Titans look for fast start to 2010 against visiting Raiders
All the hype is over. All the talk of off-season improvements and how good teams will be is over. Now it’s time to show just how much better certain team got, and that’s exactly what the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders will have to prove from the start.
The Titans want to prove that they’re more like the team that finished 8-2 last year as opposed to the team that started 0-6. The Raiders are out to prove that ridding themselves of JaMarcus Russell will help them push for the play-offs.
It’s no secret what the Titans’ offensive game plan will be: get the ball in Chris Johnson’s hands as much as possible. Why wouldn’t they? Johnson’s only coming off a 2000-yard rushing season and he has his sights set on Eric Dickerson’s 2,105 yards rushing record. Johnson will hope to start on the right track against a Raiders’ defence that ranked 29th against the run. Behind Johnson’s surreal season, the Titans were second in rushing.
The Raiders’ defence is revamped as only two players from last year’s front seven are back. Richard Seymour will now shift from the end to defensive tackle. The Raiders also drafted middle linebacker Rolando McClain in the first round to bolster the defence. The Raiders will likely stack eight defenders in the box in an effort to slow down Johnson.
“They’ve obviously got a special player at the running back position, but they’ve got great players all around. We just have to play great team defence,” Raiders’ coach Tom Cable said.
When Johnson’s not running it, Young will try to put his arm and legs to work against a tough secondary. The Raiders were seventh against the pass last year, but the bad news is, the Titans don’t throw the ball often.
Oakland will likely pit their star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha against either Nate Washington or Kenny Britt. That will mean Young will likely have to get it done by throwing to his talented tight ends in Bo Scaife, Craig Stevens and Jared Cook.
Justin Gage will also have to have a big game. Young will also look to his running back for some easier completions. Of course, there’s the X-factor in Young’s scrambling ability. He could make some key plays with his legs as well.
The Raiders in turn are looking to get the post-JaMarcus Russell saga going. Jason Campbell is finding chemistry with his receivers but he’ll need his offensive line to help him. The Titans have a deep defensive line including Tony Brown, Jason Jones, Derrick Morgan and Jacob Ford, all of whom have shown the ability to rush the quarterback. They’ll be looking to shake Campbell who tends to struggle when under pressure.
The Raiders will hope Darrius Hayward-Bey can follow a disappointing season with a strong one. Tight end Zach Miller will likely be Campbell’s favourite target as he will face a lot of pressure and will look to dump the ball off quickly.
With Michael Bush’s status still unclear, the Raiders will hope Darren McFadden can carry the running game, something he has failed to do thus far in his career. McFadden has not shown the ability to take many carries and is very inconsistent. If the Raiders can’t establish a run-game, the Titans will likely drop more players in coverage, making it hard for Oakland to throw the ball. Cortland Finnegan is a tough physical cornerback and the receivers may find a young Titans’ secondary more challenging than expected.
This game essentially comes down to which team can establish a strong running game. The edge has to go to the Titans there, because even if Raiders defenders swarm Johnson, that will open up the passing game. The Raiders just don’t have the same kind of play-makers the Titans do. Oakland are determined to show how much better they’ve gotten, but the Titans are desperate to avoid a slow start like last year. They’ll be looking for the home win to open the season and start the right way.
Expect the Raiders to stay in the game with some tough physical football, before Johnson breaks loose and the Titans eventually pull away.
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