Stillers vs. Titans Pregame Analysis (Game #4, vs. Tenn.)
The Stillers, fresh off their win over the lowly Bungals,
return home to face the 2-1 Titans.�
While these two clubs are no longer divisional foes, the NFL schedule
maker seems to enjoy continuing this oft-bitter rivalry.� Each team is looking to win a division
crown, and it�s entirely possible that, just like last season, these foes will
face each other come playoff time.�
* When the Titans have the ball, they�ll bring most
of the actors who have faced the Stillers the past 3-4 seasons.� Ever-resilient QB Steve McNair leads the
way.� McNair, who is once again hampered
by a small, nagging injury, always seems to overcome any pain or ailments he
may have.� McNair isn�t always the
superstar on the stat sheet, but the man has shown, time and time again, that
he�s a leader and a winner, and a guy who does what needs to be done in order
to get a �W�.� Due to his array of
injuries over the years, McNair isn�t the running threat he once was, but he�s
more than capable enough of breaking a defense�s spirit a couple times a game
with timely, backbreaking scrambles for clutch first downs.�
Like McNair, RB Freddie George is seemingly always hampered
by one malady after another, but to his credit, Freddie keeps on chugging along
as best he can.� In fact, he toted the
ball last week 29 times for 100 yards, so Freddie can still take -- and dish --
the punishment with the best of the NFL�s power backs.� Backup RB Robert Holcombe is a very solid,
capable all-around back who would obviously see far more playing time on most
other NFL teams.� Holcombe�s primary
chores are as a 3rd down back and giving Freddie a rest on occasion.�
The Bitan O-line is as good as it gets in today�s NFL.� Brad Hopkins is a bear-like, tough, talented LT.� RG Benji Olson and LG Zach Pillar are both very capable, ox-strong, short-area brawlers.� RT Fred Miller was signed an a UFA from the Rams a couple years back, and while he�s been an adequate contributor, he�s nowhere close to the likes of an in-prime Leon Searcy.� (He is at least far better than the likes of, say, Todd Fordham.)�� If there�s a real weak link on this fine O-line, it�s at center, where last year�s 6th round draft pick Justin Hartwig does the centering chores.� Erron Kinney starts at TE, supplanting the aging Frank Wycheck.� Kinney is a pretty strong point-of-attack blocker -- as evidenced by his numerous maulings of Big Jason GilDong the past couple seasons -- and is a decent catcher in the passing game.� Wycheck is recovering from a concussion, but he might very well play on Sunday.�
The WR corps isn�t much to gloat about, but it�s not
entirely shabby, either.� Derrick Mason
leads this gang, and Stiller fans have seen him torture and abuse the Stiller
secondary for so many years that they can well vouch for Mase�s ability.� Mase isn�t a true burner, but he combines
good route-running, veteran shrewdness, good hands and quickness, and savvy
deception.� Opposite Mase is former
backup Drew Bennett, the big, lanky receiver from UCLA.� Benny had been relegated to mostly backup
work his first 2 seasons, but he's entrenched as a starter now, and deservedly
so.� Last week, he hauled in 8 balls for
105 yards, and even completed a pass for 14 yards.� At 6-5" and very athletic, Benny is tough to handle for most
DBs.� Chipping in as a #3 receiver is
Justin McCareins.� DeWayne Washington
knows him somewhat well, after McCareins toyed with DeWayne in OT in last
season's playoff loss.� Freddie Berlin
and rookie 2nd-rounder Tyrone Calico will get some work when the Titans go to a
spread offense.�
The key matchup will be the Titan O-line against
the Stiller front 7.� The last time the
Stillers faced a line this good, they got beaten and kicked around in the loss
to KC two weeks ago.� This Titan line
has talent, experience, and toughness.�
If the Stiller front 7 aren't up to the task, the Titans will chew clock
with the ground game, and McNair will have ample time to pick apart the Tin Can
Defense.�
* When the Stillers have the ball, they'll
be brimming with the newfound "balance" they rediscovered in last
week's win over Cinci.� The O-line
snapped out of a long funk, and Amoz and Bettis carried the ball with authority
and success.� Problem was, it was the
Bungals on the opposite side of the ball.�
This week the Stillers will have the pleasure, er, displeasure, of
facing a very sound, solid Titan front 7.�
The D-line starts with the superstar bookends, DEs Kevin
Carter and Jevon Kearse.� Both are good
enough to cause offensive tackles many a sleepless night.� Kearse missed most of '02 with a foot
injury, but now is fully healthy and able.�
Robaire Smith and James Atkins man the middle, primarily to muck it up
and clog the middle. Rien Long and Carlos Hall add solid depth.�� The wild card on the D-line is DT Albert
Haynesworth.� Fat Albert is questionable
for this game, but if he's able to play, he'll be a massive object that the
Stillers must contend with.�
The LB corps is generally unheralded, but don't let the lack
of press clippings fool you.� Former
Orangeman Keith Bullock has lived up to his 1st round status, leading the team
in tackles as an outside LB and showing good presence, nose for the
