Titans Team Report

INSIDE SLANT

Chris Johnson is beginning to hit his stride as a bona fide NFL running back midway through his second NFL season.

The Titans knew Johnson had breakaway speed from scouting him and seeing his 4.24 speed on display at the combine in 2008.

But what they hoped, and now know, is that Johnson’s speed and ability to carry the load at running back is making him a special talent indeed—one who is putting up numbers that have him mentioned with the game’s very elite at the position.

Names like Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders are on the short list when the list of accomplishments Johnson has either reached or is in reach of are compiled.

For instance, Johnson has 1,242 yards rushing—if he didn’t gain another yard this season, that would be the 11th-best rushing season in the franchise’s 50-year history.

But Johnson has the potential to have a far more special season than that. He currently has 71 more yards rushing than Dickerson did in 1984 when he set the NFL’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. Of course, Dickerson closed fast that season with six 100-yard rushing games in a row before “settling” for 98 yards in the regular-season finale.

Johnson is also broaching that accomplishment with five games in a row of at least 125 yards. If he gets at least that many again Sunday against Arizona, he would join Dickerson and Earl Campbell as the only backs with six 125-yard games in a row. He and Brown are the only ones to average at least 5 yards per carry in their five-game 125-yard streaks.

Johnson also needs just 56 yards to break Sanders’ record for most yards in a month. Sanders had 701 in November 1997 over five games. Johnson has 646 through four games.

“He’s putting up great numbers. He’s off to a great start, but it’s still very early in his career,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s way too soon to talk about him with those great players that have come and gone, but he’s off to a great start, and his production speaks for itself.”

Does Johnson have any indication of just how special his totals have the potential to be?

“It makes you feel good. It makes you want to keep working hard and breaking their records,” Johnson said. “Basically, if you’re being mentioned with those guys, you’re doing the right thing.”

Johnson’s teammates know how special an accomplishment he could be on the verge of as well, and are happy to be a part of it.

“You start to put him in those categories of guys that are legends, guys that are in the Hall of Fame, and that’s huge,” fullback Ahmard Hall(notes) said. “I was thinking about that the other day. When they say he’s on pace to do this, or on pace to do that, it’s just amazing to see it, and I’m on the same team. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime type guy.”

Added center Kevin Mawae(notes), “They’re gaudy numbers to say the least. I think people underestimated him during the draft, and our guys, the scouts and coaches, saw something special in him. He’s definitely proving himself. You thought it was going to be maybe a gimmick thing or something like that, but we’re seeing who Chris really is. The great thing is the more times you give him the ball, the more big plays he’s going to make.”

Series History:   9th regular-season meeting. Cardinals lead series 5-3. The Cardinals are the last of the NFL’s 32 teams to play at LP Field.

NOTES, QUOTES

—Titans QB Kerry Collins(notes) has been working in his spare time writing country songs, and hopes to break into the business. Collins enlisted the help of punter Craig Hentrich’s(notes) wife Lisa on one of his latest compositions. Lisa Hentrich does country and contemporary Christian music, and the result of their collaboration (along with co-writer Marcia Ramirez) was the song “Running Out of Reasons,” which is now being shopped around to artists and labels.

“I had idea for a song, and it needed some female influence on it. I had the idea, and I came and I told Craig, ‘Hey, I need to get Lisa to write this song.’ It’s a good idea and I think I can get it written,” Collins said. “I just need a little female influence on it. So naturally, we got together last month, me, him, her and another lady, Marcia Ramirez, and we wrote it.”

Lisa Hentrich performed the song recently at the legendary Bluebird Cafe with Collins in the audience. It was the first time he had heard one of his songs performed live.

“It went over great. It got a lot of great reactions to it,” Lisa Hentrich said. “Several people came up to me afterwards and said how much they liked it. It got a really great response.”

Collins was pleased with the reaction as well, and Craig Hentrich said the quarterback told him before hearing the song done live that he was a bit nervous about it.

