Anytime you win by 19 points on the road, you take that and run to the NFL bank, if you’re the Titans or any other team.
Chris Johnson has taken a pounding early this season for the Titans.
A 2-1 start is good, especially after last year’s 0-6 beginning. Now, the Titans get an average Denver team looming in Week 4 at home.
But there is cause for concern.
It’s pretty apparent that the tide has changed in this league. The trend for years has been how you don’t need a quarterback to win in the NFL. Just run the ball effectively and defend well and you have the recipe for success.
I think the time has come to toss that notion out the window. Leave Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson, Rich Gannon, and Rex Grossman alone.
Peyton Manning has had a 433-yard game and a 325-yard passing games this season, including throwing for three touchdowns in every game this year.
Matt Schaub brought the Texans back at Washington, while passing for 497 yards and three touchdowns in a victory.
Philip Rivers, of the Chargers, has passed for 298, 334, and 455 yards in three games, and has seven touchdowns.
Jay Cutler is having his best year as a pro, with his quarterback rating and 3-0 start, and a 372-yard passing game and six touchdowns on the young season.
The point to this is quite simple. When the Titans only attempt four passes in the first half of the Giants game, and finish with 16 total, the big picture should make you a little nervous.
The game plan for a 16-game season can’t be to only have your QB throw somewhere between 15 and 17 passes a game, and let your 200-pound running back (wink-wink) carry the load like he’s Jerome Bettis or Eddie George.
That to me has disaster written all over it, or should I say 8-8.
Even Kyle Orton, the outcast from Chicago, is bringing the Broncos to town Sunday while throwing for games of 295, 307, and 476 this season. While they haven’t been particularly successful this year, it’s not because of who’s under center.
The pounding of Chris Johnson has been evident thus far with every defense he’s faced.
Granted, he’s brought a lot of this upon himself. The proclamation of 2,500-yards this season and last year’s leading rusher in the league, does make No.28 a target.
Kenny Britt said as much after Sunday’s game. “We wanted to throw the ball around in the second half and open up the run game for CJ. “
I just think this team is going down a dangerous path if the playbook reads: Can’t turn the ball-over, VY should only attempt 16 passes a game, and pound your home run threat 30-plus times each week in the run game.
Today’s NFL says this: You'd better have a quarterback who can throw, if you plan on doing a lot of winning.
Ask the Saints, Colts, Patriots, and Cardinals.
- Darren McFarland
- co-publiser of TitanInsider - TitanInsider