -- Vince Young and Matt Leinart. Young has been booed and relegated to backup status with the Tennessee Titans while Leinart is riding the Arizona Cardinals' bench behind Kurt Warner.
If you held a redo of the 2006 draft today, no way Young would go No. 3, Leinart would go No. 10, and Cutler would go No. 11. That is the danger and intrigue of the draft. Nobody has a crystal ball, not one that really works.
It was not crazy to think that Young and Leinart would be solid NFL quarterbacks. They were big-time college players, quarterbacks who led their teams to a national championship. And Cutler did go in the first round, so it's not like he was overlooked.
However, Marshall is a different story. Despite all the time, energy and research that teams put into the draft, great talents slip too far. Marshall lasted until the fourth round in 2006, the 119th pick overall. Hard to believe but true.
Can you guess how many receivers were drafted before Marshall in 2006? The answer is 13. Here is the list -- Santonio Holmes, Chad Jackson, Sinorice Moss, Greg Jennings, Travis Wilson, Derek Hagan, Brandon Williams, Maurice Stovall, Willie Reid, Brad Smith, Cory Rodgers, Jason Avant and Demetrius Williams.
Jennings has become a star with the Green Bay Packers and Holmes has been a steady contributor for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But none of those other receivers comes close to making the impact that Marshall has made with the Broncos.
If they remain healthy and stay together, Cutler and Marshall have a chance to put up huge career numbers. That has not been lost on Marshall.
"If things go well, Jay's going to be my guy my whole career," Marshall said. "Not every receiver has that opportunity. I'm in a good situation."
Even if you chose the right quarterback, it takes more than talent for him to develop in the NFL. It takes the right system, the right coaching and the right talent around him.
Those pieces are in place for Cutler with the Broncos. Mike Shanahan knows what a great quarterback looks like, having coached John Elway. The more Cutler shows he can do, the more Shanahan expands the offense -- and the more Cutler can audible or improvise.
"Jay has a lot of freedom this year to change things up," Marshall said. "He's fearless. That's the type of guy I want to take in my foxhole."
As potent as the Broncos (3-0) have been on offense, Cutler could have a huge day Sunday against the hapless Kansas City Chiefs (0-3). However, Cutler does not plan to fall into the trap of taking the Chiefs lightly.
"We're a young team, so we're not going to overlook anybody," Cutler said. "They have talent like any NFL team, and you look at their record when they play at Arrowhead. We're not overlooking anyone at all."
A lot of people overlooked Marshall coming out of college, and the Broncos were the beneficiaries. The 2006 draft was not memorable for some teams. But for the Broncos, it could have hardly been better.
Senior writer Clifton Brown covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
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