“He walked in and said, ‘This is the first time I’ve been nervous in a long time. This is the first time I’m gonna hear my song out in public.’ He was all nervous as to how everybody was going to react to it, but it got a good reaction and she sang it well, and it was good,” Craig Hentrich said.

• QB Vince Young(notes) has done well since resurfacing as the starter four weeks ago. The Titans face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and Young’s fellow quarterback from that draft class, Matt Leinart(notes), finds himself still mired in the backup role behind Kurt Warner(notes).

Young, who became friends with Leinart as the two went through the draft process three years ago, offered words of encouragement.

Asked what he would tell the former Southern Cal star, Young said, “The same thing we’ve been talking to each other, just staying patient and staying humble and work on your craft. And when that time comes, be ready. I know he is, because he’s a pro. I know it’s frustrating for him, but I know he’s taking care of his responsibilities.”

By The Numbers:   10—Believe it or not, Sunday will mark Kurt Warner’s first start against the Titans since Super Bowl XXXIV, nearly 10 years ago.

Quote To Note:   “This might turn into a good rivalry. I played them last year and didn’t think they were a very physical team. I thought they were physical both times we played them this year.”—TE Alge Crumpler(notes) on facing the Houston Texans last Monday night.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The Titans lost practice squad cornerback Cary Williams(notes) to the Baltimore Ravens, who signed him to their 53-man roster. Williams had been on and off the Titans roster since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 draft from Washburn College. Most of his time had been on the practice squad, and he had fallen behind rookies Jason McCourty(notes) and Ryan Mouton(notes) on the depth chart as well.

Player Notes  

• RB Chris Johnson is now on pace for 1,987 yards this season, and needs to average just over 126 yards to reach 2,000 yards rushing.

• QB Vince Young is 4-0 this season since regaining the starting job and is an impressive 22-11 in his career, the fourth-best percentage among QBs with at least 20 starts.

• WR Kenny Britt(notes) could be in line for his third straight start as Justin Gage(notes) remains out with a back injury. Gage has improved, but could get another week to heal.

• CB Nick Harper(notes) came back to the starting lineup after missing four weeks with a broken forearm. He gave up a touchdown catch to Andre Johnson(notes) on Monday night and has a bigger challenge this week vs. Larry Fitzgerald(notes) and Anquan Boldin(notes).

• DE Kyle Vanden Bosch(notes) had his second sack of the season Monday night. It came lining up at defensive tackle. Vanden Bosch will face his former team Sunday; the Cardinals drafted him in 2001.

Game Plan:   Offensively the game plan should be simple for Tennessee. Keep running Chris Johnson in hopes that he breaks a long one, and have Vince Young continue to make good decisions with the football in the passing game.

Defensively the challenge is much greater. Pressure on Kurt Warner is the key, as the veteran can be pressed into interceptions and fumbles when the heat is on. However, any drop-off in production from the defensive line will mean a long day for the Titans’ secondary, as Warner and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are quite capable of picking apart a defense that has improved but struggled early on. Look for Tennessee to employ the nickel and dime packages quite often on Sunday.

Matchups To Watch:   Titans CBs Cortland Finnegan(notes) and Nick Harper vs. Cardinals WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals possess perhaps the most prolific pass catching duo in the NFL, and QB Kurt Warner usually excels at getting the ball to them. The Titans corners will probably need plenty of help over the top from their safeties, who have been inconsistent in coverage at times this year.

Titans QB Vince Young vs. Cardinals S Adrian Wilson(notes). Young’s threat to run the football on both scrambles and designed plays has been a nice complement to the offense. Could the Cardinals employ a spy on Young to keep him from running, with a big-type safety like Wilson? If they do, they’ll gamble that their front seven can contain Chris Johnson.

Injury Impact:   WR Justin Gage is better, but probably needs one more week to heal from the transverse process bone fractures in his back. Backup LB Colin Allred(notes) is bothered by a hamstring, while DT Sen’Derrick Marks(notes) was out of practice Wednesday with an ankle injury.