ball, and playmaking.� Peter Sirmon
completed his first season as a starter in '02, and passed with flying
colors.� The weak spot, if there is one,
is at MLB, where 2nd-year man Rocky Calmus mans the middle.�
The Titan secondary might very well have the best talent and
depth in the conference, if not the NFL.�
Somari Rolle has established himself as a premier CB, and Andre Dyson on
the other side of the field isn't too shabby.�
Tank Williams had a fine rookie season, and with a full year under his
belt, is set to blossom this season.�
Lance Shulters mans the other safety spot, and together he and Tank
comprise one of the hardest hitting safety duos in the NFL.� This a superb starting four, but the Titans
can even bring in highly-touted rookie 1st rounder Andre Woolfolk to help out
on the nickel.� (Unlike a Billy Cowher-coached
team, the Titans actually allow their green, very inexperienced rookie DB to
play on their defense.) �In sum, if you
were the Stillers GM and you could trade your starting secondary for the Titan
secondary, your doing so would be cause for a parade in downtown Pittsburgh and
the key to the city.�
�
The key matchup will be the Stiller receiving
corps against the Titan secondary.� The
Stillers won't find much room to run against this stout Titan defense; thus,
the way to move the ball is in the air.�
As noted above, though, this Titan secondary is deep, talented, and
hard-hitting.� The Stillers had success
in '01 against a somewhat injury-riddled Titan secondary, and they certainly
had success in the playoff loss last year.�
This is the kind of rare matchup -- great WR corps against great
secondary -- that CBS should somehow allow the viewer an extra camera angle or
2 on every single play (via split-screen or pay-per-view), as this is as good
as it gets.�
* Special Teams: �The Titans have one of the more reliable punters in the league,
Craig Heintrich, who makes Josh Miller look like drunken stooge trying to drive
a golf ball with a putter.� Heintrich
typically won't have as long an average as Josh, but you won't see him scuffing
short, low punts in the middle of the field to Troy Brown or Dante Hall,
either.� The Titans lost southpaw kicker
Joe Nedney to injury, but they recovered brilliantly by signing one of the
greatest kickers of all time, former Stiller Gary Anderson.� Garo is getting a bit old, but he's as
reliable and clutch as they come.� Jake
Schifino and McCareins handle the KR chores, while the ever-dangerous Mason and
McCareins do the PR chores.� The Stiller
coverage teams were shoddy again last week, so don't even think of making a
hasty dash to the restroom in order to beat the crowd when the Stillers are
booting the ball to the Titans.�
Key Individual Matchups:
* LT Brad Hopkins vs. OLB Joey Porter.�� Hopkins is a mountain man and a skilled
technician.� Porter will have his hands
full, and then some.�
* Center Justin Hartwig vs. NT Casey Hampton.� Hartwig simply doesn�t have the experience
or pedigree to fight off Fat Casey.�
This is the kind of matchup that Hampton -- in between huffing and
puffing over on the sideline -- needs to start dominating.�
* TE Erron Kinney vs. OLB Jason Gildon.� Kinney has mauled and bullied GilDong so
badly that whenever his agent has to negotiate a new contract, all he needs to
do is carry in a stack of videotapes from these heinous beatings, and proclaim,
"Look at the way my client is bullying this 'pro bowl'
linebacker."� Look for the Titans
to run at, around, and over The $6M Dong.�
* DE Jevon Kearse or DE Kevin Carter vs. RT Todd
Fordham.�� Kearse and Carter will move
all over the line in order to confuse and disrupt.� Fordham has been whipped and abused against defenders with less
than half the skill of The Freak or Carter.� Maddox might very well want to wear a thick flak vest for this
game.�
* Freddie George vs. Kendrell Bell.� It doesn't get much better than this: one of
the greatest power backs in the NFL the past 7 years, against 1 of the hardest
hitting LBs in the league today.� Both
trainers should carry plenty of Anacin for this inevitable train wreck.���
* Head Coach Jeff Fisher vs. Head Coach Billy Cowher.� Fisher called the teams "very evenly
matched" but was at a loss to explain why his Titans won nine of the past
11 meetings between them. "I don't have an explanation for that other than
we have scored more points in each matchup."� Let me help you out, Jeffrey: you're a very good coach, and the
head coach on the other sideline is a dullardly fellow named Billy Cowher.� 'Nuf said.��
* Synopsis: This game, as we saw last year,
could be a portent of another playoff meeting between these two longtime
rivals.�� The Stillers had the
unfortunate circumstances of having to play both games against the Bitans down
in Tennessee -- where the Titans are nearly unbeatable -- so the home cookin'
at Heinz Field should be a welcome relief.�
The Stillers' two wins have been a feast on cr�me and cupcake, while
their loss was against muscle and protein.�
The Titans present another strong test, and until the Stillers show that
they can play with the big boys and eat up more than just cr�me and cupcake,
I've got to acknowledge my suspicions.��
Bitans 27, Stillers 21.